Insomnia and delayed sleep cycle

[smallglassbottle]

I suffer from a delayed sleep cycle and can never get to sleep before around 1am. I no longer work shifts so I'm not up at 6am. I set my alarm for 7:30am.

Lately, I just can't get to sleep. I toss and turn until around 2-3am. I sleep for about two hours then I'm awake again. I then feel horrible when my alarm goes off and I can't wake up. I feel as though I'm just stuck snoozing. I don't get particularly tired during the day.

I'm post menopausal. Does anyone else get this type of insomnia? I took diphenhydramine the other day, but ended up very groggy until the afternoon.

Not sure exactly what you mean

I've had insomnia since my early teens. I would've always described it as being partly a delayed sleep cycle. I'm an extreme night owl I think. And if I'm allowed to work with my body clock, it can be a lot better.

But school life and then work life didn't really allow it.

You're setting an alarm for 7:30 - presumably for work?

I don't find it easy to run on a 24 hour cycle either - that's not natural to me. So a lot of what you're saying is relatable. But you're not tired during the day. So 1/2 of the major issue with insomnia is actually not affecting you. Which is good, obviously.

I did have a phase where I would come home from work and sleep for a couple of hours. But mostly I can't do that. Once I'm up, I'm up. And I probably would have a 27 hour cycle - left to myself.

Is than an option for you and do you think it would help if you had a nap after work?