Anxiety and Narcoleptic Sleeping

[theshadowoftheliving]

Just wondering if anyone else deals with this. It's become a real issue in the past few weeks.

When I get incredibly stressed out, I fall asleep. Sometimes I actually fall asleep (this happens in therapy sessions all the time). Other times I just get so, so sleepy that I feel dizzy / drunk (even though I'm not). My pattern is to cycle through bouts of incredible panic and then complete shutdown (sleep). I'm dealing with some stuff right now that is making daily life even more stressful than usual, and the pattern has just amplified. It's making it really, really hard to deal with life at all.

I know that it is a pattern from childhood. I know that I should stop it. But I'm not sure how. I'm actually not sure how at all, because it all happens so rapidly.

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has advise for how to deal with this, besides drinking loads of caffeine - tried that already, and it just leads to more and more panic and concurrent shutdown.

 

[Strangelongtrip]

Hi @theshadowoftheliving have you been diagnosed with narcolepsy? I don’t know anything about it personally, but is there treatment for it? Maybe a doctors visit could help? I know you say it’s linked to your anxiety, but maybe there’s some more help for it physically?

 

[lynn T.]

Just wondering if anyone else deals with this. It's become a real issue in the past few weeks.

When I get incredibly stressed out, I fall asleep. Sometimes I actually fall asleep (this happens in therapy sessions all the time). Other times I just get so, so sleepy that I feel dizzy / drunk (even though I'm not). My pattern is to cycle through bouts of incredible panic and then complete shutdown (sleep). I'm dealing with some stuff right now that is making daily life even more stressful than usual, and the pattern has just amplified. It's making it really, really hard to deal with life at all.

I know that it is a pattern from childhood. I know that I should stop it. But I'm not sure how. I'm actually not sure how at all, because it all happens so rapidly.

I guess I'm wondering if anyone has advise for how to deal with this, besides drinking loads of caffeine - tried that already, and it just leads to more and more panic and concurrent shutdown.

Hi, sounds like me at times. Extreme feelings of stress are simply exhausting on our systems. We're burning tons of calories, metabolism is speeding up (higher pulse), maybe high BP and all results in severe fatigue at times. I have felt so burned out I'd just sit on sofa and conk out almost immediately, then, have the nicest sleep for a while (maybe 2 hrs) as if I were a kid again just having played outside all day and coming inside after a long day. That memory of being a kid and exerting tons of energy all day 'in play' comes to mind... stress affects me in the same way as using lots of energy as a child because it speeds up my metabolism. What follows is my blood sugar falls to really low levels, there is dizziness, lethargy, and I am like a very OLD clock that just wound down. Look at any medications you take as this affects our sleep. Eliminate alcohol and caffeine coffee! My coffee addiction is so real and I love coffee, but what does that do but make one the energizer bunny?? Coupled with stress, coffee is added nervousness. Alcohol intake is a depressant but your body will get messed up by thinking alcohol is some kind of daily cure for stress. Also, sugar intake for which I'm guilty as hell-o for consuming way too much because I have chronic hypoglycemia. Use substitute sugar and get in at least 40-50 grams protein daily, as in those protein drinks and health bars.

 

[theshadowoftheliving]

@Strangelongtrip no, no narcolepsy. I don’t think it’s anythibg except a trauma response - but one I can barely control.

@lynn T. I’m trying to be healthy - get enough sleep (really struggle with that due to nightmares), eat well (I’m pretty good at that one except for when I forget to eat). I know I drink too much caffeine, but sometimes it is a defense against the fact that I can’t just sleep constantly. No medications that might affect it.

I guess - I don’t think this is physical. So I think the solution isn’t physical, but has more to do with my mental state.

 

[Tinyflame]

When this happens to me, the emotional overwhelm causes the physical issue (I faint). So JMHO but in that regard they are connected. Most physical issues have a bearing on our emotions or psychological health, and vice versa.

Bur if you can check with a Dr, that would be wise- could be low blood sugar, Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, heart or lung conditions, fibromyalgia, anemia, pain, etc etc.

Mine is so obvious I have no doubt, because it's situational. So is losing my voice, etc.

Maybe you can find ways to bring calm/ comfort to your life?

Best wishes to you. :hug:

 

[theshadowoftheliving]

@Junebug I am similar in that what happens to me is so, so specific and so, so connected to anxiety that there is no doubt in my mind that this is not a physical issue.

I'm working on managing the longer-term project of reducing anxiety, but I guess I was curious if anyone had any specific ideas on how to solve things fas. I know that fast cures aren't always real cures, but this has become such a problem that I'm not able to sit through a full therapy session anymore, and driving is scary.

 

[Abstract]

I have phases of stuff that sounds like this, Much less these days. Some that is sleeping ish. And some that I have realised is dissociative. Few different flavours of that. One where I only appear to have fallen into a sleep and my brain is stiff working. Body not.

 

[theshadowoftheliving]

And some that I have realised is dissociative

I know that my episodes are dissociative. So, so dissociative. Like, I have DID and these are parts taking over dissociative.

I guess the issue at stake is that I'm having trouble addressing it because it is causing safety concerns (driving) and interfering with me trying to address it in therapy (falling asleep).

I'm looking for the quick fixes that probably don't exist.