Mind & Body Garden Psychology

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Cannot Wake Up in the Morning? Feel Lazy and Tired All Day? It May Be a Sleep Disorder —— DSPD!

Dr. Yishan Xu

Jane has always struggled with waking up in the morning, despite multiple alarm clocks and the help of her family. She's often tired during the day, regularly napping for long periods, and dozes off during important meetings. After visiting a sleep specialist, she was diagnosed with DSPS and learned about the impact of her sleep disorder on her daily life. With the support of her doctor and the tips mentioned above, Jane was able to better manage her sleep and feel more energized and focused during the day.


Does this sound familiar to you?


As we come off the holidays and approach the New Year, many of us struggle with sleep. It's common to have trouble falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning during festive seasons, but for some, it's a sleep disorder that has been affecting them since childhood.

Have you been labeled as "lazy" for having trouble waking up in the morning, despite multiple alarm clocks and the help of friends or family? It's possible that you may have Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD). It is a type of sleep disorder, not a problem with your habits or discipline.

As a sleep psychologist, I see this disorders often in my clinic. Let's take a closer look at DSPD and how to determine if it's a sleep disorder or just bad sleep habits:

Common Symptoms of DSPD:

  • Difficulty falling asleep at night

  • Unable to wake up in the morning at the desired time

  • Needing multiple alarm clocks or assistance to wake up

  • Excessive daytime sleepiness

  • Regular, long naps during the day

  • Dozing off during important meetings or activities

  • Eating habits change (e.g. eating dinner late)

Understanding Circadian Rhythm Disorders:

  • Circadian rhythm disorders exist on a spectrum

  • Some people have a delayed sleep phase, some are early, and others are in the middle

  • Those with a delayed sleep phase can sleep through the night once they fall asleep but may have trouble waking up in the morning

  • This is different from conditions like insomnia or sleep apnea, which often cause disruptions to sleep once a person falls asleep

The Impact of DSPD:

  • Chronic sleep deprivation due to DSPD can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and the tendency to doze off during the day

  • People with DSPD may struggle to resist sleep during important meetings or activities

  • DSPD is not just a "lunch break" nap, but rather an official sleep time for those who fall into this category

Tips for Managing DSPD:

  • Adjust your work schedule to align with your natural sleep time, if possible (e.g. starting work later and leaving work later if you naturally sleep from 3 am to noon)

  • If adjusting your work schedule isn't possible, allocate an hour before bedtime for relaxation to create a buffer period before bedtime

  • Consider speaking with a sleep specialist for additional support and treatment options

  • Share your story and experiences with others to raise awareness about DSPD and reduce the stigma around sleep disorders

Therefore, it's important to differentiate between DSPD and other sleep disorders or bad sleep habits. Remember, DSPD can be managed by a lot of strategies, such as, adjusting your work schedule, relaxing before bedtime, etc.

If you need further help, please consider speaking with a sleep specialist.

Here are some comments from our listeners, sharing their own experiences:

@maybelikealittlebit 4 months ago

What a wonderful podcast! Love this thank you again for posting this. Just found out about this.. not for certain if I have it but it sure fits as it’s 1 am now and I just hate waking up early/don’t want to sleep til 12-2 am! It’s crazy how I’ve always been like that too (as DR Sarah says!) super wonderful to relate so well. Thanks again. (:


@preetispurpose 5 months ago

Thanks for this great video!!! Dr. Silverman it's so helpful to hear a medical professional who has DSPS talk about it and all the challenges; instead of someone who is just giving advice from a book/research. Dr. Xu you're an amazing moderator and the questions you ask and stereotypes you challenge are so affirming. Thank you both for addressing the shame folks like me feel around this disorder.


@IsisChandler3x3 1 month ago

Thank you. It is so refreshing to hear a medical doctor talk about this problem. I have a sleep window of 6am to 2pm. I have tried EVERYTHING under the sun to change it. Melatonin, light therapy, chronotherapy. Nothing works. My body wants to sleep when the sun comes up. Telling someone with DSPD to "just go to bed earlier" is like telling someone with an eating disorder to "just eat something," or "just stop vomiting". It is useless, annoying, offensive, bullshit advice! Also, people with DSPD are NOT LAZY! I work out every day. I run my own business and 2 youtube channels. I wrote a novel and am working on a second one. My house is always clean, organized, and dust free! My life is productive and happy because I sleep during my natural sleep window. I'm not going to give myself an addiction to sleep medications to fit myself into society's version of normal.


@cdd0409 1 year ago

I've struggled with this my entire life and so did my mother. It was apparent at a very young age (about 5 or 6 years old is when I realized) that something was different about my sleep/wake habits. Just hearing his thought process and his inner dialog is overwhelming to me. This feels like my life has been turned into a book that is now being read aloud to meI have tried to explain what I go through to others but there are no assembly of words that will ever be good enough to convey just how debilitating this disorder/syndrome is on my life. Until he said it, I didn't know that I suffer from a more severe degree of this condition than others. I don't fall asleep till 6 am most days and I sleep till 4-6 pm. The effects this has on my mental health- not being able to function during normal waking hours- is increasingly dangerous.

@anzelaiv 1 year ago

A certain life-long DSPD sufferer here. Now, my work allows me to wake up as late as my body requires and it feels so good after 6 years of working a shift job. A sleep specialist online advised me to adjust my day schedule to my natural circadian rhythm as much as possible instead of fighting it. According to him, it's less stressful for the body. I'm doing so and it feels great but it's a constant worry because I was not seen by a professional directly.What if there is a long-term damage to health from sleeping at the "wrong" time of day? Is it really more important to have good quality sleep whenever it happens or does sleeping at the "right" time of night play a significant role in your wellbeing? All I know is that I'm unable to function on a morning schedule, I gain weight, I can't concentrate, I'm ridiculously unproductive. All of this gets fixed when I allow myself to follow a natural sleep cycle which is 5am to noon in winter months and 7am to 2pm in the summer season, year after year, go figure. Unfortunately, there isn't nearly enough information about this subject.

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