Do You Fall Asleep During the Day? Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Apnea

Vitality101 Newsletter

Hello Reader,

Do you fall asleep easily during the day, for instance while watching TV or reading (or worse yet, while driving)? Called "hypersomnolence," this is a sign you may have sleep apnea, a condition in which you repeatedly stop breathing during the night (it's like someone is repeatedly smothering you with a pillow). The result is non-refreshing sleep.

17% of the population have sleep apnea, and it's more common in CFS where it can accentuate your pain and fatigue. (Diabetics may also be more likely to have it.) Signs that you may have this include:

• Snoring
• High blood pressure
• Being more than 20 pounds overweight
• Having a shirt collar size of 16 ½ inches or higher

There are two main types of sleep apnea:

1. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this form of sleep apnea, the more common of the two, your upper airway gets intermittently blocked. This is most often associated with being overweight and snoring. If you have high blood pressure and either chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia (where most people usually have low blood pressure) then it's especially important to consider sleep apnea.
2. Central apnea. In this form, the brain trigger that controls your breathing intermittently stops working. This is more common in people with a history of traumatic brain injury, those living at high altitudes, or those who take narcotics for pain management. Unlike OSA, this form of sleep apnea is not associated with being overweight or snoring.

Anyone with CFS or FMS who has high blood pressure and is overweight should consider testing for sleep apnea.

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Q&A With Dr. T

Question: Can a lack of sleep cause high blood pressure? My cardiologist and primary care physician both think that's my problem and they have me on three different high blood pressure meds.

Answer: Usually not. But sleep apnea where people snore and stop breathing is frequently associated with daytime sleepiness and high blood pressure. When this is the case, it's helpful to increase the amount of potassium, magnesium and vitamin D in your diet. Coenzyme Q10 at 200-400 mg a day can also be helpful. You should also check that your thyroid levels aren't too high (and if already taking thyroid medication, consider lowering the does).

Do you have a question for Dr. T? Visit Ask Dr. T at our website and send it to us (if a generally helpful question, we may ask for your permission to publish it here anonymously).

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Consultations With Dr. T

I treat people with CFS and fibromyalgia all over the world by providing consultations over the phone or in person, with a comprehensive "new patient" consultation session including four hours of one-on-one time with me. During this initial session, I'll review your medical lab records, thoroughly discuss the experiences you've had with this illness, answer all of your questions, and recommended a detailed treatment protocol for your case.

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