Sleepy after diving

[Tortuga James]

I was reading the "wonder gas" thread when I happened upon Wreckedinri's post where he wrote

"As for feeling better, stronger, less sleepy after diving with NITROX my first inclination is to say BULL CRAP"

It got me thinking, I find myself very sleepy the evening after a day of diving. I just assumed it was because I usually get up early, the boat ride, the sun and the couple of beers afterwards on the boat ride home. I get almost narcoleptic after a 3 tank day.

The other day, I left work around lunch, drove to the quarry did two fairly shallow dives (45') and then came home. I fell asleep in my chair right after dinner trying to read. I remember wondering if it was any part of the diving that made me sleepy.

Does diving make you sleepy and if so, what is the physiology behind it?

 

[mynamehere]

i did a three tank dive in pompano in januuary --->, unloaded my gear, ate, showered, went to bed.

asleep by eight o clock. whew.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

In Cozumel, the mornings that we did two-tank boat dives, I would come back and be sooo sleepy. One day, we did two-tank dives, and then had lunch and went back out for a third dive. I came back from that third dive totally energized! I wonder if the way we breathe underwater, (very close to how we breathe when we sleep) isn't responsible for that sleepy feeling...

 

[Paco]

Yes, when I haven´t dived in a while it makes me sleepy. When I dive frequently I don´t notice this. I don´t know the phisiology behind it, however.

 

[do it easy]

I've woken up on the floor a few times and it's not because of the beer. I've noticed a few factors 1) dramamine/meclazine, 2) cold, and 3) long exposures.

The last time, I did 3 quarry dives, max depth was 45' for 15 minutes and the rest of the time was spent around 20', maybe 2 - 2.5 total time underwater. Water temp was 50F. I came home and fell asleep on the floor for 5 hours. :11: In my case, I don't think it's DCS related, since the dives were so shallow, although we did do the 45' part at the beginning of the last dive.

 

[Tortuga James]

I fell asleep sitting at the bar before finishing my second beer at the beach tavern after a 3 tank day. The bartender cut me off. I tried to explain that I had been diving all day and was not drunk. She kept saying, you don't appear to be impaired, but falling asleep at the bar is an automatic cut-off!!

 

[wreckedinri]

I think it's has alot to do with diving being alot of work! Just the act of our bodies trying to maintain it's core temp uses a bunch of energy. I'm sure someone smarter than me can more accurately explain why we are often tired after diving.

And am I the only one who could eat a Bear after a couple of long cold dives?

Be Safe,
Dennis

 

[DiverLS]

It's the nitrogen in your body. I go on 3 day boat dives. The first night everyone stays up and meets old friends. On the second night about half of divers are up past 8:00. On the third night - only one or two die hards are still awake.

Then I did 3-4 dives a day for 6 days in the Galapagos Islands with Nitrox. Not only was I awake until about 9 or 10 each night, the munchies didn't attack me.

One thing to remember - you can fall asleep at the wheel! I did that once. Luckily I woke up before the truck barelling toward me didn't hit me in his lane. :light: Now I find the closest Motel 6 and hole up for the night. (Why spend a lot when all you need to do is get horizontal?) I can't drive from S. Cal to my home in Reno anyway so it's not worth saving a few $$ at one 60 miles from the coast. Plus I get to see the ocean one more morning.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

And am I the only one who could eat a Bear after a couple of long cold dives?

My post-dive routine goes something like this:
1. Beer
2. Rinse Gear and Hang
3. Shower
4. HUGE goblet of iced tea and the biggest cheeseburger I can find!
5. Nap Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

 

[Warren_L]

I tend to get sleepy after diving too. Doesn't matter much what gas I'm breathing, air or otherwise.