The following is a visitor-submitted question or story. For more, you can submit your own sleep story here, or browse the collection of experiences and questions other visitors have shared here.

I Don't Know If I Have Slept!

by Alison
(UK)

Hi there,


I have a young, sleepless baby and for eight months had terrible insomnia which thankfully is resolving now. However, I still find it hard to take a nap. But sometimes during the day I lie down to try to take a nap, then suddenly sit up, heart pounding, and I feel like I haven't slept at all. But when I look at my watch I may have been there for 45 minutes. It is as if I have spent so many months not being able to sleep, and being so alert for the baby that I have got this strange phenomenon now where I don't believe I have slept, or at least, am SO alert the MOMENT I wake, there is no period that feels like "waking up" it is as if I go from sleep, to immediate total wakefulness that I genuinely DONT know if I have slept! The only way I know is that in the afternoon I find that I do feel better, that I must have had a nap. Or my husband tells me I was asleep.

Does this have a name? Is it just an anxiety of some kind?

Can you please be sensitive in your answer as I am only getting over insomnia and as you know am still so open to suggestion and am so relieved to be getting over insomnia and being able to (apparently!!) nap after a sleepless night. Thanks!

Comments for I Don't Know If I Have Slept!

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 30, 2011
 Yes, the baby is guilty
by: Hawkmoon

Female body goes through immense changes during pregnancy, with all those hormons raging and baby growing inside you. And after the birth the chemical rollercoaster just goes into higher gear, body produces oxytocine to enable breast milk production and adrenaline is produced to always be watchfull over baby. So it's no wonder you're in constant state of readiness to provide for your baby, even if it means less sleep for you.
On other hand, afternoon naps are really powerful tool for resting. You see, brain needs his time off, yet he doesn't need much time, and you being a fresh mom means you can't afford much time to rest as well. Whenever your baby falls asleep, you get some time that you probably spend on household stuff or your husband, and you don't think about resting. So if you can shut down your brain in that 30-45 mins of afternoon nap, use it whenever possible. Your body does not enter sleep mode, so you don't feel any usual "wake up" slumber, and what you experience is Adrenaline rush that wakes you up. Having a nap is perfectly normal and healthy way to rest your brain, as long as you have it while in middle of talk with your hubby :)
Mar 23, 2012
 guess what i have for you NEW
by: Anonymous

What time r u coming to get me.want to stop so u can my Mom ms. Never mind tell u later.i have something for you!guess what it is?
Mar 24, 2012
 guess what i have for you NEW
by: Anonymous

What time r u coming to get me.want to stop so u can my Mom ms. Never mind tell u later.i have something for you!guess what it is?
Nov 25, 2014
 idk NEW
by: Anonymous

Even though i am still a kid (11 years old) i know what it feels like. I check the clock at like 3:00 am and i dont know if i was alseep or not...

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Sleep Questions and Answers.



Enjoy this page? Please help us pay it forward to others who would find it valuable by Liking, Sharing, Tweeting, Stumbling, and/or Voting below.

About This Site

Welcome! This site is continuously being created by students of Dr. William C. Dement's Sleep And Dreams course at Stanford University.

We made this site as a call to action for people all over the world to live healthier, happier, safer, and more productive lives by learning about their own sleep. We have faith that reading the information provided on this site will motivate you to be smart about your sleep deprivation and strategic about your alertness in order to live life to your fullest, most energetic potential.

In fact, we challenge you to do so! What do you say, are you up for the challenge?

A Note On Visitor-Submitted Questions:

Publishing sleep stories and questions from our visitors is meant to create a forum for open and proactive dialogue about an extremely important portion of our lives (one that occupies 1/3 of it and affects the other 2/3) that isn't talked about enough. It is not meant to substitute a trip to the doctor or the advice of a specialist. It's good to talk; it is not good to avoid consulting someone who's profession it is to help you with this kind of stuff.

If you are in any way concerned about your sleep health, don't wait for an answer on here, and don't necessarily rely on them. See a sleep specialist in your area as soon as possible.

More Questions:

Ask | Answer

The Stanford Sleep Book

Stanford Sleep Book Picture

Dr. Dement's pioneering textbook has been the core text for Sleep and Dreams since 1980, but it has just recently been made available to the wider public for the first time.

In it you'll find a more detailed account of the most important things you need to know about sleep, alertness, dreams, and sleep disorders. Studies, statistics, plus plenty of Dr. Dement's classic anecdotes painting the history of sleep medicine.

Preface | Intro | Contents | Get A Copy

More Sleep Resources

The Zeo

Track Your Own Sleep With Zeo

A revolution in personal sleep tracking, the Zeo is a wireless headband that transmits your brainwaves in realtime to a dock (pictured here) or your smartphone. The result? You can wake up and see exactly what stages of sleep you were in during the night! Unprecedented personalized sleep knowledge.

Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide

Sleep Paralysis Treatment Book

Ever woken up paralyzed? A surprising number of us have, believe it or not. But few know the actual causes of this phenomenon, and fewer still how to exert control over it. Dream researcher and sleep paralysis expert Ryan Hurd shares breakthrough insights into how to do just that.

Important Disclaimer

Please Note:

The information found on this page and throughout this site is intended for general information purposes only. While it may prove useful and empowering, it is NOT intended as a substitute for the expertise and judgments of healthcare practitioners.

For more info, see our
Terms of Use.