Too much sleep is a problem I have. I find myself moody and depressed when I realize how much morning time I have wasted by refusing to rise, bathe and dress. Then I find myself wondering if I am depressed because I couldn't make myself get out of the bed, or did I not want to get out of bed because I am depressed. Probably a medical condition in both those questions,but I have finally gotten up.
There's a lot of reasons to be depressed when I've had too much sleep. I now have just a very limited amount of time to "look good" for the day. Chances are I will not look good, and I am more depressed. I spend the day thinking..."If I had just gotten up!"
It's not that I get too much sleep, but that I am a glutten for sleep. It's like overeating, there is no good to come of it, because like weight gain with food, the extra sleep adds pounds, and makes me sluggish all day long. Knowing I am being a glutten for sleep, does not help me get up any better the next day. Too much sleep on a day I need to get up is bad enough, but too much sleep on a day off, starts off like a treat I give myself, only to turn into a moody, dark and dreary day.
I don't think too much sleep is being lazy, because once I get up, I am very active. But home again, bed again, and it starts all over. I know that all this sleep is not good for my health, especially the fact that while sleeping I am very inactive. It's most likely something I really should see the doctor about. I will, once I get up.
While most of my friends can function on five to seven hours of sleep a night, I have always been the type of person who needs to sleep far more than what is considered average. Ten to thirteen hours a night is usual for me. I have been tested for a wide array of health problems, suffered judgement from others, tried sleep training myself, and have eventually come to accept that I am simply someone who needs to sleep a lot.
I have been tested for thyroid disorders, hormonal imbalances, sleep apnea, and vitamin deficiencies. I have even gone to a sleep clinic where I was monitored during the night. Nothing unusual has ever been found. During the sleep study, I slept for twelve and a half hours before waking up on my own. I was asked to keep a sleep diary and have also had full blood workups to make sure I do not have cancer, parasites, or any other maladies. Physically, I am perfectly normal.
The judgement from others has been hard to take, at times. My parents were quick to say I was lazy, and my partners often didn't like that I have to sleep so much. My first marriage ended largely because I could not climb the corporate ladder due to my sleep needs. While others went out for drinks after work, I had to go home and sleep.
One doctor that I saw suggested that I sleep train myself. I was instructed to go to bed at exactly the same time every evening and wake up exactly nine hours later using an alarm clock. I was not to nap. I tried this for about four months and gave it up when I was overcome with exhaustion.
Over the years, I have simply come to accept the fact that my body requires more sleep than others even if it is too much sleep. I try to focus on the positive, that I am healthy and happy. I would indeed like to know why I am like this, but it seems my medical diagnosis is still a mystery.
I have been tested for thyroid disorders, hormonal imbalances, sleep apnea, and vitamin deficiencies. I have even gone to a sleep clinic where I was monitored during the night. Nothing unusual has ever been found. During the sleep study, I slept for twelve and a half hours before waking up on my own. I was asked to keep a sleep diary and have also had full blood workups to make sure I do not have cancer, parasites, or any other maladies. Physically, I am perfectly normal.
The judgement from others has been hard to take, at times. My parents were quick to say I was lazy, and my partners often didn't like that I have to sleep so much. My first marriage ended largely because I could not climb the corporate ladder due to my sleep needs. While others went out for drinks after work, I had to go home and sleep.
One doctor that I saw suggested that I sleep train myself. I was instructed to go to bed at exactly the same time every evening and wake up exactly nine hours later using an alarm clock. I was not to nap. I tried this for about four months and gave it up when I was overcome with exhaustion.
Over the years, I have simply come to accept the fact that my body requires more sleep than others even if it is too much sleep. I try to focus on the positive, that I am healthy and happy. I would indeed like to know why I am like this, but it seems my medical diagnosis is still a mystery.
The other night, my wife and I were watching a DVD and I decided to stretch out on the couch. Before I knew it, I was having trouble keeping my eyes open and paying attention. I mentioned to my wife that I was getting sleepy. Sighing, she turned off the movie, tossed me a blanket, turned off the lights and stalked off up the stairs. I was dead asleep before I had time to be annoyed.
My wife is upset with me, because this is what happens almost every night. I fall asleep while we are watching TV, talking or reading. It's not that I am bored or uninterested. My body starts to beg for sleep, I can't keep my eyes open, and, before I know it, I'm out like a light. I just can't help it.
My wife says that how much I sleep is getting on her nerves. She says that having to turn off a movie half way through or stop mid-sentence, because she realizes that I have fallen asleep, is getting old. She doesn't understand how I can sleep in until 10 or 11 or a Saturday morning, either. She's up everyday at 7 A.M., even on weekends. She's a real morning person. I'm not a morning person. I'm not a night owl, though, seeing as I fall asleep so early and so easily.
I have tried plenty of ways to not sleep too much. I attempted to stay upright watching TV, but I still couldn't stay awake. I made an effort by drinking caffeine in the evening, but it just made me jittery and irritable. Energy bars and protein beverages didn't do anything, either. My wife even suggested that I go to the doctor. I told her that the only cure for my sleepiness is sleep.
My wife is upset with me, because this is what happens almost every night. I fall asleep while we are watching TV, talking or reading. It's not that I am bored or uninterested. My body starts to beg for sleep, I can't keep my eyes open, and, before I know it, I'm out like a light. I just can't help it.
My wife says that how much I sleep is getting on her nerves. She says that having to turn off a movie half way through or stop mid-sentence, because she realizes that I have fallen asleep, is getting old. She doesn't understand how I can sleep in until 10 or 11 or a Saturday morning, either. She's up everyday at 7 A.M., even on weekends. She's a real morning person. I'm not a morning person. I'm not a night owl, though, seeing as I fall asleep so early and so easily.
