SLEEPING PROBLEM BUT DONT THINK I HAVE APNEA FROM DEFINITION, HELP?

hi, im a ranger in the army, and our doctors wont help us unless its a performance problem, so i dont get any info from them for this.. i can easily sleep threw the night, i dont remember dreams what so ever, and i can sleep for 12 to 16 hours straight without waking. average sleep time is 10 to 11 hours. i sleep but will somehow wake up to check out weird sounds but not have an memory of it in the morning, from what my wife says. i wake up with lots of snot or mucus i have to cough up every morning. i smoke but very lightly maybe 4 to 6 cig's throught the day. threw out the day i will stay tired if im sitting down. but as soon as im standing and moving around im instantly wide awake without any problems what so ever.. i havent been like this but for the last year or so. before 6 hours asleep and i would be wide awake the entire day without a problem. so if anyone has any ideas of why i am this way plz tell me, id like to fix this problem. thanks!

[Steven Y Park, MD]

The first thing is to make sure you don't have obstructive sleep apnea. You can be fit, and not even snore to have obstructive sleep apnea. The fact that you're not dreaming and can sleep for long periods and still be tired is strongly suggestive. I'm willing to bet your performance is affected. You just can't yet. Consider seeing a sleep physician.

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, welcome to the forum. From your history there is nothing wrong in your sleep pattern and it is absolutely normal. Before you use to sleep for long hours, you belonged to category of hypersomnia of central origin. In such condition person sleeps for a long time.
Eventually your duration of sleep came down to 6hrs. Even 6hrs of sleep is sufficient for you mind and body to rest. The whole day you are active and you don't have problem of day sleepiness, inactiveness, fatigue or other symptoms. Hence, you don’t have insomnia (sleep deprivation).
This is possible that there can change in the pattern of sleep depending on age, environmental factors, work environment, family etc.
If you experience any sleep deprivation problem consult physician. Take care and regards.