My Father's Sleep Issues
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hello,
My father is 81 years old, in good health and lives alone in India. He sleeps between 6-7 hours every night , Since last week, he has been feeling drowsy/sleepy during the morning, which slowly subsides by afternoon. His sugar and blood pressure are normal. Every day, he walks during morning and evening and uses his exercise bike for 40 minutes. He is socially active. As of now, he has no fatigue or any psychological problems.
Questions:
1) Is this indication of a serious sleep disorder?
2) Would you recommend he see a sleep specialist right away?
Thank you,
0 likes, 6 replies
john94307 jetski76
Posted
jetski76 john94307
Posted
lily65668 jetski76
Posted
That waist size is perfectly OK for an 81-year-old man of your father's height and weight. It's quite normal for all of us to thicken up around the waist as we age. Speaking from personal experience here - I'm 74 myself and not as slender as I used to be!
Make sure you cover all bases when he gets his routine physical. Give the doctor all the details you can think of about his current condition. Thyroid function is quite important too, but if he's getting a full blood work-up that should automatically be included.
jetski76 lily65668
Posted
Thanks again lily!! Your advice has been very helpful.
lily65668 jetski76
Posted
I think it's more to the point to get your father to see a general doctor before embarking on sleep studies. If he has reached the age of 81 without any serious sleep disorders, it's probably unlikely he'd suddenly develop one now.
There are many reasons for a man of his age to start becoming sleepy. He needs to start with a full blood test and a thorough general examination. It could be something as simple as an obscure virus infection, or even Lyme disease if he's accustomed to walking in long grass that could hide ticks. And of course, it could be nothing at all. We all have to start slowing down at some point. But you'll never know if he doesn't get a thorough check-up.
The bottom line is to get him to a general doctor first of all, to investigate all the other (and more likely) possibilities, rather than rushing straight to a sleep specialist, who might miss something else that's going on.
jetski76 lily65668
Posted
Thank you lily for such a detailed and helpful reply!!
My father will be having his physical (once in 6 months) with his primary care physician in a few weeks. I ll certainly ask the PCP to investigate the reasons for his morning drowsiness. He does wear trousers and shoes when he walks in the morning and evenings. But I will ask the PCP about tics and lyme disease.
Thank you,
Jet