help: I need too much sleep!
Question:
>Anna <arw…@erols.com> did write > I >have an unbelievably difficult time waking up in the morning unless I >get a huge amount of sleep. Whenever I am given the opportunity, I will >sleep for 12-14 hours.
14 hours does sound a bit long, although 12 hours is not unusual for your age > able to function on 7-8 >hours of sleep a night, and do not sleep for more than 10 hours or so
Able to function is a key phrase – being ABLE to function is not the same as functioning at OPTIMUM >Is this normal?
May not be normal. My best advice is to hie yourself to your physician, discuss the difficulties, and request referral to an accredited sleep medicine physician. Most likely, this will result in an overnight sleep study, and maybe an MSLT (a daytime study done immediately after the overnight study). Sleep studies look for a multitude of problems with sleep, and do a darn good job of identifying some major problems, like Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Nothing in what you have said points towards a specific Sleep Disorder, because excessive sleepiness is a common symptom in many Sleep Disorders. (I work in a children’s hospital sleep disorders center, and Anna, we have numerous teen clients, many of whom have received dramatic, life changing therapies as a result of their sleep study, so don’t, please, don’t delay in seeking medical help) Nita, RPSGT
Response:
I am almost 16 years old. for the past few years, I have been having serious sleep problems which have affected my life and schoolwork. I have an unbelievably difficult time waking up in the morning unless I get a huge amount of sleep. Whenever I am given the opportunity, I will sleep for 12-14 hours. 7-9 hours of sleep is never enough for me, and it leaves me exhausted all day long. People have told me that it’s normal for teens to need this much sleep. However, most other teenagers that I know are able to function on 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and do not sleep for more than 10 hours or so on an average weekend. I often sacrifice homework and other evening activities so that I can go to sleep around 5 pm, and I don’t know ANYONE else who does that unless they are sick. Can anyone give me a suggestion? Is this normal? What can I do to change my excessive need for sleep? Could it be affected by exercise or diet? Thank you, Anna (email preferred)
Response:
I have the same problem too. Help Please! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On Sun, 26 Oct 1997, Anna wrote: > I am almost 16 years old. for the past few years, I have been having > serious sleep problems which have affected my life and schoolwork. I > have an unbelievably difficult time waking up in the morning unless I > get a huge amount of sleep. Whenever I am given the opportunity, I will > sleep for 12-14 hours. 7-9 hours of sleep is never enough for me, and > it leaves me exhausted all day long. > People have told me that it’s normal for teens to need this much sleep. > However, most other teenagers that I know are able to function on 7-8 > hours of sleep a night, and do not sleep for more than 10 hours or so on > an average weekend. I often sacrifice homework and other evening > activities so that I can go to sleep around 5 pm, and I don’t know > ANYONE else who does that unless they are sick. > Can anyone give me a suggestion? Is this normal? What can I do to > change my excessive need for sleep? Could it be affected by exercise or > diet? > Thank you, > Anna (email preferred)
