Sleep Disorders

[sleepyholly]

I have just taken a new job that involves an hour long commute in the morning. Well, every morning on the way to work (and sometimes on the way home) I uncontrollably fall asleep. I am not just talking about heavy eyelids or one doze off. I spend almost the entire drive dozing off and waking up frightened because I have swerved into someone else's lane or I stop moving and someone beaps at me. I really am scared I will hurt myself or someone else one of these days. The doze offs are so intense too. I fall instantly into a deep sleep and when I wake up I feel like I could have been asleep for minutes. I try to do all kinds of things to stay awake but the next thing I know I am waking up again after having fallen alseep. I drink cofee or energy drinks every mroning and get plenty of sleep every night. Nothing helps! I used to have this problem in school too and I am known by everyone in my life as someone who sleeps a lot and is very grouchy if woken up.
I also have a very difficult time waking up EVERY morning and feel like I have been drugged. I have been this way my whole life so I now make sleep a big priority and get a minimum of eight hours a night..but this does not help. Even when I am not dozing off I feel very tired all the time and have spent my whole life feeling energyless. I have had blood work done and nothing was conclusive. Can anyone identify with these experiences or does anyone know what might be wrong with me?

[curt]

You might want to consider narcolepsy; http://www.sleepdisorderchannel.com/narcolepsy/

[cokeko]

I feel the same way sometimes...my boyfriend gets so frustrated with me b/c I fall asleep during movies, while we are talking, etc..but it's like I have no control, I feel drugged.

[Ambition]

Hi
You are the first person I've heard of who suffers from the same condition as me, it's good to know I'm not alone. I sleep practically 24/7, I may have 2 or 3 hours a day when I'm able to do things. I've been officially diagnosed with a sleep disorder by a sleep clinic but the doctors say there is no treatment for it.
I am out of work at the moment (by choice) I went for a two month trip to Oz and gave my job up to go. Now I'm home and not working as I have not found a new job yet, all I do is sleep. When I worked I worked through the sleepiness somehow but always slept during my lunch hour and found staying awake during working hours almost impossible.
I can't really go out shopping or to the pictures or anywhere because my need to sleep is so powerful, overwhelming and life controlling.
To be honest I feel at the end of my tether, I've had enough of living this way, in fact it is not living. I do not have a life, all I think about is sleeping. I'm so jealous of people who can stay awake or who feel awake, it must be wonderful, it is something I long for.
How do you cope?

[krh123]

I have just taken a new job that involves an hour long commute in the morning. Well, every morning on the way to work (and sometimes on the way home) I uncontrollably fall asleep. I am not just talking about heavy eyelids or one doze off. I spend almost the entire drive dozing off and waking up frightened because I have swerved into someone else's lane or I stop moving and someone beaps at me. I really am scared I will hurt myself or someone else one of these days. The doze offs are so intense too. I fall instantly into a deep sleep and when I wake up I feel like I could have been asleep for minutes. I try to do all kinds of things to stay awake but the next thing I know I am waking up again after having fallen alseep. I drink cofee or energy drinks every mroning and get plenty of sleep every night. Nothing helps! I used to have this problem in school too and I am known by everyone in my life as someone who sleeps a lot and is very grouchy if woken up.
I also have a very difficult time waking up EVERY morning and feel like I have been drugged. I have been this way my whole life so I now make sleep a big priority and get a minimum of eight hours a night..but this does not help. Even when I am not dozing off I feel very tired all the time and have spent my whole life feeling energyless. I have had blood work done and nothing was conclusive. Can anyone identify with these experiences or does anyone know what might be wrong with me?


if you do not get enough rest at night the before no amount of artificial stimulant is going to help. it sounds like you either have sleep apnea or have a really lousy bed. If you fall asleep in the middle of the day, you probably have sleep apnea. it is less common in women though. excessive tissue in throat, recessed jaw contribute to an obstructed throat.

if you are unable to drive safely, you really ought to talk to a sleep disorder specialist. i have sleep apnea bigtime and was treated with a cpap machine and it has done wonders for me. even if you dont have insurance, it sounds like you're better off paying a sleep disorder specialist before you have a wreck.