Tired after work.

[Markyg]

As i drive home from work, i know i have to stop at a petrol station 5 miles away and get coffee.
Even if at that point im not struggling to keep my eyes open, i cant guarantee ill be ok for the next 20.
The stopping, moving, bright lights and coffee (obviously!) All help stimulate me and i can continue my journey with no further incident.
I never really considered this anything other then very tired until i gave this colleague/friend a lift for a time and he proclaimed it highly unusual and strange....there must be something medically wrong with me!

Can anyone relate??

 

[Loren]

Not sure if you're trying to find answers. Perhaps the type of work you do, causes you to become extraordinarily tired. Things that could cause this to happen to me would be lack of sleep, indulging in glutenous, or sugary foods, of which I generally, stay away from, and stressful situations that can deplete mental energy. I used to work in an office with lighting that would cause me to experience micro-seizures that resulted in extreme fatigue. I wasn't aware that I had been having them, until I explained symptoms to my doctor. Anyway, those are a few things that could make me tired.

 

[Canismajoris]

As i drive home from work, i know i have to stop at a petrol station 5 miles away and get coffee.
Even if at that point im not struggling to keep my eyes open, i cant guarantee ill be ok for the next 20.
The stopping, moving, bright lights and coffee (obviously!) All help stimulate me and i can continue my journey with no further incident.
I never really considered this anything other then very tired until i gave this colleague/friend a lift for a time and he proclaimed it highly unusual and strange....there must be something medically wrong with me!

Can anyone relate??

There are many possible reasons for this. I recommend to speak with a doctor.

 

[Xerces Blue]

there's physically tiring and mentally tiring.
stimulants can help for both for a short amount of time.
stopping for coffee is a good break in the going home commute.
It breaks up the driving experience. lets you socialize in small amounts should you so desire.
I think it's a good thing so long as you don't spend more than you can afford

 

[Fino]

Is it the graveyard shift?

How much do you sleep each day?

How long are your shifts?

 

[Xerces Blue]

sleep is a complex thing.
I've gone from sleeping 8 hours a night to 3 hours at night and another 2 during the day.
Polyphasic sleep they call it. I think it's just a result of insomnia and military training (sleep when you can) and a belief that if I'm awake I might as well make the best of it.
So long as It's not making problems in your life like falling asleep at the wheel or during parties I don't worry about it.
Look into lucid dreaming, It can change your life if you can pull it off.

 

[Markyg]

Thanks for your replies everyone

I may have been slightly ambiguous as i wanted to see what people suggested rather then focus on details.

I run plumbing on busy new build sites. Work is physically and mentally demanding, plus obviously i interact with many people.
No-one else i speak to experiences this despite similar roles, and ive had the same post-work sleep requirement in other jobs.
I guess im just exploring an idea that the social side of things drains me, but ive really no idea......
I have assessment next week and im going outta my mind
Really appreciate your insights....

 

[Markyg]

sleep is a complex thing.
I've gone from sleeping 8 hours a night to 3 hours at night and another 2 during the day.
Polyphasic sleep they call it. I think it's just a result of insomnia and military training (sleep when you can) and a belief that if I'm awake I might as well make the best of it.
So long as It's not making problems in your life like falling asleep at the wheel or during parties I don't worry about it.
Look into lucid dreaming, It can change your life if you can pull it off.

I once fell asleep on the dancefloor of a 2000 people dance music event in Mexico in the middle of nowhere. If i need to sleep, its a done deal!

 

[tducey]

I've always been a good sleeper, but lately I've been finding it harder to get up in the morning. With a return to work, for me, being possibly imminent I'll have to change that.

 

[Loren]

I once fell asleep on the dancefloor of a 2000 people dance music event in Mexico in the middle of nowhere. If i need to sleep, its a done deal!

I believe this is a symptom of a neurological condition called Narcolepsy. I, once, worked with someone who had this condition. Here is the wikipedia article, in case you might find it of interest.

Narcolepsy - Wikipedia

 

[tlc]

So your drive is at least 25 miles? How long is it? That's a pretty good drive after working hard all day.

Driving can tire you out much more than spending the same hours doing other things. All the years I'd have to go downstate and get my daughter, I'd be fighting to stay awake on the way home. Bright and flickering lights would actually make me more sleepy. I try to avoid roads where the sun is shining between trees just before sunset, because that makes me sleepy even if I'm not tired.

I found that red Mountain Dew jolts me awake more than anything else. Enough to give me a second wind and get me home.

 

[Progster]

I don't think it's particularly unusual... after work, I also feel tired, and if I lie down, my mind goes from active to resting mode and I start to feel sleepy. If I don't want to sleep yet, I get up and do something - physical activity makes me feel alert again.

 

[Xerces Blue]

there is something I've heard about called Highway Hypnosis.
It involves the how the broken lines of most highway lanes are spaced and the angle of sunlight along with the light reflecting of other vehicles effects people on long drives.
It generally puts people to sleep.
And is why I don't go for a truck driving career/job.

 

[tlc]

there is something I've heard about called Highway Hypnosis.
It involves the how the broken lines of most highway lanes are spaced and the angle of sunlight along with the light reflecting of other vehicles effects people on long drives.
It generally puts people to sleep.
And is why I don't go for a truck driving career/job.

I've read about this, but not for those reasons. It was always described as the drone of the engine, tires, etc. Of course this was 30 years ago when cars were noisier.

It's happened to me many of times. Especially on those long drives I mentioned earlier. I'd not remember a thing for 10 miles or more. I'd nod off and come to, somehow I didn't crash. I'm glad those days are over, she graduates next month. It also happened to me during my previous engineering job in the late 1990s, which was 10 hour days and a 40 mile drive one way. Coming home I nodded off and awoke on the other side of the road in the path of an oncoming semi. I had no desire to move to the city, so I decided it was time to look for another job.