Energy/Motivation to get stuff done

I really need some advice. I think I've always been a "slow starter" in the morning. so I might be "awake" and able to drive, work etc. But in absence of "exterior pressure" to do something, I really would rather be a lump on a log. so, yeah, I work early in the morning and I can "force" myself to do it. But on vacation or weekends, I move lots slower, unless I have an appointment to go to. So I might sit around, watch tv, chat on the internet, maybe do a hobby, but chores, errands etc...can't get motivated.

When I was younger, I might be "unmotivated" for an hour. Now, I'm 45, and it takes me 3 hrs to really feel like I can get stuff done. Once I get started, I can get LOTS of stuff done (particularly once I got my cpap adapted to my needs). I started exercising and it isn't helping. Part of the issue is that I'm still "going" at bedtime. I avoid caffeine after 1pm. I start my day at 7am and try to be in bed by 10pm.

As an example...yesterday I had wanted to do several chores around the house (stuff that hadn't been done in a year!). The night before, I went to bed at 11pm, didn't use an alarm and naturally woke up at 9am. It took until 2pm to get motivated to get some exercise then I came home, sealed the driveway, did a bit of garage cleaning/planning, started hauling ikea furniture that needed assembly into the house for today. Today...I finally feel motivated to assemble the furniture. I crawled out of bed at 9:30a (after going to bed at 10pm) and now, at 1pm, I'm ready to go!

Is this just something "normal with age"? Is this depression? Is this just normal biorhythm? Or could it be related to sleep apnea? If this is purely procrastination or whatever, I'd appreciate knowing that.

Hi Mitzy,

You referred to motivation enough times in your post that it does raise the question for me of possible depression, maybe just a low-grade depression (dysthymia). But how is your mood overall? All of the possible causes you mentioned are plausible factors, so I'm definitely not wanting to overemphasize the depression question. And here's another possible variable -- oh joy! -- you mentioned that you are 45. Perimenopausal changes around this age can also start having an effect on sleep, energy, and mood. Be sure also that your thyroid is not a culprit -- not unusual for the thyroid to get a little sluggish as we get older and around peripmenopause too.

Lots of stuff to sort out when your sleep apnea is effectively managed but you're still not feeling good.

Working out first thing in the morning will get your blood moving. It is also more effective. Exercise is the cure for a lot of things like low grade depression. So as soon as you get up put on some bouncy music and MOVE with it.
Or get a dog that needs walking first thing no mater what the weather is.

Personally I feel that 11-12 hours sleep may be your problem. Very few of us need more than 8-9 hrs. Myself, I'm thrilled when I get 7 hours. I go to bed about 11 and wake up before 6 every morning.

You haven't been on cpap long, right?

Many of us went through the "sleep for 10-12 hours" phase where all we wanted to do was sleep and take it easy. What is really happening is your body is working to repair years of damage. That phase will end and you will find the right balance of sleep and activity for you. Give it time. For some that takes weeks and others it takes months. Right now you need to pamper your self.

BlackSpinner,
I have been doing CPAP for 1 month. But I would say that I've only gotten it working "right" for 12 days. This is why I felt that on the weekend, I would let my body follow what it wants, as long as I can be on time for work during the week (when I can get 8 hrs of sleep per night, but I think in absence of an alarm, I'd sleep longer).
Based on that information, would you still think that I need to "give it time" and just follow what my body wants?

Kaiasgram,
I don't doubt that some depression is involved. The strange aspect of it is that it isn't persistent. I thought depressed people would have trouble getting going, might get essential things done (eat, grocery shop, pay the bills) but really wouldn't do anything enjoyable or "not required" since the depressed person wouldn't want to do much. For me, yeah, I might be depressed early in the day, but once I get going, I can get "optional" things done around the house, like organizing, building, cleaning. Once I do that, I feel emotionally better. And I can do my hobbies...I'm just a bit sedentary. After 3 hrs, I WANT to be less sendentary. The only other thought is that maybe the medications I take first thing in the morning is causing the "improvement" and maybe it takes time to get into the system?
Maybe my "condition" is some form of depression and I seriously hope that once I get more "treatment" under my belt, the depression will lift further. someone linked an article for me about the effect of excessive CO2 in the body and depression. So I'm trying to expell the extra through diaphramatic breathing and such. Clearly that's another thing that isn't purely "breathe 5 times and you'll fix the problem". I don't understand how to measure that one at all...but I'm going to keep working on it.

MitzyG wrote:BlackSpinner,
I have been doing CPAP for 1 month. But I would say that I've only gotten it working "right" for 12 days. This is why I felt that on the weekend, I would let my body follow what it wants, as long as I can be on time for work during the week (when I can get 8 hrs of sleep per night, but I think in absence of an alarm, I'd sleep longer).
Based on that information, would you still think that I need to "give it time" and just follow what my body wants?

Give it more time. I slept like the dead for a month or more. You have had OSA for a long time so there is work to be done to heal. I took to cpap therapy like a duck to water but it still took quite a while before I came blinking out of the fog. Then I had to recognize bad habits i had fallen into, like rejecting doing anything because before I used to be too tired. I was automatically saying "No" to everything even when my therapy was well dialled in and I was feeling much better. I started cpap in end April and it was end of August that I suddenly realized that there were more hours in the day, I was thinking more clearly and I decided to join a gym and go for some therapy to address the really bad emotional eating habits I had gotten into and the fact that I said "No" to invitations.

The depression can be low grade and just related to not having the energy to do anything and it feeds the cycle. Then when your therapy kicks in your mind is still in the rut of saying "You will be too tired". Try keeping a journal. It really helps especially after you have written the same complaint for 30 days running your hands rebel and you start doing something about it.

Blackspinner,
Thanks...I think your diagnosis is similar to mine. I just needed a second opinion. I will say that I've spent soooo many years (like my entire adult life) not wanting to go out at night because I didn't have much energy. I have spent most of my energy either going to school or going to work. To me this is "normal". I think I have realized over the years that this is "not normal" for other folks. But I never knew that it could be "fixed" I think the only constructive next comment is...I now know, I'm now fixing it and going forward, it'll be fixed.

You have what is called a Sleep debt or sleep deficit. Depending how long your OSA was going on before you started therapy matters. It took me a full 6 months to get through a full day without needing a nap and feeling tired all the time. I think if you just concentrate on getting your therapy right everything else should fall into place on it own.

I wish you Good Luck!