posted on August 9, 2000 05:28:49 AM
I just got back from a hospital sleep study. Maybe they should call them lack of sleep studies because that is what they are doing it for.
I counted 11 times I woke up in the night but the technician said I woke up many more times than that.
I just want to know if anyone else out there is waking up numerous times at night?
I thought I was sleeping normally until people started to remark on how tired I looked in the mornings.
Any ideas?
Scroll down to Oxford's post on Nov. 16 at 7.58 a.m., and OK2's post right after. I guess I never forgot the thread because of OK2's rather vivid description.
posted on August 9, 2000 10:14:17 AM
tegan OMG can I ever relate to this one!!!
I can count on one hand the number of times I've slept through the night in the last 10 years... I haven't used an alarm clock in 20 years, with the exception of setting it for early morning flights just to be sure.
I used to wake up and 'wander' over a dozen times a night... just wander. I remember sleep-walking as a child and often wonder if this is going to be a lifelong thing. When I moved out here from LA, the number of awakenings did dramatically decrease, probably because of the alleviation of a lot of stresses in my life, like my ex, lol... but I was still waking and wandering, just not as much... maybe 8 to 10 times a night. Then several months ago, I saw my doctor for an intense flu that was keeping me up at night even more and he gave me some kind of codeine syrup that I guzzled every night and it knocked me out.. was wonderful... slept through the night a few times! And I used it all up until my refills were gone. Since then it has decreased even more... now I'm only up and wandering maybe 3 or 4 times a night, sometimes less.
If you hear of a cure-all, please post it... I've tried sleeping pills, warm milk, etc etc etc but I think I'm doomed to be a lifelong night-wanderer.
posted on August 9, 2000 11:24:32 AM
It was kind of funny.The technican was in the next room monitoring and threw an empty plastic bottle in the trash can and was shocked when it woke me up. He said he was afraid to move after that because he didn't want to wake me up and mess up the study.
He did say I woke up more during the night than anyone he has ever seen.
Kiheicat...At least if I sleep walked I'd be getting some exercise sure could use that.
My brother used to sleep walk..once my two evil oldest brothers woke him up at two in the morning and told him it was time for school. He walked two miles barefoot before my dad driving around in the car found him. It was winter and there was snow on the ground he could have really been hurt.
(See what I mean by evil)
The only thing that gives me a good night sleep is Nyquil.But I'll get back to you if they have any better solutions.
But then I thought I only woke up 11 times.
i don't think I would know a good nights sleep if I had one.
posted on August 9, 2000 12:03:55 PM
I sleep more easily with a fan going in the room (white noise) and a feather-filled pillow over my head, which blocks out a lot of extra noise in the room. It's like a little coccoon. An important point is to use a pillow filled with down or feathers because it can contour to your head, while the synthetic pillows are less moldable and won't do the trick.
posted on August 9, 2000 12:51:45 PM
Insomnia is also a syptom of a form (there are several) of A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) and Bipolar (manic depression.)
posted on August 9, 2000 01:10:48 PM
Nor is insomnia/recurrent awakening to be taken lightly just because it makes you feel tired.
I have fibromyalgia (FMS). Nobody knows what causes it, but research now indicates it's a neurochemical problem relating to, among other things, serotonin. My symptoms, which are greatly exacerbated by lack of sleep, include unbelievable fatigue, chronic pain (feels like a bone's broken) that is unrelieved by ANY pain medication, muscle spasms, migraines, blurred vision, irritable bowel syndrome, "female trouble," and cognitive and memory problems. Quality of life is estimated by med profs at significantly WORSE than with severe rheumatoid arthritis; it is the second most common "joint" ailment (although it doesn't affect the joints) after arthritis, and about 5% of the population is estimated to have it. Most of us are women between 35-50. There is no cure. I can be perfectly fine at 6AM and unable to talk by dinnertime.
Although there may be a link between severe trauma (e.g. auto accident) and the onset of FMS, extended sleep disturbance appears to be a major contributor as well. It has been observed in numerous studies that the symptoms of FMS are easily replicated by depriving the subjects of REM sleep for a period of only 2 weeks.
Please, folks, take care of yourselves. Keep to a regular sleep schedule. Sleep in a place that's sufficiently quiet and dark. If your partner wakes you up (either because she snores or YOU do), make new sleeping arrangements. Don't drink or drug yourself into unconsciousness; you won't get the serotonin-restoring REM sleep you need. And talk to a doctor who takes your problem seriously!.
posted on August 9, 2000 03:46:03 PM
HCQ brought up an interesting point... sleeping in the dark. I can't STAND it completely dark... have to have at least one little light, even if it's in the next room. And I'll kick the sheets until my feet are uncovered, and wrestle with 3 or 4 pillows to make them 'just right'... my son sometimes makes my bed all nice and neat for me and it looks like a war zone in the morning, lol
posted on August 9, 2000 06:56:42 PM
I like to sleep! I usually sleep right through the night -- but I also have to have it completely dark and NO NOISE! No TV, radio, anything.
My ex liked to watch TV to go to bed -- I wouldn't allow a TV in the bedroom (LOL maybe that's why he's my ex!)
The very few times a year I can't sleep through the night - I feel it for the next few days! Takes a long time for me to recover!
I am not a morning person after a good night's sleep, so after a bad night -- RUN! Run as fast as you CAN! (Preferably to the nearest Dunkin Donuts to get me a medium regular!)
posted on August 9, 2000 09:25:58 PM
lol willby... I ALWAYS fall asleep with the TV on! If I'm restless I'll make it through Seinfeld, Nightline, and Politically Incorrect, but usually I fall asleep in the middle of one of those. Sometimes I don't even make it past the 10 o'clock news.
posted on August 12, 2000 07:08:34 PM
Wow, this thread sure hit a nerve and woke me up
My dad has C.O.P.D. (Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease which is severe emphysema and then some) and has severe sleep apnea. He has been in & out of the hospital more than a half dozen times in the past year.
