Delayed Sleep Phase: Everything You Need To Know

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:56 causes of Delayed Sleep Phase
1:39 symptoms of Delayed Sleep Phase
2:26 Diagnosis of Delayed Sleep Phase
2:59 treatment of Delayed Sleep Phase

Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD), more often known as delayed sleep phase syndrome and also as delayed sleep–wake phase disorder, is a delaying of a person's circadian rhythm (biological clock), compared to those of the general population and societal norms. The disorder affects the timing of sleep, peak period of alertness, the core body temperature, rhythm, hormonal as well as other daily cycles. People with DSPD generally fall asleep some hours after midnight and have difficulty waking up in the morning.[1] People with DSPD probably have a circadian period significantly longer than 24 hours.[2] Depending on the severity, the symptoms can be managed to a greater or lesser degree, but no cure is known, and research suggests a genetic origin for the disorder.[3]

Affected people often report that while they do not get to sleep until the early morning, they do fall asleep around the same time every day. Unless they have another sleep disorder such as sleep apnea in addition to DSPD, patients can sleep well and have a normal need for sleep. However, they find it very difficult to wake up in time for a typical school or work day. If they are allowed to follow their own schedules, e.g. sleeping from 4:00 am to 1:00 pm, their sleep is improved and they may not experience excessive daytime sleepiness.[4] Attempting to force oneself onto daytime society's schedule with DSPD has been compared to constantly living with jet lag; DSPD has been called "social jet lag".[5]

Researchers in 2017 linked DSPD to at least one genetic mutation.[3] The syndrome usually develops in early childhood or adolescence.[6] An adolescent version may disappear in late adolescence or early adulthood; otherwise, DSPD is a lifelong condition. The best estimate of prevalence among adults is 0.13–0.17% (1 in 600).[7][8] Prevalence among adolescents is as much as 7–16%.[4]

DSPD was first formally described in 1981 by Elliot D. Weitzman and others at Montefiore Medical Center.[9] It is responsible for 7–13% of patient complaints of chronic insomnia.[10] However, since many doctors are unfamiliar with the condition, it often goes untreated or is treated inappropriately; DSPD is often misdiagnosed as primary insomnia or as a psychiatric condition.[11] DSPD can be treated or helped in some cases by careful daily sleep practices, morning light therapy, evening dark therapy, earlier exercise and meal times, and medications such as aripiprazole, melatonin, and modafinil; melatonin is a natural neurohormone partly responsible for the human body clock. At its most severe and inflexible, DSPD is a disability. A chief difficulty of treating DSPD is in maintaining an earlier schedule after it has been established, as the patient's body has a strong tendency to reset the sleeping schedule to its intrinsic late times. People with DSPD may improve their quality of life by choosing careers that allow late sleeping times, rather than forcing themselves to follow a conventional 9-to-5 work schedule.

[superanai]

'the stress can lead to stress'
I particularly like that line

[J.]

man this disorder is insane. a few years ago when I wasn't working I would naturally feel tired at 4am and would go to sleep and wake up around 12 and I felt great and energized all the time and had no issues with falling and staying asleep. but since then I've been working and my latest job has me starting at 6am (waking up at 5am to get ready) even though my body typically doesn't let me sleep until midnight or even sometimes until 3 in the morning.

I've tried shifting my sleep cycle with early morning sunlight, no caffeine, eating early in the morning, dim warm lights in the evening ect but it just doesn't seem to budge no matter what I do, so I think in my case it's genetic.

it sucks for all of us that are forced into bad sleep because we have to live according to the rest of society.

[otto_original]

I didn’t know what this was until I had a polysomnogram done and was diagnosed with delayed rem cycle. I thought it was just a night owl. Of course I also have insomnia and depression, as well as stress and anxiety disorder. People think you’re lazy. They just don’t get it. It’s a chronic condition.

[suffer]

I close my eyes for 3 hours and nothing happens, eventually I go into a sleep state misconception, where I get up for the next day, and I'm not even sure if I've slept or not. I think the problem for many is not DSPD but stressing about sleeping, I have a tip for people that have that issues. Remember this. Bed is for rest. Not stress. Get up if you're just gonna stress about sleeping. The more you stress about it the worse time you'll have sleeping.

