Apparently I'm "mildly abnormal"
Feb. 22nd, 2014 10:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drwexI thought I had written about going for a sleep study, but seems like not.
People near me have been pushing me to get a study for years. I sleep less than normal - like 5.5-6 hours/night - and there are no meds approved for early waking that isn't co-present with depression. Most people who have sleep problems have problems falling asleep, or wake up. People with common sleep problems such as apnea or restless limbs sleep a normal amount but wake up still feeling tired. I wake up feeling like I've slept but man I wish I could sleep more hours.
The thing that tipped me into finally getting it done was discovering that having untreated sleep apnea raises one's risk of congestive heart failure by 20-30%. I got my physician to schedule one for early this month and the results just got mailed to me. As noted, I'm "mildly abnormal" but my apnea is not sufficient to recommend treatment unless it gets worse or I have other symptoms. Which, see above, I don't.
On the one hand that's reassuring. I wasn't looking forward to trying to adapt to sleeping with a mask, not to mention the effect of the noise on Pygment. On the other hand, it leaves me with no options for getting more good sleep.
I was amused to read that "REM supine sleep was not achieved" to which I said "no shit, Sherlock." How anyone can sleep at all with that level of crap glued to and wrapped around them is beyond me. I normally sleep pretty deeply but between all the sensors, the breathing bands, the crap hospital bed, and the overheated stuffy room there was no way I was going to get a real night's rest.
People near me have been pushing me to get a study for years. I sleep less than normal - like 5.5-6 hours/night - and there are no meds approved for early waking that isn't co-present with depression. Most people who have sleep problems have problems falling asleep, or wake up. People with common sleep problems such as apnea or restless limbs sleep a normal amount but wake up still feeling tired. I wake up feeling like I've slept but man I wish I could sleep more hours.
The thing that tipped me into finally getting it done was discovering that having untreated sleep apnea raises one's risk of congestive heart failure by 20-30%. I got my physician to schedule one for early this month and the results just got mailed to me. As noted, I'm "mildly abnormal" but my apnea is not sufficient to recommend treatment unless it gets worse or I have other symptoms. Which, see above, I don't.
On the one hand that's reassuring. I wasn't looking forward to trying to adapt to sleeping with a mask, not to mention the effect of the noise on Pygment. On the other hand, it leaves me with no options for getting more good sleep.
I was amused to read that "REM supine sleep was not achieved" to which I said "no shit, Sherlock." How anyone can sleep at all with that level of crap glued to and wrapped around them is beyond me. I normally sleep pretty deeply but between all the sensors, the breathing bands, the crap hospital bed, and the overheated stuffy room there was no way I was going to get a real night's rest.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-23 08:11 pm (UTC)That's a comparatively recent development, like within the last 2-3 years. Prior to that I didn't seem to need or want the extra sleep.
ETA: there's some evidence that short sleep runs in my family so this may just be 'the way I am'. However, it didn't manifest itself until about 9 or so years ago. So that's kind of odd.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-23 08:43 pm (UTC)I would suggest paying attention to sleep hygiene issues, which a book such as Say Goodnight to Insomnia ought to go over in detail. (N.B. that I haven't been taking my own advice on this.) I haven't read Gregg's book but, knowing his opinions on insomnia, I think you should read it.
Yay for ruling out apnea! Agreed, you don't want to be dealing with CPAP if you don't have to.