[DivorcedWoman]

I don't know what to do with this issue. My boyfriend and I are both currently unemployed and have different sleep schedules. I have 50% custody of my 7 year old son so I am on an early to bed early to rise schedule. He doesn't have any commitments other than his daughter every other weekend, but he keeps her on his schedule late to bed late to rise. My son and I get up around 6:30 -7 AM and my boyfriend sleeps until 11:00 or so. It's killing me. I woke up tonight at 1:30 AM and he was watching a movie, the tv was so loud that I couldn't go back to sleep so here I am writing on this site.

I am bipolar so I have to be careful about sleep, but he stays up super late. He will say he is coming to bed soon after I go to sleep but it is always 3 or 4 hours later. He doesn't stay over every night and I don't always wake up, but I often sleep fitfully until he is in bed.

He has also mentioned to me that he feels he is depressed off and on. I said that I was concerned that he should get help and talk to someone. He said it's not every night to which I said well I'm concerned I think you should talk to someone and he just said thanks for your concern.

Does anyone else have any suggestions on this different schedules. It's really difficult.

[Leed]

Hi ~ Your boyfriend sure sounds selfish to me. If the television is so loud that you can't sleep or it wakes you up, he needs to be told! Ask him to lower the volume -- it doesn't need to be that loud! It could be interfering with your child's sleep too!

I don't know that you're going to be able to change his sleep habits, but if you can keep him QUIET, it might help. Either that, or just don't have him stay over at night.

Your sleep is important -- make sure you get enough of it. If he's depressed and that's why he stays up, keep encouraging him to talk to his doctor. Perhaps he needs an antidepressant, or needs to talk to a therapist -- or both!

Take care of yourself -- and God bless. Hugs, Lee