Dear Lucy: I’m often seized by extreme sleepiness about one and a half or two hours after lunch. I’m usually much sleepier at this time of day than I am at midnight. I think many people share this experience. Unfortunately, many classes at MIT are scheduled in the afternoon, just at this “sleepy time.” Do you have any advice on how I can become more alert at this time of day? —Somnolent Sophomore
Dear Lucy: What is the minimum sleep a body needs? I have a problem waking up in the mornings and am trying to figure out how to handle it. —Sleepyhead
Dear Lucy: I recently bought a Fitbit, which tracks my exercise and my sleep. The sleep tracker gives me a graph for the night before that shows periods of sleep, wakefulness, and restlessness. But I’ve noticed an unexpected pattern: On nights when I’ve consumed alcohol near bedtime, Fitbit shows that I’ve slept deeply and have been less restless or wakeful. On nights when I’ve consumed no alcohol, my sleep appears very restless. On the other hand, I can’t say that I feel significantly better rested on post-alcohol mornings.
Anyway, everything I’ve read says that the concept of “a nightcap to help you sleep” is a flawed concept. But Fitbit seems to disagree. Am I an exception to the rule? What do you think is going on here? —Beery Bedtime
Dear Lucy: I assume I am in perimenopause. I just got my period after 10 months. Does that mean I am ovulating again? My energy level is very low, so I assume my iron is low. I take iron supplements plus a multivitamin, but this period has drained me. Is there anything I can take to feel energized? —Too Tired
Dear Lucy: My house is surrounded by major construction sites, and this will last for several years. Six days a week, the demolition, reconstruction, digging, pounding, and backup beeping begin several hours before I want to wake up. It’s bad enough with storm windows closed in winter; other times of the year, it’s much worse. I can wear headphones while sitting up, but not while lying down. Are there any types of earplugs that might be more effective and suitable for sleeping than the inadequate foam earplugs sold at drugstores? —Sound And Fury
Dear Lucy: Recently I’ve been having prolonged periods of not wanting to do anything and short bursts of extreme motivation. My sleep schedule has been extremely erratic. Does this have something to do with ADHD or bipolar disorder? —Up and Down
Dear Lucy: Does not being overwhelmed with all that is going on in adult life mimic ADHD? When you try to do more than you are able to do and are getting very little done because you are continually going from one thing to another and getting nowhere, couldn’t that cause distraction that might seem like ADHD? Also, does this stress of being overwhelmed make for more illness? —Multitasking
Dear Lucy: I’m a Ph.D. student, and I spend at least eight hours a day in front of my computer. How can I protect my eyes? I have perfect vision, and I’d like to keep it that way. —Twenty-Twenty
Dear Lucy: During the semester when I have a lot to do and am short on time, I take naps (10–20 minutes each) throughout the night. But is it better to take short naps or one long nap? —Cat Napper