I have tried plenty of ways to not sleep too much. I attempted to stay upright watching TV, but I still couldn't stay awake. I made an effort by drinking caffeine in the evening, but it just made me jittery and irritable. Energy bars and protein beverages didn't do anything, either. My wife even suggested that I go to the doctor. I told her that the only cure for my sleepiness is sleep.
Note: This post is obviously written about me from my wifes point of view.
My children are very energetic and fun loving. They participate in athletic activities and musical opportunities. Our kids are very well rounded. All is perfect with their lives except that their Dad does not participate in anything that they do. He says that he is interested in the kids, but he has a bad habit of sleeping all of the time. We have three kids and a very active household. They would love to have friends over to play. The kids are required to be quiet in the afternoons when they get home from school. They spend a lot of time outside so that they do not disturb their father. When the kids were younger, he had a third shift job so he needed to sleep all day to have energy at night.
A few months ago, he lost his job. I know that he has been depressed. He sleeps so much to avoid reality. It does not help that he is obese and that has affected his health. He has sleep apnea now. He sleeps about 18 hours a day. Late at night, he does hibernate in the basement and watches TV, when we are sleeping like normal people.
My girls would love him to attend any type of their school activities. It is difficult to be the only parent who goes to the plays, concerts, lessons and sporting events. My son would love him to play ball with him or even take a walk. It is so sad; I really want my husband to be a good example of a strong active and involved adult for my kids. I sure hope that they do not think this is normal. I really need help to correct his sleep habits. I wish he were motivated to participate. Maybe in the future it will all get better.
My children are very energetic and fun loving. They participate in athletic activities and musical opportunities. Our kids are very well rounded. All is perfect with their lives except that their Dad does not participate in anything that they do. He says that he is interested in the kids, but he has a bad habit of sleeping all of the time. We have three kids and a very active household. They would love to have friends over to play. The kids are required to be quiet in the afternoons when they get home from school. They spend a lot of time outside so that they do not disturb their father. When the kids were younger, he had a third shift job so he needed to sleep all day to have energy at night.
A few months ago, he lost his job. I know that he has been depressed. He sleeps so much to avoid reality. It does not help that he is obese and that has affected his health. He has sleep apnea now. He sleeps about 18 hours a day. Late at night, he does hibernate in the basement and watches TV, when we are sleeping like normal people.
My girls would love him to attend any type of their school activities. It is difficult to be the only parent who goes to the plays, concerts, lessons and sporting events. My son would love him to play ball with him or even take a walk. It is so sad; I really want my husband to be a good example of a strong active and involved adult for my kids. I sure hope that they do not think this is normal. I really need help to correct his sleep habits. I wish he were motivated to participate. Maybe in the future it will all get better.
Today is my sister's wedding day. I was supposed to be in Lauren's wedding; however, when I repeatedly failed to show up for rehearsals, my cousin Richard kindly stepped in as my replacement. Lauren tried to be patient and understanding; she even went to the doctors with me. She stopped going after I kept insisting that I was suffering from a weird condition that caused me to sleep excessively.
While my condition has been very painful for my parents to accept, for Lauren it has been devastating. For you see, Lauren and I are twins. Medical research has proven that some twins have the innate ability to simultaneously sense and feel what the other feels, I tend to agree. At age 10, Lauren and I attended summer camp in Pennsylvania. While playing volleyball, she tripped over a log and broke her wrist. I was a mile away canoeing when suddenly I felt a sharp, excruciating pain in my wrist. Upon examination, the pediatrician determined that nothing was wrong with my wrist; I had experienced a strange sort of phenomena reportedly common amongst twins.
Lauren, while devastated that this excessive sleep condition has encroached upon our lives; she is certain that if this were a "true" condition, she would have felt it just as I felt her pain years ago. My doctor's final diagnosis was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; he prescribed medication that has not improved my condition. On average, I get 14 hours of sleep a day. I could sleep for 24 hours but my cat Tabitha's incessant meow for food stirs me out bed.
I miss Lauren, more than she knows. She's pregnant with her first child, a boy. I cried when she told me they were going to name him Jesse Ryan, after me and our father. As I gently laid the phone in the cradle, I hear my wife calling, "Jesse, time to go to the doctors; we have seven months to find out why you suffer from excessive sleep disorder" or else your name sake will not get to know his favorite uncle.
While my condition has been very painful for my parents to accept, for Lauren it has been devastating. For you see, Lauren and I are twins. Medical research has proven that some twins have the innate ability to simultaneously sense and feel what the other feels, I tend to agree. At age 10, Lauren and I attended summer camp in Pennsylvania. While playing volleyball, she tripped over a log and broke her wrist. I was a mile away canoeing when suddenly I felt a sharp, excruciating pain in my wrist. Upon examination, the pediatrician determined that nothing was wrong with my wrist; I had experienced a strange sort of phenomena reportedly common amongst twins.
Lauren, while devastated that this excessive sleep condition has encroached upon our lives; she is certain that if this were a "true" condition, she would have felt it just as I felt her pain years ago. My doctor's final diagnosis was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; he prescribed medication that has not improved my condition. On average, I get 14 hours of sleep a day. I could sleep for 24 hours but my cat Tabitha's incessant meow for food stirs me out bed.
I miss Lauren, more than she knows. She's pregnant with her first child, a boy. I cried when she told me they were going to name him Jesse Ryan, after me and our father. As I gently laid the phone in the cradle, I hear my wife calling, "Jesse, time to go to the doctors; we have seven months to find out why you suffer from excessive sleep disorder" or else your name sake will not get to know his favorite uncle.