Weird sleep pattern
November 18, 2012 11:14 AM Subscribe
Sleep problems filter! what are some possible causes of my very weird sleeping schedule? I have been, for most of my life, functioning the best on a 2-hour nap in the evening, and then maybe 3-4 hours between 3 and 7am. I am not intentionally doing biphasic sleep-- I just get these strong urges to sleep (or to be awake) at certain times of the day. For the past 2-3 weeks, I am just all over the place in terms of sleep. Mainly, I am incredibly tired and achy the whole day, but I can't fall asleep when I try. As soon as the sun goes down I feel alive again. I feel like I am sleep deprived all the time, but there's also no telling of when I can actually fall asleep.
What are the causes of change in sleep patterns? I thought of some possibilities, but I don't know what to do about them:
1. I could be dehydrated because the heaters are on
2. It could be stress. I don't feel stressed out, but my friends told me that they sensed I've been stressed out.
3. I haven't been eating a lot of fruit and vegetable
And also, how do I NOT be a biphasic sleeper? It's really hard to schedule around, and I am not always in a place that I can plot down and sleep in the evening. When I don't get my evening nap, then my sleep schedule gets thrown off. Also, people think I am lazy.
What are the causes of change in sleep patterns? I thought of some possibilities, but I don't know what to do about them:
1. I could be dehydrated because the heaters are on
2. It could be stress. I don't feel stressed out, but my friends told me that they sensed I've been stressed out.
3. I haven't been eating a lot of fruit and vegetable
And also, how do I NOT be a biphasic sleeper? It's really hard to schedule around, and I am not always in a place that I can plot down and sleep in the evening. When I don't get my evening nap, then my sleep schedule gets thrown off. Also, people think I am lazy.
It would be something also to discuss with your doctor. There are health related problems that can cause sleep disturbances like this (liver, thyroid among others).
posted by cecic at 12:41 PM on November 18, 2012
posted by cecic at 12:41 PM on November 18, 2012
Sleep patterns are appetites similar to many others, and what feels like absolute physical truths ("I *must* have dinner by 5pm or I am grumpy") are the result of training and patterning, often before we are aware of it.
Retraining a sleep pattern is possible, but difficult -- probably harder than moving breakfast time. The best book I have found on it is Overcoming Insomnia by Colin Espie, a significant sleep researcher. The CBT techniques in there deal with much more than insomnia, and I think they could very well help you with this.
I promise it is not the "sleep in a quiet room and avoid coffee" sleep hygiene platitudes you will find elsewhere.
posted by fightorflight at 2:43 PM on November 18, 2012
Retraining a sleep pattern is possible, but difficult -- probably harder than moving breakfast time. The best book I have found on it is Overcoming Insomnia by Colin Espie, a significant sleep researcher. The CBT techniques in there deal with much more than insomnia, and I think they could very well help you with this.
I promise it is not the "sleep in a quiet room and avoid coffee" sleep hygiene platitudes you will find elsewhere.
posted by fightorflight at 2:43 PM on November 18, 2012
That said, has your coffee consumption pattern changed recently?
posted by flabdablet at 5:26 PM on November 18, 2012
posted by flabdablet at 5:26 PM on November 18, 2012
It is worth asking your doctor about it. I was having increasing difficulty managing a health sleeping pattern and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I had my tonsils out (grew suddenly and blocked my airway in certain positions) and my situation drastically improved.
Now I feel rested in the morning (so don't feel I need a nap) and have a more normal pattern of sleeping.
posted by dottiechang at 12:42 AM on November 19, 2012
Now I feel rested in the morning (so don't feel I need a nap) and have a more normal pattern of sleeping.
posted by dottiechang at 12:42 AM on November 19, 2012
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posted by PorcineWithMe at 12:10 PM on November 18, 2012