I need 10-12 hours of sleep to function but can't sleep consistently

Hi everyone, I’m reaching out for advice on a long-standing sleep issue. I need 10-12 hours of sleep to feel functional, with 12 being optimal. I’ve had tests done and don’t have sleep apnea, but it’s frustrating not having the extra time in my day.

The issue is that I never feel tired enough 12 hours before I need to wake up. I toss and turn for hours before eventually falling asleep, and then I wake up 12 hours later. This leads to a cycle where I push my sleep later and later until I’m waking up around 7 PM. I try to reset my schedule by pulling all-nighters, but the cycle repeats.

I suspect my body doesn’t produce melatonin until 16 hours after I wake up, which seems to work for an average person who sleeps 8 hours but not for me.

I’d really appreciate any advice on this issue. Thanks!

Have you had your blood work checked? You might have an iron or vitamin deficiency. If you’re open to it, consider trying melatonin or magnesium glycinate to help you sleep at a reasonable time.

Rey said:
Have you had your blood work checked? You might have an iron or vitamin deficiency. If you’re open to it, consider trying melatonin or magnesium glycinate to help you sleep at a reasonable time.

Good point, I’ve never checked that. I’ll look into it. Some friends suggested melatonin as well, but I worry I’d have to take it for life. I tried magnesium glycinate for a while, but it didn’t help much.

@Thorn
Definitely get your blood work done. You may not just be ‘this way.’ Melatonin isn’t addictive, so you could stop anytime if you choose. But do you really want to live like this? Chronic fatigue can have serious impacts on brain function, including dementia.

@Rey
You’re right. I just worry that long-term use of melatonin could disrupt my body’s natural production. I prefer to avoid drug interventions if possible, but I’ll definitely check on the blood work. Thanks for the suggestion!

Yes, get your blood checked. I was in a similar situation until I ended up in the ER and found out I was anemic. After treating that, my sleep normalized. I really regret not getting blood work done sooner.

@Whitney
I will! Sorry to hear about your ER visit, what happened?

Thorn said:
@Whitney
I will! Sorry to hear about your ER visit, what happened?

Surprisingly, I had a blast in the ER! I ate a lot, talked to people, watched TV, and caught up on sleep. The only downside was the fentanyl from a second procedure due to a doctor’s mistake.

I was sleeping over 12 hours a day and still felt tired. My leg was swollen, and I couldn’t go to the bathroom for 6 days. My mom insisted I go to the hospital.

After extensive blood work, they diagnosed me with lupus, which was affecting my kidneys. Luckily, I came in at the right time; usually, people wait until it’s worse. My hemoglobin was at a dangerously low level of 6, while normal is around 12. I received a blood transfusion, which helped a lot, but they later found out about my kidney issues and put me on a treatment plan.