Anyone here suffer from delay sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) or night terrors?

[Fido McNasty]

I sometimes get a jolt as I relax too quickly as I fall asleep, the surprise causes me to wake partially with a jolt. I'm conscious when it occurs but my whole body spasms.

Wow. I can assure you that you're not alone with that one. I've 'caught' myself with that a few times of an average year. However, more alarmingly I can relate to the dsps description, although I've never felt it to be a problem in my adult life it was a huge problem for me in my school days at least since I was around seven or eight years old (or about as far as I can recall sleeping odd hours), out of sync with society at large.

I don't find it disconcerting, but I do feel that this is what the term night owl probably refers to. Interesting that the condition appears in approximately 3 in 2000 people according to wiki. Over the last eighteen years or so I've come to cycle through over a month. Good for dealing with US clients. All in all not a major problem for me to deal with as my life is fairly diverse.

 

[Raumarik]

@dodgem & danny_mac: That's sleep paralysis, I've never had the fear of breathlessness strangely from paralysis alone, but sleep paralysis is one of the extra added bonuses of night terrors.

Made me think, I use to have a lot of sleep paralysis prior to being diagnosed and treated for chronic obstructive sleep apnoea, coincidence perhaps but never had it since and it's been 3.5 years

 

[X-BEN]

I used to get loads of night terrors but now its rare (snakes in the bed, people jumping in and out my window stealing stuff, room is on fire, wires wrapping round my neck) but not so much any more.

I am very open with telling everyone as I find it funny, I don't remember much of them other than the fear.

my most recent one was (told by the gf i did this) pointing at the wardrobe laughing my head off the gf asks me whats up I said to her the mice there my friends there so funny and continued laughing then lay down and was asleep again!

As far as getting rid of them stop watching scary TV or programs I no longer watch any horror's or things i find scary (ok maybe one or two) but its cut them down and i get more sleep.

Hope this helps or that people find it funny or interesting

 

[Raikiri]

I sometimes get a jolt as I relax too quickly as I fall asleep, the surprise causes me to wake partially with a jolt. I'm conscious when it occurs but my whole body spasms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk

 

[Tom0]

Sorry

 

[Dinomania]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk

Yeah, get those once in a while myself.

The bloke goes through a series of small muscular jerks as he falls asleep - apart from the deeper breathing/occasional snoring, it's usually how I know he's dropped off - I can almost feel the twitch going around the body from leg muscles to fingers... Quite interesting, not sure if we all do this

 

[Abyss]

Thanks Auraomega. I was not aware that DSPS was a recognised condition and have been battling with all of the symptoms most of my life. I have reached the point of accepting it and every morning is a fight to get up if it is before 10 am. I struggle to go to bed before 2pm, and end up crashing out at the weeekend to compensate.

I think it might be worth me booking a doctors appointment.

 

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

I usually (pretty much every night) sleep from 3:30am to around 11am, its just when I sleep. I wasn't aware they'd decided to give it a long name and class it as a disorder. Why should it be? It doesn't cause many problems.

 

[Guest2]

When i got back from Ibiza i had the WORSE night terrors/nightmares ever. The more i tried to stay awake to stop them the more i hallucinated and they got worse.

I really feel for people with bad nightmares, i literally was too scared to go to bed.

 

[Auraomega]

Why should it be? It doesn't cause many problems.

I disagree, I find it very difficult to work as the week progresses, it doesn't affect me at work as such, because I normally have some Kendel mint cake at the ready, but for those people who geniunly suffer from it, I.E. those who can't change their cycle, it can be difficult.

The ability to sleep in until 11am would be wonderful, but when you have a 9-5 job, 11am sleep ins aren't good, take into consideration that no matter how tired you are you can't sleep until 3am ish, and getting up at 7, thats 4 hours sleep per night, half of the recommended. When you have no reason to wake early its easy, sure, but if you're being forced to get up earlier than you would naturally, and then still can't sleep until your "natural" time, its a pain in the ass and very tiring.

 

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

The ability to sleep in until 11am would be wonderful, but when you have a 9-5 job, 11am sleep ins aren't good, take into consideration that no matter how tired you are you can't sleep until 3am ish, and getting up at 7, thats 4 hours sleep per night, half of the recommended. When you have no reason to wake early its easy, sure, but if you're being forced to get up earlier than you would naturally, and then still can't sleep until your "natural" time, its a pain in the ass and very tiring.

Oh well yeah, I just work 12-8.

 

[Camalot]

@dodgem & danny_mac: That's sleep paralysis, I've never had the fear of breathlessness strangely from paralysis alone, but sleep paralysis is one of the extra added bonuses of night terrors.

.

Can you not use this and learn to Lucid Dream? You can use this to fight/cure your problem.

 

[Auraomega]

Oh well yeah, I just work 12-8.

I want your job