Can people be nocturnal or is there actually a problem with me?

[Hulalula]

Ok where to start, It is 2:22 am GMT and I'm posting this because I regularly cannot sleep. Sometimes I can but rarely. I have a tendency to not sleep  for 24 sometimes more the max number of awake hours was 53, I then sleep like a log for 12 to 16 hours because I sleep through alarm clocks and everybody just lets me sleep in these days, the worst ones are after the longest stints awake after the 53 hour one I slept for 24 hours.
The worst thing about it is I want to go to sleep. I will make my best effort to do so usually around 11pm, but after turning over for the umpteenth time I will ineviatably (normally at 2am or 3am the most common) just sit up and read, or find a way to amuse myself whilst I try to tire myself out
Around 7 to 9am I will either crash if I'm on a long stint of sleepless-ness already (cursing how my body has suddenly decided it is NOW convenient for it to turn my brain switch off), or reside myself to try again at the next 8pm to 11pm if my strange buzz of energy is still going strong. But usually I will fall prey to the sofa at 5pm.

I wonder if it is possibly an antisocial part of my brain as I have little contact with my family as the only times I'm awake on average are when they are either at work, or asleep. I More often see evenings which is rare, and I hardly ever see mornings as normal people know them.(*)

I have tried cutting all sugar from my diet. This did not help me get to sleep but made me sleep even longer when I eventually did. I also tried horlicks the drink thing, that failed terribly too.

I am unemployed, but I can wake up easily if I know beforehand that I'm going out somewhere, to see someone, or have an appointment somewhere. Which is strange as otherwise I just sleep through the alarm, it's like it never went off in the first place.

Please help I'm willing to try anything. (short of Chloroform or heavy drug use) Does anybody know if something like nytol can help me? please note I want to get to sleep but not stay asleep for excessively long periods e.g. longer than 8 hours.

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, you are experiencing shift work sleep disorder. This is common when there is a disturbance in normal sleep pattern. This happens when you force yourself to work in the night for few days and leads to a habit. There will overall shift of the sleep cycle. If you continue this for longtime then it can be problem and can lead to chronic insomnia.

You can try for non-pharmacological means; Photo therapy, maintenance of sleep hygiene. The therapy consists of light therapy where you will be exposed to specific amount of light during day to alter your abnormal melatonin turnover. You can consult sleep specialist for details.

Drugs like nytol can also be helpful for inducing and maintenance of sleep but should be taken against prescription. You also need to take out any existing stress from your mind. I suggest you to consult physician. Take care and regards.

[Obrut]

It really sounds like anxiety problems.  Meds may help or just reeveluating your lifesytle can do wonders.  Doing things like finding a way to calm the mind before trying to sleep can help as can exercise ( at least a few hours before bed ) can help.   Wish you luck as I've been near that place before and it's takes time to learn what you need to do in order to get the right balace ( still working on it )

[MEFMJanet]

Have you ever had a sleep study done?  It may be worth checking into.

I don't really know how to respond to your questions but I think you owe it to yourself to rule out anything medical before you make assumptions.

Good luck.

[Hulalula]

* And I really dislike my family. (Not them, just the way they are)