Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Sleep much??

Well I found out some interesting information this morning.

I don't recall if I blogged about it or not. I went and had a sleep study done about a month ago. That experience in itself should have a post devoted to it. I don't have time, though! LOL

I have been wondering why I am so tired, need to nap most days, don't feel rested when I rise and have worse "brain fog" than ever! Everything was made clear to me today when I went to meet with the Dr. and have my results explained to me.

Apparently, at least the night I had the study done, I woke about 95 times in five hours! I stopped breathing most of those times and my blood oxygen level went as low as 82%. They said that I actually turned blue once and was not breathing for almost 18 seconds, when I guess I started again. It took me 54 minutes to get to sleep in the first place (I usually have issues with falling asleep and there it was much worse!) and I guess I woke up an average of 16.5 times an hour! NO BLOODY WONDER I don't feel rested.

I was there for 11 hours and actually "slept" for almost five. The rest of the time I was fully awake. I only remember waking up three times, and many nights here at home I wake up as many as ten times. Of course these are times that I am aware of. Clearly I am waking many more times than that! The interesting thing was after the study when she woke me up and was asking questions, I said that I felt like I slept for five hours, but that I did not get five hours of restful sleep. I had no idea how accurate I would be! I thought it would end up being 7 or 8 hours.

So I obviously need a CPAP. This will be hard to get used to, but I am SO EXCITED at the idea of actually sleeping soundly and getting restful sleep. I can't imagine! WOW! Another plus will be remembering things better:) I am hoping to lose some weight also. The main reason I even checked into this in the first place was because of an article I read about people who used to be slender and then gained weight with no explanation. That is me! My thyroid is still unbalanced and I know that, plus my age and metabolism slowing certainly add to it. I am wondering if getting a great sleep will increase my energy and therefore my activity level. I find it odd that I had more energy and was still slim just five or six years ago when I had small kids and toddler and was up in the night nursing babies. You would think that THEN I would be tired and have more brain fog.

So there it is. Pretty weird to think that I stop breathing at all, let alone for that long! I will try and update on my machine when I get it and be better about updating in general.

My kids all came back on Sunday night and I am just thrilled:) More on that soon!

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

6 comments:

clairesgarden said...

waking up all the time at night is not good, you must feel exhausted, hope you get it sorted out successfully.

The Ramblin Irishman said...

It is a good thing you had the test done. I will be watching to see what the doctor prescribes since I have the same problem but not as bad. I have to have a jolt of Pepsi or Dr Pepper before I can get going. Cheryl says I scare her at nights because I stop breathing plus all the jerking I do in my sleep. (Fighting all those evil demons coming to get me you know.) Best of luck kiddo and keep me posted as to what the doctor does for you. Oh by the way I don't think mini kilts will be too big of a hit. The legs, the legs. Now there might be some men who get turned on by viewing those legs.:))

Jude said...

Wow! I'm glad you've finally pinned it though hon, and can do something about it. Please keep us posted how it all goes for you okay?

Monika said...

Oh my, no wonder you feel tired and not well rested! I hope you can get the CPAP machine soon, and that it will help you sleep (and not stop breathing, yikes!)

sydwynd said...

The Wife tells me I stop breathing in my sleep as well. But I don't wake often in the night.

Hopefully they can get you all hooked up so you can get good sleep again.

Lowa said...

Claire- Trust me I DO feel exhausted:( It is horrible. Then I feel lazy cause I need to nap, which often doesn't help much. My doc actually diagnosed me with depression, which I thought was silly. I don't feel the slightest bit depressed and I really wondered about that and started researching on my own. Then I ran across that article and the rest is history! I cannot wait to get this machine and sleep well. I am so relieved that I found out what was wrong!

Tim-You need to go get things checked out. The jerking in your sleep causes not great sleep as well. They said I didn't do any of that and I was sure that I didn't. I do snore, apparently because of all this. Stud always told me I don't, but he sleeps so soundly (JERK) that he wouldn't have a clue. I have been suspecting that I don't get into a deep sleep since I wake to any noise and am constantly getting up to pee. I am sure if I slept deeper, that would not happen! It certainly didn't used to happen to me. Really, it wouldn't hurt to go see what all is going on with you. Does the twitching in your sleep cause you to have a less restful sleep?? If you need a jolt of something in the morning...maybe you should check into it?? Stopping breathing at all is NOT GOOD!

Jude-I KNOW! Yes, I certainly will. As I said, I am relieved to know. Pretty annoyed at my Dr. but that is how it is. We need to figure things out on our own, don't we?? Sheesh!

Mon- I KNOW!! Scary and weird. I CANNOT WAIT to sleep 2 or 3 hours with no interruptions:) It sounds like pure bliss! Hope the move is going well!

Vince- DUDE! DO SOMETHING! I didn't think I was waking much either. I mean a few times yes and I had memories of the good old days when I went to bed and just slept and woke up in the morning. Good old memories. If you stop breathing at all, you are not getting restful sleep. Please check into it! Maybe you think you feel fine, but imagine how much better you would feel if there was something that could be done. I just wonder what changed to cause this to happen. I was in such shock from the results that I didn't think to ask! LOL