Could ongoing sleep debt and burnout be causing my husband’s exhaustion?

[Kirstymariex]

Hey!
im looking for some advice and maybe just reassurance.

My husband for the past 2 years (due to my work) has been working all day, and gets up with our autistic 4 year old in the night if he wakes up it can be 1-3hrs a time then he’s up for the day from 5:30-6:30am for the day and goes back to work!
He doesn’t stop or eat properly when he’s at work (he fits bedrooms)

the past month-6 weeks he’s been feeling worn out, tired, a week or two ago he had an episode where he felt weak and shaky internally it wasn’t visible shakiness, he did rest and not move when it came on, since then he just can’t seem to not be tired. He had another episode after just walking around a shop last sunday, to which i got a GP out to him and they’ve done bloods which have all come back fine just waiting on FBC and testosterone test as the lab didn’t receive the bloods in time so they couldn’t test them.

Ive taken some leave and he’s had this week off work so he’s prioritised his eating and getting his sleep, atleast 8+ hrs.
could this be complete burnout? it’s really upsetting and frustrating my husband who is used to being on the go and having all the energy.

The GP has seen him again today who will be repeating the bloods for what was missing on tuesday and does think this could be classic sleep debt and a bit of burnout.

as his wife i feel so guilty like im also to blame we both work demanding jobs, i just work more nights.

i guess im asking has anybody’s husband been through the same thing? or how he can recover from this?

He can get his sleep as i’m off for some time now.
but he is back at work on tuesday and im so worried 😟

His life does sound exhausting. Broken sleep every night and up early for a day of physical work...this sounds really tiring.

If he's had blood tests, I assume they've checked vitamin D and other easy to sort out deficiencies.

Is there anyway to spread/split those night waking episodes? 2 on, 2 off for tou both or something? Do you work nights?

I wonder if he is having blood sugar crashes. Lack of sleep and irregular eating might have messed up his blood sugar management. It might be worth buying a continuous glucose monitor and seeing if his blood sugar is ok for a couple of weeks if the blood tests don’t show anything.

Did they actually check Vit D and B12, cos I always have to ask for them to be added as they are not routine bloods. Both can cause low energy if they are low.
And yes, poor sleep and poor diet can cause exhaustion. He needs unbroken sleep at least two nights a week and a proper diet with enough protein and not much sugar.

Hey, just to reply to all comments so far he has had normal blood results for - LFT’s, TFT’s, U&E’s, folate, Vit D, & ferratin.
FBC, B12 and testosterone is being repeated as the bloods didn’t reach the lab in time so they couldn’t test.

I work nights, and i’ve only just realised the impact this is having so i am changing my schedule and i have taken 4 weeks off from now as his health needs to come first. I just feel so guilty!

I haven’t read the full thread, so apologies if this has been suggested already. Please urge him to get reviewed for glandular fever; his symptoms sound very like mines the week I was diagnosed

Thankyou, i will ask for this to be added is this just a blood test?
im really not clued up on glandular fever and thought you’d have to have symptoms of a cough/cold although he does have a niggly cough today and has had a stuffy nose for a couple of nights. Any suggestions are welcome x

Your DH needs to take some time off. Read about supporting a partner with burnout (if bloods draw a blank). Part of it is the person not recognising they are in need of rest. A few days doesn’t cure it. 4 years is a long time to be increasingly running on empty.