Living The Zombie Life. Introducing You To Sleep Apnea
Today’s topic is a bit of a change of direction for me, we’re going to discuss sleep apnea. My blog is based around body liberation and mental health, but I have mentioned my struggles with chronic fatigue on occasion. The last ten years since I developed CFS have been rough; I won’t lie. As the days, weeks and months go by I never have a single moment of any day where I don’t feel exhausted and want to go to sleep. Some days are better and some worse, but the tiredness is always there.
Sometimes it’s so hard. Trying to make myself do all the things I need to while feeling like I haven’t slept is a battle. When I couple it with my depression and anxiety, life is an uphill struggle. There are times when I can make myself climb the hill but not always.
When chronic fatigue first struck, I had every test imaginable to figure out what was wrong. My thyroid levels and checks for diabetes and autoimmune disorders were all negative. Next, I went into hospital for a sleep study, nothing. I tried new antidepressants and graded exercise therapy but no improvement! It was unbelievably frustrating. I was walking around like a zombie, and no one could tell me why.
Sleep Apnea
Over the last few years, I started to suspect that I may have developed sleep apnea. It took me a long time to get tested, though, as I couldn’t face another disappointment. Another thing that didn’t take the tiredness away. To my surprise, it came back positive! I’m still waiting to be called back to get a CPAP machine which I hope will make a big difference. I want to share what I’ve learned about this illness. I’ll also pop back in once I get my machine to let you know how much it helps.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition when the muscles at the top of your airway relax and stop you from breathing for a few seconds while you’re asleep. Your body can’t let you stay that way cos, y’know, you’ll die! So it wakes you up to open your airway and restart your breathing.
This can happen multiple times every hour, and in my case, the study reported that I stop breathing 25 times an hour on average. No wonder I’m tired! I’m am literally never getting good-quality, unbroken sleep.
Additional Health Risks
As well as being tired all the time sleep apnea is linked to other serious medical conditions. The main ones are type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. You might say, “duh!” because sleep apnea is exacerbated the fatter you get. Type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and strokes are also more likely if you’re fat, so the weight causes them both, right? Nope! Or at least, not entirely.
Some studies show a link between sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes that is not related to weight. I do believe my weight will be making my sleep apnea worse. However, I have always had trouble with my breathing that is unrelated to it.
- I have asthma
- I can’t breathe through my nose. If I try to breathe in too hard, my nostrils are sucked against my septum and close.
- I’m a mouth breather.
- An ENT doctor told me my nasal airways are inflamed due to allergies and that nothing could be done beyond the meds I was already taking.
I wonder a lot if we look for answers beyond weight that we might find one condition that causes the others like sleep apnea, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Treatment
Lifestyle
- Yes, you guessed it, weight loss! It’s much easier said than done, though and what is the fix for the group of people with sleep apnea who are not overweight?
- Quitting smoking
- Reducing your alcohol intake, especially before bed
- Sleeping on your side. Some sites recommend taping a tennis ball to the back of your pyjamas to stop you from rolling onto your back
So, I’ve already been more than clear in this blog about my attempts to lose weight. It’s not happening and not worth the effect on my mental health. I’ve never smoked, check! I do not ever drink a lot, so that’s good too. I also never sleep on my back. One positive (or possibly negative) about my size is that I have mahoosive boobs. As I don’t fancy being smothered to death by my own jubblies, sleeping on my back is not an option!
Medical
- The most common medical treatment is a CPAP machine. This is a machine that applies pressure through a face mask and forces your airway to stay open
- Some companies make gum guards that adjust your jaw to help maintain your airway
- If the sleep apnea is being caused by physical issues like large tonsils, surgery may be an option
I’m on the waiting list for a CPAP machine, but I may consider buying one myself privately if it isn’t available soon. However, I’m almost scared to try it in case it doesn’t work! I want so badly to feel better.
Positives
I’m trying to maintain a positive outlook, so here are my positives about sleep apnea.
- It’s treatable
- I may know what it’s like to have a good night’s sleep for once!
- If I have been able to keep my life more or less on track and accomplish a lot while tired, then what can I do when I feel more rested?
- My health markers should improve. Good quality sleep is a vital component in good health
- My mental health will improve. Sleep deprivation is one of the risk factors for depression, so I hope my mood will improve too
Stay Tuned
Once I start my treatment, I’ll report back on how it feels to wear the mask, how treatment affects my tiredness and if my health improves. Fingers crossed!
