I'm always tired... - Sleep Disorders Message Board

mjguarino · 07-01-2008, 10:23 PM

I recently just searched "Why am I always tired" just to see what would come up and I found multiple things. I then decided to go onto a message board and post my own topic to get some answers.

I'm 15 years old. I will be 16 later in this month. I weigh 160 lbs go to the gym 4-5 times a week and am 5'8. I'm not overweight or underactive. I play sports, run, and am overall pretty active. However, now that its the Summer I have been noticing more and more that I'm always tired. I thought it was just because of waking up for school. Now I don't work yet and I'm not playing football this year so I have no required thing to do daily. I go to bed around 12:00AM- 1:00AM and wake up around 10:00AM. However, I can easily sleep until 12:00PM, just not without waking up every hour. I think I'm a pretty light sleeper, I usually have more trouble sleeping during the morning.

I've been beginning to notice that I'm always tired because I get a good amount of sleep every night (10+ hrs) and I will still find myself yawning and just overall tired throughout the day whilst my friends all look fine. I even find myself yawning alot while I'm at the gym. When I googled being tired alot a website said that it could mean that I have poor health, so I just want to see how I can improve my alertness and energy levels. If there is anything you guys no that will help me be less tired please tell me. Also, if there is anything I need to explain more so that you can help me just tell me what it is and I'll do my best to describe it. Thank you.

bethsheba · 07-02-2008, 06:06 PM

First of all, teenagers need more sleep than people realized in the past...it's due in part to those growth spurts, grin.

But sleeping 10-12 hours a day and still experiencing fatigue suggests a sleep disorder....I prefer to call them sleep conditions as the word "disorder" seems to scare people more than necessary.

You might want to do some reading about sleep apnea, as it is a very common sleep problem and is very treatable/curable.

There are some "self quizzes" for sleep disorders...some measure fattigue, others measure quality of life issues, etc. Keep in mind these quizzes will not diagnose a disorder...but should give you some idea if you should see a sleep specialist who could evaluate your condition.

Take care and let us know how you do.

Bethsheba

Sleep apnea is a very common conditon and many young men have it...you might start your reading there...

TexMom85 · 07-02-2008, 09:04 PM

Hello Sweetheart,

I'm so sorry to hear you are experiencing fatigue. You should definitely check into the possibility of sleep apnea, but also I am wondering if mononucleosis is a possibility, or even chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia.

Are you experiencing any other symptoms, such as muscle aches, flu-like pain, sore throat, swollen glands? I would definitely consider researching some other things, although the apnea is probably the most suspect.

My daughter had a very severe case of mono several years ago, and it started with fatigue that she didn't understand the source of. Then it progressed, and she ended up in bed for 6 weeks. I don't think her immune system has ever recovered fully.

I hope you can figure out what's happening. In the meantime, try to get as much rest as you can, perhaps back off on the exercising so strenuously, and eat well. I'm glad you are taking an active role in researching what's going on with your body.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how you're doing.

Blessings,
TexMom

sleepyk85 · 08-06-2008, 04:50 PM

Your symptoms sound exactly like mine did when I was in high school, and I was finally just tested by a sleep center and found out that I had narcolepsy. The onset of narcolepsy tends to be around high school age, but most people don't end up getting tested for it until much later (like 10-20 years). I highly suggest visiting a trustworthy sleep clinic, if you can. In the consultation, they'll give you an "Epworth Sleepiness Test," which will allow them to assess whether or not you need to come in for a night/day sleep test. Then they'll test for everything (sleep apnea, restless leg, AND narcolepsy), and you'll have a much better picture of what's causing your excessive sleepiness. Honestly, though, I wish I had gone to a sleep center in high school--everyone always assumed it was something else, but I had narcolepsy all this time, and if I had just gone to a sleep center I would have eliminated years of difficulty. Treatments with stimulants are working wonders, and now I can get by with a lot less sleep during the day. Check it out--you never know, and it's better to find out a solid answer than to spend years speculating.

Good luck to you!