Just read this regarding the effects of extreme sleep deprevation, scary.

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/s...Your-Death.htm

Is the importance of sleep in our wellbeing underestimated ???????

I don't think it is to those of us with the issue. Untreated/undertreated chronic pain is a killer too. That's a different forum, but the two (chronic pain, insomnia) often go hand-in-hand in a vicious cycle.

Google: chronic pain insomnia vicious cycle

Doc

I had a sleep study done last march and was diagnosed with central sleep apnea and delayed sleep phase disorder. I simply cannot get to sleep until around 6 am at the EARLIEST. then I sleep untill around 2 pm. Some nights I can't sleep at all and have gone at least 3 nights in a row wide awake. melatonin don't work for me. We have also tried chronotherapy and light therapy.. still not sleeping as it seems my frontal cortex regions just do not want to shut down ( I have ACC and septo optic dysplasia). An EEG revealed i was not reaching "deep sleep" cycles and during my nap study I fell asleep very readily. I feel like I am dommed to live this way forever! Isn't there some medicine to make my brain act like it's supposed to during the night? Sleep meds don't work either. As a side note, I also do not have a pineal gland, deformed thalamus,chiari malformation and VERY early non surgical menopause due to the septo optic dysplasia. if anyone can offer some info or advice here it would be greatly appreciated!