Peacefulness Late At Night - Sleep Too Much During The Day

[Reclusive]

So, I find peace between about midnight and 4am. My anxiety and depression stop and I'm content with my world. I feel safer and less paranoid and like I can finally breath again. Unfortunately, that means I sleep most of the day away and my fiance (also PTSD) really needs me to be around when he's awake since his symptoms are so bad. How do we find a balance for this? Is there any way?

 

[Kintsugi]

Hm. I usually find peace around this time of night, too, and I have become nocturnal on and off throughout my life. I have found, though, if I strictly regulate my sleep so that I never sleep more than eight hours, preferably between 10:30pm and 6:30am, I feel way better in general. I think that staying awake in these hours may be a form of evasion or hiding, though I can't say for sure. I just know that I feel safe when few people are awake and no one will ask something of me unexpectedly. I've been slipping back into this habit, which I know frustrates my fiance greatly, especially since he generally has to drag me out of bed at 8 or 9am.

 

[The Albatross]

Initially I had to compromise (though my spouse is not a PTSD, he viewed my pattern as avoidant and abandonment). I started by splitting the time. I stayed awake later and stayed in bed longer, although quietly... half of the time.

When I was really actively isolating and physically sick, I flipped my days and nights, sleeping when he was home and awake when he was asleep. For me it was shame and blame avoidance, not peace like you share Reclusive. Try to split the time... and see if you can't compromise and still keep some sense of peace. I had to play a game of "what do you want more" before I was willing to risk seeking a balance to rectify the needs of my partner. I wanted a relationship with my partner, and that drove me to do the actions necessary to initiate a change. But... I still do an hour of power a day in the morning and afternoon/evening as part of my self care.

 

[OKRADLAK]

I used to say that night was wasted on sleep. But it never really worked. If I stay up I get so ill the next day I can hardly function.

Since back in therapy my sleep is all messed up- thus the 4am posts on occasion.

 

[Sterre]

So, I find peace between about midnight and 4am. My anxiety and depression stop and I'm content with my world.

Can it have anything to do with medication you are taking? I don't know if you are on medication or not, but if you are on meds, maybe you could change the time of swallowing them?
It could be that the meds are peaking between midnight and 4 am.
Just a wild guess since I don't know if you use any medication.

 

[Reclusive]

That's a good guess, but it's actually always been that way for me. When I was in college, I used to sleep from 8am-10am and that was it. Night time has always been my safe place. My mother was the same way, so I probably got it from her. I DO have 1 medication I have to make sure to take early in the evening because I can't sleep for a couple hours after I take it. The other one I take in the evening makes me sleepy.

Like the rest of you, I've been getting up in the morning and going to bed at night just to be on a schedule to get stuff done during the day and spend time with my fiance. But I miss out on that peaceful time at night, but am sleeping much better, so I guess you take the bad with the good.