Sleep Attacks

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My husband gets exhausted after a really intensely stressful event. When we were first married we'd have a row and he'd instantly fall asleep, it made me crazy. Now I just know he's spent and needs to recharge. I think anxiety is really taxing and maybe you aren't aware just how overwhelmed you get. I've learned to let my husband sleep as much as he wants. I can't relate to what it's like to have AS but I can empathize.

I've had this happen in a lot of different circumstances. Things which make me angry or sad might instead make me sleepy. I've also had it happen in the car, usually after something stressful. I've learned to pull over at the next opportunity and deal with it. I don't need a long nap or anything, I just have to barely fall asleep to recover.

I think that sounds like what I'm talking about. It can come on kind of suddenly (or also be a dull aching sort of feeling), but when it hits, it's hard to ignore.

I've been in class before taking notes when I had a sleep attack. When I woke up, I found that I'd been writing gibberish that ran off the page. I seriously tried everything I could to stay awake, too. I'd brought gum, I tried pinching myself, tried to stay interested, etc... but it caught up to me before the end of the class.

I think falling asleep is a fairly normal and I've heard other students talk about it. But it doesn't just happen in class. I get it pretty bad when I'm out and about, too.

I think maybe it's just that my brain goes right into sleep mode when its got too much information to deal with. Maybe it's a good thing, actually... I've been seeing all of these TV programs that suggest that sleep helps you learn. Perhaps I'm learning secretly while asleep. Though, of course, I'd rather the nap attacks come at a more proper time. And not when I'm out trying to do something important. xD