Sleep-Wake Disorders

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Sleep-Wake Disorders
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    How do you deal with waking up frequently during the night? #SleepWakeDisorders

    I start to worry about not being able to fall asleep and it keeps me more awake.

    3 reactions 2 comments
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    I’m new here!

    Hi, my name is PicMentalHealth. I'm here because
    I want to find a way to handle life during the bad times & stay stable after recovery.
    #MightyTogether #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #sleep-WakeDisorders

    5 comments
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    I’m new here!

    Hi, my name is ames saj. I’m new to The Mighty and look forward to sharing my story.

    #MightyTogether #Anxiety #Migraine #PTSD #ADHD #Depression #Grief #EatingDisorder #sleep-WakeDisorders

    1 comment
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    I'm new here!

    Hi, my name is allnighter. I’m new to The Mighty and look forward to sharing my story.

    #MightyTogether #PanicDisorder #Depression #ADHD #SleepWakeDisorders

    4 comments
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    I’m new here!

    Hi, my name is sleepysun. I’m new to The Mighty and look forward to sharing my story.

    #MightyTogether #Anxiety #polycysticovarysyndrome(PCOS) #Depression #sleep-WakeDisorders

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    Hi, I’d like some thoughts on this before I go to a doctor.

    I tend to over-explain so bear with me. A little background first: I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) when I was two and have been taking synthroid to balance it ever since (I’m 20 now). My family and I moved a few years ago and our new family doctor noticed that my levels were a bit low. I get blood work done every 6mo to a year so not sure if my last doctor didn’t notice or maybe didn’t think it was low enough to take action? Anyway I got my dose changed no big deal. I was also diagnosed with social anxiety disorder when I was 14 and have been taking Venlafaxine (Effexor) ever since. I also suspect I have depression and ADHD but those have never been confirmed or treated.

    Here’s where I need help. I’ve experienced constant exhaustion since around the start of junior high. Around high school it got to the point I would miss weeks of school because I couldn’t get out of bed (probably depression, but also I was just so so tired). I got around 6-7 hours of sleep then and on weekends would regularly sleep 14+ hours. Even after that I’d still feel exhausted. I’m a night owl, always have been. Left to my own devices I would sleep during the day and be awake at night and have done during many summer holidays. So my constant tiredness could be due to my circadian rhythm not matching my actual sleep schedule. I’ve heard of delayed sleep phase disorder before and that’s a possibility. Another reason could be my social anxiety sucking up all my energy, I’m a cashier and can barely stay awake once I get home due to the constant adrenaline, something I also experienced in high school. Or it could be something else entirely like ME/CFS but I don’t know much about it. It’s become a safety issue though because I often drive long distances between my old city and where I live now and need to stop for almost constant naps to prevent myself from falling asleep at the wheel in the middle of the afternoon when there’s no reason I should be sleep deprived. I get around 7-8 hours a night now with more on my days off. I’ve tried coffee and energy drinks but they don’t do much except make me tired AND anxious. Driving makes it 10X worse and has always made me sleepy. I was the type of kid to fall asleep within seconds on a 5 minute drive to the store. But now I’m the one driving and it’s not safe and I just can’t live the rest of my life like this, even if driving wasn’t an issue. Thanks for reading all of that and I would greatly appreciate any advice, opinions, or tips on how to stay alert in between rest stops. #SleepWakeDisorders #Depression #SocialAnxiety #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigue #HypothyroidismUnderactiveThyroidDisease #Hypersomnia

    4 comments