Unecessary Fatigue

[Matt2]

Hey, I'm 15 Y/O 240 lbs, 6 foot 1 inches tall. I've been having problems with the amount of sleep I get for a while, I always seem to want more and it's starting to get in the way of my exercise regime e.t.c.

I have about 7-8 hours of sleep per school night. I go to school with normally little or no breakfast (bad, I know, but I'm trying to slowly phase into eating breakfast). I spend 6 periods, roughly an hour each, trying to stay concentrated and get my work done as I'm trying to get scholarships and what have you to prestigious schools back in the U.K.

Now that's all well and good, and I get back at 3:00 PM every day. I come home, take out my contacts, change into some workout clothes, have a snack and then head out for a 3 mile walk around 4 PM. I come back at roughly 5 PM, usually renting a film from Blockbuster's to reward myself.

Here's my problem, I always feel drained after my walk and after school, I try to take an hour nap but end up snoring through a good 3-4 hours. Now I usually had no objection to my body wanting sleep, but really... 12 hours a day?!

It's starting to get in the way of my boxing and weights workouts that I usually do after my walks (due to the fact that I'd rather not walk in the dark; the percentage of Arizona's good drivers is comparable to the probability that Hitler was a saint in disguise). I don't want it to get in the way of me losing weight, and I sure as hell don't want to take any energy drinks that are loaded with sugar and stupidity.

Exercising usually gives me a bunch of energy, leaving me feeling great, but when I feel wiped I don't feeling like exercising, which leads to not working out, and eventually down the same road that got me here.

Is there any reason I'm so wiped? I sure as hell eat enough, I know that much. I don't count my calories anymore however, I eat what's made at home (which isn't all bad, it's usually quite nutritious), and have fruits and veggies to snack on e.t.c. If I had to guess, I'd estimate a good 2,000 calorie intake per day.

More importantly, is there anything I can try to stop me conking out for most of the evening?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[maleficent]

Teenage boys tend to require more sleep than most people -

The 3-4 hour naps are a bad idea because they will interfere with your ability to get a good nights sleep during the night.. where you should be getting around 9 hours of sleep...

If you must take a nap... set an alarm... so you're awake after no more than an hour.. sometimes a 20 minute cat nap is enough to refresh you.

 

[LandonsBaby]

I really don't think you are sleeping enough. I would try 8-9 hours at night. If you don't feel better, have one of your parents take you to see a doctor just to make sure everything is working properly.

 

[Matt2]

Teenage boys tend to require more sleep than most people -

The 3-4 hour naps are a bad idea because they will interfere with your ability to get a good nights sleep during the night.. where you should be getting around 9 hours of sleep...

If you must take a nap... set an alarm... so you're awake after no more than an hour.. sometimes a 20 minute cat nap is enough to refresh you.

I try my best to set an alarm, but I'm the heaviest sleeper I know, and can easily sleep through a Nagasaki and Hiroshima without cracking open a lazy eye.

I was thinking of maybe trying this product called "5 hour energy shot." It's like 5 calories and made out of B vitamins e.t.c. No sugar, no Guarana, and apparently it'll keep me up for 5 hours.

Do you think that's a good idea? I have no idea if it's good or bad for me

I really don't think you are sleeping enough. I would try 8-9 hours at night. If you don't feel better, have one of your parents take you to see a doctor just to make sure everything is working properly.

D'you think a doctor is necessary? :-S I just thought maybe there's something about losing weight that I didn't know about and now I'm just conking out for certain reasons.

If worst comes to worst, I definitely go see my GP ;-)

Thanks for the help

 

[CNNSarah]

I used to work in a store that sold those 5 hour energy shots... and I'd be really cautious if I were you.

Besides tasting DISGUSTING they're not cheap, and really freak your body out. Don't listen to the claims, either. You can't have that much caffeine and NOT crash.

I don't think they'd necessarily destroy your body, but there are definitely better ways to get more energy. Try a multi vitamin, or maybe just a B complex if you're not already.

 

[Cams Habs]

I don't know, heres a couple pointers that might help:

-I am 17, and I have trouble sleeping as well, although I don't feel tired during the day. It does take me a long time to fall asleep, at least half an hour, sometimes 1 or more. A lot of that has to do with changing bodies as we enter adulthood.

-I am trying to find an article (EDIT: Someone wrote, not me) wrote about the benefits of a 20 minute nap compared to a 1 hour or more nap, I'll try and find it. Anyways, give a shorter nap a try - I can't nap, so I don't know if it is true, but my mother stands by it - 20 minutes is supposed to be good for you. If it doesn't work, it doesn't.

-As far as the 5 minute energy shot, read a whole bunch of reviews about it (just google the product and browse). Here is one very fascinating review:

don't recommend the empty stomach deal you'll just feel sick you will also burn off what you eat quickly so keep some neutral/basic food handy, i suggest pretzels, saltines, bread anything that will absorb the extra acid and keep a blanket or something near by cause toward the end of the 5hrs you'll start to get cold

So... again... read some reviews on it and compare the risks and rewards.

By the way, thats code for don't bother

 

[maleficent]

I've never been able to nap myself -but "power" naps seem to be the thing to do - there are actually storefronts you can go and they'll give you jammies, a blanket and a pillow and you can take a nap... but more than a certain amount of time - I think it's as you go into REM sleep -then nap then becomes counter productive.

When I'm dehydrated, I find that I am more tired than usual - so do make sure you'ere drinking enough water..

 

[2Chubby]

Getting tired in the late afternoon can often be tracked directly back to what you have for breakfast. When you eat things that are high in sugar or carbs in the am your body goes on a roller coaster ride of sugar highs and lows. The lows usually set in in the late afternoon. Try eating a high protein breakfast like eggs for a few days and see if it makes a difference.

The days will be getting longer soon the additional daylight always helps too. Good luck.