Sleep Apnea.
 

So I have it, my dad has it. It sucks, I've been lacking in proper sleep for as long as I can remember, I rarely enter a stage of sleep where I can actually dream, or remember dreaming. (maybe twice a year)

my next door neighbor can hear me snore on some occasions if I'm more tired than usual.

it sucks. I don't really have the means to make it go away either.

meanwhile there is a device that looks like a jock strap for your face and apparently has crappy reviews.

anyone know a way to deal with it without the involvement of massive debt? lol.

I use a CPAP now (machine) and I'm dreaming again for the first time in years. My insurance covered all but about $100.

Some of the cheaper machines are "less" effective, if they work at all, in my experience.

My father had it too and as far as I know your only options are to use a CPAP or lose weight.

Good luck.

I went to a sleep study last year and found I was borderline. The doctor didn't want to diagnose me with it since it will incur "previous condition" in the future and potential other burdens like having to sleep with a cpap machine.

Losing weight was the bigger suggestion.

back to the gym then I suppose.

I'll probably be more motivated this round since I just enrolled in school as well. I find that being active kind of builds momentum for continuing to be active at least.

My dad uses the air machine. His first one is probably the jock strap one you mentioned. He now has a new one that he likes much better. It has things that actually sit in the entrance of his nose. Since the use of the machine he sleep through the night and my mom does not worry for his life every night.

I have a good client with it - actually he used to have it. A few years ago we traveled to Boston together for a meeting, and he had to lug his machine around (this is probably 2002 or so). It took up half his suitcase, and he bitched about it most of the trip, including during the big meeting we were in to folks who'd met him 30 minutes before.

About 4 years ago his daughter was diagnosed with leukemia (she's fine now), and after her recovery, he got involved in one of the exercise programs to raise money for research. Apparently it was her suggestion, but he's dropped a bunch of weight (I'd guess about 75 lbs.). More importantly, he hasn't needed to use his machine in a few years.

So, yeah, hit the gym, fattie. ;) It will do more than make you look buff.

I've got it really bad! When I took the sleep study, I woke up 50 times and hour. I needed to sleep 12 hours to get 8 hours rest. I've been using the cpap for abut 9 months now. Love it! Well, only because I feel so rested when I wake up. I have none of the outward signs that I would have it, so it totally surprised my doctor. Losing weight is an option, but didn't help me at all. The cpap is the way to go. I'll never complain about it either, since I feel like a human again.

yeah the problem is, sleep apnea is probably more contributing to my overweight factor than anything. I dunno Micheal Moore lost a crapload of weight and he was talking about it, basically something he said kind of drew my attention to it. He was talking about how having a good sleep schedule is important. If you stay up late and act like a rock star all the time thats one thing, but if you're just up late cuz you're watching infomercials or surfing the internet/video gaming, you're probably more prone to eat during that extra time of being awake. You wont get enough rest, thus your body will want to eat more, plus, you can't eat when you're asleep.

I have it too. Worse thing is that my sleep apnea doesn't seem to account for all of my tiredness (doc says I have a mild case). So it looks like in addition to my apnea and my migraines/seizures I have some kind of rarer sleep disorder (or maybe they're all connected). Good news is that its caused by adnoids or whatever that area is in the back of your mouth so surgery may be an option (I should be getting a consult soon).

I have a CPAP machine, but it totally blows (hehe). That is, its really uncomfortable and expensive and I can't really get it to work for me. Can't fall into a deep sleep with it on. So damned if I do and damned if I don't.

This is true mainly about eating habits. You get hungrier if your awake during the designated 6-8 hours of sleep. In the morning I wake up STARVING. I however am ok if I stayed up late. So I try hard not to eat after 9. And for my metabolism that is indeed very difficult.

/threadjack.

Shauk, if you jave the cash to front it then get on nutrisystem. I would never wantonly endorse a TV program. Nutrisystem works for the short term goals you would want it for, which is to loose weight and sleep better. If you sleep better you will have more resolve and strength to wake up in the morning and go to the gym. In the meantime though, try sleeping sitting up.

Another thing I thought of is those breathe right strips. They help smrt with his snoring and his minor sleep apnea. I can tell he is breathing much better when he wears them. It would be a short term, and much cheaper alternative to the breathing machines.

All I know is that my dad's health insurance went way up after getting the breathing machine because sleep apnea puts you at a much higher risk for high blood pressure and strokes etc, even though he uses his machine daily.

Oh also, forgot to ad a tip. Seems obvious so I'm sure you've thought of it, but just the same. Even though its worse for your neck, prop your head up with extra pillows and/or sleep on your side. Can help a ton for some people like me. Not sure if it'd help as much when it has to do with weight though.