Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

[Socy]

Does anyone have any experience of Delayed sleep phase syndrome? I think DS (15) is suffering from this - he has been getting to sleep later and later each night and finds it very difficult to get up for school.

Isn't this just Being a teenager syndrome? In which case all of mine have it and its tough luck as school has an official start time.

No, webwiz, I think this is something different. He's been going to bed late for a couple of years, but is usually asleep between 12 and 2, but last week or so has been complaining that it takes him a couple of hours or more to get to sleep once he is in bed, it is also getting later each night. Once he is asleep he sleeps well and could sleep for twelve hours, though I tend to wake him before that on weekends.

This strikes a chord with me, as DS1 has been like this since he was about 14/15. He'd stay up later and later, and I'd try and fight it, not letting him sleep in at weekends, until, over the Xmas holidays, I gave up, and he got to staying up almost all night, and sleeping all day.

Since then (I know it's only been four weeks), he has been much better, and has started getting himself up in the mornings for school, instead of after half an hour of shouting.

I think the improvement has come with growing up - he's 17 now, rather than any epiphany over Xmas.

Most adults aren't like this, so it must be a developmental thing.

I am wondering if its anxiety but he does not seem to be stressed about exams - doesn't care about his mocks(!) and said his one external exam this month was fine. He was stressed before Christmas over his German speaking test but this has developed since then. I might try lavender oil as I find it helps but he may well complain about the smell!

Apparently this syndrome is like jetlag www.childrenfirst.nhs.uk/teens/health/conditions/d/delayed_sleep_phase_syndrome.html so maybe letting him sleep all day would help sort it out but I'm going to have to wait til half term to try this I think.

He should be tired enough - he's had no more than six hours sleep each night this week, and only four hours last night - I did say it's good practice for being a parent! But yes, proper fresh air and exercise would be good - however it is hard at this time of year to do much after school, it is also dark early which confuses us all so I have put an extra light in his room for before he sleeps. Last night he was reading for a while til he fell asleep - I find that always makes me tired and takes my mind off my own problems. I suppose one problem is that I simply can't stay awake late enough to 'encourage' (nag) him into good habits, and there is no point trying to get him to go to bed at 11.

DS1 is 18 and regularly takes himself off to bed at 10, as he is up at 7 and has quite a long day at college, often quite physically active too.

I'm sure he will grow out of it but he has already missed 3 weeks of school this year through sickness and now is not going to be working as well as he should be when he is there.

I think the key is that he's missed three weeks of school - DD2's sleep patterns are worse than usual at the moment because she's been ill and so hasn't been getting up early.

I'd encourage good sleep hygiene - get off facebook, xbox, computer for an hour before bedtime. Go to bed at a regular time even if you aren't going to sleep then at least you are resting rather than wandering the house and keeping other people awake. Reading and low music is fine in bed as a way of relaxing. Don't allow massive lie ins over the weekend because it just makes it worse.

It will pass.