Hi, I do not have sleep apnea, however upon waking up in the morning I always feel more tired & my mind is in a fog and I feel really dizzy. I bought a new mattress that is very comfortable, my bedroom is cool and it’s dark, plus I sleep with an eye mask on. But every morning I wake up confused and so very tried and it takes me a couple of hours to wake up, I am 56 yrs old and this has been going on for the past 20 years. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks
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I am experiencing the same. I wake up feeling like I havent slept in 3 weeks, head feels like there’s a bunch of fuzz in it, if I don’t have a migraine, my brain just hurts and has an underlying tightness, eyes burn, knees weak, heart racing. I’m in such a bad mood, I usually cry. I can’t think or focus, my relationships are all but ruined, my job performance is suffering horribly, and I’m missing out on so many opportunities because I no longer feel qualified or comfortable to do the things I used to. Life is passing me by and it makes me so frustrated! I’m a completely different person than I used to be. Like a 180° turn from my old self.
I’ve gone through multiple pillows and finally bought a new semi-expensive one ($60) but it only helped slightly. I’ve had a home sleep test done (negative for sleep apnea) and I left a message with my Dr on Friday to refer me to another sleep lab for a full work up because this isn’t normal.
I’m 57 years old but it’s only been going on for about 4 years (not 20 like you…I’m sorry to hear that!) I sure hope we can both find relief!
Have you done a home sleep study? That would be my first suggestion. I had no idea, and was very doubtful, that I had sleep apnea until I did the test and found out that I had stopped breathing THIRTY-NINE TIMES during one hour of REM sleep! 4 days ago I started on an A-PAP machine (similar to C-PAP but with variable air pressure depending on need), with a very small “nasal pillow” instead of the full-face mask and I’ve been waking up with a LOT more energy already. I’ve never been a “morning person” but maybe it’s because my sleep was interrupted without my knowing it. Just because you don’t hear yourself snore, or your partner doesn’t, does not mean you don’t have sleep apnea. Get tested! And good luck - Sleep deprivation is no joke!
Have all bloodwork up done including hormone, thyroid, B, iron, liver and kidney function, etc. If you are on medications check side effects including looking at rare effects. Only use the site from the company. They have to list all side effects. When you go to the sites they will ask if you are a patient or medical doctor. Always hit medical doctor. It has a more extensive list. Don’t rely on the inserts from the pharmacy cause they don’t list all side effects. U can even have side effects years and years later. U can even look at the studies done with the medications. If the sleep study was from over 10 years ago I would suggest a new one. Break down what you do everyday. Everything from routine, exercise, what you eat. Everything plays a part in your health. Breaking down what goes on in your life and health takes time and patience. If anything it could give more questions that answers but could go the other way around and find the answer you are looking for. I pray and hope you find your answers. 
Have your doctor test you for sleep apnea. Ha
d same symptoms and that is what I had.
I’d be interested to hear what others suggest. Feeling that tired every morning sounds frustrating.
I have these same symptoms and they too started about 4 yrs. ago. I take a narcolepsy med in the a.m. It perks me up a little, rest of the day I feel half dead all the time. I have gone though every kind of sheet blanket pillow mattress, you name it I have tried it. My physician has no idea where to send me or what to do for me but I know of one other person in my city who has the same symptoms. We are both about 75. My layperson’s opinion based on my lifestyle at the onset of this great fatigue, any medication changes and what was anything that was different in my life. So my answer based on nothing but my common sense and the common factors I have with this one other person with the same symptoms is the COVID vaccine, Not getting the illness COVID, just the 5 shots that I had of this stuff as did this other individual. Since there have been no studies done on this, if there will ever be, the medical community is clueless if this is it. Look at your lifestyle timeline and what changed at the onset of this. Best of luck.
I have exactly the same and have had this for as long as I can remember. I have rarely been able to work full time due to this unknown condition which leaves me utterly drained of all energy on waking. Ironically, if I have a restless night and wake early, I feel a lot better. It is as if something happens - or doesn’t happen - during sleep that is severely affecting my waking life. Had two sleep studies and neither have come back with anything useful.
My memory has also been dreadful since my 20s and I’m sure this is because of the unrefreshing sleep. I long to feel normal in the mornings. Elderly friends are bouncing out of bed while I was struggling to move on waking, even in my 30s! Sleep experts seem to focus on sleep hygiene, all of which I follow, and all the known conditions. Unrefreshing sleep is real and I see very little research into this outside of sleep apnea.
Hey. The suggestion about researching medications is a really good one. Beta blockers, anxiolytics and anti-depressants can all impact sleep-related neurotransmitters. I took a particular medication for years, and experienced non-restorative sleep the entire time. It wasn’t until I tried an alternative that we knew for certain it was the original medication we’d just replaced.