Hello, 1st post and long time lurker.
I have been trawling the forum and cant quite see a definite answer (probably because we are all different) but I have vivid and exhausting dreams, I rarely wake up refreshed. I routinely fall asleep straight into a dream and be in a dream on waking. I wake up tired, I can easily sleep 8+ hours, if i dont (which happens regularly due to shift work) I will often easily and quickly nod off during the day and go straight into a dream (sometimes being aware of my surroundings while having the dream), these episodes are particularly debilitating.
I will regularly get feelings of intense de ja Vue, again moreseo when tired. A few times a year, when I am really tired and stressed, I can get a really extreme deja vue and be almost in dream like state and I can't work out if I am experiencing real life or memories from a dream, the last (earlier this year) was actually quite distressing, fortunately I wasn't at work, but I was out with my wife's car (she was driving).
While I have experienced this tiredness, daytime nodding off and sleep pattern all my life, it's certainly worse as I get older and more so since I started working shifts nearly 5 years ago. The extreme de ja vue I only started getting when I turned 40 along with migraines, which I never suffered from before. (I'm in my 50s now)
As far as I am aware (my wife would tell me), I don't snore and don't suffer from sleep apnea.
I spoke to my GP and asked about a sleep clinic referral, he was dismissive and and has offered Melatonin and if I didn't want the Melatonin I can just do mindfulness.... (I already do).
I have read so much conflicting stuff about Melatonin in these circumstance either it will or won't help.
Anyone in the same boat?