Sleep Apnea concern - Sleep Disorders Message Board

Replicon · 12-29-2007, 12:20 AM

Hi,

I'm trying to find out how concerned I should be about sleep apnea. I'm finding that I'm tired too often. Especially near the end of the day. Or if a bunch of us go out after work, I find myself spacing out more than I am contributing to the socializing, etc.

There's a really good chance that this is because I'm a bit lazy getting to bed in time (I try to get up at 6, but even when I make it to bed by 11, it's really hard to get up... ugh...)

I'm thinking, I'll devote the coming weeks to being super strict about a 10pm bedtime (which should give me 8 hours), and if even a strict schedule is not enough, I'll go for the sleep study. But where can one draw the line between "Hmm, maybe I just need more hours of sleep" and "Hmmm, I probably have sleep apnea"? I know I snore sometimes, but no one has ever reported me stopping breathing and then gasping (though I never asked, and it's not like they're monitoring me at night).

What are other signs I should look out for?

cheers!

Replicon · 12-29-2007, 12:29 AM

Oh yeah, one more quick question: If you have a CPAP, doesn't it totally dry out your mouth and throat by pushing all that air through it? Especially when you have a cold, and your nose is stuffed at night...

Snoopy61 · 12-29-2007, 06:07 AM

You can get a built in humidifier with a CPAP- you can adjust the humidity so, no, you don't get a dry throat or mouth. The CPAP is quite compact.

The hallmark sign of Sleep Apnea is daytime sleepiness. Other things: morining headaches, concentration problems, irritability, possible weight gain or loss with no other reason.

Sleep Apnea is so very different than being tired from lack of sleep, busy schedules or busy social lives. Sleep Apnea is a total lack of energy and the need to sleep throughout the day but never, ever feeling like the sleep is restorative.

By the time I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea it had become a quality of life issue. Just being able to shower was an effort and about the only thing I could accomplish that day. I was not able to take care of basic cleaning of my home.

My case may be extreme because this had been going on for 2 years before I realized I needed help - I had other health issues which clouded the issue of fatigue.

If you believe you may have a sleep disorder I recommend seeking the help of your doctor and getting a sleep study.

This link will give you information about sleep apnea.....
[url]http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sleep_apnea/sleep_apnea.htm[/url]

Replicon · 12-29-2007, 09:06 PM

Thanks for the info! I'm wondering, what does the sleep study consist of? Do you just go to sleep at some clinic, with electrodes and stuff, and they tell you if you have those gaspy wake-ups and stuff?

Whether I'm "always too tired to focus" or "just not getting enough sleep" is a tough thing to figure out myself, as I don't really have a basis for comparison hehe.

nora01 · 12-30-2007, 06:59 PM

my husband has sleep apnea and it was me who pushed him to get a sleep study done.

He snored loudly but the main concern I had was that his breathing would stop and then he would cough and start all over again. Basically this causes not good sleep as there is no REM sleep.

Questions to ask your self are:

Am I snoring? (ask some one to tell you)
Do I wake up multiple times during the night
Even if I sleep 5 or 10 hours a night do I not feel rested

There's probably more that you could find on a detailed web site on sleep apnea.

Also, drinking caffeine late in the day or alcohol late at night can disrupt your self.

Good luck & I hope you can get some better sleep soon