well, I was right

[chanter1944]

For years, I've had sleep issues. I'd routinely be the one up until two in the morning or later, then conked out until noon. I figured this was just the way teenagers were, at first. The thing is, it persisted. My parents have told me more times than I can count, 'go to bed at night', or 'you're running on Chanter* time'. I figured they were right, and that I just lacked willpower.

The fact of the matter is, if left to my own devices, I'll be up until the wee hours and then zonked until one or two in the afternoon, and repeat. meimichan knows about my recurring 'hey, where did my weekend go?' issues. Until fairly recently, I just thought it was a lack of willpower on my part, or a DXer with an engrained habit, or... something.

Not so much, and thank goodness.

My recent suspicions that there is indeed a medical reason behind my weird sleep schedule and related issues are apparently correct. The doctor I saw this morning agreed with what I suspected, and admitted to suspecting and reading up on. She agreed with me, and meant it! I have a delayed sleep phase disorder. In other words, my internal clock is literally set several hours behind everyone else's, and there's a medical cause behind it. Quoth the doctor in response to my direct question: "It's not a willpower issue."

Wheeeeeew.

I'm a little validated, and a little... okay, more than a little vindicated.

Since I can force myself onto a societally normative schedule for work purposes (not fun, but doable) the current treatment is melatonin. We'll see how it goes. It should at least make things a little easier when having to yank the schedule onto assumed standard and keep it there.

It's not a willpower issue. :)

*Not my real name, but close enough, since I'm well-known by it in online circles.

Comments

[sdelmonte]

I've heard of a disorder that affects the blind that essentially disconnects the body clock. Is this really to that?

[chanter1944]

It sounds related, but if I'm understanding your meaning right, it's not the same. My body clock seems to be offset, but it isn't entirely disconnected.

[yakalskovich]

Is it a disorder, or a human variation/mutation that allowed people to be the night watch at the burned-down tribal campfires of paleolithic and mesolithic times? Both my Little Lady (niece) and I are like that, too -- natural sleep time 4 am to noon, roughly.