Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
CourseBridge
I'm very new here. For a couple of years now I've been needing to take a
nap in the afternoons; the sleepiness just hits me even though I sleep well
at night. It usually hits me between about 1:30pm and 3:30pm. I can
usually fight it but my concentration usually flops in the afternoons when I
stay awake.
I decided to do some research and think I might have some form of
narcolepsy. So I'm trying to gather more info before I go for my annual
check-up to discuss things with my doctor. I told her about my sleepiness
last year and she put me on thyroid pills and B12 shots but the sleepiness
persists. I thought I was just being lazy, as everyone else seems to not
understand my need for daytime sleep. But I'm realizing now that it could
be an actual sleeping disorder.
That's me. Hope to hear similar stories/symptoms/experiences. Thanks!
Linda
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Hugh Davies-Webb
in...@coursebridge.com wrote on 6/18/01 12:08 PM:
> Hi there,
>
> I'm very new here. For a couple of years now I've been needing to take a
> nap in the afternoons; the sleepiness just hits me even though I sleep well
> at night. It usually hits me between about 1:30pm and 3:30pm. I can
> usually fight it but my concentration usually flops in the afternoons when I
> stay awake.
> I decided to do some research and think I might have some form of
> narcolepsy. So I'm trying to gather more info before I go for my annual
> check-up to discuss things with my doctor. I told her about my sleepiness
> last year and she put me on thyroid pills and B12 shots but the sleepiness
> persists. I thought I was just being lazy, as everyone else seems to not
> understand my need for daytime sleep. But I'm realizing now that it could
> be an actual sleeping disorder.
> That's me. Hope to hear similar stories/symptoms/experiences. Thanks!
>
Do you find yourself falling a sleep at these times, or are you just sooo
tired that you feel you have to take a nap?
It's best to talk to your general practitioner - sleep studies would be able
to catagorically tell you what's going on. Narcolepsy is one of many sleep
disorders - sleep apnoea is actually more common. Doctors in the UK usually
try to rule out apnoea before testing for narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy has some classic symptoms, of which sleepiness is one -
narcoleptics get these to a greater or lesser degree:
Excessive daytime sleepiness syndrome - this just makes you feel duff/
tired/ lethargic and also causes you to fall asleep spontaneously. I fall
asleep even standing on buses!
Sleep paralysis: Paralysis when you fall asleep and wake up - your mind is
kind of awake - the rest of you won't move.
Sleep paralysis can also be accompanied with hynogogic hallucinations -
these can be really nasty - vivid hallucinations that can invovle all the
senses - very scary.
Cataplexy: Muscular paralysis in response to emotional stimuli, such as
anger, laughing, surprise...
Automonous behavior: Performing boring or routine tasks whislt your brain is
in screen-saver mode. I'm a professional lighting technician and the amount
of theatre shows I've operated whislt being essentially asleep...
Disrupted sleep: Getting up lots of times at night.
Every narcolpesy sufferer has different levels of the above symptoms - not
all narcolepsy sufferers get all the symptoms.
Narcolepsy has a habit of creeping up on you - it was several years before I
got all the symptoms.
Sleep disorders are a broad church, and it would be a good idea to get your
doctor to refer you to see a doctor who has specific expertise in the area.
General Practitioners (and many other specialist doctors) have very limited
experience with sleep medicine.
Best wishes,
Hugh.
marty
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CourseBridge
Thanks for the info!
CourseBridge
> Do you find yourself falling a sleep at these times, or are you just sooo
> tired that you feel you have to take a nap?
I'm still able to control myself and stay awake but all I can think about is
how much I want to go take a nap. It's just a tremendous sleepiness.
Thanks for all the great info Hugh. I'll definitely monitor myself more
closely and discuss it with my doctor at my next visit - maybe I'm just a
lazy bum!
There certainly is something not right though.
Thanks again!
Linda
Hugh Davies-Webb
in...@coursebridge.com wrote on 6/19/01 8:15 AM:
Linda,
Never think of yourself as being lazy... Just sleepy! It sounds like your
body just isn't getting enough sleep - remember there are other sleep
disorders other than narcolepsy. Sleep deprivation is a serious issue and
can really effect your performance and motivation in soo many ways. This in
itself can be very depressing. You're on the right track now - you've
realised that theres a problem and you're getting it investigated - keep
pushing the doctor until you get a satisfactory answer - that's what most of
us with narcolepsy have had to do to get diagnosed in the first place.
I wish you the best of luck.
Hugh.
Stefani276
>realised that theres a problem and you're getting it investigated - keep
>pushing the doctor until you get a satisfactory answer - that's what most of
>us with narcolepsy have had to do to get diagnosed in the first place.
Indeed...I suffered with it not knowing for nearly 30 years. When I first went
to the Dr. with my symptoms, we were both thinking sleep apnea ( I am a large
woman and this seems to be more common in large people). We were ALL (sleep
specialist included) surprised by the narcolepsy diagnosis. I do not have
cataplexy on a regular basis; I have only experienced it a few times in my
life. The sleep disturbances were at first thought to be part of perimenopause.
The deciding factor was the 2nd sleep test with the naps. I went to sleep in
less than 5 minutes at each trial and was into deep REM sleep in less than 2
minutes. At one of the naps, I went to sleep while they were trying to
calibrate the machines to START the test!
Get tested, and don't let up until you have a diagnosis,and dont blame yourself
thinking you are just sleepy, or lazy, or some other nonsense. I did it and
lived with that guilt for far too long. Dont do it to yourself.
Stefanie
"Give of yourself unto others and to life, for what you reap is beyond measure
or compare"
Me...
alexandere...@gmail.com
*Sticking to a Schedule - Train your body to sleep and get up at a fixed time every day. This helps the internal clock to stay alert during the day and sleepy during the night.
*Do Not Use Electronic Devices on the Bed - It is best to avoid using all distractions like mobiles, tablets, laptops, etc., away from the bed. And avoid watching TV before you go to sleep. The light from these devices might interfere with sleep.
Read more:https://www.icliniq.com/articles/healthy-living-wellness-and-prevention/ways-to-avoid-daytime-sleepiness