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He sleeps good night time but when he is not active daytime he falls asleep. He has diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol. his diabetes is under control with the medicine, he eats good and he is very strong but he is sleepy all the time.

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Rosaina, I do the same thing when I sit down to watch TV in the middle of the afternoon, after awhile I fall asleep.... some day I hope to see the whole Dr. Phil show :P

This all happened when I was diagnosed with hypertension and was put on blood pressure pills.... those darn pills made me so sleepy... eventually I was able to cut my dosage, but there are still days when I come home from work I will doze off... but then again, I am pushing 70.
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As a nurse and with a spouse with similar issues my suggestions
BP medicine can cause lassitude and fatigue sometimes to a debilitating point. Check BP when he is feeling so tired as it could be fairly low.
Sleep apnea causes daytime sleepiness even after what appears to be a great night sleep.
Certainly stimulation can help. My man says it is the chair he sits in to watch TV- he falls asleep however he has a multitude of medical conditions and he watches a lot of TV which is a passive activity.
I would look at the BP medicine first then watch his breathing when he sleeps- does he seem to hold his breath and then sort of gasp and take in a deep breath followed by shallower and shallower breaths until not breathing and then gasping and doing it again. This can be with or without snoring.
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My dad can fall asleep anywhere anytime. My mom used to wish she could do that and so do I. Dad has chf and Parkinson's. I try to keep him busy. Even tried to hire a companion to take him places, but after the first day he didn't want that. It is hard. I'm the only one and just can't keep him busy all day with all my other responibilities. But I try...
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my husband does too - He is on medicine that makes him do that - if I take him out and do something then he is o.k. so being bored is sometimes the answer also.
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Does your dad feel rested in the mornings? Does he get up without too much trouble? Maybe he's not breathing well as he sleeps at night and that makes him sleep during the day or he could be depressed. We are exploring that with my cousin. She likes to sleep in late and nap a lot.
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My husband falls asleep quite often, sitting in or outside at home, car, restaurant, even in conversations with others. While sleeping talks a lot of nonsense. I have an appointment to take him to a neurologist this week. He has many serious health issue such as type I diabetes, vascular disease, pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnea, three heart attacks and he is only 58 years old. With the numerous amounts of medications that he is on, it is difficult to know which medications could be causing his sleep issues. I am also looking into seeing an internist to evaluate his medications. It is so sad to see him like this as well as experiencing him being in constant pain....I feel so helpless!
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Rosiana, try looking up the side effects of all the medications he is taking that may give you a clue. I am on lot of medications and find myself doing the same thing. it got so bad i would be typing on my computer and just fall asleep sitting up. an afternoon nap was standard even though i slept well at night and do not have sleep apnea. I just could not be bothered to do anything even eat. I saw a neurologist and he recommended I start physical therapy and that has made the world of difference to my strength, endurance and motivation. i still get tired and after an exhausting day need a nap but not everyday and slowly i am getting back into a routine. so talk to all his Drs and try and motivate him to exercise and eat well and try not to worry, it is party a matter of self motivation. I am 75 by the way and have always been very active. A serious illness last oct just knocked all the stuffing out of me.
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Veronica91, same identical things happens to me whenever I am on the computer... doze off in my office chair.

You are right about needing to exercise.... had the stuffing knocked out me too, from cancer.... never did return to being my old self, was terrified it would return.... guess constantly looking over one's shoulder isn't consider exercise :P

I need to get out and walk !!
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Sounds like his hypertensive or cholesterol medication is too sedating. NO, this is not a normal sleep cycle for a 73 yr. old, so speak with his doctor about lowering the dosage or taking him off those meds. Try others, or get him in an exercise program. Someone with diabetes and hypercholesterol problems is diet related. Reduce the amount he eats, get more exercise and check with his doctor. Good luck!
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ram21843, as the posts in this thread suggest, there may various reasons for daytime sleepiness. You mention when he sits in his chair -- how about when he sits on a couch or at the dining table? Does he fall asleep at work?

How many hours total does he sleep a day? I guess I would not consider it abnormal for a healthy 72 yo who still works to take naps from time to time.
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