[JaneHB]

I love sleeping. Sometimes I feel that my bed is the very best place in the world. Comforting, warm and safe. I'm sure I sleep too much but I still get tired.

I once attended a training course and part of the ice-breaker was to talk about what you liked doing best. Most people came up with things like socialising, holidays, movies, cooking, painting, trekking, camping, football - the list of pleasure activities was diverse. I answered 'sleeping'. I could have tried to make myself appear interesting and say hang-gliding instead. But what the hell, I told the truth.

No-one batted an eyelid but I felt just a little bit guilty for wasting my life. In reality, i don't stay in bed very often because I have a family and lots of things that need to be done. But I know that if I was on my own I am sure that I would find it hard to make the effort and would probably sleep a lot more.

I wonder why. I have always thought that it was because I love sleeping and am a bit on the lazy side. But in understanding that I am mildly depressed, is it more an escape mechanism? Or am I missing something in my life that my comfy bed provides me?

[poptart316]

I also love sleeping! I've been sleeping a lot lately, often times I don't wake up till at least 2 sometimes 5pm and even after I wake up, I'll lay in bed and just shut my eyes and relax for hours. I think a lot of it has to do with depression... and is definitely an escape thing. I've been sedentary and struggling to find a job for a while and just feel like a worthless loser and don't feel like searching for jobs or dealing with life anymore and have zero motivation to anything.

I feel guilty when I sleep in at my boyfriends house... he'll be at work all day and I'm STILL asleep by the time he gets off. He says I'm like a cat. :3

[JaneHB]

Originally Posted by poptart316

I also love sleeping! I've been sleeping a lot lately, often times I don't wake up till at least 2 sometimes 5pm and even after I wake up, I'll lay in bed and just shut my eyes and relax for hours. I think a lot of it has to do with depression... and is definitely an escape thing. I've been sedentary and struggling to find a job for a while and just feel like a worthless loser and don't feel like searching for jobs or dealing with life anymore and have zero motivation to anything.

I feel guilty when I sleep in at my boyfriends house... he'll be at work all day and I'm STILL asleep by the time he gets off. He says I'm like a cat. :3

I do feel that we should be kinder to ourselves and not beat ourselves up with guilt. It's ok to be restful (not lazy!) sometimes. I think the lack of motivation is key and totally understandable. I often look at the pile of ironing and really don't want to do any. So I limit myself and say, right - half an hour and no more, then I can have a nice cup of coffee.

I know it's easy to say but you are not a loser. Good luck with the job hunting!

[Rohag]

Hello & Welcome, JaneHB.

Originally Posted by JaneHB

I'm sure I sleep too much but I still get tired.

Fatigue and depression are frequently a pair. Nevertheless, is it possible the sleep you are getting - regardless of its duration - is unrefreshing or poor quality sleep? Is this something you would feel comfortable discussing with your regular doctor?

[JaneHB]

Originally Posted by Rohag

Hello & Welcome, JaneHB.

Fatigue and depression are frequently a pair. Nevertheless, is it possible the sleep you are getting - regardless of its duration - is unrefreshing or poor quality sleep? Is this something you would feel comfortable discussing with your regular doctor?

Hi Rohag,

Poor quality?, maybe....refreshing?, definitely not. I seem to have very unrestful dreams and often when the alarm goes off I awake with a shock. Isn't that the same for most people though? Interesting. Actually I do need to go to the doc about somehting else so could easily give it a mention.

Many thanks

[Rohag]

I bring up the sleep quality issue out of personal experience. Years ago a sleep study showed my "sleep architecture" was off - I had little or no deep sleep during the night cycles. They told me this was a natural development as one ages, but deep-sleep deficiencies can contribute not only to excessive daytime sleepiness but also to depression in those people susceptible to it.

Getting good quality sleep can help, but it's a not a whole cure for depression.

[avlady]

I have sleep apnea, along with hypothryodism and a ton of other pshysical problems, which makes me tired all day long. there are very few days i feel wide awake and able to cope with chores etc...I was run over by a van in college, I was also in 3 other car accidents since then, i was a passenger in all of them. I have broken bones and back problems too. i lost several friends because of all of these things, they couldn't stand to see me suffer soo much, which i understand an don't blame them for keeping a distance. About the sleep in your story, were you checked for sleep apnea, hypothyroidism or other sleep disorders?

I sleep a lot now. I used to have insomnia but now I just sleep all the time. I stay up until about 3 in the morning then wake up around 2 in the afternoon and lay in bed on and off the rest of the day.