Sleep, Perchance to Rest

I can't think of many people who want to climb out of their cozy beds first thing in the morning. Getting out of bed after a sleepless night makes that climb even more arduous. I'm going to pass the explanation of what happens to your brain after a sleepless night to a couple of my favorite pseudo-scientists from The Big Bang Theory:

Bernadette: Okay, Sheldon. What happens to our neuroreceptors when we don't get enough REM sleep? 
Sheldon: They lose their sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine.
Bernadette: Which leads to...?
Sheldon: Impaired cognitive function. 

Now imagine both the Herculean effort it takes and what it does to cognitive function when those sleepless nights happen every night over the course of years, or even decades. Welcome to my world. 

The good news is, there's a label for this particular malady: Sleep Apnea. Better news is that it's treatable. Other news is that it's pretty common. Bad news is, it's challenging to diagnose.

There are lists out there in the interwebs that detail all of the symptoms and causes of sleep apnea. My sleep apnea symptoms include:

• Daytime fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Lack of energy during the day
• Loud snoring (impressively loud!)
• Mood changes
• Morning headaches
• Sleepiness 
  
• Slower reaction time
• Restless sleep
• Recurrent awakenings 
• Insomnia
• Unexplained weight gain
• Vision problems
• Waking up with a very sore or dry throat
• Waking up with a choking or gasping sensation (this one scares the heck outta me)

Not getting enough sleep can lead to a boat load of problems. 

Next topic in the Sleep Apnea series: A Breath of Fresh Air

Related Links

• American Sleep Apnea Association
• American Thoracic Society
• National Institutes of Health