Posted by RenoTom on October 31, 2001 at 20:34:26:

In Reply to: Re: 140 cpap hours later.... posted by katienz on October 31, 2001 at 00:57:11:

There are a lot of variables in this sleep debt thing that many people are not aware of.

Like you don't have to have a sleep disorder to accumulate sleep debt! (Sleep debt is an accumulation of "lost sleep". If you continously get less sleep than you need, you will develope a sleep debt.)

You can be 100% compliant with successful CPAP therapy, and develope sleep debt! (See above. You still have to have "sufficient" sleep.)

You can get sufficient sleep, and still develope sleep debt! (Your sleep architecture must be correct in order to pay off sleep debt. There are some whose sleep architecture [the right amounts of each stage of sleep] get so screwed up as a result of long term apnea, that it is difficult to get back in the swing of things. Some must correct their circadian rythums to make things work.)

Most of us just have to make sure the machine is working right, with no leaks, no mouth breathing, and then get enough sleep to satisfy our daily (nightly) needs, and then add a little to pay off the debt.

Although most adults need 8+ hours of sleep a day it is difficult to know for sure just how much you may need. I have suggested several times describing how to accelerate paying off your sleep dept, while learning just how much sleep you need on a nightly basis.

It is important to be consistant in your sleep habits. Maintain the same wake up time 7 days a week, and set your alarm for that time. From your wake up time, deduct 8 to 81/2 hours for your normal sleep time, plus some additional time for paying off your sleep debt. Perhaps an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour nightly. Use this as your regular go to sleep time. Try to be consisitant. It is important.

In time, you will probably find that you wake regularly before your alarm. If it is consist over several days, then readjust your sleep time by setting it later the same amount of time you are waking early. Do this as often as necessary.

Eventually you will find that you are no longer having to readjust your sleep time, you are waking just prior to you alarm every morning, and you go all day, everyday, feeling alert and refreshed. This is when you have paid off your sleep debt, and are getting sufficient sleep every day. The amount of sleep you are getting nightly is your normal sleep needs.

Now, in my particular case, I think I had my debt paid off after about a year. I had several setbacks (would you believe mouth breathing was a biggie) that took time to work through, but eventually got their.

I am quite sensitive to any sleep depravation, and if I don't get sufficient sleep, I really feel tired. But now after 27 months, and more improvement than I had ever hoped for, I can say that I suspect I am still getting better.

Katie, don't be in a hurry. Enjoy the improvements as they come, and relish the successes you obtain. It won't all be easy, and there will be trying times, but it is really worth it. I am doing things that I had long ago given up on. It really is worth it.
RenoTom

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