Low energy and sleep apnea?
My Doctor and I believe that I may have sleep apnea, which I am scheduled for testing. My appointment isn’t until next month and then it takes three weeks to get the results back. In the meantime, I am totally exhausted and find no motivation to get anything done, which is very difficult because I have three children. What are some things I can do to raise my energy levels so that I can make it through the day and accomplish at least the basic needs of my family?
Tagged with: appointment • energy levels • motivation • sleep • sleep apnea
Filed under: Sleep Apnea Symptoms
The machine is your best solution if this is your condition. Make sure to get a mask that fits well and does not come off at night. Later, I persuaded the doctor to prescribe two masks (nasal & mouth/nose) so that I could switch off.
Sleep apnea is position related. Get several large pillows and make yourself comfortable in a sleep position on your right side. During the test, make sure to sleep on your back so that the testers can see your apnea problem.
Keep experimenting with position until you find something that allows you to get deep sleep without waking yourself up.
Long-term:
+ Use a CPAP machine.
+ Exercise aerobically building up to about 50-60 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Get your doctor to recommend an aerobic heart rate based upon your health. Choose an exercise that you enjoy and can incorporate into your daily routine. I bicycle to work, at lunch, and on my trip home from work. I have also gone to the YMCA early in the morning to swim for 50 minutes continuously. Remove TV or some other activity from your schedule so that you can make time for this.
+ Learn to eat a vegan diet. Read "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell. I dropped 50 pounds so far without much effort by simply going mostly vegan and exercising.
Well..that’s hard to do when you don’t have any energy…I can tell you that my friend was diagnosed with sleep apnea and after she got her CPAP (machine they give you to correct sleep apnea) she is a different person..she has lots of energy..so just keep thinking 3 more weeks and If I do have it I will have more energy..good luck
Vitamin B6 and B12 helped me. Avoid caffeine, because in my case, it acted in reverse, making me drowsier. There is an online support group, alliancehealth.com.
Try to sleep on your side. Some persons who have sleep apnea are much worse while sleeping on their back.
Take a nap during the day if you can.
First let me congratulate you on making the right decision by doing the sleep study. It’s believed that only less than 10% of the population has been tested for sleep apnea.
And yes once your diagnosed and prescribed a CPAP/APAP or BI-PAP
and you’re compliant, you will feel the difference, but what to do in the meantime?
Have your Doc. prescribe you an OVERNIGHT OXIMETRY ( most companies will do them for free ) it takes one night and you’ll get the results right away, If your Oxygen levels are below 90, have your Doc. prescribe ( NIGHT TIME OXYGEN ) Remember that oxygen is fuel to the body and it will give ENERGY. once you get your CPAP they might discontinue the oxygen.
I work with many different clinics and Docs. that recommend this while you wait for your Sleep Study.
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You are on the way to have a healthy life. A scheduled test is a big step to improve your life quality.
And your question…"what are some things I can do to raise my energy levels" until that sleep test, is a normal question…and it should be answered.
It would be nice to answer in one phrase, but sleep apnea is so complex that I can’t find the best magic phrase for you.
First of all, you need to have a better sleep. How can you make exercises, if you are tired all the time?
You should know that the "goldstandard" treatment for a better sleep in sleep apnea disorder is CPAP machine…but now you have to find something else, unfortunately less effective than CPAP, but to help you in a certain way…
So, here are some rules that may help you sleep better:
-try sleeping on your side rather than sleeping on your back as it can produces loud snores because of blockages.
-elevate the head when you sleep. This measure can alleviate snoring and make breathing easier.
-Use an air humidifier at nighttime to make the air moister.
-don’t smoke for at leas several hours prior to bedtime. Doing so, the smoke can cause the airways to tighten in the neck, worsening sleep apnea.
-maintain regular sleep hours. In my case, I had to quit my shift work job, to have a normal sleep.
-use a nasal dilator, saline nasal spray or breathe right strips to help open nasal passages.
In the same time, you should have a nutrient diet..Weight loss will improve your sleep and your energy level.
And then, when you will start to feel better, begin your exercise.
I told you that I don’t have a magic phrase for you, and unfortunately there are a lot information about this subject. So I will give you my references: