Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)
When I was five, my mum and dad took me to a sleep clinic because my body clock was very wrong. I’d sleep in until about 3pm and not sleep until late at night. I think the doctor’s told them that I’d grow out of it and guess what? I never did.
Delayed sleep-phase syndrome (DSPS), also known as delayed sleep-phase disorder (DSPD) or delayed sleep-phase type (DSPT), is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, a chronic disorder of the timing of sleep, peak period of alertness, core body temperature, hormonal and other daily rhythms relative to societal norms. People with DSPS tend to fall asleep some hours after midnight and have difficulty waking up in the morning.
I remember when I was little (this is probably how I used to watch The X-Files before I could read properly) and I used to get out of bed and Martin used to shout, “Charlotte’s out of bed!” and the thing was, it wasn’t my fault that I was awake late! My mum and dad obviously knew something wasn’t right because they took me to see someone about it. Even when I had a routine I was struggling with my sleep patterns. When I was at school and when I was at 6th form, I used come home from Chris’ at 10pm and sometimes if Martin was on the PC, I’d go straight to bed. It’d take me hours to fall asleep and I’d still have difficulty waking up in the morning. You could say that I’m awake all night because I sleep late – I’m up late because I’m awake all night. My body clock is messed up.
Often, people with the disorder report that they cannot sleep until early morning, but fall asleep at about the same time every “night”. Unless they have another sleep disorder such as sleep apnea in addition to DSPS, patients can sleep well and have a normal need for sleep. Therefore, they find it very difficult to wake up in time for a typical school or work day. If, however, they are allowed to follow their own schedules, e.g. sleeping from 4 a.m. to noon, they sleep soundly, awaken spontaneously, and do not experience excessive daytime sleepiness.
The syndrome usually develops in early childhood or adolescence,[1] and sometimes disappears in adolescence or early adulthood. Depending on the severity, it can be to a greater or lesser degree treatable. Prevalence among adults, equally distributed among women and men, is approximately 0.15% or three in 2000.
I think now that I don’t have a routine, it’s really prevalent. It says on the Wikipedia that it’s responisble for 7-10% of people’s chronic insomnia so yay me! ¬_¬ I can literally stay up all night even if I had to get up early. I do not have a regular sleep pattern. Funny thing is, when I go on holiday, I have a perfectly normal one! I can still go to bed late and wake up at a semi normal time!
The major feature of these disorders is a misalignment between the patient’s sleep pattern and the sleep pattern that is desired or regarded as the societal norm…. In most circadian rhythm sleep disorders, the underlying problem is that the patient cannot sleep when sleep is desired, needed or expected.
That last bit is true and so incredibly annoying! It’s usually when I have to get up early and just cannot sleep! The article is an interesting read and it tells you a bit more about me and my sleeping issues. There’s loads more I can quote – bits that I nodded at and it rang true with me. It’s good that I finally understand my issues! (Well, not all of them 
)
I would say, ‘so onto other things’ but I have nothing else to say. Well, Raj and I are talking about Vincent Van Gogh and how I relate to him (I actually to, don’t mock me!!!). My mum even said that “Vincent” by Don McClean could be about me. No one appreciates me or my art! (by art, I mean my photography and writing. If you want to see my photograpy, there’s a link on the right 
). Maybe people will understand me before I go mad and top myself. As the song says, no one understands me and no one is willing to. But that’s ok. I don’t need people’s approval. At least all the time.
It was pouring down earlier! I was gonna clean the bunnies out but it started and then it got dark 
X-Factor time and Stacey is on. I love her, I think she’s great. I said last week that I want her or Joe to win, definitely! Her singing was good but the song was a bit dull.
Anyway, laters. Might update in a bit 
x
