sleepy after work need ideas for helping this
I am beginning to feel better each day. I started back to work this week and I am still finding that I want to lay down when I get home from work. I use to do this everyday! It is my goal to not do this. I am fighting it, but it is very hard. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can help myself with this??? Thanks. af
Hello af. I have a question for you. Is your body tired after work? Are you getting enough rest at night? Meaning, if you're tired and your body is asking for rest, I see nothing wrong with this. We've got a 7 month old and I have had a good nights rest in like a year. So I come home and have to take about a :30 break/nap/rest. Once I've taken this break, I'm good to go with the evening's activities...a walk with the family, a ride on my bike, dinner, etc. So I guess there's nothing wrong with resting in this case...right?
AF -
I have a similar problem. I have to ask the same question as Joe: do you get enough sleep at night? Alternatively, are you using your naps for other reasons, such as an escape?
In my case, my sleep cycle is all messed up. Left to itself, my body wants to sleep from about 4 AM to noon and then not want to sleep at night. So when at work, I would be exhausted all day and just desperately want to sleep. As soon as I got home, I would plop into bed and then sleep for typically two to three hours. Then I'd be up and unable to sleep at night, only to repeat the cycle the next day.
Part of what I think got me into this pattern is my medications. They make me tired and after a day of fighting anxiety at work, the combination just wore me out. Also, I'm dealing with depression too, which makes me tired. Sometimes I feel like the only time I get away from my anxiety and depression is when I nap.
As for a solution, I've been told to stop taking naps (unless absolutely necessary). I've also been told to try and move my sleep cycle back to a normal time period by slowly going to bed earlier and getting up earlier over the course of several weeks. There's a good discussion of other things to help you sleep in the course manual at the end of Session 3 (sleep hygiene, pages 3-18 to 3-19), which I'll let you read rather than repeat it here.
I have a similar problem. I have to ask the same question as Joe: do you get enough sleep at night? Alternatively, are you using your naps for other reasons, such as an escape?
In my case, my sleep cycle is all messed up. Left to itself, my body wants to sleep from about 4 AM to noon and then not want to sleep at night. So when at work, I would be exhausted all day and just desperately want to sleep. As soon as I got home, I would plop into bed and then sleep for typically two to three hours. Then I'd be up and unable to sleep at night, only to repeat the cycle the next day.
Part of what I think got me into this pattern is my medications. They make me tired and after a day of fighting anxiety at work, the combination just wore me out. Also, I'm dealing with depression too, which makes me tired. Sometimes I feel like the only time I get away from my anxiety and depression is when I nap.
As for a solution, I've been told to stop taking naps (unless absolutely necessary). I've also been told to try and move my sleep cycle back to a normal time period by slowly going to bed earlier and getting up earlier over the course of several weeks. There's a good discussion of other things to help you sleep in the course manual at the end of Session 3 (sleep hygiene, pages 3-18 to 3-19), which I'll let you read rather than repeat it here.
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
Thanks for the comments. If I lay down its never less than 3 hours. This is why I want to stop. Then I think I feel worse because I try to make myself get up to try and get a bunch of things done before my husband gets home. My kids are old enough to do for themselves so I don't have to do much for them. But I don't want them to remember their mom as always sleeping. I am better about this than before, but I know I would like for it to be better. I am fighting it, but some days its hard. I have felt great at work this week which really excites me. I try to pace myself unlike before. I don't try to everything in a day and perfectly. Its hard but I am learning.I think I havent mastered this at home though. My husband can be quite upset if certain things arene't done. I am doing better with being more assertive with him though. Do you think maybe making out a daily schedule for each afternoon at home might help. I really want to try to avoid taking naps again. Thanks!
I'm glad to hear that your working on your assertiveness. I have a touch of OCD, as many with anxiety do, and have learned that if some things aren't done....oh well. It's not the end of the world. Moreover, if I want them done, then I do them myself and not place that burden on my wife.
I think coming up with a schedule will help keep you on task and organized but it goes back to the original question...are you getting enough rest overnight? If not, a nap is ok. If you're using the nap as an escape, as SeaRunner states, then it's crutch to something larger. Just work on it one step at a time. Maybe only nap for a :20 minute power nap.
I think coming up with a schedule will help keep you on task and organized but it goes back to the original question...are you getting enough rest overnight? If not, a nap is ok. If you're using the nap as an escape, as SeaRunner states, then it's crutch to something larger. Just work on it one step at a time. Maybe only nap for a :20 minute power nap.
Thanks. I don't feel that I would be taking the nap to hide from anything anymore. I guess it just scares me because thats what I did when I was depressed or I was having terrible headaches. I feel that maybe sometimes I probably don't get enough sleep. I will continue to work on that. I may also start trying taking a "powernap." I will set my timer. Maybe if I only practice this when I'm super tired, not everyday, I can learn to not sleep for 3-4 hours. Thanks a bunch!