Another (odd) question... Maybe someone might have some sort of knowledge about this, seeing as it definitely seems everyone seems to know their stuff ;) lol
When I sleep, I guess I kind of hold my breath. I actually didn't notice it first. Laying in bed one night, N jabbed at me with his elbow (not hard, just a little, 'hey, let me have your attention!' type thing) and told me to simply "stop that". Confused, I asked what he was talking about and why he's poking at me when I'm trying to sleep. He told me to stop holding my breath. I didn't even know I was. He said that I have been doing it more and more - and once he pointed it out, I did actually notice it, but I also find that even now, when I notice it, it takes actual effort to think to stop holding my breath. I also know that I don't hold my breath until I pass out or anything like that. I don't feel light headed, more or less tired/awake. It's a regular inhale, and then at the end of inhaling, my breath is held, maybe 5-6 seconds. Then an exhale, and same thing, at the end of exhale, hold breath for 5-6 seconds or so. Not each and every time I breathe, but often enough. Often enough that N notices it at night and I also notice it (he notices more than I do if we're both awake)
I'm not 100% sure when this started, but I know it hasn't happened all along. It's been maybe the last couple months max. I think it was brought to my attention about 2 or so months ago - shortly after I found out I was pg. It seems to be something I'm slightly aware of every other night, sometimes nightly.
Not sure if it's related or not to this pregnancy (never noticed this before, pregnant or not) or if it's a concern. I still fall asleep and I can't say for sure if it continues while I'm sleeping, but N says that he notices it when I am asleep, although it's very seldom (happens more when I'm going to sleep) and a simple jab is enough to make me shift or roll over and stop doing it, even though I don't feel I'm actually doing it (or doing it on purpose or being very aware of it)
Any ideas or has anyone ever heard of something like this before?
Kat wrote: > Any ideas or has anyone ever heard of something like this before?
Could be sleep apnoea (your airway gets partly blocked while you're asleep and so there are pauses in your breathing - stick the term into Google and I expect you'll find a bunch of websites to go into detail).
> Another (odd) question... Maybe someone might have some sort of knowledge > about this, seeing as it definitely seems everyone seems to know their stuff > ;) lol
> When I sleep, I guess I kind of hold my breath. I actually didn't notice it > first. Laying in bed one night, N jabbed at me with his elbow (not hard, > just a little, 'hey, let me have your attention!' type thing) and told me to > simply "stop that". Confused, I asked what he was talking about and why > he's poking at me when I'm trying to sleep. He told me to stop holding my > breath. I didn't even know I was. He said that I have been doing it more > and more - and once he pointed it out, I did actually notice it, but I also > find that even now, when I notice it, it takes actual effort to think to > stop holding my breath. I also know that I don't hold my breath until I > pass out or anything like that. I don't feel light headed, more or less > tired/awake. It's a regular inhale, and then at the end of inhaling, my > breath is held, maybe 5-6 seconds. Then an exhale, and same thing, at the > end of exhale, hold breath for 5-6 seconds or so. Not each and every time I > breathe, but often enough. Often enough that N notices it at night and I > also notice it (he notices more than I do if we're both awake)
> I'm not 100% sure when this started, but I know it hasn't happened all > along. It's been maybe the last couple months max. I think it was brought > to my attention about 2 or so months ago - shortly after I found out I was > pg. It seems to be something I'm slightly aware of every other night, > sometimes nightly.
> Not sure if it's related or not to this pregnancy (never noticed this > before, pregnant or not) or if it's a concern. I still fall asleep and I > can't say for sure if it continues while I'm sleeping, but N says that he > notices it when I am asleep, although it's very seldom (happens more when > I'm going to sleep) and a simple jab is enough to make me shift or roll over > and stop doing it, even though I don't feel I'm actually doing it (or doing > it on purpose or being very aware of it)
> Any ideas or has anyone ever heard of something like this before?
