We've talked about the crazy sleeping patterns we MSers have a lot and I've always said that I sleep in 4hr intervals. In the last couple of weeks I've been doing a lot of sleeping.

I'll wake up about 7am and can't stay awake past 10am..then nap till about 1pm and fall asleep again about 3:30pm (like now my eyes are slamming shut)..Will see you about 6pm....then sleep from 8pm to 10pm..and from 1am till morn, with one trip to potty and then in & out of sleep till 7am and start all over again.

I hate it..like no control over it. I feel that I must force myself to get back to a reasonable schedule. They say you sleep more when you are getting close to death. Can this be true? I'm NOT ready!!

What do you think? Anyone else?
I don't know if it's my illness, my age or just plain boredom.

Could you have an infection of some kind that's sneakily draining you?

I have spells where I just can't stay awake, but it's usually two or three days, not a couple of weeks. I think I'd check with my doc.

Sally, I have a weird sleep pattern, too. Never sleep more than 3-4 hours at a stretch if I can sleep any other time than just at night I take it!

Maybe it's just your body's way of deciding it requires more sleep. I wouldn't fight it. Just enjoy the extra sleep.

Do I recall you take an SSRI drug and for a long time too?

This is what happens then:
The cells in the brain reduce serotonin manufacture (because the serotonin is being kept in the synapse all the time), and serotonin is the precursor to melatonin the sleep hormone. It's cofactor is methylcobalamin (methylB12 --which is the active form) to make it.

One side effect of chronic SSRI (like prozac) use is low melatonin. If you get up and expose yourself to light in any form during the night, you will stop making it also. There are melatonin receptors in the retina of the eye that sense light, and shut off melatonin manufacture.

What this means is that:
1) if you are low in B12 you cannot make melatonin

2) if you take an SSRI drug every day, you will make less melatonin anyway

3) if you expose yourself to any light during the night, the melatonin synthesis will stop.

4) melatonin is your sleep hormone. If it is broken, you don't sleep normally.

The final result is erratic and poor sleep.

Sally...call your doctor on Monday. Have him/her set up a blood panel to see why you are sleeping too much. Call your kids today and let them know what is going on so that arrangements can be made to see the doctor on MONDAY.

Wow MrsD, I think you hit the nail right on the old noggin. Thanks.

Funny you should mention Methyl-B12. I take 1000 mcg every morning. Does that hurt or help me?

I think I will enjoy it a bit more now Kitty..

Thanks all.

Sally, Call the doctor. You mean too much to many. If something is going on need to know and fix it.

I went through a no-sleep period, but lately I sleep a lot, more like Sally, but usually in two blocks at night, getting up for ginger tea and going back. I sleep much more than I did. I have assumed, as Sally thought, that it is because I'm old and have three chronic diseases. But it is also because, like Sally, I am bored. I have no joy in my life that I don't have to pay for very highly--like taking care of grandkids wears me out. Or driving to Santa Fe wears me out. But mostly I cry a lot and am depressed, and I cannot take any anti-depressant because I have Porphyria.

A recent post series on the Porphyria chat-list said that we with Porph retain Seratonin and don't metabolize it well (our own Seratonin). You would think that would make us hyper-cheerful at all times? No, none of us seem to be that way.

If this means I'm going to death soon I am more than ready for that. I want to be with Irv and with God, or perhaps it would be more polite to say be with God and Irv, in that order. And my lovely wild bunny was run over and killed a few days ago--I would like to be with my bunny and other lovely pets too, and there are some other folks I wouldn't mind have tea on a cloud with, either. So if I'm goin' that's good.

But I understand that most folks are not ready for that.

I too am scared of the process of death. But if I just drift off peacefully...good deal!

Sally - I go through periods of that as well. It's is frustrating because you feel like you don't get anything accomplished in a day other than sleep. However, you could have something else going on and really need to get checked out. Let us know!

Sally,

As well as the sound advise to get things checked out medically (You do mean too much to too many not to.); as well as what Mrs. D so wisely mentioned along with the potential of effects of anti-depressant meds, there may be yet another factor.

With the coming of autumn and the day length getting shorter, many people's pituitary gland responds by altering the circadian (sleep/wake cycle) rhythm. That can have an effect on the thyroid-adrenal axis; which manifests as alterations in things like sleep patterns, energy levels, mood and appetite.

If all else checks out medically, going with the flow may allow the body to find its new seasonal balance.
There are also some suggestions to help things along if you feel that this might be going on; mostly it has to do with exposing the eyes/pituitary to bright light at the correect time of day (morning).

http://www.nsnet.org/idacan/sad.html

May you find answers soon and feel well while catching up on some sleep or while wide awake.

With love, Erika