Strange sleeping issues.

[Xack]

So, I am a 22-year old white male, and I've had sleeping problems for at least 8 years now.  The thing is, the problems keep changing.  It's very odd, but It used to be that I couldn't get to sleep and I'd wake up an hour before my alarm clock went off without being able to get back to sleep.  After dancing around with several problems, I've encountered a new one.

I still sometimes have trouble getting to sleep, but most times I don't as long as i get some exercise and dont eat too much.  I still wake up about 45-1 hour before my alarm (and this usually means 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep), and I can get back to sleep, but I don't feel like Im getting any sleep, even though Im dreaming.  I am aware of how tired I am in my dreams, and When i wake up again (often before the alarm, I feel more tired than before), and I keep trying to sleep beyond when Im supposed to get up, I get even more tired, and still dream.

The wierd part about it all is, if I sleep more than 7 hours, I will often have a headache when I wake up, and I will feel incredibly weak/tired throughout the day.  The headaches used to only be a problem with severe oversleeping, but Now i cant even get the full 8 without them.

I can live with this--Just wondering if these are symptoms of something greater or I'm just an odd case.

NOTE: Some lifestyle things you should know--
1- I eat twice a day, and I frequently over-eat.  As in, 90% of the time.  I eat extremely fast as well, faster than anybody i know.
2- I get exercise 1-2 times a week, and its usually a good amount.
3- I dont usually stress out about some stuff, but when I get the headaches and the weakness/tiredness it's a whole lot easier for me to.  This seems to disrupt sleep even more, of course.

[Suri123]

Hi Xack, How are you? You seem to be really stress out due to the sleep deprivation and being not well the following day. Although you mention of 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep which is a average sleep for an adult who might manage a day time nap of couple of hours, I doubt it to be a sound sleep if you are probably having sleep apnea where you might be awaking several times a time without being aware of it, and it is usual for you to be have daytime sleepiness, fatigue, feeling unrefreshed, morning dry mouth, headaches. Smoking, alcohol and drugs like sleeping pills and muscle relaxants worsens further. Continue regular exercises and avoid going to bed late night. You may consider consulting a sleep specialist and getting done sleep study. Take care.

[Xack]

7 hours of sleep are usually enough if they are uninterrupted, wholesome hours.  I will still get a bit sleepy at some point, likely, but I dont have the headaches or the strange mental fogginess and sleepiness that sleeping over 7 gets me.

Not on any meds, i try to steer clear of that sort of thing.

Don't think it's sleep apnea, never had that problem before and haven't noticed any of the other symptoms (nor have my roomates).

Thanks alot!

[KatEyes]

It may be that you require only 7 hours of sleep. If you get out of bed and start your day when you naturally awaken, how do you feel during the day and would you have a headache?

You mentioned being weak and tired - does that include sleepy?

Daytime sleepiness and morning headaches can be signs of sleep apnea.

Sleeping more than is needed can throw your sleep cycles off and make you more tired than it helps.

Some meds can cause sleep disruption too.