Yes, I have got into the (very) bad (and unhealthy) habit of having a cocktail before bed to knock myself out.

And my extra poundage doesn't help.

I have a smartwatch that has some kind of sleep tracker... I tried it a couple times but it wasn't very interesting so didn't continue.

I also know of phone apps that will record your snoring for you... something to look into.

I have had sleep apena for over 15 years. I have a machine. If you can get use to it, it is a game changer. I am now a back sleeper. Im well rested, no dry mouth, no feeling of staying up all night. The test itself will give you the worst sleep of your life. But if you are diagnosed with apena, try the machine. It takes getting use to. Certainly not virile or romantic, but you will sleep better. Its not for everyone and there are other options. Im happy with my machine and i cant sleep without it.

Good luck.

I did not take the drugs as suggested by the sleep doc. I live with it. The less crap I put in my body the better. My fitbit provides info on sleep cycles and how often I wake up.

I don't use CPAP or anything.

Seeing as this is a DIY site could one of you guys drop by my place do a quick tracheostomy? I'll buy you a beer!

Heck some of em could do it from here!


BTW bananas.
At least 3 a week.
No, not for a Tracheotomy. For jimmy legs. And muscle craps too. Something about the potassium.

I had the sleep test and was told sleep apnea. Got the script and ordered the machine online last year. Took awhile to get used to, but no more waking up with a headache. I was a stomach sleeper but sleep in my side now. If I roll in my back, I wake up with a dry mouth.

I’d do what Sammy says and buy a used one.

Edit. I had a dream my mouth was filling up with air and blowing my cheeks out. Woke up and my nose mask was on my mouth. DOH!

It's 4 AM. I woke up at 3 and got up and got dressed at 3:30. I fall asleep at about 9:00. I don't know why I wake up so early and wish I didn't. I'll be asleep again from 6 to 8, so I'll get in 8 hours total. Now that I'm retired it makes no difference, but it used to be a big problem when I needed to be in the office at 8 AM.
The Fit Bit measures movement and heart rate. It is not substitute for a test that measures brain activity and oxygen levels. Use mine to track restlessness at night and hours of sleep.

I have to leave the house @ 7:15 AM three days a week, M,W, F. So a cuppla weeks ago on a Sunday I had a cold and that afternoon I took some whatever it is that opens up your nose...immediately fell asleep.

For some reason I woke up, looked at the clock and it was 7:08. Holy zhit! I was already dressed..wierd. Whatever. I jump in the truck and off I go.

Something ain’t right...

I eventually got to where I was supposed to be and the place is devoid of activity.

Now I’m totally wierded out.

I pick up the smart phone and it says Sunday 7:36...PM.

^^^^ Twilight Zone :)

I hate painting....'causes me to wake up @4am too :(. But I don't sleep 8 hrs either...not even close....back to the painting....

Where's my beer ;)?

Friend has sleep apnea. Sleep study showed he was only remming 2 mnutes a night and stopped breathing 375 times. He was fall asleep walking from his car to his apartment. They put him on a CPAP, he said his life changed dramatically. Now both he and his wife have CPAPs.

I only snore if I got to sleep drunk ie. pass out.

Funny! But not, really. That could have been dangerous!

I recall well about my visit to the sleep doc to get the results. This was about ten years ago. I am his first appointment at 8 am. He comes in to the office at 0845. Trying to add levity to the situation as I was not particularly happy about his tardiness I said "did you sleep in?" He was not laughing.

After having said that I had restless leg syndrome he asked if my leg or legs were moving during the day other than walking. I responded occasionally. He thought that my restless leg or legs were what woke me up every hour or so. So to counteract my interrupted night I sleep on the couch or go to bed early. I get more sleep this way.

Is a sleep study worth it? I think so even if it means a rotten night with all the attached wires. Half a sleeping pill knocked me out for a few hours sufficient to get some decent readings. :)

Go to the doc. I love you guys but no amateur medicine here.

Go to he doc!!!

