General discussion

I never knew my daughter had a reason for not being able to sleep. I always thought she was spending too much time on her computer or cell phone, behind the closed door to her bedroom and concerned about the dark under eye circles she has had for years. It turns out that she has sleep apnea due to the physical construction of her nasal passages.

Her Otolaryngologist (ENT Specialist) now has her taking meds to help her breathe properly at night. It just goes to show that there might be a serious problem lurking beneath that little button nose that looks so cute (even at age 23).

I'd just like to know why it took so long for her doctors to take notice! Thank goodness for her ENT; he has been very proactive in her care ever since he started treating her for fibrous cysts on her throat.

But, that's another story.

I think I'm just one of those people who is always on the move and chronically sleepless. I'm often up several times in the middle of the night for one reason or another - ticking things off my to-do list, remembering something I forgot earlier, getting a drink of water, thinking about something "important," whatever. I've tried sleep aids, but don't like the way they make me feel once they wear off. I'm often up early in the morning, late to bed at night.

I have to be ill or completely exhausted to get more than 5-6 hours of sleep (the most I ever get). I remember reading that Grace Kelly got 9 hours of sleep every night and thinking that my day would be half over by the time I woke up. That's probably not a very "healthy" way to look at sleep.

I've been fighting this sleep issue for far too long now. Dr. Lishan Aklog, who is one of our medical advisors suggested I go to a sleep clinc. Oh boy...I can't wait, is what I said to him as I was rolling my eyes.

This will be fun.....I can stay up all night and watch them monitor me while I'm awake. Dr. Aklog said, you need to do this. Do it for all the other women who can't sleep. There are millions of us out there that cannot sleep.
Lishan said, you should video your experience and let's find you one of the top sleep clinics and docs in the country and get tested, once and for all. Then you can share your experience with other women on the site.

Well, leave it to Dr. Aklog to research and find several wonderful doctors that deal with insomnia. He even found a woman doc at Mayo at the Scottsdale clinic. She's right in my own back yard. I love when that happens. I will keep you all posted. We will actually film the entire process. Trust me, we won't put the whole video on the site though. Although, that could possibly put you to sleep.

I will highlight the top things I find out and just how it works. As well as the equipment they use etc...

You'll need to come back to the site to see what I find out.
This is one time where I say, if you snooze, you loose. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Have to keep it light or I'd go mad from lack of sleep.

Michelle

I've taken over-the-counter sleeping aids as wel and while they sseem to do the trick in terms of putting me to sleep, i always feels groggy the next morning. am still hunting for something in between.

I am one of those insomnicas that takes an over-the-counter sleep aid every night. I cannot fall asleep without it, nor can I stay asleep without it. I just assume it's the way I'll be for life, so I'm afraid I don't even question it, I just take it! It's not harmful and it works and I'll do whatever it takes to get a good night's sleep. I'm a different person when I have no sleep and without help, I can't get to sleep on my own.

I have a friend who was on prescription sleeping pills and did some kind of a course on how to get to sleep on your own and stay asleep all night. Within a month she was off the pills and continues to sleep well.

I'm too nervous to try something like that -the thought of several days of sleeplessness with my hectic schedule just fills me with too much fear! I wouldn't be able to fall asleep for worrying about not falling asleep!