As much as I hate to admit it, I’m a snorer. I’m not one of those cute little snorers who makes a slight squeak off and on throughout the night. According to my poor husband, I’m the kind of snorer who begins the second my head hits the pillow and continues throughout the night with little to no breaks unless you count the times I stop breathing altogether for short moments. He has used terms such as grizzly bear and jackhammer to describe my nightly noises. He tries to jostle my body, turn my face, even wake me up, but nothing stops my rumblings.
My kids have commented that they can hear me from the other room! Sharing a hotel with me? Forget it! On our last family vacation, my son considered sleeping on the balcony of our hotel suite because it was less noisy outside.
It’s a problem! I’ve read what seems like every article ever written about snoring. I’ve tried so many different remedies to relieve the noise. Many of them work somewhat, but just temporarily. Pretty soon, I’m back to the same. What I’m saying is that my cure is not something I can purchase on Amazon.
So, I made an appointment with a local ENT and friend. I had casually mentioned and awkwardly joked about my snoring issue while we were sitting together at our daughters’ volleyball game recently. She didn’t laugh. She simply wrinkled her brow and gave me that thoughtful look as she said I needed to see her in the office. Hmmm…maybe my snoring means more than just a noise.
Following a thorough examination and discussion of my symptoms, it appears that my bigger problem is sleep apnea. That is a term I’ve heard often. I think I even knew it could be connected to the times my husband noted that I stopped breathing during the night and gasped for air. Honestly, I probably should have paid more attention to my other symptoms rather than focusing just on the loudness of the snores.
Next stop on my quest to solve my issue is a sleep study. I’m not excited about it. I’m concerned that I won’t even be able to go fully to sleep with wires attached and strangers watching me in a room that is not my bedroom or even a hotel. I’m hoping that I do, though. I want to fall so deeply asleep that these sleep professionals see exactly what is going on during those hours of slumber. I want answers, finally. I’m finished with quick fixes that sound great, but don’t turn out to change the problem. I’ve learned that there are also concerns connected with sleep apnea that go far beyond snoring and affect my overall health.
I’d love to hear from others who have had a similar issue. Have you had a sleep study? Anyone who uses a CPAP? Please share your experiences through comments or messages. I’d be interested to hear your stories.
sharing the stairs 