What happens is his CO2 level gets too high which is dangerous because he could stop breathing at any moment. Thanks to a sharp pulmonologist, his sleep apnea was properly diagnosed. It turns out the COPD wasn't as big of a problem as the sleep apnea is. Because he doesn't breathe properly when sleeping, his CO2 rises more and more every day.
In his sleep study, he woke up more than 80 times an hour (you guys didn't give your numbers ) Well, the doctor put him on a bipap machine for when he's sleeping. He too hates it, but frequently knocks it off in his sleep unkowingly too. That can be especially dangerous for him because then he doesn't even have his oxygen which he's been on full time for several years.
What's frustrating to us, his family, is that bipap machine could mean the difference between life and death for him. To make matters worse, the nursing home he's in now will ask him if he wants to use it one night and he'll say no. But instead of finding out why he doesn't want to or checking that it's set up properly, they just assume he doesn't care. "He's a sick old man, just let him die attitude."
Sorry, started to go off on a rant there
What worries me now is that I'm starting to develop severe insomnia. I have thought about it and there could be so many reasons why this is happening. I won't bore you with the whole list, but add in a snoring husband, mutliple animals who hog the bed and an elderly mother who only sleeps 3-4 hours at a stretch so is up at all hours making noise. I feel I should have kids now since I never seem to sleep anyway, lol.
And tegan, I never used to have bags or circles under my eyes. Now they seem to be permanent. Not to mention everyone is always commenting on how pale I am.
Ok, I've rambled on enough and there's a storm approaching. So after a particularly bad insomnia week, I'm going to bed. Night all!
~~~~~~~~No, I'm not a cat.~~~~~~~~
Yes, I'm MouseSlayer everywhere. It's a great name, so I use it!
posted on August 13, 2000 06:11:58 PM
Kiheicat:
I am the same way. Can't sleep in total darkness, have to have the TV on and the feet must be uncovered.
Tegan:
I alternate between nyquil and benadryl to get a good nights sleep. My husband and daughter could sleep through an explosion.
posted on August 13, 2000 07:48:34 PMmouseslayer - Fortunately, just about all your sleep-interruption problems are fixable.
You need to get your OWN place to sleep undisturbed NOW. Your animals will live without sleeping with you. So will your husband. If he acts like it's some sort of abandonment, it might be pointed out to him that it's about YOU, not about HIM. If you need to get some support on the issue, talk to your doctor.
Val has some rough nights, and I go through spells of "restless leg syndrome", which is like a serious case of the heebies. We always have the guest bedroom ready in case one of us thinks she'll do better sleeping on her own for awhile. Everybody wakes up rested and much more affectionate than if we'd tried to tough it out for the sake of Sharing A Bed.
posted on August 13, 2000 08:05:56 PM
That's a good idea, HCQ... wish I'd thought of it when I was married to the Snore King. lol
Now I have no excuse for not sleeping. hmmm
posted on August 13, 2000 09:33:28 PM
Mouseslayer: I have the dark circles but since we put the pool in the back yard I'm anything but pale. I haven't been this tanned since I was a teenager.
I'm careful to stay out of the sun and only swim in the afternoon when the pool is in the shade but I'm still tanning.
HartCottageQuilts:What is restless leg syndrome. I often get these feelings in my legs at night that keep me awake. It is not painful, somewhere between twitching and tingling but very light.When my husband asks me whats wrong I really can't explain. Sometimes I have to get up and pace because it drives me crazy.
Is that what your talking about?
In the sleep study they hooked up electrodes on my legs to monitor twitching he said.
posted on August 13, 2000 11:45:37 PMHCQ I have thought of that, but unfortunately Mom is living in our spare room. No more spare
I forgot to mention hubby has beyond restless leg syndrome. I forget what it's called, but he thrashes, kicks, punches generally can get violent. I'm grateful it's not all the time. But it sure scares the heck outta me when I'm sound asleep and get kicked or hit! The animals don't sleep with him, just me (I wonder why ) He usually only does it when he's stressed at work. But I don't always know when that is.
Really the animals don't bother me. It bothers me more when they're not there. Especially if hubby's not in bed.
~~~~~~~~No, I'm not a cat.~~~~~~~~
Yes, I'm MouseSlayer everywhere. It's a great name, so I use it!
posted on August 14, 2000 05:26:46 AM
If you have a sofa, you have a solution.
A sofa wouldn't be comfortable enough? In comparison with sleeping with somebody who snores, "thrashes, kicks, punches generally can get violent"?
Solution's in YOUR hands. BTW, I'd suggest you're suffering not from insomnia (having difficulty falling asleep on your own), but sleep deprivation. You might also suggest your husband get a checkup. He sounds like HE may be suffering from RLS!
tegan, here's a good site on Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS):
posted on August 14, 2000 07:51:11 AM
No sofa either
I think it's a combo of insomnia and sleep deprivation. Or perhaps the insomnia is just I'm afraid to go to bed...But my back pain keeps me up too. Not to mention all the drugs they keep giving me.
Too many things all at once. Time to start eliminating the hurdles. What do you think gang, start with the husband? J/K!
And believe me, if I have the chance to go with him for next check-up, I will! He always seems to forget to bring that up to the doctor...
~~~~~~~~No, I'm not a cat.~~~~~~~~
Yes, I'm MouseSlayer everywhere. It's a great name, so I use it!
sure could use that.
