Posted by George Costas on March 22, 2000 at 09:59:14:In Reply to: abnormal sleep patterns posted by Craig Iwanski DVM on March 11, 2000 at 00:53:00:
I'm not a Doc but used to head a small independent union. These problems came up all the time but before heading a member to the sleep clinic at "Prez"-St. Lukes, we tried a few simple fixes.
ONE, keep a log. That can be helpful also if you have to go to the clinic to be evaluated.
TWO, if you are averaging less than 9 hours sleep each night, get more sleep. But don't try to absurdly raise your average by sleeping more than an hour extra on your days off.
THREE, follow the sleep hygene recommendations available elsewhere on this site or in one of the books recommended on this site and available by direct link to Amazon.
FOUR, carry ear plugs and eye covers for a twenty minute break during your afternoon trough-time. It'll feel strange at first but you'll come to miss that brief respite when you absolutely have to skip it. I desperately miss it now because I am invariablby in city traffic during my 2PM trough.
FIVE, sleep is mother's milk. If a sleep debt is built up, it often expresses itself with inappropriate sleepiness and extended naps that screw up the normal sleep wake cycle. Once the cycle is chronically disturbed, the sleep debt is accelerated and your life goes to hell in a hand basket. Pity you and pity those around you.Aside from your profession and your age (I wish I was twice that young) you don't give a lot of details. Being a vet out calving and foaling in the middle of the night is somewhat different than being in city practice taking care of the pets we make part of our lives. In any event I suggest you visit two other areas in this forum.
First you should visit the shiftwork forum. It's a bit like decending into Dante's Inferno but the sound of your complaint have a familiarity. It's the cry of human distress. I never find it easy to visit there even though I'm a true member, with my dues paid by years of shiftwork.
Second you might want to visit the sleep disorder forum and try to find some malady that is keeping your sleep from being sufficiently productive.
Gotta go now or I'll be late for work. Good luck.