[Leon_esqoiddangzmp]

Idk I have this, but literally it’s 4:19 am and I’m not even tired I’m wide awake like it’s another day! But when I go to sleep and wake up in the morning I’m tired I don’t get it

[metacomet]

I'm 70 now and have been dealing with this since I was a teen. I'm still working but currently stuck in a day job. I've been able to deal with this over the years by getting night jobs where I would thrive, but now on days I'm sleepy all the time and in a constant state of jet lag. I went to yet another sleep center today where they blathered on about light therapy and the usual "resetting your clock" and other crap which obviously has no effect. Maybe some day science will catch up with this problem and figure out how to deal with it, but right now they seem to be clueless. I'm starting an evening job in a couple of weeks, so I'm hoping to get some relief. HEY MODERN MEDICINE: It isn't about light. Blind people have this too, but it's easier for you to explain it away with the whole light exposure rationale. Try moving beyond that and see what you come up with.

[toshi]

HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS!!!???
I got sleep issues that (I assume) are due to psychological problems but could never ‘fit’ into insomnia etc and even ended up making appointments for M.E (still pending rip). This fits the bill the most (still gonna see the others but this clicked instantly)

[jacobramiow]

I once plugged all the windows in my room with cardboard and since the light wasn't there to wake me up, I would often sleep well into the afternoon between 4 and 5pm. On some occasions I would wake up around 6pm and wasn't sure if it was dusk or dawn.

[Hamza-xckb]

I had DSP (Delayed sleep phase disorder) and I looked for solutions everywhere but nothing worked. (People have this all their lives) I was going into depression anxiety and couldn't go out in public in the daytime becz the outside environment instantly triggered anxiety. Productivity = 0. All because of sleep disorder (5+ years into this). Here's what I did and it ABSOLUTEY worked.
1- Eliminated LED lights from my house. Moved to not-so-bright warm and easy-on-eye filament bulbs. (Vintage ones, no blue light)
2- Cut screen time after sunset. No screen at all after sunset whatsoever. (In the day time I use the Night shift on my Computer+phone a little warm color screen)
3- Lots of natural light. I actually put my table in front of a Window while I work.

Diet:
1- I stopped eating after sunset until sunrise. This reset my body's clock.
2- Stopped eating 1 hour before sleep.
3- My diet is already Organic. Lots of fruits, carbs etc.

You know what, Now, I freakin Sleep like a Baby after sunset until Sunrise. I NEVER slept so well like this in 5 years. I woke up with no headaches. Healthy Gut. My body felt super energetic.

This is the real treatment. ELIMINATE! Things that tell your brain the wrong information at the wrong time. Bright LED Bulbs and screens tell the brain, it's Day time when it's time to sleep.

My life has changed A LOT. Just wanted to share this here to help if someone is going thru DSP. This is the fix. QUIT BLUE LIGHT.

[common_sense_supreme]

I have been suffering from this problem since I was 4.

[shofarsogood]

Yes, but does poor sleep routine cause DSPS or does DSPS cause poor sleep routine?

[jonatanwigerup]

Discovered this just the other day. My body gets tired around 6am and I usually get up around 2-3 pm and hate myself for being this way.

I've worked a shift job for many years and would be absolutely knackered in the afternoon when I got up around 4 or 5 am. Now I work for myself but I find it hard to adjust with the working hours. Getting up before 10 (if I didn't work) has always been a challenge for me

[catherinebeyer-arthur]

I do not know anyone with this that is only delayed by 2 hours

We are 4 to 6 hours delayed

[inutero]

Man i have this . The depression n fatigue is killing me.

[MR_Faded]

This makes so much sense now learning about it im 19 and had this since a kid i belive been to tons of doctors and they couldnt help near as much as this video they wouldnt even give me a valid explanation for my sleep issues but this makes sense

[serza]

I hate this disorder so much... i am a father of a 2 year old son. And its been hell since i became a dad. Not because of my son but because of society expecting me to be a normal scheduled person.

If i follow my natural body clock i fall asleep somewhere varying around 02:00 to 10:00 and wake up around 12.00 to 16.00 which is hell.... i feel like i am a failure as a father because i miss alot of time with him i will not be able to make up for. I have seen so many doctors and tried many things like melatonine, light therapy, chronotherapy even spent time sleeping in a lab without distractions. But nothing seems to help.

I feel so bad and don't know how to make it work.... any advice is welcome.... please...🙏

[trisharahman]

I have been suffering for 10 years and always looking for a solution to this

[hollowinside]

This disorder keeps me away from so many things, it s terrible

[kylamarroum]

I don't know if I have it because I struggle with sleeping. And find it hard to wake up

[carlapraught]

If I let myself go with what my body seems to want to do I would be falling asleep at around 6am to 1pm. Right now Im doing 4-430 - 12. It is so hard to live with as I miss out on a lot of things that happen in mornings. I have tried getting up 15 min earlier but just can't seem to maintain it