Why am I so tired all the time?

After being teased about my how many log cabins I built during the night or "I forgot you were home and couldn't figure out what that noise was until I remembered you were sleeping in the next room" and all the other jokes that go with being a person who snores, I have learned a lot about sleep apnea. Apparently sleep apnea is not something to be taken lightly. Some people have it very severely. I have recently done a sleep study and learned that I do have a case of sleep apnea however I don't know the exact severity of it at this point. I asked the technician who monitored my sleep during the night and all he could tell me was that I woke myself up from lack of oxygen for about 10 seconds each time and this happened approximately 80 times within the first 6 hours of my night. So, from what I understand this means I should qualify for what they call the CPAP as described below.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy uses a machine to help a person who has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) breathe more easily during sleep. A CPAP machine increases air pressure in the throat so your airway does not collapse when you breathe in. You use CPAP at home every night while you sleep.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for sleep apnea

MY SLEEP STUDY --

I had a sleep study done at the Billings Clinic in Miles City, Montana. I haven’t yet met with my doctor to discuss the results of my sleep study however I asked the person who monitored my sleep at the sleep lab (Ed) and he stated that I woke up 80 times, approximately stopping breathing for 10 seconds each time, between the hours of 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM. At that point, he asked me to try sleeping with a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). I really do hope that a CPAP will give me the best sleep I have had in years, if ever. I have always snored loudly for as long as I can remember. I had a sleep study done 10 years ago and I woke up once every hour at that time and it wasn’t enough to determine whether it was actually sleep apnea and insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of a CPAP. I am really hopeful that this will give me more energy and a restful sleep. I will post more on on my sleep study after I have met with my doctor.

So, my third challenge is to get restful sleep so I wake up feeling rested and ready for the day. I am really tired of feeling tired all the time. Wish me luck with this challenge.

For more information on Sleep Apnea and Sleep Studies, visit http://www.billingsclinic.com/body.cfm?id=539 or you can read more information on my personal blog at http://amygoble.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/sleep-apnea/.