That's scary. I think everybody gets a little tired or sleepy during a day but fighting to stay awake on a drive home is no bueno. Glad you did something about it. I get a little sleepy during the days when I get four or five hours of sleep but nothing like what you described. I sometimes snore but it's likely allergy related and real low and not constant at all. I have a deviated septum that needs to be fixed and that likely contributes to the issue. Glad you are slumbering away now!
did anybody decide, are talking plugs or pillows? I'm confused. I'm also awake, because I started a bootcamp this week, 5:15 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. four days a week. I guess I could trade the once a day upper for the bootcamp, and come out ahead in physical condition, and lose not too much in $$$. The ultimate would be if I could somehow get sleep, continue the boot camp and drop the upper. tomorrow morning will be interesting, because I wont' go to bootcamp. I'll see how many times I fall asleep in front of the TV or computer tomorrow.
When I had my sleep study, they tried me with both the mask and the nasal pillows. I felt like the pillows were going to blow the back of my head off. I did not like them. The mask bothered me for about a week. Then it was just like, all of a sudden I'm used to it and loving it.
If someone tells you they can get by with less than 6-7 hours of sleep they most likely are fooling themselves. Studies have shown very few people are able to go efficiently with less than 7 and most of us need 8-8.5 hours.
It's great to know I am in the exception group that six or so works for. I can function somewhat normal with five but that extra ninety minutes makes a world of difference. More than that for any period of time drags me down and makes me feel horrible. My body wakes up at seven hours unless exhausted. 8, there goes a wasted groggy day.
Today was the first day without the bootcamp, and I woke up at about 5:00 a.m.. I took the dogs for a walk, and it was heaven. I floated around the neighborhood, because my body was expecting a boot camp I guess. I stayed awake and alert just fine until about noon, when I fell asleep in front of the computer(this is nothing new). Then I stayed awake until after a pretty hearty dinner of my jalapeno meatloaf and mashed potatoes. After my post-dinner nap, I actually had this strange desire to do something, so I went outside and mowed the backyard, of all things. I have much more pep than if I had taken the upper and had not started the bootcamp. Thanks son, I will print out that page and show it to my sleep doctor.
No prob. I am changing sleep docs and have an appt. in about two weeks. I'll post an update afterwards.
http://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks/ These is the mask I use. The only problem I have is if I can hear air escaping. I think I may need the level up and I think the clinic I went to (in Westlake) is gone. I was really skeptical of the clinic I went to because they wanted me to use a CPAP even though I didn't have apnea. During the 6 hours though I got to REM sleep 3 times for about 2 minutes each time. No wonder I was always tired. I still want 9 or 10 hours of sleep, although I rarely get that much. I hate going to bed and I hate getting up!
You guys really have me thinking I am missing something. I went to bed at about 7 this morning as I had plans last night and had to give some people a ride to the Airport. I got up about 1230 and feel great. I don't drink caffeine hardly ever. So does this indicate I don't have apnea or a disorder? I don't like the term disorder, it makes it sound like something bad is wrong with you. I may go to a sleep clinic just to see what they can tell me about my sleep after reading all the above. I do dream a lot and very lucidly but I don't know if that equates to "good" sleep. Y'all have me paranod.
Bat, you might want to check your url. I got a message, "the page you're looking for can't be found." Bat, did you say you only got to REM sleep for a total of 6 minutes with the mask or without? Speaking of dreams, I tend to have nightmares about students. Last night it was something involving students refusing to leave the cafeteria for some reason. ugh, it needs to end. I'm off until August 16.
Lack of sleep may increase stroke risk FWIW And try this link about the mask - kinda funny-looking but comfortable. And I think I get plenty of REM sleep now - the short time was without the CPAP. And try this link:
thanks, I just left a message for my lung doctor. I want to talk to the "mask lady". I read the reviews on your nasal pillows and at least one person recommended the RESMED brand of nasal pillows. In theory the nasal pillows make sense because the mask covering my face bothered me for some reason. I will update this. I'm hoping she has a variety of nasal pillows, so I can see what my options are. This would be a great summer if I could get this sleep thing taken care of.
the news story only had the 400% increase chance of stroke nugget in there. I'm not surprised by that number. 6 hours? ha! I would love to get 6 hours.
I'm stuck on about 7, but my problem is that my body wakes up with natural light, so unless I buy some black-out curtains or something I'm up at 6 a.m. regardless. But going to bed earlier messes everything up - I've been zonked out and fallen asleep around 9 a few times, but I always end up waking up by midnight, and then I'm up for hours. I always wondered if being able to just be knocked out for 10 hours of sleep would recharge me or if it would make any difference at all.
