Sleep Cycles

[potsgirl]

Hello my Friends~

I've been struggling recently with a change in my sleep patterns. Since I became ill, I've never been able to stay up late - maybe 8:00 or so. In the last couple of months, especially since I've developed a chronic pain condition and have added one Percocet (5 mg) dailly, I get incredibly sleepy around the time the medication wears off, which is about 6 pm. I know the chronic pain is also taking a toll on my energy, but I've been heading upstairs to bed between 4 - 6 at night! I read for an hour and I'm out. Of course, this means I'm waking up at 4 am or so, totally out-of-sync with everyone else. I know I should probably try to force myself to stay up later, but bam! It's like I hit a wall and then I start to feel really sick if I don't go lie down and sleep.

Anybody else? Ideas? HELP!!

Jana

[iheartcats]

My sleep schedule has always been off a bit but POTS made it worse.

I tend to start staying up later and later and getting up later and later. I can still thankfully get by on 6-8 hours sleep (probably because I used to be ok on 5-7)? They say everyone's is different.

Anyway. When I notice I'm getting way off (3am - 11am) I take an Ambien to reset myself. Seems to help and might have to do it for a couple of nights.

This is a Godsend when I'm working, helpful still when I'm not.

I'm a tad concerned my new docs won't prescribe Ambien (sigh...like I need more anxiety) but I never go through more than 30 in six months. I don't know why some DRs are so particular about things like Ambien when one clearly uses it occasionally as needed and it's very beneficial.