undiagnosed for years…
I have been diagnosed as having Sleep Apnea and I am presently using the CPAP machine. It is such a relief to finally put a name to what is wrong with me. I attended my doctor for nearly two years complaining that I was tired. I also gained weight, going from roughly 9 1/2 stone […]
apnea in dreams
My boyfriend has a recurring dream that disturbs him and myself greatly. He is going down an enclosed flight of stairs towards a doorway. He recognizes this stairwell as one in the house he lived in as a child. When he reaches for the doorknob, it is cold and wet and the stairwell fills with […]
undiagnosed for years…
Hi Marie— Your tale, unfortunately, is awfully familiar. Sleep apnea usually is undiagnosed; it also very often is mis-diagnosed as depression or heart disease. Sleep apnea robs your energy, steals your motivation, and drains your sex life. It also causes heart complications—as you know—and is a leading contributor to high blood pressure. For those readers […]
apnea in dreams
Hi Emily— Your boyfriend’s dream confirms what we’ve known about REM for a long time. Events occurring in the physical body often are incorporated into the “story-line” of on-going dreams. In your boyfriend’s case, his difficulty breathing during sleep is causing him to dream of being short of breath! He’s also dreaming of having a […]
ouch! I hit my head!
Hi Mary Ann— No, I don’t think your hitting your head was “dumb luck.” Rather, it actually is a classic instance of REM Behavior Disorder—a disorder which we have seen appear in this column more than once. In your case, though, you hurt yourself in the process of “acting out your dream,” and this is […]
snoring
Did you know that snoring does not mean deep sleep? Snoring is actually an indicator of increased resistance in the airway—and may mean a sleeper is having difficulty breathing! Snoring is worse when we are on our backs because our tongues fall back and tend to crowd the airway. This is why we elbow our […]
women who snore!
Did you know that a new study published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that women who snore regularly have almost twice the risk of heart attacks and strokes as women who don’t? Researchers at Brigham Women’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health tracked the health status of 71,779 […]
i snore
I snore when sleeping. I was told that I sometimes stop breathing for a second and then continue. I am also constantly tired throughout the day. I wake up in the middle of the night thirsty. I’d appreciate any information. Thank you! — D’Andre, Age 31, Detroit, MI USA For the Dream Doctor’s response, click […]
wife of snorer
How do I determine if I suffer from sleep apnea? I snore quite loudly and my wife is ready to throttle me. What do I do? Where do I go to analyze my sleeping situation? — Paul, Minnesota, USA For the the Dream Doctor’s response, click here Back to Snoring & Sleep Apnea page
i snore
Hi D’Andre— If you are constantly tired throughout the day, then I think you should schedule an appointment—today—with a physician who is a specialist in sleep disorders medicine. The best news about having a condition like sleep apnea is that it is very easily and effectively treated. You most likely have had sleep apnea—and been […]
my boyfriend snores!
My boyfriend and I live together and he snores so loud that I can not sleep with him. If I fall asleep first, or if he sleeps on his stomach—then I can usually fall asleep. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. I myself can’t fall asleep for about ten or […]
my boyfriend snores!
Hi Rachel— I’m glad you asked this question, because a lot of couples want to know the answer. What do you do when your bed-partner snores louder than a diesel locomotive? When it sounds like a world buzz saw competition is headquartered in your bedroom? When you want to punch him to make him stop […]