# Help! I can't keep my eyes open in meetings!! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 4, 2007, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767 "2007-12-04T10:46:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/41 "2013-02-01T16:56:49Z")
I thought that the problem was that Zombies Never Sleep (or was that rust?) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Cornholio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Cornholio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Cornholio)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/42 "2013-02-01T17:01:37Z")
> [@SlightlyEvil119](#): > > I went to a doctor and was diagnosed with Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks. Same here, after years of burning myself on radiators and jabbing compass needles into myself at school to try to keep awake. Now, 26 years after diagnosis, my co-workers can see when my eyes glass over and I get “that look”, and will encourage me to slither away for a nap, even before I feel that sleep is inevitable (even on top of the piles of Amphetamines I take every day to function in any way close to normal.) They know as well as I do that fighting it is a waste of time, it’s better to let the sleep claim me for a while, then we can get on with work afterwards. They can cover for me if dealing with a client who might not understand the intricacies of such a disorder, and I am grateful for their help and understanding. ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/43 "2013-02-01T18:50:59Z")
Narcoleptic here. I battled similar symptoms for years in class, or simply took light naps (complete with REM sleep) that somehow still allowed me to remember what was said or even ask/answer questions about it. I finally went for help when 15 or more servings of caffeine a day still weren’t getting me through class without dozing off. I got a prescription for Provigil and Ritalin that worked fantastically, plus or minus some side effects, although I don’t use it much anymore. I then went to a ketogenic diet (like for epileptics) and it seems to help a great deal better than the drugs did. I’m not sure how long term it will work though, but going on over a year it has worked great. Basically, extreme carbohydrate restriction, moderate protein, high fat (5/30/65 % by calories). The reason it helps is either due to beta-hydroxybutyrate (similar to GHB, which is used to treat narcolepsy), a ketone body produced during ketosis, or due to the greater activation of the hypocretin system, which has increasing function with lower blood glucose levels. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/44 "2013-02-01T19:32:17Z")
> [@BACI](#): > > Today I was sitting in a meeting in the afternoon, although the effect I shall describe has happened many times before, including meetings at other times of the day. > > I was feeling fit and rested. I was interested in the content being discussed and was keen to make a good impression on those in the meeting. And for some reason, and not for the first time, I could not keep my eyes open. I swear to og I was having REM whilst straining to both keep the appearance of nonchalant interest. I had much the same issue. Turns out that I have sleep apnea. Now I have a CPAP machine and I stay awake in the meetings, no matter how much I wish I could crawl under the table and take a nap. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/45 "2013-02-01T21:01:42Z")
That’s why I usually do conference calls. If I get caught napping, I can just be like “Sorry…could you repeat the question? There’s a bad connection.”😃 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/46 "2013-02-01T22:16:11Z")
Back when I was having parathyroid issues I was going through 2 4 packs of red bull diet a day trying to stay awake. Apparently hypercalcemia can make you sleepy who knew. Cut out the frisky parathyroids that were causing all the trouble, able to stay awake all day. [my current problems with medications and my screwed up sleep schedule currently are entirely different. Never had obstructive sleep apnea either. Still don’t and I have the paperwork and bills to prove it.] ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/47 "2013-02-01T22:29:17Z")
I was getting sleepy reading this thread until I saw > [@](#): > > I was so desperate to stay awake that I resorted to oragami… which I misread as “I resorted to orgasm…” Woke me right up. Actually, that might help, but only if > [@](#): > > Fortunately, I was seated near the back of the room. I remember many years ago in my evening Botany course, the professor discussing the Krebs Cycle. He said that if one was tired, orange or grapefruit juice would have a faster stimulant effect than other sugary or caffeinated drinks because of that process. ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/48 "2013-02-01T22:34:32Z")
Like a couple of other posters I have sleep apnea and had the same symptoms as the OP. I had it for at least 20 years before I was diagnosed. The CPAP machine has been a positive life altering device for me. Aside from being able to stay awake, my energy level and all around “feel good” level is much improved. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/49 "2013-02-04T06:26:41Z")
Don’t you just hate reading a thread and then coming across your own response and that’s when you realize that it is a zombie thread? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/50 "2013-02-04T11:29:13Z")
> [@SlightlyEvil119](#): > > > [@Lunar\_Saltlick](#): > > > > If the Google ads are to be believed, your problem is Chronic Psoriasis, and you require Proven & Effective Treatment. > > Chronic Psoriasis is a SKIN disease and has nothing to do with whether you are sleepy or not. It was a joke, from five years ago. But nice to see the OP is still active. I’ve found standing helps, but not all rooms are amenable to that. ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/51 "2013-02-05T02:27:30Z")
OP here - interesting that this has come back to life! As it turns out I did make one change that sorted things out almost immediately. At the time of the post, I was a smoker. I would duck out of the office several times a day for a cigarette. When sitting in meetings straining to keep my eyes open, I wasn’t craving a cigarette, in fact I was often very happy for the distraction to keep me from thinking about cigarettes (nothing worse than a bored smoker!). But for some reason I think when the nicotine level in my blood settled, my system would kind of crash. To manage nominal weight gain post quitting I also started eating healthier - and would often have sushi hand rolls or light sandwiches for lunch. This also lightened my metabolism and helped me feel fresh during the day. At the time I was mid 40s so my metabolism was likely entering a slower phase anyway. I could well have the sleep apnoea thing. I’m not a heavy sleeper and I find I often wake not feeling rested - so thanks for that insight, in the meantime as someone that hasn’t smoked in a while, I’m feeling pretty good. And meetings are no longer a problem! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767/52 "2013-02-05T04:08:19Z")
Outstanding! Good to hear you found a resolution. Not having apnea but perhaps suffering from terminal boredness, I’m a chronic doodler AND colorer. I’ll take a pack of colored pens and color my doodles. I attend a 3-day seminar annually and it’s the only thing that keeps me sane. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-cant-keep-my-eyes-open-in-meetings/428767.md?page=2)