Sounds like sleep anoea to me - where you stop breathing in your sleep. It can be more common in pregnancy. I've not sent you any google links cos there's a lot out there about asscoiated risks, includid low birth weight but I'm not convinced on them - I have narcolepsy, and stop breathing a lot in my sleep, and Jessica was an 8lb9oz baby.
Pregnancy can make you snore more too... Again, I can't help there as I snore as part of the n'lepsy too. The good thing is you're not going to suffocate yourself from it. Most of my maternal family has sleep disorders, and various similar questions have been raised on potential risks, but some people may have repeated (even hundreds) of these a night. It won't hurt to see your GP, he may be able to help you, but I'd not panic - you wouldn't even realise if it wasn't for DH waking you. Smoking will increase the regularity of them - that's not me nagging, just thought I'd mention :)
I reckon you're having a boy - the boy I'm expecting atm is trashing my breathing ;)
> Another (odd) question... Maybe someone might have some sort of knowledge > about this, seeing as it definitely seems everyone seems to know their stuff > ;) lol
> When I sleep, I guess I kind of hold my breath. I actually didn't notice it > first. Laying in bed one night, N jabbed at me with his elbow (not hard, > just a little, 'hey, let me have your attention!' type thing) and told me to > simply "stop that". Confused, I asked what he was talking about and why > he's poking at me when I'm trying to sleep. He told me to stop holding my > breath. I didn't even know I was. He said that I have been doing it more > and more - and once he pointed it out, I did actually notice it, but I also > find that even now, when I notice it, it takes actual effort to think to > stop holding my breath. I also know that I don't hold my breath until I > pass out or anything like that. I don't feel light headed, more or less > tired/awake. It's a regular inhale, and then at the end of inhaling, my > breath is held, maybe 5-6 seconds. Then an exhale, and same thing, at the > end of exhale, hold breath for 5-6 seconds or so. Not each and every time I > breathe, but often enough. Often enough that N notices it at night and I > also notice it (he notices more than I do if we're both awake)
> I'm not 100% sure when this started, but I know it hasn't happened all > along. It's been maybe the last couple months max. I think it was brought > to my attention about 2 or so months ago - shortly after I found out I was > pg. It seems to be something I'm slightly aware of every other night, > sometimes nightly.
> Not sure if it's related or not to this pregnancy (never noticed this > before, pregnant or not) or if it's a concern. I still fall asleep and I > can't say for sure if it continues while I'm sleeping, but N says that he > notices it when I am asleep, although it's very seldom (happens more when > I'm going to sleep) and a simple jab is enough to make me shift or roll over > and stop doing it, even though I don't feel I'm actually doing it (or doing > it on purpose or being very aware of it)
> Any ideas or has anyone ever heard of something like this before?
Yep--that would be sleep apnea.
Lots of causes (being overweight is the number one cause of sleep apnea), and there are a *lot* of problems that can result from it (higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, memory loss, fatigue, etc.). It depends on the frequency and severity of the actual apnea.
You should see you doctor and mention everything you've told us, and they should refer you to a sleep specialist for a sleep test. Then, depending on the results from that, they will recommend just checking in if it gets worse (or every year or two) all the way up to surgery if needed.
My husband had severe sleep apnea, despite not being more than 10 pounds overweight. He had an obstructive anatomy, ended up with a CPAP (breathing machine puts positive pressure to keep the throat open) which made it *worse* at first. Then he had three nasal surgeries (rare for apnea to be almost exclusively nasal), and while still apnic (especially when sick/has active allergies), it is so mild now, they are just watching him. No "Darth Vader" machine going all night anymore. ;-)
As other posters have said, it is apnea. But it is not clinically significant apnea, because each episode is very brief. Not clinically significant means a physician would not be concerned. I would not worry about it.
Now that you have the technical term, you can read up on it and decide for yourself if it merits talking to your doctor or taking other steps. If it bothers you and you want reassurance from your doctor, that is a valid reason to talk to your doctor about it.
