Sleep apnea messes with my mind. When I think about that when I’m sleeping, my breathing stops a few times every hour, it can spook me. It scares me. It confuses me. It makes me angry.

There are two types of sleep apnea:

  1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea: the most common type. What happens is your throat relaxes too much and your tongue slides back and blocks your airway.
  2. Central Sleep Apnea: What happens is the breathing signals to your brain stop. Essentially, your body forgets to breathe.

I have OSA and I’ve been using the CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine for approximately three years and it has definitely helped to reduce the number of apnea episodes while I sleep. Like a superhero, I wear a mask, but unlike a superhero, I only wear it while I sleep.

This is my sleep mask. It covers my nose and mouth,
since I am a mouth breather.

It took a few years to be certain I had sleep apnea and get diagnosed because, as a woman and going through peri-menopause, I thought that the night sweats were related to my body changes and not anything else. It turns out that the sweats were related more to my heart beating quickly in an effort to get my blood moving again after an apnea episode.

I went to two sleep studies. The first one was a bust (I actually slept well and slept on my side the entire night).

Tip #1 – Always roll over onto your back during the sleep study.

The second sleep study was successful, as I made a point of staying on my back for at least 30 minutes, even though it was uncomfortable. What I discovered was that I had severe sleep apnea when I slept on my back, only mild/moderate when sleeping on my side. I knew I had OSA by that time but the diagnosis was still shocking because I always thought that sleep apnea was only something that people with weight issues developed. I was only a few pounds over my desired weight and so it was extremely confusing.

Tip #2 – A racing heart in the middle of the night, usually with sweating, can be a sign of sleep apnea.

The fight during the night is to remain on my side while I sleep, no matter how much my body wants to roll over onto my back. My body fights against the pillows surrounding me in an effort to turn onto my back. If I can manage to stay on my side, I have a good sleep and I rarely feel my heart racing anymore.

As I said, I was shocked to be diagnosed with sleep apnea, but one of the benefits has been an intense focus on my health: mind and body. The diagnosis has given me the permission to focus on becoming as healthy as I can be. I am eating better and exercising regularly. I’m trying meditation, like this one and I’m taking time to do the things that make me happy and less stressed. I feel strong and I am ready for battle.

I will be writing more about this topic, so follow us for future articles about my sleep apnea journey.

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