Sleep

[TheBrain]

This has really motivated me to work on maximizing deep sleep. Interestingly, for me it plummets each time I try to use mouth taping, although I would still like to confirm that with something more accurate.

What strategies are you using to maximize deep sleep?

How interesting (and unfortunate) that your deep sleep plummets each time you try to use mouth taping. I use mouth taping, and I don't have that issue. It's nice waking up without a dry mouth and throat. While living in dry Colorado, I'd get a bloody nose from my breathing through my mouth.

[Plumster]

This is a really interesting episode of the Broken Brain Podcast with sleep medicine dentist Dr. Mark Burhenne.

Circular, thank you so much for posting this talk. I listened to it yesterday and it is very relevant for me. I have a scalloped tongue (I learned from a dentist last week) and tongue tie (I learned from a Buteyko trained myofacial therapist this week). I had a tooth pulled as a teenager and my mouth shrank even more. I now wear a dental device that pulls my lower jaw forward and sleep better. I clench my teeth at night and wore a mouthguard for a while, which gave me insomnia. I now realize it's because it was blocking my already restricted airway. I was never a good sleeper, but menopause was when things really went wrong.

I am doing breathing exercises and am attempting a sleep consolidation plan where I go to bed at 11 pm and set the alarm to 6 am every day for two weeks. I am allowed to take a max 30 min nap between 1 and 3 pm. After two weeks, and if all goes well and I sleep through the night, then I increase my time in bed by 15 min until resolved.

[circular]

Circular, thank you so much for posting this talk. I listened to it yesterday and it is very relevant for me.

I'm glad it helped Plumster. I found the dentist's perspective interesting. He mentions things that Matthew Walker doesn't go into (at least not in online interviews ... I haven't read his book).

[KatieS]

This is a really interesting episode of the Broken Brain Podcast with sleep medicine dentist Dr. Mark Burhenne.

Circular, thank you so much for posting this talk. I listened to it yesterday and it is very relevant for me. I have a scalloped tongue (I learned from a dentist last week) and tongue tie (I learned from a Buteyko trained myofacial therapist this week). I had a tooth pulled as a teenager and my mouth shrank even more. I now wear a dental device that pulls my lower jaw forward and sleep better. I clench my teeth at night and wore a mouthguard for a while, which gave me insomnia. I now realize it's because it was blocking my already restricted airway. I was never a good sleeper, but menopause was when things really went wrong.

I am doing breathing exercises and am attempting a sleep consolidation plan where I go to bed at 11 pm and set the alarm to 6 am every day for two weeks. I am allowed to take a max 30 min nap between 1 and 3 pm. After two weeks, and if all goes well and I sleep through the night, then I increase my time in bed by 15 min until resolved.

Dr Burhenne recommends "verifying sleep data". He briefly noted the difficulty monitoring elimination of apneas with dental appliances ; unlike the APAP machine where you can press a button and have data as to the number and types of apneas. Therefore, dental appliances tend to be reserved for mild cases of sleep apnea. To verify treatment, consider buying a recording oximeter (some on Amazon for $85, none are ideal) that can print out your overnight oxygen levels to assure you do not have desaturations. These desaturations lead to major white matter deficits in the brain.

[TheBrain]

These desaturations lead to major white matter deficits in the brain.

Katie, could these white matter deficits suggest white matter atrophy? I still don't have an answer (and maybe I'll never have a definitive one) as to what has caused my total cerebral white matter atrophy. But I had desaturations going down to 84% for at least 3 years while living at high altitude. For all I know, I had difficulties for the entire 13 years I lived at high altitude.

[Plumster]

Katie,

Would this work? https://www.amazon.com/Contec-Wrist-wor ... way&sr=8-5

I did a home sleep study, which showed no apnea (of course I barely slept that night). But I also know that a home sleep study isn't sensitive enough to track mild cases.

[KatieS]

Plumster, you found exactly the model that would monitor and record your oxygen levels overnight. My home sleep study was "normal" but when I viewed the report the oxygen levels decreased to 82% ; so definitely review your report. My lab study had oxygen levels down to 65%, before they woke me up to start APAP. The latter experience was "deep sleep".

TheBrain, yes the low levels of oxygen are likely to be the culprit for the white matter atrophy and I've yet to find definite evidence that the white matter "heals" after APAP or if the high altitude environment changes.

[Plumster]

Thanks, Katie. I'll get this one.

[TheBrain]

TheBrain, yes the low levels of oxygen are likely to be the culprit for the white matter atrophy and I've yet to find definite evidence that the white matter "heals" after APAP or if the high altitude environment changes.

Thanks, Katie. If you ever do come across evidence that the white matter “heals” (or not) in either situation, please post about it.

I’ve sometimes wondered if the mold toxicity made me susceptible to my low levels of oxygen during sleep. As I later learned, I was sleeping on a moldy mattress and we had mold under the master bedroom sink, which was about 8 feet from my bed (which was unobstructed by a wall or door).

[Rick]

Thanks, Katie. I'll get this one.

please read the reviews because this device can be ineffective if you move during the night.