I sleep especially well on days when I've exercised (run) and had a glass of wine at night, which is every night. Exercise + a little wine = immediate snooze. Also, don't worry or think about things too much. Our busy minds can totally jack up sleep.
Dion, I like what you're saying. Several years ago I heard an interview on the Ticket. The Musers were talking to Roger Staubach, and he said he literally broke a sweat every day. He viewed that as part of his plan to stay healthy. One of these years I want to go to that field, wherever that is in Dallas, and watch Staubach play his annual T-Day flag football game. Right now I'm doing pretty good to workout four days a week.
orangecat1, I'd say you're doing great to workout 4x a week. Consistency is everything. I have been running for a long time, and motivation to continue is easy because I just feel so good from it. I also think the mental part is very important. Most of us are busy and have a lot on our minds much of the time, responsibilities and such. Exercise has been shown to help relax both body and mind, and reduce feelings of stress. If I could give one bit of advice about health to anyone it would be: keep moving!
A little over two years ago, I weighed 420+ lbs. and I snored like a BEAST. I would literally wake MYSELF up snoring sometimes. I had severely high blood pressure, and I would wake up with severe headaches. I was constantly tired/sleepy. I also worked 3rd shift (10pm-6:30am), had two boys around age 6-7, not to mention being a single parent. All of that together meant my health was in a steep decline. Then I decided to get Lap Band weight loss surgery. One of the first things my doc did was send me for a sleep study. Sure enough, I had sleep apnea, and they put me on a CPAP machine (FWIW, I used the full face mask because I couldn't sleep without opening my mouth due to severe allergies and nasal stuffiness). I used the machine for a couple of months, during which time I also began to lose weight in preperation for my surgery. I slept better than I had since I was a kid, even though I slept during the day while my boys were in school. About a month before I had my surgery, though, I had a stroke while driving to work. Luckily enough (probably due to the CPAP machine and the weight I had already lost), the stroke was minor enough that I did not have an accident, and I have not had any major complications from the stroke. It's now been almost exactly 2 years since my weight loss surgery. I have lost 180lbs, and am in better shape than when I played football in HS, and my blood pressure is normalized. I even ran a 5k two weeks before my 40th birthday last year. I also got remarried about a year and a half ago. I don't need the CPAP any more either. My main problem with sleep is that I just don't have enough time in the day to get 7-8 hours. I usually get 6 if I'm lucky. I often get between 4-5 during the week, and between 6-7.5 on the weekends. The sleep I do get, though, is the best sleep I've ever gotten. My wife says I don't snore at all any more, and even though I don't get much sleep, I don't stay as tired and grumpy as I used to.
fantastic, veggie!! My problem is kind of weird. I decided to get in shape two years ago, thinking that I would lose weight simply by exercising. I was wrong. I did the same bootcamp I'm doing now. This is a serious, pain in the ***, one hour workout. I chose to go four days a week, which is the max. In the spring of '10, I started training for a half-marathon about the same time I started the bootcamp. In September I ran the Sherman 15k with no stops except for walking through the water stations. Time: 2 hours and a few seconds. In October I completed the Tyler Half-Marathon. I ran the first 10-11 miles without stopping except for the water stations. Then I finished with a combination of running and walking, and of course I made sure I finished running. time: 2 hours 53 minutes. I don't think I ever lost any weight. I'm not the type to weigh myself every day or even every week. I might have lost a tiny bit, but I doubt it. I don't know for sure, but I don't think my apnea ever changed. But now, I think I'm about to go on a diet for the first time ever. That is because this time when I'm doing the bootcamp, I am so very very sore, every day. It's amazing to me how much harder this is than two years ago. I finally decided the other day that I'm just carrying too much weight. I will get a professionally written diet, and now I will see what happens. I just want to get some sleep and be able to get into some kind of decent shape.
interesting, I was cruising the net the other day and found a study I almost certainly qualify for. They're looking for sleep apnea people who can't/won't wear a mask. That's me! I go in fasting Thursday morning for a physical eval. to see if I qualify. They're doing a test with a placebo group and a group testing a drug that is supposed to do something, I guess it's a sleep aid. Part of the study involves dieting info, if I get that far I will be making a food diary, and I suppose get a certain amount of exercise, and I will be given a pedometer. Should be very interesting. I hope I make it.
..and I didn't make it. My lipace and amylase levels were very high, and today I had a CT. (looking at the pancreas).
