Any advice for this weird sleep disorder?

[Mew Face]

Since as far as I can remember, even before anxiety, I used to sleep for 12 hours + on average a day. I was diagnosed with anxiety at age 17 and am now 26. It never used to be a problem in my life. I was still able to go to school full time, finish my work and see friends without it hindering my lifestyle, but all that has changed recently. After 4 years of college I noticed I was taking fewer and fewer classes each year, then I realized I was staying in more and even sleeping more. Fast forward to today, I am taking my last class of school to graduate, my last 2 years of school have been spent taking 1-2 classes a semester, and I am still having a troubled sleep cycle. It wasn't till this summer that I noticed I tend to wake up every 2 hours on the dot and I have no idea why. I've talked to my doctor about it and he always tells me it's anxiety and or depression. He usually prescribes me Xanax 1mg to take as needed to sleep.

I tend to take the Xanax about once every 2 weeks just to feel like I have an uninterupted sleep for once. Sure I feel good for that one day, but it knocks me out for about 14 hours straight.

What I wanna know is, does anyone else have this problem? "Sleeping" for 12 hours only to wake up realizing you were tossing and turning half of that time in a dazed state. And if you've managed to conqueror said problem, how do you manage to keep a "normal" 8 hour sleep schedule? Anytime I'm in class or when I'm out with friends, all I can think about is coming home to lay down and sleep.

On the days I set my alarm I tend to just stay in bed laying down till its almost time to leave. I put my alarm on the other side of the room, but even that won't get me out of bed. Any advice or help would be great!

[laurapeters]

this past few years i have been sleeping in an average of 4-5 hours a day due to my work and at the same time i am a very busy mom of 3 that makes me experiencing sleep deprivation. my husband took it seriously as i've been very much preoccupied with my lifestyle and i just noticed i am dealing with insomnia and some sleep apnea i guess. i could no longer sleep right away and if i fall asleep, i always wakeup in the middle of it and can't hardly go back to sleep again. as of the moment i have been taking up supplements to ease my sleep disorder because this has been giving me stressful nights and i get so exhausted the following morning.

[Grandma]

I have a few thoughts.

Have you had a complete physical examination to determine if there is a medical reason for your tiredness and poor sleep?  Something as small and easily treated as an under active thyroid can cause tiredness.

Sleep apnea can cause the un-restful sleep that you describe.  Your doctor may refer you for a sleep study to explore this possibility.

Are you on any psychotropic medications?  You mention xanax, so I am guessing that you are not taking anything else.  Excessive fatigue can be a sign of depression.  Please consider seeing a psychiatrist for a full psycho-social evaluation.  In addition to treating your anxiety and depression, he or she may be willing to work with you to find a medication that helps you sleep.  Xanax if far from the only game in town.

I am a great believer in therapy.  If you are not in counseling, please consider this option.  Perhaps exploring your anxiety and depression in  therapy may help to reduce it, and hopefully let you sleep better.

You are now finished with college - congratulations!  Now is an excellent time to tackle this issue with all available resources, because you will have less flexibility in your schedule in the work world than you did in school.   

I am a Grandma, not a doctor, but I think that once you really address your sleep problem - and frankly, it sounds like your doctor has not taken it seriously - you will start to feel better.