Sleep Apnea, depression and an overworked mind can cause sleep disturbance. Stress, too much caffeine and jetlag also cause night-time sleep problems. Shift workers deal with this too on their shift changes and it becomes chronic. Daytime napping makes for a sleepless night. You should see a doctor about the possibility of physical illness and emotional problems.

Well, you don't give a whole lot of detail about your habits, but, if you're used to being awake during the night, and asleep during the day, it might just take a really long time for you to get used to a new sleep schedule.

It is because you are part of a recent evolutionary development. In Cro-Magnon life and Neanderthal life, there were no night workers nor was there a need for them. Everyone worked through the day and then retreated to the recesses of the cave after dark. Now, of course, there are no Neanderthals, except in very conservative political circles. Instead, in our society we need people working at all hours to keep our society functioning and productive. You are one of the people who have evolved to fill this need; you are a natural third-shift worker (NTSF, in anthropological lingo), a natural response to our civilization's needs. I don't know if I am reading too much into your question, but I have a sense that you have been fired from a succession of day jobs because you are perceived as "a lazy bum who's always asleep on the job." It's not nice to fight Mother Nature. The third shift is your destiny. Get a night job, and many of your problems will be solved.

I don't know a lot about your history, but I know that when I am troubled, I sleep better during the day, when you can see your surroundings when you wake up. It somehow makes me think that there is someone else there, I feel more secure....it's like when you were a kid and you asked your parents to leave the door open so you could hear the TV. Depending on the situation, you could try leaving a light on in another part of the living space, or going to bed when it is still "early" for others. I've noticed that I sleep much better when I can hear my neighbor's television when I'm falling asleep. As a kid, I hated the dark....because I couldn't communicate with anyone, and felt totally alone.

I can't sleep at night either and I think it is because we are in the wrong time zone. For centuries "white people" resided in Europe and other places but not in North America and I think some of us can't adapt because our internal clock is "fixed" on our ancestor's time clock. Maybe true...maybe not because by the time I become sleepy in the morning it is about 10:00 PM in Sydney, Australia (not in Europe) where I would have a normal sleep pattern and I know there wasn't white people in Australia thousands of years ago. It's so confusing trying to figure out this mess !

It maybe that your case hass something to do with insomnia this is a problem that effects 4 out of 10 people all over the world This Can turn in to a physical and mental illness if not treated with some sort of medication i advise that you g and see your gp but the changes wont happend over night there is no mirical cure for insomnia i have sufferd with it for 3 yrs but pills do help releive the situation but for anyone who would like more information on the effects and chages it has on people please dont hesitat to email me on bylliespencer06@hotmail.com

Because you are part vampire. :]

I wish I knew the answer, I have had the problem of being tired all day long for so many years I can't remember when it first began. and being wide awake as soon as the son goes down. If I make my self stay up all day long no matter how sleepy I am I still can't sleep at night. and If I take a nap during the day I still can't sleep at night. maybe one of my relatives was some kind of night creature after all? If someone could give me an answer I would be greatful.

I thought about what you said about some of us not adapting to the time zone of our ancestors, and our original body clock -in europe for example. As this might be true for some, I don't think this is the case for me. I've always had the attitude of --some of us are just born Nocturnal-- the way that some people are born with other ailments, and the way that some animals are just nocturnal. I also live in Sydney, but have spent many years in different continents from Europe, to North and Central America and the Pacific islands, however since I was a very young child I have always been a night owl. When I was a kid it would take my parents forever to get me to bed, and when I did go I could be lying there thinking until 4am!! Whenever I have travelled I have not ever really had jetlag... the funny thing is that my body actually adapts itself to the new time zone (wherever it might be) quite quickly, and again I am up until 3-4am, sometimes 5-6am doing random things. Watching tv, reading, writing, on the computer. I like to do stuff, sometimes I get into "the zone" with work or study, sometimes just waste time procrastinating on useless things. Right now it is 3:30... this is early for me!! I am starting to hate this tho!! I only go to sleep when I am dying to sleep!! And the only way I can fall asleep is with TV or a DVD on in the background. If I have silence I think too much, then with music I listen to it too much and it also gets me thinking or bopping, haha. Sometimes might be a bit depressed, but it is also this way wen I am happy. I do believe that if I try harder I could adapt my body to another clock, but I don't think I could ever become an early to sleep early to rise person regardless of how hard I try. If I did get into the routine, it would really have to be something I worked hard on everyday. I know I can make changes but they are somewhat limited to a non-Nocturnal person. I am just a Nocturnal Person, that's what I believe. No matter how much I sleep, I am always out of energy and dead tired in the mornings. I could seriously have an entire night's sleep from a "normal" hour, get 8+ hours sleep, and then wake up in the morning and go back to sleep for most of the day no problem. Now, no matter how little I sleep... even if I don't sleep for 2+ days, I will be up and full of energy as soon as the sun goes down. It's incredible! It's hard to believe, but it is so true.... Are there other ppl out there like me I wonder?? Reading this page makes me realize that yes indeed there are! :) The thing is... my sleeping habits I was born with and they are just a part of me (that's what I believe)... and contrary to most ppl tey are not caused by depression, medication etc. Perhaps stress sometimes makes it worse... but generally stress or no stress I am awake at night. I think I am going to make a conscious effort to try and get to sleep by 1am from now on... wish me luck... will need lots of it! :) ps- I apologize for rambling on... lol.

