I cant wake up when I need to, and its ruining my life!
 

This is killing me. I can't seems to wake up for anything in the morning, regardless of the alarms that I set. This has always been a problem for me- I almost didnt graduate from high school because of my chronic absence. Now I'm in my 3rd year of college (but am a sophmore by credits due to poor grades resulting from my absence). I cant seems to figure this out. My body seems to need like 12 hours of sleep. I am displaying all of the symptoms of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrom (DSPS). I dont get tired at night, and wil regularly stay up until the sun is up if I dont force myself to sleep.

A doctor recommended I start taking 1mg of Melatonin an hour before my desired bedtime. Ive been doing that, and it knocks me right out. But it doesnt seem to have any effect on when I wake up. I was supposed to go to school for Automotive Technology this year, but all of my classes started at 8am, with an hour commute. I knew if I attempted that, all it would serve to do is waste a bunch of money, and I'd probably fail out. Now I'm taking classes as Del Val, and my earliest class is 10:50am, with a 15minute commute. I still cant make it to class.

Also, I guess i should state that I am growth hormone deficient... I used to take injections of Humatrope (a synthetic growth hormone) when I was younger, but I have since discontinued it (since I've stopped growing). I'm almost 5'8, without the hormone I would have been about 5'3. I am scheduled to see an Endocrinologist at the end of the month to see whats up with my body, but I'm sick of missing classes and not having any good excuse for it. If I sleep until my body naturally wakes up (no alarm), I will almost always sleep past 2pm, regardless of when I went to bed. Today I woke up at 2:30, and took a Melatonin last night at 12:30, fell asleep at 1. I cant afford to keep missing classes, but I dont know what to do! I'm not skipping them intentionally. I'll set two alarms, and when they go off, I will (half asleep), get out of bed and turn them off, and fall back asleep.

I wanted to do night classes, but night classes are $500 per credit... incredibly expensive. This is so frustrating. My mom thinks I'm a lazy peice of s***, and I dont blame her- thats exactly how it looks. At the rate I'm going, I'm going to fail out of this school. If I fail out, I lose my health insurance. I dont know what to do. Anyone have any ideas?

i was going to say out your alarm across the room, but it sounds like you already do becuase you say "get up to turn them off".

When my alarm was next to my bed i'd often turn it off and fall back asleep. Now it's across the room which means I have to physically get up out of bed to turn it off. Then I'm up and about with no problem.

If I actually do make it out of bed when my alarm goes off, I'm basically incoherant for the first hour I'm awake. I have two alarms (ihome and cel phone) and both are across the room, on different sides of the room. Hasnt helped. I get up and incoherantly turn them off, and pass back out. Most of the time, I dont even remember getting up.

You need this.

Are you depressed? Do you drink? How is your diet? Do you exercise? Alot of these questions could help with your problem. Sounds like it is effecting your life big time.

I have 4 alarms set for an hour before I really have to get up in the morning. I have to get up by 7am. My alarms are set at 6, 615, 630, and 645. I LOVE the snooze button.

Alot of things effect your ability to sleep

yahoo article: http://health.yahoo.com/sleep-overvi...se8L05g0NLvs8F

I am more than aware my freind, I think the OP needs to see someone else and get it worked out without the meds and the "just take this attitude."

If an alarm actually wakes you up they have this new alarm I saw that is on wheels and rolls off your table and around the room to make you get out of bed. I know if I get out other than to take a piss I wont go back.

Thats pretty damn cool. The only problem with the video if any one watched it, the guy had his right next to his bed. The smart thing to do is to do like some one had mentioned before, keep it on the other side of your room, so it forces you to get out of bed, and turn it off.

I am also the same way. No matter how much sleep I get, I can always try and get more sleep, but by the end of my first class for the day, i'm awake enough to find a vending machine and grab a mt. dew (i don't drink coffee). My roommate has his alarm clock set for like 7:00pm and I have mine set for like 7:30pm, and thats what wakes me up. Also, cold showers help in the early morning for me.

HAH! That thing is great!


Anyways, If the melatonin knocked you out in 30 minutes, try getting to bed BEFORE 12:30am. Believe me I know it stinks going to bed earlier than midnight. But try taking the stuff at an earlier time and see how that goes. While in the meantime seeking some help, which it seems that you are doing. But if you are saying your body needs 12 hours. Then don't go to bed when the sun comes up. I know its rough. I had the same issue, but mine was pure laziness. It took 4 Drill Instructors yelling and throwing things at 5:30am for 13 weeks for me to get straightened out. It is rough, but you to actively try to help yourself as well besides the Medicine. Give it a shot for one night and see if it helps any.

Are you serious? By the end of the day in basic I was happy to see my bed and get some sleep.

i also have a hard time getting up for work, so what i did was set my alarm clock 30 minutes fast, that way i set the alarm for 630, when it goes off i know its fast so i hit snooze, a half hour later it will go off again and it will read 7am.. which is when i HAVE to be at work, so that initial "OH ****!!! IM LATE!!" reaction before i realize its fast is what gets me up, idk..it works for me lol

See my mind would automatically calculate the difference and compensate the 30 minutes. The only thing that works for me is a beer. Just kidding I actually have no problem getting up unless I have been out all night drinking.

I feel for you guys...my girl is the same way and has to take sleep meds. Try waking that up once. The claws come out..let me tell ya.

Yea I set my clock a head to but I don't full myself at all anymore lol...I just adopted the practice of showing up to work 15-20min late lol

See the doc bro, I went through some time where I was having trouble sleeping and stuff, they should be able to help you

did you get bloodwork done?
get yourself measured for test, LH, FSH and prolactin.

They just came out with a great alarm clock... I saw it at a technology show. You know those helicopters u got as a kid and you pulled the rip cord and it would take off in the ai.... well they have a alarm clock that when it goes off the helicopter takes off and it won't turn off until you find it and put it back on the base. Sounds like it may help

post your phone number for a TST wake up call.

That would work better than any treatment/medication!

Don't drink ANY caffeine during the day, especially after 2:00. It will stay in your system and keep you awake. Even if you just woke up, don't drink coffee, if you're out of bed and moving you'll come to eventually. Also, if you eat a green apple in the morning it will wake you up better than coffee, don't know why, but it works.