I did a sleep test. I basically died about 70 times a night. I stop breathing. But then I wake up. Then go back to sleep and the cycle repeats. I have and use a CPAP with just the nose hose. I works well and I do get good sleep with it. However it IS annoying. I'm looking into this Inspire thing that is an implant you turn on before you go to sleep and when you stop breathing it shocks you kinda like a heart pace maker. I'll let you know.....

Good advice on buying a used machine. Here is what I found a few years ago after mine was stolen in a bag in Mexico:

Ebay, at the time didn't allow sales of medical supplies/equipment. BUT, Craigslist did/does.

Often those for sale haven't been used much due to the person having never gotten comfortable with it.

As for the hoses/mask, my insurance sends me more than I need. I'd be happy to send you new ones I've never used. Have done it before.

As for the settings on the machine, I wouldn't recommend advise from a Porsche Forum. Far better to find a Forum for Lowered Kia's and ask there.........SmileWavy

I had a referral to the pulmonologist from my PCP. He ran the sleep test, and said I needed a CPAP. Medicare has paid for everything since, including a new CPAP.

Disclaimer: I am not a physician.

I have worked in the medical device and equipment field, and have extensive training and experience in all aspects: business, technical and clinical. My network includes inventors of many life changing and life saving diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Like computed tomography, mri, pulse oximetry. The list goes on and on.

And I have experience with cpap therapy and sleep apnea.

My wife uses a cpap machine every night. I have many, many friends, relatives and even fellow Porsche racers and Porschephiles that I know use this therapy.

In my wife's case, cpap therapy has had a profound, life-changing effect. All positive.

OSA diagnosis can be tricky-- in our case it took 3 sleep studies. The third study was in a lab more highly controlled by physicians.

I encourage folks to not make assumptions and use internet forums and social media to get informed.

I remember going to a local talk given by person working in a start-up on a new type of cpap. They guy had a background similar to mine. His "third party success story" involved his wife. Diagnosed with severe OSA in her 40's if I recall correctly. About 5'-7" 110 lbs. Marathoner. The audience, mostly folks employed in technical, scientific and biz roles in the med device industry, but not experts in OSA or cpap therapy had a lot of misconceptions about gender and body type. That is why he used his wife as an example.

The physician we settled on is an MD/PhD, and suffers from OSA himself.

Of course there are and have been various surgical approaches. For some folks these of course can make sense and can be successful, but it takes effort to sort it all out.

As some know, one of the new device approaches to OSA is the Medtronic Inspire. I have not yet done the reading, but I am hearing promising things. Yes the CEO of Medtronic is in my network.

Two of my takeaways from a deep-dive into learning about OSA:

1. For perimenopausal women, symptoms from changes in estrogen production and OSA symptoms can lead to challenging diagnoses.

2. DME providers vary in terms of expertise. The one we use is solely focused on OSA, and that makes a huge, huge difference.

3. Some modern cpap machines are dead-silent. The technical people that work on these things are passionate about improving them-- they are fully aware that their efforts can have an impact on compliance, and therefore therapeutic benefit.

If you are in Norcal and want to contact me regarding clinical and DME resources for OSA (cpap and Inspire devices) please feel free to contact me via pm. My top recommendation for the formal is part of PAMF, which is part of Sutter Health. And as an aside, one of the guys I race against is the COB of Sutter Health. When I learned this I told him about my OSA/cpap/Inspire resource.

Interestingly, another Porsche racer he and I both know had to give up on the hobby after only a few years because of severe challenges finding an effective therapeutic approach to his OSA.

Oh and one last thing:

Be wary of sleep-quality related information from OTC devices. Do your homework. There is a reason why FDA clearance and FDA approval processes are in place.

More... on OTC versus true medical devices...

If you had an important clinical application for pulseox, would you use the one you can get mail order for $10 that has not been designed and/or manufactured within the regulated industry?

LOL now that's funny.
Obviously the best source for CPAP settings advice would be a Cadillac or Mercedes forum 'cause of the old folks.