Sudden crashing sleepiness during day

[Brie_ur_self]

For the past year or so I have struggled with varying degrees of insomnia that sometimes made it so I didn't fall asleep until two in the morning because I simply wasn't tired, or I would fall asleep with the help of melatonin but I would wake up every morning at 3-5 am (this lasted for a couple months).

Now it seems that I've gotten the nighttime stuff more under control with melatonin and midnite (with the occasional exception of course), but now I'm having trouble during the day.

About four months ago, I started noticing that in my second period class (even if I had plenty of sleep) I would start to crash. Often times I wouldn't feel very tired at all leading up to that and then would suddenly be unable to stop myself. I was unable to keep my eyes open and my head up, and while most times I would suddenly jerk awake multiple times I would occasionally just fall right to sleep. It started happening during different times of the day, indiscriminate of food and water in take. (Note: I have a pretty constant sense of fatigue, but it's generally manageable until the crashing happens)

When I wake up in the morning, my brain is already up and running. I have a very VERY active brain and it's often quite easy for me to remember my dreams. I've always chalked that up to my being a writer, so my brain is coming up with stories by the second, but I'm curious now if there's a connection between the daytime sleepiness and active brain.

Whenever I fall asleep during one of the crashing sleepiness episodes, I don't generally feel much better afterwards besides not feeling the need to fall asleep. I don't feel as though I've been rejuvenated or anything like that. In fact I mainly feel grouchy and disoriented.

Now it's to the point where it's summer and I am on break, and I'm napping at least once a day regardless of 7-10 hours of sleep at night. The most uncomfortable instance is when I am getting up to do something or when I need to do something important and I just have to fall asleep.

Generally it does not happen while I am walking, but it happens regardless of activity while sitting down.

I should probably note that I have a panic disorder, depression, ADHD, SPD, and potential ASD. All of those are fairly under control of medications, but now physical issues are taking control with flaring chronic pain (potential fibromyalgia), allodynia, and lightheaded spells.


Any ideas as to what is going on?