[Perpetual Cycle]

It was suggested that I post here for some ideas/suggestions, so I figured I'd give it a try. I'm a bit nervous about posting here though! I've never really used any type of forums before.

So, basically, I keep getting stuck in this endless cycle where I get a job, and my sleep has to conform for that job. But after a while, I start having trouble sleeping, and then I wind up not sleeping at all on work nights, and going to work exhausted, and then sleeping too much on other nights. It winds up effecting my work until I lose my job because of poor work performance, and I get into this cycle of sleeping about 10hrs a night, and being up for about 20hrs. Then I get a new job, and the same thing happens...

I'm about to start a new job, and I'm worried about this happening again. It's a job that I'm really excited to be starting at. New beginnings, and all. But, I'm worried that this sleep thing will cause problems for me. Also, I've been having trouble lately where I've been exhausted all day regardless of how much I sleep.

I'd appreciate any advice offered

[Skeezyks]

Hello Perpetual Cycle: I'm not sure if this was your first post or not... but under any circumstances... welcome to PsychCentral... from the Skeezyks!

I don't know that I have any particularly useful suggestions for you here. Sleep has always been challenging for me as well. So I have some sense of what you're dealing with. In my case, I think a lot of my difficulties had to do with built-up stress & anxiety. Of course, I don't know how much anxiety you carry around day-to-day. But if this is a problem for you, you may want to see what you can do to try to reduce you stress level.

It is also true that people have different sleep patterns. My spouse is a morning person. I, on the other hand, barely wake up before noon, even though I am up-&-about physically. Perhaps you simply have an unusual sleep pattern & the jobs you've gotten have messed your sleep pattern up to the point where you finally lost your jobs. Beyond this there are the usual recommendations: stay off your computer or smart phone for a couple of hours before bed, avoid caffeinated beverages, exercise, practice meditation, etc. (I'm sure you've heard all of this before...)

In the end, perhaps the best course of action here is to check with out with your doctor. If this continues to be a problem for you, perhaps a sleep study at a sleep clinic may be needed, if you have health insurance coverage that would allow for such treatment. Good luck!

[LysthieaMoons]

I'm no sleep expert, but try and find some sleeping pills. Keep them close to your bed so when you can't sleep, you can easily take them. Also, remember to set a loud, annoying alarm so you don't oversleep. Another thing, stay off of any electronic devices for about an hour before bed. Try reading a book in dim lighting instead. I hope this helps