Can't believe how much I sleep! (thyroid, blood, depression, doctor)

[AngelWing]

This is different from the most common sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. Like yesterday - woke up at 5am, had coffee and breakfast, went back to bed at around 10am. Got up for a few bathroom breaks, thought about staying up, but nah, I was just too tired. Finally got out of bed at 4am this morning.

This happens 2-3 times a week. The rest of the week I have a normal sleep pattern - it's not like I'm trying to make up for sleep deprivation. Now, I'm worried that this may be a symptom of some serious medical condition.

I'd be interested to know if anybody else has experienced this.

[Hemlock140]

I would definitely recommend asking about it at your next checkup with the doctor, it could be a medical issue.

My in-laws (wife's sister) are retired, and in their late 60s. Their typical day is one get up at 7am, feeds and puts out the dog, then back to bed. At about 10am they both get up, have breakfast, then go back to bed for a nap. Noonish they get back up and have lunch, watch some TV, and then take an afternoon nap. They do stay up until 10-11pm, but are still getting a good 12-13 hours of sleep a day. They consider this to be normal for them, and in fact brag about it, often saying "we're retired you know." Still that's a lot less than your 18 hours straight. Even the few times I have stayed up all night, my "recovery" sleep was only about 10 hours.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I would definitely recommend asking about it at your next checkup with the doctor, it could be a medical issue.

My in-laws (wife's sister) are retired, and in their late 60s. Their typical day is one get up at 7am, feeds and puts out the dog, then back to bed. At about 10am they both get up, have breakfast, then go back to bed for a nap. Noonish they get back up and have lunch, watch some TV, and then take an afternoon nap. They do stay up until 10-11pm, but are still getting a good 12-13 hours of sleep a day. They consider this to be normal for them, and in fact brag about it, often saying "we're retired you know." Still that's a lot less than your 18 hours straight. Even the few times I have stayed up all night, my "recovery" sleep was only about 10 hours.

Maybe boredom?

[heavymind]

Or depression, though the OP didn't mention it. During bad spells of depression or when I don't feel like being alive I go on sleeping marathons. During a rough time I once found myself sleeping for 18+ hours a day. That lasted about a month until I felt better.

I sleep more in the winter months due to reduced daylight hours...pitch black by 4:30 PM screws up my rhythms.

[Sonic_Spork]

Depression is one possibility... But thyroid disease is another. You should see your doctor and get a blood panel done to see if you have thyroid issues or a nutritional deficiency. Thyroid problems...it's one of those things where if you get it found and dealt with, not really a big huge deal, but if you don't then it can potentially even kill you. Seriously, worth getting it checked.

[winterbird]

Is there a common theme/denominator leading up to those 2 or 3 days? Diet, activities, work, interactions with one or more people that is draining you? I would maybe keep tally of what's going on the days/nights before to see if you can pinpoint anything.

[AngelWing]

Thank you all for your replies

It's not depression, and I already take meds for my thyroid disorder (unless it has worsened)....I'm thinking it could be procrastination. I feel overwhelmed by the thousand things I should be attending to. Sleep provides temporary relief. And, the regretful thing is : I know avoidance is not a long-term solution.

I just don't know how to take the necessary steps to do something different.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by AngelWing

Thank you all for your replies

It's not depression, and I already take meds for my thyroid disorder (unless it has worsened)....I'm thinking it could be procrastination. I feel overwhelmed by the thousand things I should be attending to. Sleep provides temporary relief. And, the regretful thing is : I know avoidance is not a long-term solution.

I just don't know how to take the necessary steps to do something different.

Not sure sleep like that is providing relief. If it was, you probably wouldn't remain so exhausted. Sleeping like that may just be temporary escape which isn't quite the same as procrastination. You may not be getting restorative sleep so relief doesn't actually happen. It could be why you're "too tired" despite sleeping the clock around.

As for what steps to take, first, I'd rule out something physical such as sleep apnea, adjustment in meds, etc. Then get a referral for a counselor to help you tease apart and hopefully resolve why you feel overwhelmed and want to escape those "thousand things". There may a common denominator behind your excessive sleep events. Either anticipating something upcoming (hence procrastinating/escaping) or you might be reacting afterwards (emotional exhaustion). There may be a pattern you can't see right now.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by AngelWing

Thank you all for your replies

It's not depression, and I already take meds for my thyroid disorder (unless it has worsened)....I'm thinking it could be procrastination. I feel overwhelmed by the thousand things I should be attending to. Sleep provides temporary relief. And, the regretful thing is : I know avoidance is not a long-term solution.

I just don't know how to take the necessary steps to do something different.

Yeah, looks like you're hiding from those problems. When you get under the covers, you feel like they cease to exist.
Going back to bed is a way of escaping your feelings or situations in life.

[phetaroi]

When they put me on the statin Lipitor, I began having sleep issues, and it got to the point of sleeping more than 12 hours a day. As soon as I stopped the lipitor I got back to a normal sleep level and routine.