Recently, I was fortunate enough to spend quite a bit of time in Hawaii. The beauty is almost impossible to describe. And I don’t mind bragging about just how well I slept every night.
Feeling that well rested though, I couldn’t help but recall a time when slumber was not such a pleasant process. Years ago, I suffered from a mild but very noisy and disturbing case of sleep apnea.
Though I now rest peacefully, I’ll never forget what it was like. And recently, I’ve been researching the link between another condition, fibromyalgia, to sleep apnea.
A large number people afflicted with fibromyalgia also suffer from sleep apnea or other sleep disorders. It is estimated that up to 80% in fact experience some form of sleep disturbance.
Simply put, Fibromyalgia is a condition of pain. It can include muscle pain and spasms, nerve pain, facial pain, sensitivity to touch and may also involve disturbances of the bowels. It has been a somewhat allusive problem, as it tends to be diagnosed after a number of other problems are ruled out.
Those who suffer from fibromyalgia though will attest that it is in fact a very real problem, and very often also suffer from sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
Sleep apnea occurs when a person repeatedly stops breathing throughout the slumber process. It can happen hundreds of times throughout the night and last for up to a minute. This condition alone is problematic due to the number of long term affects.
Blood oxygen levels drop as a result of breathing interruptions with sleep apnea. That forces the heart to beat faster. Sleep apnea can lead to cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure. It contributes to memory problems, and can lead to weight gain, headaches and even impotency.
Now consider suffering from both painful fibromyalgia as well as sleep apnea.
At this point, the reason why sleep apnea and fibromyalgia are linked is not known. It could be that extended sleep deprivation may increase the likelihood of developing fibromyalgia. Or, perhaps the tissue problems that exist with fibromyalgia obstruct the airways when sleeping.
Either way, it is a serious and painful combination.
One thing to consider though is that because they do seem to have a link, easing one very well may or should ease the other. It reasons that sleeping more soundly and waking well rested would provide one with more endurance especially when struggling with fibromyalgia.
Likewise, less pain should result in better sleep.
Unfortunately, many people with fibromyalgia are not referred for a sleep study, so they may be unaware of any additional sleep disorders. Given the seriousness of sleep apnea and the likelihood that one with fibromyalgia suffers from it, more people should probably be tested.
As I’ve mentioned before, I did not used to recommend my Stop Snoring Program specifically to cure sleep apnea. My fear was that people could end up worse off by eliminating their masks. Sleep apnea is too serious to self diagnose and should always be handled by a doctor.
I would however be remiss in not sharing that The Stop Snoring Program did cure my mild case of sleep apnea and a great number of my clients alerted me to the fact that their mild cases were also eliminated.
Therefore, I strongly recommend the Stop Snoring Program for anyone who snores. But I now also suggest the exercises for apnea especially in conjunction with your other apnea treatments. I also heartily recommend my fibromyalgia program. Both programs are all natural and combined, may just make a world of difference in your life.
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