So. Be me. 18 years old with untreated sleep apnea, insomnia. I usually get 6 ish hours of sleep a night. I feel pretty safe around my girlfriend and any time we cuddle, I’m out in seconds. I explained to her that I have the medical issues and she says she’s trying not to get mad, but it never changes anything. Does anyone have advice on how I can stay awake or what I should tell her?
UPDATE: I am actively seeking treatment for the apnea, I have a sleep study scheduled for next month. The insomnia comes and goes, doctors have tried to medicate it but nothing really works out too well
14 comments
If she doesn’t care to fully understand what sleep apnea is then there’s nothing you can do. My partner has it and I’d only be upset because he snored so loud without his mask. Lol. Please get it treated as soon as you can. You’ll still probably doze off though.
I don’t know the official term but when you are with a good partner your body wants to fall asleep because you feel safe.
You probably are comfortable cuddling it happens to me too.
That’s a really weird thing for your gf to get mad about.
Address issues that make you not a great partner before you get a partner.
If she was my friend i would say to start considering breaking up because your own self neglect is the problem.
Go get treatment.
I know you’re 18, and sometimes that means you don’t think things through, but
>untreated sleep apnea, insomnia
>
>Does anyone have advice on how I can stay awake
Dude, see a doctor and start getting the problem treated.
I don’t see what she’s upset about. Cuddling someone to sleep is great! Being cuddled to sleep is even better.
My lovely husband can fall asleep within 4 minutes of laying down. After being married for ALOT of years, I still don’t get it. As for the apnea, you need to get a formal diagnosis and treatment plan.
I am still waiting for my machine for sleep apnea. The warehouse is filling orders from April right now. There’s nothing u can do other then drink copious amount of caffeine which is what I do. How ever I don’t recommend doing that unless u absolutely have to. I’d be annoyed that my partner wasn’t understanding and I’d break up with them
This is natural even without the apnea issue. Cuddling causes release of the hormone oxytocin, which promotes sleep.
Reading between the lines, is it possible that she is mad because she wants to spend more time with you, or because she wants to have sex? I would try to get at what is driving her annoyance and then try to solve that problem (spend more time together, have sex more, w/e)
Did you tell her that you feel safe enough to drop off around her? Not just the physical stuff, but the emotional stuff. It may help her understand
I really don’t understand why she is mad. I personally love the fact that my boyfriend is confortable with me to the point of falling asleep in my arms. Holding him when it happens is such a nice feeling, and I know he feels the same when I am the one who falls asleep.
She should be happy that you feel safe with her and she should be happy that you get some extra sleeping time. You have a medical condition, for the love of god, what is her problem?
When we were 18 and dating, I was having the same issue with my husband. I was working 3rd shift and was super sleep deprived, so when he would come over, I’d end up cuddling him and falling asleep. He was bummed about it, because we only got to see each other once a week.
Maybe ask your girlfriend if you guys can go on a date outside to keep you awake for a while, and then see if she’d be cool with a cuddle/nap session after spending some awake time together. Just let her know, you’re not falling asleep because you’re bored or anything, and you do value your time together, you just have this issue going on and cuddling with her is so comfortable that it puts you out.