Oversleeping, don't know why

Hello, this is my first post and I'm after some advice, I'd be very appreciative of any help. My sleep specialist has moved town and I'm yet to find a new one, and my doctor hasn't been helpful so I thought I'd join up and start posting.

I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea about 7 years ago (I'm now 40yo) and was put onto APAP which has kept me breathing through the night. I have a resmed airsense 10 with the full faced mask.

So for the past 1.5 years I've had a little bit of depression and sporadic casual work. As a consequence I've become a night owl, and I don't usually sleep till 3am. My problem is, sometimes I'll sleep for 10-12 hours with my APAP on, I feel groggy when I wake up, (but if for some reason I only sleep for 8 hours I'll wake up feeling fine) and for some reason I can't break the habit. I try to set my alarm to get up after 7 hours sleep and it wakes me up and I get up, but almost unconsciously I think maybe I'll have a lil sleep in but that is always a mistake and I end up sleeping another 3-5 hours.

Sometimes I have 2-3 hour afternoon naps without APAP also.

The only thing that seems to wake me up on-time is when I have work which unfortunately might only be 1-2 days a week. I am clinically obese but in otherwise OK health. Working on getting a full-time job but the job market is sparse at the moment. I am sick of waking up properly at 3pm feeling spaced out when the majority of the day and sunlight is almost finished. It just adds to the depression. Thank you for any help.

-Mark

It sounds to me like you have messed up your sleep rhythms.

One aspect of sleep hygiene is to try to stick to regular bed and wake times.

For someone like yourself, who has irregular work, that is a challenge. I had the same issues when I had irregular patterns to my life, and my son has the same now, when his life is less structured. We also have depression issues, which factor into this.

You will need to work on this.

One thing I have advised my son is a trick I used regularly at the end of a break from college, just before going back to school, to reset my clock.

Stay up all night.

Over break I would have swung round to a pattern of waking at noon, bed at 3, 4 am. I needed to be up for lectures at 8 or 9am.
So I would stay up all night, working on a paper. The following day I would be tired, so going to bed at 10 was not an issue, and I would be able to wake at 7am. Reset. My son has used this once or twice to help himself out.

Now I admit this was when I was 20, and I could not do it now. The longer version is to move bedtime/wake time back by an hour or 30 minutes each day.

MARKANON1648 wrote: ↑

Sat May 11, 2019 12:10 am

So for the past 1.5 years I've had a little bit of depression and sporadic casual work.

Good luck finding the job you want. Being underemployed can contribute to depression, and depression can lead to poor sleep habits. Try to work on this:

Good Sleep for CPAPers

- Practice good sleep hygiene (Google it and read several sources; ignore extreme advice.)
- Eat a good diet
- Have a regular, moderate exercise program
- Try to avoid daytime naps
- Practice total abstinence of caffeine including sources like chocolate (sigh)
- Review all medicines, vitamins and supplements you are taking to make sure none are interfering with sleep
- Use the bedroom for sleeping (and sex) only, and make sure the bedroom and bed are comfortable.
- Learn to appropriately handle emotional stress in your life
- Do not listen to your breathing or the sound of the machine as you are falling asleep. (Some people, including me, actually find listening to their breathing and the sound of the machine to be relaxing.)
- Distract your mind by thinking of a pleasant, relaxing activity that you enjoy.
- If you are awakening at night, do not be too concerned. It is actually a normal part of sleep. (It does become a problem though for people who, when they awaken, become frustrated and have difficulty returning to sleep.)
- Use CPAP software, such as the free SleepyHead, to make sure your therapy is optimized
- If you still don't feel or sleep well, make sure you have regular medical checkups to confirm there are no other medical problems

This is a checklist. Some of the things you already do. Some are easy and can be done right away. Others you can work at over time.

CG

I am sorry that you are not feeling well. Adding to the good suggestions that you have already received, suggest that you seek a Psych consult for a complete depression work up. Therapy and/or meds may help.

It''s possible your pressure setting(s) are inadequate and might need to be adjusted - sleeping long means you're effectively not being treated properly (as you were pre-diagnosis). What are your settings?

Thankyou all for the responses and advice, apologies for the late response.

Hi Mark, yep, that really sounds like my sleep schedule! I am seriously considering the all nighter actually on your advice because I need to do something to reset the pattern. Yes I am 40yo but I'm not working much (low pressure) so I should be fine.

Hi Bombayone, thankyou, I've actually got a psych referral and am waiting on a call back from one ATM.

Hi Chicago Granny, yes depression is horrid. I actually used to suffer from chronic anxiety, I prefer depression to the screaming horror of anxiety though but to be honest, depression is probably more physically damaging than anxiety, but I'm not sure. I shall print those tips out, thankyou.

Hi Julie,

If I download my data here via sleepyhead (in the process of doing that now) , will that show my pressures? Should I use this thread or start another?

Thanks to all

MARKANON1648 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2019 3:28 am

Thankyou all for the responses and advice, apologies for the late response.

If I download my data here via sleepyhead (in the process of doing that now) , will that show my pressures? Should I use this thread or start another?

Thanks to all

SleepyHead will show your pressures. It is best to post in this thread so others can smoothly follow your background issues. One book that may be of help is called "The Disconnected Man".

Yes, it'll show your pressures, but that is something you should know without having to use software. Do you not have the report and prescription from your sleep study? From your MD? It is yours by law and you should get it from your doctor.

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2019 4:29 am

One book that may be of help is called "The Disconnected Man".

Hose came loose from machine?

By utilizing your machine's Sleep Report's data you will be able to see your average pressure and AHI data......Go into your settings menu and find Essentials. Change setting to Plus.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2019 5:15 am

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2019 4:29 am

One book that may be of help is called "The Disconnected Man".

Hose came loose from machine?

LOL Disconnected from other people.

I never thought I would say this to our wise Granny, but read and learn.

https://www.amazon.com/Disconnected-Man ... 478975644/

If you work on resetting your sleep schedule, try getting outdoors in the morning. Exposure to sunlight then will help.

MARKANON1648 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2019 3:28 am

Thankyou all for the responses and advice, apologies for the late response.

If I download my data here via sleepyhead (in the process of doing that now) , will that show my pressures? Should I use this thread or start another?

Thanks to all

yes, if you would be so kind, stay in this thread. at least for the first little while. it will help all of the experts giving you advice if they can see your history. thanks for asking.

good luck!

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2019 5:15 am

Hose came loose from machine?

MARKANON1648 wrote: ↑

Sat May 11, 2019 12:10 am

...Sometimes I have 2-3 hour afternoon naps without APAP also...

BAD, bad decision Mike! Untreated you are likely desaturating oxygen levels, leading to all sorts of BAD stuff.

I have the same bad sleep cycle I am trying to permanently change. These are helping me:

• Bright sunlight helps, even if late in the day.

• Coffee first thing when I get up.

• Some exercise daily, early in the wake cycle.

• Staying up overnight, but gotta go to bed at reasonable time every single night which is where I fall down. Then, I have to start all over again.

• Depression sucks, part of my current grieving process. I refuse to take drugs for it, instead taking Coromega fish oil packettes 2/day, adaptogen plnt (brand) ashwaganha, Passion Flower extract (Solaray with marron cap) helps increase GABA neurotransmitter, Nordic Naturals DHA supplement as it helps brain cell-to-cell signaling. Start with one, the Coromega and then add the DHA to see it they help. Depression affects brain physically and might change with these. They seem to help me.