I gave blood for the first time yesterday and felt fine and everything, went to bed at my usual hour (~12:30), got up at my usual hour (8) and hit the snooze button on my alarm clock, also as usual. Next thing I know it’s 10AM–I was out cold although able to remember dreams. I feel good actually, really rested, now that I’m up again, but it’s a good thing there was no class today. Does giving blood usually cause that to happen?
I lost a lot of blood last month, and while I was still in the ICU, they gave me Ativan at night to help me sleep, as it was difficult otherwise.
I’ve given multiple gallons of blood, and don’t really recall having a better sleep the night after donating.
I do want to warn you about the “feeling fine” afterward. I have always felt fine after donating. And one time (in my youth), I went to do my normal workout (I was into martial arts at the time), and got REAL light-headed and dizzy. I was pretty close to passing out, but managed to just sit it out. It came on VERY fast: doing everything just fine, then WHAM. So do heed their warnings - it’s not just heavy lifting, but any additional exertion for at least a couple days.
I hope you’ll continue to donate - it is a very good thing.
I’d like to second everything said here. I donate blood as frequently as I can, but I once made the mistake of playing basketball in July the day after donating. I felt great until all of a sudden I felt like I was going to collapse. “Oh yeah,” I thought. “Somebody just took lots of my blood yesterday…”
I think that everyone reacts a bit differently. Did you have anything (alcohol) to drink? I drank the night after I gave for the first time in college, and it went straight to my head.
I give platelets now, but when I did give blood I would notice a bit of stomach upset that night, usually leading to a mild case of the trots the next day. After that it would be fine. I just wrote it off as my system trying to respond to a noticeable internal change. I don’t get that with platelets, though. The important thing is to drink a lot of fluids to get that back as quickly as you can.
Congratulations, and thank you. You’re doing a very good thing.
No alcohol, no exertion (exercise? HAH!) Just TKOed by my bed.
The only thing I can think is you were nervous and het up about giving and this overtired you?
I usually go to sleep early after giving blood, and am lower energy for about 2 days. I’ve gone ahead and exercised normally the day after, and I’ve never felt faint. I have felt tired, though.
Yup, same kind of experience- I’d routinely give blood, then *bike * to the beach for a few hours of volleyball, felt great, no effects. Then one time there was a hike instead of volleyball. The 1st 1/2 hour was a steady climb, say, 40 degree incline. Cardiovascularly, it felt the same - elevated heartbeat, fast breathing, but nothing bad. Then all of a sudden, the head started pounding, heartbeat almost doubled, the skin was prickly & tingling, and the outer perimeter of vision in both eyes went gray, going to black. I literally had to sit down on the trail, got that sickening feeling of about to pass out & topple over. That was the 1st & only time I’ve had to stop & tund back on a hike.
I figure there must be an oxygen-demand thing - volleyball is mostly anaerobic - long periods of being ready or moderate activity when hitting, followed by periods of short action. But for the most part, not demanding. Hiking, on the other hand, especially in this case, was nothing but aerobically demanding. On a normal day, the only side effects were sweating, & heavy breathing. That day of the donation was only the second time in my life I *knew * that if I continued, I was gonna pass out. The speed with which it came on was the most stunning; it literally took my breath away.
I donate every 8 weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed having a better sleep after donating.
I usually feel just the tiniest bit tired, or like my legs just feel heavier or something, but it doesn’t lead to a better sleep. I hike at least twice a week and in the summer I bike to work, so I usually try to schedule my donations with those activities in mind.
I’ve enjoyed donating whole blood, but I think it might be time to make the move to platelets.
And hooray for you for donating!
I’ve been donating for almost 40 years, and have never felt sleepy. In college I went to run a meeting right after donating once, where I used our big wrench as a gavel. Then I felt a bit dizzy, but that’s been about it.
My cardiologist told me this morning that I can donate again. Donating blood may have saved my life - the last time I went they found a fluttery pulse which turned out to be a case of atrial fibrillation. It’s all better now.
I worked as a donor attendant in Scotland - I don’t recall anyone ever reporting this symptom. Of course, I didn’t follow donors home and tuck them in, so I don’t know.
I will say that I yawn like the dickens as soon as pheresis starts–partly from the early hour but I believe mostly from the anticoagulant. As soon as it’s done, the yawning stops. Unfortunately, they make me keep my eyes open because I guess closed eyes might mean I’ve slipped away.
I give blood every three months and it doesn’t make me feel particularly tired.
I gave blood 6 times a year for years, (but due to receiving a transfusion I can’t give for another 9 months), I slept WONDERFULLY every time I gave blood. Deep, restfully, vivid dreams, generally a great sleep. I just learned to give myself an extra hour in the morning the day after I gave blood or go to bed an hour early.
So, yes every time I give blood I need a little extra sleep.
Thank you for donating, please continue.