Day sleeping

[Explorer-8]

Unlike so many people that I know, I have to nap and have siestas throughout the day even when I have had almost my full 8 hours sleep at night. After breakfast, I always fall asleep except when I have to go to work. On the days when I do work I usually feel really sleepy when I get home. On the earliest possible shift I have to get up at 0415 in the morning. After that, I can get home in the afternoon and go into a heavy sleep for a few hours. The other shifts mean getting up at various times of the day.

I am not working today and already I have had 2 siestas - after breakfast and another at about 1630 for 20 minutes each. Even when I am on holiday it is the same sometimes with 3 or 4 siestas.

I'm sure that it won't be narcolepsy, so what can it be that I need so much sleep during the day as well as my normal sleep at night?

[chattykathy]

Do you snore badly? Apparently people with sleep apnea think they have been asleep all night but they have constantly been waking up to breathe! This can lead to people falling asleep during the day & even when driving etc. The nhs website explains it better than I can.

[Mailmutt]

Don't worry about it.

I have to grab a few hours every afternoon cos I'm so knackered after delivery. But even when I am off, as I am now, I still feel the need to sleep.

[Sqad]

Just a guess you understand.....you are over 50, over weight, smoke, drink and never take any exercise.

[Mailmutt]

Me or them?

Over 50 yes, but one pint a day after delivery, don't smoke, and as for exercise, I walk more in a day than most do in a week.

[Sqad]

Mailmutt...LOL I was alluding to the poster......not you.

[Explorer-8]

I'm 52, but I'm not much overweight. My BMI index is 27 - I think. I don't smoke and I only occasionally drink alcohol. Since I had my siesta at about 4 o'clock this afternoon, I haven't been feeling tired at all. The naps that I have help me to feel normal again instead of feeling like a zombie. I don't know whether I snore badly because there is nobody to tell me.
A friend of mine told me to try staying awake and having no naps so that my body would get used to it, but then I almost started falling asleep standing up and my concentration is really poor.
All my life I have always needed more sleep than most people.

[tamborine]

Being outdoors soon knocks me out. Am snake like and have to sleep after a meal ....... so I only eat once a day. Is your problem the same?

[pastafreak]

I gather you do shift work...in which case your body clock is seriously messed up,most likely. As long as you work such variable shifts you will have an equally abnormal sleep pattern. I guess your body needs to find the sleep where it can...even when you get 8 hours.....tho that does sound like too mmuch of a good thing..

[ELVIS68]

I do shiftwork and my bodyclock is proper messed up, I get about 4 hours sleep + a couple of 15 minute catnaps a day

[Ice.Maiden]

Funnily enough - I do almost the same as you Elvis. I have to get up really early, so grab a couple of hours as and when I can.

[MissNoway.]

Ex8
I have the same prob
I come home from work,have a nap,It (the nap) might last 3-4 hours.
Even on my day's off I will still nap.

[Sqad]

Another thought.......it could be that you have an underactive thyroid......got to your GP and ask if thyroid tests would be advisable.

[andy-hughes]

You should ask your GP if you can be tested for sleep apnoea.

This is a dangerous condition because you stop breathing literally hundreds of times a night, which causes your heart to speed up to start you breathing again, and that causes ongoing strain on the heart. You will be completely unaware of this, but a direct effect is that you never sleep properly, and will always feel tired, and able to sleep at any time.

Get it checked out - and your thyroid while you are there.

[angiealf]

Also on top of all the things mentioned to get checked, include blood pressure and iron levels. A while ago I went through the day feeling tired as hell and dropping off when ever I sat down. I had a blood test that showed I was slightly iron deficient, I was put on tablets and since then haven't felt tired during the day.

[Explorer-8]

I recently had a railway medical exam. They take a urine sample and they test blood pressure, BMI index and hearing. I did really well in all of those.