Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries • Hacker News Board

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#41

Post by balfirevic » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:11 PM UTC

SaintGhurka wrote: post #23

If your doctor tells you to do a sleep study, do it. If, as a result, they tell you to get a CPAP, get it. Those things are life-changing. I felt like an old man at 50 years old. My back was so stiff I couldn't put on my socks. When I got out of bed in the morning I felt so fragile, like my joints were all inflamed - especially my Achilles' tendons. I was too tired to do anything beyond 6 pm. Now, 51, I feel totally…

I wonder if it would be helpful to allow people who experience sleep issues to just get a CPAP machine and try it out, instead of having to go through a sleep study.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#42

Post by crispyporkbites » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:11 PM UTC

trentnix wrote: post #17

If this describes you, go get a sleep study done. A CPAP has completely changed the quality of my sleep. Even short sleep nights are deep and restful. Now I just need to get my diet under control and exercise regularly...

Wouldn’t getting your diet under control and exercising regularly be a lot easier/cheaper/better for you in the long run?

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#43

Post by odiroot » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:12 PM UTC

SaintGhurka wrote: post #23

If your doctor tells you to do a sleep study, do it. If, as a result, they tell you to get a CPAP, get it. Those things are life-changing. I felt like an old man at 50 years old. My back was so stiff I couldn't put on my socks. When I got out of bed in the morning I felt so fragile, like my joints were all inflamed - especially my Achilles' tendons. I was too tired to do anything beyond 6 pm. Now, 51, I feel totally…

If only it was so easy. I was told, in Germany, I have to wait 2+ months for the next appointment.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#44

Post by hinkley » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:12 PM UTC

hinkley wrote: post #34

kzrdude wrote: post #5

I didnt sleep enough for all my teens and student years, and ended up with an autoimmune disease. Taking sleep and other health seriously has been a big part of getting myself back in working shape.

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, he said: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

That quote and watching him interact with Desmond Tutu like they are school-aged BFFs are my favorite things about the Dalai Lama.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#45

Post by yohannparis » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:12 PM UTC

throw1234651234 wrote: post #36

zoopdewoop wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why did you even comment this? He's saying the upside is worth it. I also got an inconclusive, but my dad has apnea and a sleep study basically changed his life. The possibility of that is clearly worth 500$

Because to some people $500 is a lot and doctor visits are often useless. "See a doctor" is default advice, but it can be very expensive advice.

This a USA healthcare problem, and you should flag it as such.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#46

Post by randlet » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:13 PM UTC

dunefox wrote: post #2

Colour me concerned. I sleep badly and don't do much sport.

As general rule of thumb exercising close to exhaustion 4-6 times a week will greatly improve your ability to sleep and overall mental well being.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#47

Post by teekert » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:16 PM UTC

Wistar wrote: post #32

johnmorrow wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Native speaker and you saved me the effort!

Yeah, "fitful" is a word that sounds good but isn't.

Ha! Same here! I though that it must be something like that link between relief of depression and sleep deprivation. Turns out, fitful is not related to being fit or to a full night of sleep, but more to throwing a fit.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#48

Post by istorical » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:25 PM UTC

Radical dietary change can lead to huge differences in experiential quality of life and sleep as well.

Chronic dietary inflammation (which just means foods that your body doesn't like) can have a whole host of subtle effects you would never notice until they are absent.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#49

Post by SaintGhurka » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:25 PM UTC

balfirevic wrote: post #41

SaintGhurka wrote: post #23

If your doctor tells you to do a sleep study, do it. If, as a result, they tell you to get a CPAP, get it. Those things are life-changing. I felt like an old man at 50 years old. My back was so stiff I couldn't put on my socks. When I got out of bed in the morning I felt so fragile, like my joints were all inflamed - especially my Achilles' tendons. I was too tired to do anything beyond 6 pm. Now, 51, I feel totally…

I wonder if it would be helpful to allow people who experience sleep issues to just get a CPAP machine and try it out, instead of having to go through a sleep study.

I've wondered that, too. Between my insurance company and me, we spent a combined $1000 on deciding whether I should get one. That's more than a low-end unit costs.

Re: Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

#50

Post by benwilson-512 » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 6:27 PM UTC

SaintGhurka wrote: post #23

If your doctor tells you to do a sleep study, do it. If, as a result, they tell you to get a CPAP, get it. Those things are life-changing. I felt like an old man at 50 years old. My back was so stiff I couldn't put on my socks. When I got out of bed in the morning I felt so fragile, like my joints were all inflamed - especially my Achilles' tendons. I was too tired to do anything beyond 6 pm. Now, 51, I feel totally…

And even if you're young, if you find yourself waking up at night with your heart racing, excessive snoring, etc, get it checked out. I got a CPAP machine at 20, and it's hard to overstate the impact. You can even just straight up buy them these days and adjust the settings yourself, sometimes the insurance premium on the sleep study is as high as the cost of the machine.