Sleep disorders. Hypersomnia?

I couldn't find a forum specifically for sleep disorders, so I'm posting this here, in hopes someone who has gone through this or knows about this can help me.

I recently came across something called "hypersomnia" when I was researching trying to find a cause for my extreme difficulty waking up every day.
Thinking back, I've had problems waking up since I was a teenager. Lately though, it is getting extreme. I usually don't get to bed until 2–3am depending on the day. I'm a manager and work closing shifts at my job, so I'm usually off around 12:30am. It's not a matter of not getting enough sleep, because regardless of if I try to get up at 8 or 11 the next morning, I just can't. My partner tries to wake me up, sometimes I remember, sometimes I respond to him but have no recollection. He put our 8 month old in bed with me so he could go do something, he thought I was awake, because I responded to him, but he came back and I was asleep but our baby was awake. Thank god she did not fall out of bed! He was very frustrated with me, and I felt awful, but I had no memory of him putting her there. He wants me to wake up earlier and it's putting a strain on our relationship. It's just physically impossible for me to wake up. Once I finally do wake up, and get out of bed, my body feels like a bag of bricks. I feel so heavy, it's hard to move. I'm not sure why this happens, it's gotten worse over the years. I had my thyroid checked a few years ago, although it wasn't this bad then, and that was normal. I also have sleep paralysis, although it has not happened in a long time. Any insight would be very much appreciated. This is ruining my life, and my relationship. My partner doesn't understand why it's so hard for me to get up, and he gets so upset with me that I actually contemplated suicide today.

I've had depression for awhile, but as of lately I have not been depressed. The suicidal thought was from stress and frustration about this situation, and feeling guilty that I don't know how to make myself wake up.

I'm also tired all day long, I frequently fall asleep when I try to get my toddler down for her nap, or when I'm holding my 8 month old getting her to sleep, I fall asleep too. Alarms don't wake me, my partner has to try to wake me several times before I successfully wake up. Often I don't remember him waking me, even though I respond. And when I do wake up, I fall right back to sleep and he has to come back later and try again. I also never remember my dreams, I have a dream that I remember maybe once a year and it's always the same type of dream, a nightmare. I don't want to sleep this much, I'm missing out on so much time with my children. By the time I wake up, they have to have naps only a couple hours later, then I get ready for work and by the time I'm home they are in bed. My partner is getting increasingly frustrated with me, and the past couple days I just cry, because I don't know what to do. I feel bad but I physically can't help this. I tried to explain it to him, that I don't want to fall back to sleep when he wakes me, that I want to wake up easily, that I'm not trying to fall back to sleep and that I don't like it at all. But he just says I just have to try harder, I just have to do it, just wake up. He doesn't understand the severity of the difficulty of it.

After reading some I'm quite certain it sounds like hypersomnia? Please help. I don't know what to do anymore. Even coffee can't keep me awake. I could drink a cup of coffee and go right to bed.

Hello roses415: Unfortunately, the Skeezyks doesn't really know anything about this. I do experience some of what you describe. I don't have difficulty waking up. I have more difficulty sleeping. But when I get up in the morning my body also feels like "a bag of bricks." I ache all over, I tend to feel a bit dizzy & all I can think of is how badly I want to go back to bed... even though I know I probably wouldn't go back to sleep. (I also used to have sleep paralysis.) I'm an older person now & no longer employed. I typically get up around 6:30 or 7 AM. But I don't really wake up to any significant degree until around noon.

I don't really know why this happens. I have struggled with depression & anxiety for many years. And so I presume it perhaps has something to do with that. I imagine that, over time, the body just gets worn down to the point where it just begins to fray around the edges, so to speak.

I don't know anything about hypersomnia. What you describe sounds to me like a medical condition... something that perhaps should be addressed by physicians at a sleep clinic? Beyond that, I wonder if perhaps your work schedule is contributing to your problem... not that it is the cause of it. But since you have this underlying condition to begin with, perhaps your work schedule is exacerbating the problem? But, of course, I'm just guessing. Perhaps some other members, here on PC, will be able to offer some more useful suggestions.

I agree with Skeezyks...I have heard sleep clinics are helpful.

I have insomnia...I don't think I could get through a sleep study. Can't sleep!

Good luck, keep us posted.

The first thing I would do is see your family doctor. Ask for a thyroid panel, CBC, serum iron and ferritin. It's entirely possible that you've got anemia or some other kind of medical condition that's causing your lethargy. If those all come up normal, consider asking for a referral to a sleep clinic. There are so many people that have sleep apnea and don't know it-- which can cause you to still feel exhausted even after hours of sleep.

And finally, if all of that checks out, consider stress levels and/or depression. For some of us, our bodies respond to chronic stress by shutting down (like the fight, flight, or freeze response-- hypersomnia is a form of "freeze.") There are medications that can boost energy levels if your hypersomnia is caused by depression. Wellbutrin, for those who can tolerate it, is great for boosting energy levels.

Good luck.

I'm sorry you're going through this. I've been dx'd w/hypersomnia and it's terribly frustrating because there isn't much docs want to do about it...note, I said "want," not can do. I was dx'd w/a sleep study, which indicated I had periodic limb movement disorder as well as restless leg syndrome (does your partner say you move a lot during sleep?). Due to the sleep disorder, I just can't get enough hours of sleep. The only treatment that I've heard of is taking dexadrine (pharmaceutical speed), Ritalin, or another drug that will keep you awake.

You should talk w/your primary care physician so s/he can rule out other possible problems. But if all is okay, I would suggest a sleep study. Do you stop breathing during sleep? Sleep apnea can also cause hypersomnia.

I wish you well and hope you get to the bottom of what's causing you to sleep so much. It's a dangerous situation, for you and your loved ones. Keep us posted~~

Hi Roses415. I am sorry you face many challenges that may require professional attention especially if you are planning or contemplating suicide. Psych Central is not equiped to deal with crisis so other resources may be required like a psychiatrist, medical doctor or other healthcare professional.

If you might have feelings of hurting others or yourself, please consider forming a safety plan. There are ways to cope with these kinds of stress, like self care and having a safety plan in case you find yourself in a crisis of confidence. Here is more on a safety plan that includes numbers for crisis lines that serve your area.

Psych Central - Search results for Safety plan

Common Hotline Phone Numbers | Psych Central

Many people here at PC who have gone beyond the immediate crisis, find they can share these feelings and what they are going through with the confidence that people go through similar things and can empathize. So many forums are offered as well as Chatrooms (after you have 5 posts or comments on others posts). Depression chat meets on Thursday night at 9pm EST and Anxiety Friday at 8PM. This is a great way to meet people just as much as the forums. These are not a substitute for crisis support but can play an active role in the path to recovery.

You can also be an active member in other ways like supporting others in their questions, reading articles and posts http://forums.psychcentral.com that are applicable to your area of concern.

Please feel free to private message me or any of the Community Liaisons by left clicking on the name in blue to the left of their post) for questions or just to share.