Falling asleep at my desk - every single day

[LostStars39]

Hi all
Not sure where to post this but this seemed the most relevant place!

Basically I started an admin job in January, very boring and doesn’t really require any sort of thinking. As a result of this (I think) I’m falling asleep at my desk every single day without fail.

I’ve always struggled with sleep and dr has suggested chronic fatigue syndrome after suffering with glandular fever 7 years ago. However even if I get 10 hours sleep I will still fall asleep at my desk the next day! It’s always roughly around 11am and I’m just sick of it because it’s so embarrassing, I’m sat around colleagues who notice and it’s mortifying as they’re trying to speak to me and I just feel like I could fall into the deepest sleep of my life.

I’ve been to the drs who suggested sleep apnoea but I’m sure it’s not that as DP has never noticed me gasping for air during the night and I also have an app that records any snoring so I’m sure that would pick it up. Apart from that dr said it’s just tiredness and didn’t really offer any other support.

Does anyone else have this where they’re dropping off at work everyday? Or any ideas what it might be? I also commute one day a week to a different office which takes me about 1.5 hours and I also struggle to stay awake during that, so I have to pull over.

I just feel like I’m sat waiting to start dropping off and then I can’t pull myself out of it and it’s horrible :(

Do you mind me asking how old you are?

I've always had office jobs and never had this issue until recently. I work from home sometimes and if I do, I always end up feeling very sleepy and could easily get in bed and fall straight to sleep.

This seems to have coincided with menopausal symptoms ramping up - I am 48.

I find regularly getting up and walking around helps as does an espresso at about 10 although I'm not sure that's the best solution!

If you think there is a chance it is CFS - push for more investigations - lots of GPs still don't take it seriously enough.

I had a long phase (2-3 years) like this. In the end I stopped fighting it and was open with my boss and colleagues about it. A 15-20 minute nap sorted it out and then I could work productively rather than just being all encompassed by the torture of fighting sleep.

In my case, I’d been taking a daily dose of (apparently non-drowsy) antihistamines for years and when I stopped those there was a noticeable improvement.

Oh and get your vitamins B12 and D levels checked!

Hi @SeaViewBliss I’m 25. Most days when I get home I don’t have the energy to do anything, I could quite easily get straight into bed when I get home! I don’t drink coffee but I have 2-3 cups of tea every morning and stop drinking them by about 11 (which is usually when the drowsiness comes on) I drink loads of water which sometimes helps wakes me up a bit. Will definitely book another drs appointment, it’s so true about them not taking it seriously!

@INeedNewShoes I think that would help being able to actually give in and have a nap, but it’s such a big office and there isn’t a staff room just more of a canteen so nowhere I could really go to sleep :( I had a blood test not that long ago and everything came back fine. I had anaemia a few years ago but my iron levels are okay now, same with vit d deficiency, I took vitamin b tablets for ages and they didn’t help :(