Falling asleep in class...

[Ameriblush]

I notice that whenever I sit down for a long enough period, I fall asleep. That sounds pretty basic, but I'm in class, and after sitting down for only 20 mins, I'm so out of it that I have narrowly avoided falling out of my seat and scaring the daylights out of myself on several occasions.

Strangely, I'm rarely called out on it.
It feels weird, like suddenly my eyelids are uncontrollably heavy, and I feel dizzy. So I let them droop and shut, and it feels good...until I start drooling or falling out of my seat.

I tried going to bed at night, eating more, drinking caffeinated drinks or eating sugar, changing my meds with oversight from my doctor, spraying myself with water, setting my phone on vibrate...Nothing works. It's not just in class either, it has happened when I was speaking with my therapist or just studying in my room, or even at work, I would feel unexplainably drowsy, and only wake up when I exercised or simply paced around.

That sounds like a solution, just pace to wake myself up, but it' not when you'e in class or in the middle of a meeting. I am scared there could be something seriously wrong, or some kind of energy issue. Is it possibly related to the AS?

Because I have no issue with my online classes that I can complete at anytime. I also seem to be awake and function at mad scientist levels of brainstorming late at night, and when everybody else is snoring away at 12 midnight, I'm completing weeks-worth of math homework and feeling like a party started. Then I suffer for it the next morning.

 

[Gritches]

Have you ever been evaluated for narcolepsy?

 

[Ameriblush]

Have you ever been evaluated for narcolepsy?

Never, actually. What could cause that?O-O

 

[Gritches]

Never, actually. What could cause that?O-O

The cause is unknown, at least according to Wikipedia. Iron-clad source, I know. You'd want to talk to your physician about it, it's a medical issue

 

[MonolithImmortal]

I used to experience the same exact thing, all the way through college. I was convinced I had narcolepsy. I ticked all the boxes. Then one day it stopped. No explanation.

I don't have any idea to be honest.

 

[Streetwise]

I notice that whenever I sit down for a long enough period, I fall asleep. That sounds pretty basic, but I'm in class, and after sitting down for only 20 mins, I'm so out of it that I have narrowly avoided falling out of my seat and scaring the daylights out of myself on several occasions.

Strangely, I'm rarely called out on it.
It feels weird, like suddenly my eyelids are uncontrollably heavy, and I feel dizzy. So I let them droop and shut, and it feels good...until I start drooling or falling out of my seat.

I tried going to bed at night, eating more, drinking caffeinated drinks or eating sugar, changing my meds with oversight from my doctor, spraying myself with water, setting my phone on vibrate...Nothing works. It's not just in class either, it has happened when I was speaking with my therapist or just studying in my room, or even at work, I would feel unexplainably drowsy, and only wake up when I exercised or simply paced around.

That sounds like a solution, just pace to wake myself up, but it' not when you'e in class or in the middle of a meeting. I am scared there could be something seriously wrong, or some kind of energy issue. Is it possibly related to the AS?

Because I have no issue with my online classes that I can complete at anytime. I also seem to be awake and function at mad scientist levels of brainstorming late at night, and when everybody else is snoring away at 12 midnight, I'm completing weeks-worth of math homework and feeling like a party started. Then I suffer for it the next morning.

It sounds like your biorhythms have changed the human mind is very powerful ,if you've decided that it's best for you to be awake at night after a certain period of time your physical body will start to obey. The problem is humans are not designed to be awake in the light and asleep in the dark ,our eyes are not designed for seeing perfectly at night .

 

[Tom]

I don't know about your exact symptoms, but irregular sleep patterns might be a common trait among Aspies. I can't remember reading it on the symptoms lists, but I have read many describe having issues with sleep on Aspie forums (myself included) so perhaps its a co-morbid. Having racing thoughts is also something I experience from time to time. Hmm, maybe that can become a new sport. Mindracing.

 

[MonolithImmortal]

Interesting thought though. I talked with a friend yesterday who has sleep apnea and he said he had all the same symptoms you describe (and that I experienced) until he got a CPAP machine. It might be worthwhile to get tested for sleep apnea and or narcolepsy.

I'm going to get evaluated for apnea soon because I snore SO LOUD and my tongue does somewhat fall back in my mouth while I'm asleep.

 

[Nick12]

dont worry when i was in high school in kentucky the teachers in the school were very verry verry nice to me and they alowed me to sleep when i was tired in the class i was mostly in specal ed classes