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Can A Doctor Help Me With My Odd Sleeping Schedule?

Posted on Thu, 12 Apr 2012

Question: I slept too much one night. I usually sleep about 8 hours or so and I slept about 9:30 and I woke up very dizzy that day (like the kind of zombie feeling you get when you sleep too much). The dizziness has lasted for days and won't go away. I think it is definitely from the oversleeping. It has happened in the past and I need to know how to get rid of the dizziness. I'm not sure if i have a serotonin imbalance or what the problem is. I have an odd sleeping schedule because I am studying for boards and was working nights before so I have been sleeping at 5 am and waking up around 1 pm for more than a year. I'm not sure if the schedule could be a problem. I sleep in the dark still with dark curtains. If a sleep medicine doc and/or neurologist can help I would really appreciate some help as to what the problem could be.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (2 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

The feeling of dizziness you are having for the past so many days is most likely the result of irregular and unnatural sleep patterns and lack of proper continuous sleep.

Even if you sleep for eight hours at a stretch, it is not likely to produce similar levels of relaxation as a good sleep at night as there are hormones in our body which help in relaxation and growth and are secreted best at night like melatonin. This substance maintains the sleep cycle of the body which has become disturbed in your case. Even if you darken the room completely still the normal circadian rhythm is not well maintained.

For the dizziness you need to change your sleep patterns. Melatonin supplements taken before going to sleep might help.

I hope you have found my answer and recommendations to be both adequate and helpful. Should you have additional questions I am available to address them.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (5 days later)

Thanks for your help. I am trying to sleep earlier. I believe I am having tension headaches as well as I have a dull feeling around the sides of my head that isn't painful. It's kind of a dizzy dull pain. When i get these headaches I get them for days and no pain killer can take them away. I tried switching from a feather pillow to a temper-pedic one but that hasn't helped. I don't know if my sleep schedule is causing this problem but i am sleeping a little earlier now. If there is a solution to these headaches and things I should try or take please let me know. Thanks. Nadeem Yusaf

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (3 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for writing back.

The headache like uneasy feeling that you are having also seems to be associated with the disturbed sleep patterns. For relief, you can put a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil on your temples and give a good massage before going to sleep.

Practicing XXXXXXX breathing and meditation will also help.

Sincerely hope it will help.

Wishing you an early recovery.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari