Wide awake or sleepy?

I sleep very badly in the Winter, but this year im taking Amitriptyline,it helps me to feel better and I find it very useful as a mild sedative, so I sleep a lot better.

I sleep fine in the summer and even wake refreshed.
At this time of the year my sleep varies alot. It starts in sept with waking early(4 o'clock) and still feeling wide awake at mid-night. Then it progresses to waking early but then falling asleep at 8 or 9 on the sofa. Eventually i'll be at the point where I wake early, go to work, get in - food- bed.
I'm experimenting with my light box times at the moment, I used to use it only in the mornings for about 3/4 hour. I then tried using it at 8pm for 1/2 to an hour only and this helped me sleep better but i was exhausted at work. Now I'm using it in the morning, when i get in from work and at 8pm and it seems to be working so far(it's better!)
I read up on the 5 stages of sleep this morning as I always seem to wake up mid dream. The dreaming stage is the last part of the cycle(REM) which if not completed can interrupt the subsequent nights sleep? It's worth reading up on.
Regards OBE

I'm lucky in the fact that the sleep thing has never really been an issue for me,except when the anxiety side of my SAD is prominent.

Sleep troubles are a major problem for me. I'm trying to get a dawn simulator through my insurance. I've already bought two light-therapy lights... one is on a timer, right now... but up until now, insurance has been no help. Sounds like they just changed their policies.

ANyhow, lately, I've had usually one night a week when I sleep 12 hours. It's a bit demoralizing to crash like that. I have a feeling tonight might just be my crash night.

you are right the lack of light over the winter has everything to do with the way you sleep.

I have a problem with early waking/sleeping which some times is worse than others. When I've been on ADs in the past it seems to have gone away which makes me wonder if it's connected to SAD in any way. I don't really use a light much because I've never had much success (quite possibly my fault). I'm just trying to live with it nowadays, it's usually not too bad in the scheme of things.

(It's not deja-vu, I've just posted this in another thread!)