Is it possible I don't need so much sleep now?

[Anonymous]

I’m confused about my changed sleeping pattern now that I’m taking medication. I’m a recently diagnosed adult, have been struggling with life since… forever and always needed 8 -9 hours of sleep every night. But since starting on medication…everything is so much easier. I don’t do very much, because without medication all these years,, doing nothing but the basics was about all I could handle. I haven’t made any major changes yet,

I go to sleep about 11pm and wake up about 5am, sometimes 4:30 and feel like I don’t need any more sleep. My sister, who also got diagnosed as an adult, who has been on medication for about a year told me that she only needs about 4 hours sleep now. Before her diagnosis she would sleep all night and then have to have a 2 hour nap every afternoon.

Is it possible that my brain just doesn’t need so much sleep any more because it doesn’t have to work so hard to keep up? I suppose that if I started to do more things and increased the quality of my life, my sleep requirements might also increase… but for now, do I really need to worry that I’m not getting enough sleep?

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Mrs Thatcher only had 4 hours sleep a night and she only broke the unions back and declared war on three sides lol… If you feel ok with it, don’t worry your body will let you know if you need more

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Speaking from some experience since I was recently diagnosed with a sleep disorder, and know a number of people with other sleep disorders, but I’m not a medical professional. I wish my disorder had been properly diagnosed when I first looked into it 20 years ago, it would have made a major difference in the quality of my life. Being properly diagnosed and treated has definitely improved things for me.

From the Harvard link below: “Researchers say that adequate sleep is just as important for health as diet and exercise are, yet we tend to dismiss the need for sleep. The greater the sleep debt (getting less sleep than required), the less capable we are of recognizing it: Once sleep deprivation — with its fuzzy-headedness, irritability, and fatigue — has us in its sway, we can hardly recall what it’s like to be fully rested. And as the sleep debt mounts, the health consequences increase, putting us at growing risk for weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and memory loss.”

4 hours of sleep versus 8-9 hours of sleep is a major change in your sleeping schedule. It’s true that as we age (talking seniors here), we need less sleep and we may have more frequent awakenings during the night. Insomnia is possible. But you say this comes as the result of the medication you are on, so it should really be discussed with your doctor. Any change in sleep that persist over a 2-3 month period should really be investigated with your GP. Your body is actually trying to tell you something and it may just up the ante by causing some major havoc if ignored. I went through a very challenging period this year that was due to severe sleep deprivation (although I was getting a full night’s sleep) and which finally led, after many months of waiting and testing, to the diagnosis and proper treatment.

There are students who abuse stimulant meds in order to stay up all night to do their schoolwork. Stimulants taken too late in the day can affect your sleep. The particular stimulant med I’m on can’t be taken past 1 pm, although I’ve been on others that I have been able to take later in the afternoon.

Here’s some useful links:

This is a good link, it talks about a study done with student volunteers who only sleep 4 hours a night for 6 consecutive nights – dangerous for your health. It has other good information:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Repaying-your-sleep-debt.shtml

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/AN01487

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lack-of-sleep/AN02065

Trying to get by on less sleep is not something to aspire to, according to the research.

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that, after reading those reports I’m actually more worried about my sister only getting 4 hours a night, she has a lot of the problems related to a long term sleep debt actually. I seem to be adjusting to the medication and sleeping better as I get used to it.

My main problem is self discipline…. making myself shut the computer off at a reasonable time so that I can go to sleep. Now that my brain is working properly, I love listening to college lectures about all kinds of interesting things which I used to have a hard time understanding or staying focused on. Its like a whole new world has opened up and I feel like I need to make up for lost time 😳

Thanks for both the comments, they kind of balance each other out

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Check out this thread as well, resources about sleep disorders, especially light at night http://totallyadd.com/forum/topic.php?id=2007

REPORT ABUSE

[billd]

You can “survive” on it, but do you want to “survive” or live and be healthy in mind, body and spirit?

My sleep doc said at my age (nearing 55 really soon) I needed 8, not 6, not 7, but 8, and to get less would INCREASE my ADHD symptoms.

I was getting by on 4 or 5. In fact, I had been doing 4 or 5 for over a decade if not a tad longer. I thought, geesh, this is simple, I’m ok.

HAHAHA. NOT. I was grumpy, short-fused, irritable, etc.

Do I ever feel better!

(although I’m still grumpy, irritable, short-fused – but it’s mostly the ADHD now, and I’m not nearly as bad)

The sleep center folks stressed that consistant WAKING up time is the most critical. If I needed to adjust, put more sleep on the go to bed end, and not the morning. I was staying up until midnight, and getting up for work at 4:30 am. They insisted I get to bed earlier, and to ALWAYS get up within an hour of that 4:30, even on weekends. so she drew me out a schedule – I am to sleep no later than 5:30 on weekends now.

I also find the ADHD meds seem to work a tad better with more sleep…………….

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

I agree with Bill. I can get by on less sleep, but it has dramatic impact, and I’m more aware now of the impacts.

Not to contradict Bill but to offer another approach – I did read a book called “No More Sleepless Nights” (excellent) which said that younger people should have a fixed waking up time, and older people should have a fixed going-to-bed time. I have been working with the fixed waking up time, since that’s easier for me to control, although I do let it slide with the snooze button up to 45-60 minutes. The going to bed time is not as easy for me to fix, but I’m working on it. If I vary by more than an hour either way, I really feel it.

REPORT ABUSE

[Author]

Posts