she was NOT me

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder where breathing sporadically and repeatedly stops and starts while a person sleeps. Because the body may uncontrollably stop breathing, it can be a serious condition. There are three types of sleep apnea:

Central sleep apnea occurs when, during sleep, the brain doesn’t send the right messages to the muscles that control breathing.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when throat muscles relax during sleep and prevent air from passing through. This is the most common type of sleep apnea and is most often due to obesity.

This is a combination of the other two types.

A person with sleep apnea might not always be aware of certain symptoms:

These symptoms may first be recognized by a sleep partner. Symptoms more likely to be known to the patient include:

The Mayo Clinic recommends seeing your doctor if one or more of following is true:

Anyone can have sleep apnea, but certain factors put some at greater risk than others:

Sleep apnea treatment depends on the severity of the condition. It can include machines that keep airway pressure going while you sleep (continuous positive airway pressure), mouth pieces, surgery, various therapies, weight loss, abstaining from alcohol, and sleeping on your side.

DO you sleep like a log? Or are you more of a yearner, a freefaller or a foetal? The position you choose while sleeping reveals a startling amount about your personality, according to one of the UK’s best known body language experts. Robert Phipps has identified four positions and says the foetal – most favoured by worriers - is far and away the most common. More than half of us (58%) adopt it and sleep with knees up and head down.   The more we curl up, the more comfort we’re seeking, he says in research for the Premier Inn budget hotel chain. It’s a rigid position and can lead to individuals being very stubborn and set in their ways. The second most common position is the log (28%): Straight body, with their arms and legs by their side. This indicates stubbornness. The yearner – arms stretched out in front – is either chasing their dream or being chased (25%). And the freefaller – face down, arms outstretched – feels they have little control over their life (17%). Robert Phipps said: “We all know a good night’s sleep sets you up for the following day and our sleeping positions can determine how we feel when we wake for the day ahead.”

1. FOETAL People who sleep like this are returning to their comfort zone to de-stress themselves from the day’s activities. The higher the knees and lower the head the more internal comfort you give yourself. Foetal sleepers are conscientious, ordered and like things in their place but they can over think things and worry unnecessarily. People who sleep like this for the majority of the night can expect a refreshed awakening having dealt with the previous day’s issues compartmentalising and organising while they sleep, allowing them to feel refreshed when they wake and ready to move onward and upward. Foetal sleepers should be careful not to become too stuck in their comfort zone and be prepared to take on new challenges each day.

2. LOG The sleeper in this position fully extends their head, neck, arms, legs and body all stretched out in a straight line. The longer you sleep like this, the more rigid your thinking and you can become inflexible which means you make things harder for yourself. Loggers are set in their ways and can be stubborn, liking things done their way, which can make them come across as bossy or even aloof. “Sleep like a log” is the old adage and people who sleep in this straight line can wake up stiffer than when they went to sleep. Try to relax more and let your muscles unwind from the day’s hassles and you’ll wake up feeling more flexible in your thinking. Loggers need to stretch themselves each day to reach new goals and then your day is likely to be more exciting, challenging and fun. You’ll see and feel the benefits in your body and mind as you embrace being a more relaxed you.

3. YEARNER The Yearner has two possible meanings with arms outstretched as though you are chasing your dreams, conversely it can mean you are being chased. You feel you want more from life and are willing to go out there and get it with both hands, ready to capture every new and exciting challenge that comes your way. Yearners are their own worst critics always expecting great results in everything they do, which can mean giving up to quickly with things that don’t go their way right from the off. Yearners wake up eager to face the challenges of the day, seeking out new opportunities. However, take care to make sure what you yearn for is what you really want or you’ll spend a lot of wasted time and energy chasing things that don’t really fulfil you. Yearners should face each new day as a fresh start, reviewing where they are going and what they want from the day, then go for it and see it through with full commitment.

4. FREEFALLER With the whole body outstretched flat on their stomach, arms at right angles, hands gripping the pillow as though holding on for dear life, physically the least comfortable position to sleep for most adults. Freefallers tend to feel like life happens around them and they are just hanging on for the ride, which can make them feel like they’re not in control of what happens. Freefallers can wake up feeling like they still have things leftover from the previous day, which can make them feel over anxious about getting things done today. Freefallers need to take control of each new day and deal with things one step at a time until you are happy to move to the next step. You will then be more motivated and inspired, creating opportunities for you be the boss of your own destiny.

Premier Inn spokesperson, Claire Haigh, said: “Many people read their horoscopes, but we wanted to give our guests a more unique way to look at how their day might turn out by looking at how they sleep.  We have worked with Robert to develop ‘sleep-o-scopes’ and were shocked that the research revealed just how stressed we are as a nation. “It is important we try and wind down after a long day and get a good night’s rest so we wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead.”

sources : cascade news