Apnea gone or lessened


(Doug) #1

Never got a CPAP machine, but definitely had sleep apnea. I’d wake up many times during the night, and my wife told me, “I could tell you were having trouble.” I’d gained 50 lbs./23 kg./3.5 stone over the past 10 years, and been quite maniacal with internet gaming as well - lots of nights with 2 hours’ sleep, if that. If not away from my employer’s home base, I’d stay in my office overnight, just pass out in my computer chair or finally give in at 4:00 a.m., setting an alarm for 6:00 a.m. so I could get the coffee going. Did that hundreds of times.

This year, after becoming Type 2 Diabetic, I was reading about blood sugar control, and saw a good bit about how proper sleep is important to a great many things for our bodies, hormone regulation being one of them. How lack of sleep can increase blood sugar levels, increase insulin resistance, increase ghrelin (hunger-stimulating hormone), decrease leptin (hunger-suppressing hormone), increase cortisol (stress hormone that may make it harder to fall asleep in the first place), increase inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, impede our immune systems, and affect our brains, which need sleep too.

I feel like apologizing to my body, “Wow, old boy, I am sorry - really was putting you through hell there.”

With keto and fasting, those 50 lbs. are gone now, and if not banished, the apnea is much less. Slept 8.5 hours two nights ago, and 9.5 last night. Woke up feeling “good” in that truly rested way, which is not all that familiar to me anymore.


(Sophie) #2

Congrats! True wellness is such a great feeling.


(Ben) #3

I had a CPAP machine for 17 years.
Handed it back to the Sleep Clinic last year. Can’t tell you how good that feels