Sleep issues – detecting apnoea
A real story shared under a changed name – thank you to the storyteller.
Makena, Registered Nurse started experiencing disturbed sleep and waking up feeling exhausted.
I haven’t always been the best sleeper, but I hit 50 and it got so much worse. I would lie in bed tossing and turning, staring up at the ceiling wondering ‘what is wrong with me? Why can’t I sleep?
I read up on all the sleep tips and did my best to follow them. I tried the healthy sleep practices, but it just wasn’t practical. I can’t go to sleep and wake at the same time on. On night duty, it’s often noisy during the day, preventing proper sleep, and trying to have a wind down routine before bed is usually not possible when you work a PM or night duty shift.
Signs and symptoms of apnoea
Most mornings, I would wake up with a headache, sore throat, and persistent tiredness through the day. I often felt irritable and suffered from depression.
It didn’t occur to me that sleep apnoea could be causing my issues. I didn’t fit the usual picture of a sleep apnoea sufferer – overweight, older, male, and a drinker and/or smoker.
I talked to my GP about my sleeping issues. She thought I had some sleep apnoea symptoms and sent me for a sleep study. Turns out, I have moderate obstructive sleep apnoea. It’s actually a relief to know I have a condition that is treatable which was causing some of my sleep problems.
Common for nurses and women experiencing menopause
I never thought much about my snoring or how tired I felt during the day, but eventually I found out I had sleep apnoea, a condition that causes your breathing to stop and start through the night. It’s more common than people realise, and a lot of nurses, like me, are at risk. For women, the chances of developing it increase after menopause, which is when my symptoms really started to show.
Treatment options
I was referred to a sleep specialist recommended several for treatment options. A CPAP machine was suggested, as well as seeing a myofunctional therapist for an exercise routine to strengthen the muscles around the airway.
There is evidence that myofunctional therapy can decrease sleep apnoea severity by 50%. Exercise, especially aerobic and strength training combined, can also reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea.
I started including more exercise in my day. I hadn’t been exercising much because I was so tired and depressed. I joined a running group, because I prefer to exercise outdoors and with others. I found exercise gave me energy and my mood and sleep got a lot better!