I don't know,I'm trying to figure this out,with my 22 yr. old son, he's having trouble getting he's life together, because ,he's up at night,and can't stay awake during the day. How can I help him?

when did this start, how long have you had this problem?

I work 12 hour shifts I get no sleep when I have to be at work for 7 am then I may get an hour the next night because I am worried I will sleep in for work because I had no sleep the night before. Then I change to night shift and up all night anyway. I manage to get sleep at 10am then up about 2pm and do another night shift then I can sleep for about 6 hours during the day. Then I have 4 days off work and don't sleep till around 8am and get up at 12pm. My parents think I am lazy but I spend at least 8 hours of my dad snoring in the next room. My sleeping pattern works for me but parents and girlfriend don't understand as they have 9 till 5 jobs and a normal routine in their lives.

Maybe someone's restless for spending too much time on the internet.

Your circadian rhythm is out. There is a type of tablet you get from Health Food shops that can regulate your rhythm again. It is used for people who get jetlag. I'm sorry, I just can't remember the name.

Melatonin has beneficial effects for some people when their sleep cycle is unsatisfactory. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&id=D6L0qYCpofoC&dq=melatonin&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=ZvXsjBGsYr&sig=OAQT9TG4od6Jo3pnf8pAYOMPWZU&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPP1,M1

my partner can't sleep at night but come around 8ish to 10ish he can sleep all day until about 6... if he is going out or is working durin the day he might not sleep the night before most of the time then he will be able to stay awake all day and then still not sleep that night n then be asleep the morning after. I don't understand it I am tired from about 11ish to 3ish dependin on my day even if im not workin durin that day I am still tired at night I just dont know how he can stay awake for like 48 hours its really annoying sometimes because he will be tired but moody because he can not sleep I just don't know what to do or how to help him. we moved into our house about 5 months ago but even before moving sometimes he would still be awake all night at his parents. He hasnt been getting much work at the mo so I was wondering maybe he needs tierin out like a child but even rollerblading for 4/5 hours didnt help.

Really a long story, I thought I m the one out of thousand who is suffering from this problem but unfortunately not. Good luck for a better sleep during night to all of us. "Amen"

may be you r a vimpire and you just don t know this happened to someone i know and he discovered he was a vimpire

This is the first time I have ever heard anyone say this other than me. I will be on the night shift (up all night) unless I fight it. I can get on the day shift (sleeping at night) and then stay up late one night and my schedule is changed again. If I just do what comes naturally I would go to sleep around seven in the morning and sleep until one in the afternoon. It kind of drives me nuts sometimes. I prefer sleeping at night, but when it starts getting late I get more awake. Anyway, when I want to shift back to sleeping at night I make myself stay awake at least one hour later each day and eventually I'm back to sleeping at night. But I have to really be strict with myself or I will creep back out of that schedule. Maybe you can try that.

it is a common problem in daily practice of every physician and have multiple causes but simple solutions but first I would like to know how long is , this problem, ? have you ever involved in long periods of night shift duties? do you have snoring problem or sleep apnea syndrome ? are you over weight ? do you take excessive caffinated things in the after noon or early night, do exercise in the evening hours, if you think you are in perfect health otherwise and your problem has no explanation , then you have some circadian rhythm problem , the best solution is to start a sleep inducer like lorazepam or midazolam( dormicum) at night time when you complete 4-5 hour sleep at night it will lessen your day time sleep , then start light evening exercises and after some time try to taper sleeping pills your sleep rhythm will regained. hope I answer your question

you're just nocturnal stay up for a night and 2 days and you may be able to sleep at night again

I have the same issue, I am just as lost as you it seems.