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Fitful nightly sleep linked to chronic inflammation, hardened arteries

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

#251

Post by trentnix »

oarabbus_ wrote: post #168
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...

CPAP resulted in zero benefit to me, you are lucky.

For me it was profound and immediate. My first sleep study was the worst night's sleep of my life. The bed was uncomfortable, the contraption they attach to your head was a nuisance, and the night felt 10 times longer than any other. A few weeks later in the same room in the same bed with the same contraption, but with a CPAP, I immediately had the best night's sleep I'd had in years (and I only slept 5 hours).

I'm grateful it worked for me and hate that it didn't work for you. I hope you find a solution that does work because it will change your life.

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

#252

Post by kaiwen1 »

I had terrible sleeping problems: snoring, waking up choking with a dry mouth, very restless, etc. I saw these[1] nasal dilators for $9 on Amazaon and bought them on a whim. It took a couple of weeks to build a habit of sleeping with my mouth closed and breathing through my nose, but once I did, my sleep (and therefore life) improved dramatically. So simple. I wish I would have figured this out ten years earlier. These probably won't work for most people with sleep disorders, but if the issue is sleeping with an open mouth due to restricted nasal passages, I would definitely give these things a try before settling on more elaborate treatment.

Also, as mentioned here and everywhere, alcohol destroys sleep. I've (mostly) stopped drinking for sleep reasons, and drink nothing at all 1.5 hours before bed.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DSTZ4KM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b...

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

#253

Post by ralf07 »

tim333 wrote: post #217
chubot wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

YES! Read "Jaws" by Kahn [1] to find out why. If you're are familiar at all with Jared Diamond's books ( Guns, Germs, and Steel ) or have read Sapiens , it should be a piece of cake to understand. I bought this book for 4 people with sleep apnea or unresolved dental problems. This book was published in 2018, and it's not yet common knowledge. Doctors I have been to don't get it, I have doctors in my family that don't…

I was interested to discover fairly recently that human jaws don't develop fully if you don't work them by chewing tough stuff growing up. Hence not enough space for wisdom teeth requiring surgical removal and other issues.

Very interesting. I wonder if there are hard and edible chewing gums to give young kids to help with this issue.

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

#254

Post by maayank »

thelittleone wrote: post #188
dlp211 wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide some articles/videos for techniques? I've been a mouth breather my whole life and wonder if I could improve my running performance by switching technique.

These 2 exercises worked for me. I did this 5 days a week (around 15-30 mins) and it took approx 4 weeks to get to a predominantly nose breathing situation. 1. Jog slowly at a pace that is comfortable while breathing through your nose. 2. Speed up pace until you feel like you will need to breathe through your mouth stay there for 10-20 seconds. 3. Slow your pace back down to where it's comfortable. 4. Adjust your pac…

When you say exhale, do you mean from the mouth or nose? Does it matter?

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

#255

Post by BurningFrog »

pwdisswordfish2 wrote: post #205
BurningFrog wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your doctor is WRONG! I spent 2 extra years barely half awake because I thought that, being thin, I could not have sleep apnea. Nor did I wake up gasping. The 4 main risk factors are overweight, being male, over 40, and current or past smoker. But some get it while being 0/4. Sleep apnea is one of the best serious medical conditions you can have, since the CPAP machine fixes it completely, with very minor discomfort!

The CPAP does not "fix it completely" for everyone. That is FALSE. Granted, the machine should make a noticeable difference, but it does not restore "normal" sleep in all patients. I would be interested to see statistics from a "CPAP satisfaction" survey. Instead of solely looking at AHI, ask patients to rate their sleep. There are at least a couple of commenters in this thread who are telling us the CPAP has not res…

Sure, I should have added "for most people" and "almost".

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

#256

Post by nyhc99 »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #126
nyhc99 wrote: post #106

Here's what I wonder, and this is somewhat tangential to the issue-- the effects of cannabis are thought to be disruptive to some of the various stages of the sleep cycle, but at the same time, it can sure help you to achieve a full night of uninterrupted sleep. So in the context of these inflammation problems, I wonder what exactly it is about fitful sleep that leads to these inflammation responses and whether takin…

Wishful thinking. You shouldn’t start with the substance you want to take and work backward to rationalize it. There are plenty of milder, better-researched solutions suitable for longer term use without associated cognitive problems of cannabis. An extremely low dose of Trazodone, for example.

I would describe it more as taking the substance I've already decided to take regularly and speculating on the effects that it might have on various parts of my life. I certainly don't have fitful sleep anymore.

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

#257

Post by Auracle »

tstrimple wrote: post #26
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 your doctor tells you to do a sleep study, do it. All I got in return is a $500 inconclusive.

Mine was a hell of a lot more expensive than that. $3,000. The doctor refused to treat me until I had one, even though my fatigue was the same as it was 10 years ago when I had another sleep study with no issues.

So damned frustrating.

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

#258

Post by irlib »

mancerayder wrote: post #151
mancerayder wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I asked a doctor about it and he said that since I'm not obese nor overweight, and I don't regularly wake up gasping, then I'm not a candidate. I've had fitful sleep as far as I can remember. I wake up (and remember it) probably 4-5 times a night and I've been told I toss and turn all the time. I find if I take a calmant or a substance I can sleep through the night. I have chronic inflammation includes Achilles' pain…

Wow. After reading these comments, I'm definitely going to look into it. I always found the idea of a sleep study (which my insurance btw refused to approve so it'd be out of pocket) annoying because ... heh, well, I was worried I would barely sleep at all in a clinical setting. Ironic, perhaps.

In my case, the sleep study was done at home. I just have to wear some gear at night for a week or something.

Then a week of CPAP machine for free to feel if it's helping (I feel no improvement, although wife said there was no snoring with the machine).

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

#259

Post by odysseus »

dcolkitt wrote: post #222
odysseus wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which one did you get?

Got this low-priced bamboo didgeridoo off Amazon[1] for $35. It's definitely not authentic or the best in the world, but it's surprisingly well constructed and aesthetic. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Meinl-Percussion-DDG1-BK-Didgeridoo-P...

Thanks!

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

#260

Post by irlib »

yohannparis wrote: post #45
throw1234651234 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I am in the USA, and my cheap ass insurance covered the sleep study in full.

CPAP machine, however, is upon deductible, so I have postponed it upon I'll have spent the deductible on something like CT.

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