oh hey actual life update
I'm still in the overall trap of work work work sleep slip in some video games whenever possible. However, on an interesting note, and since Brian's post was so informative, I thought I'd lay out my own experience with a sleep study I just did over the weekend. Turns out I have moderate sleep apnea, and although I didn't meet all the requirements to be hooked up to CPAP that night, they are recommending one.
I got in around 6:30pm, got orientated and changed into my pajamas. Since they requested easy access to legs and chest, I opted for just a pair of shorts. So from about 6:50 to 7:40 I was sitting still in a chair getting wired up. The tech asked if I wanted to have the TV on while he did this, but silly me said no. So I sat there, and it was in complete silence as I had numerous electrodes stuck to me. By the end I looked like this man.
Once he was done he took the control box, attached a lanyard and hooked it around my neck so I could move around the room. Then he had me sample different nose masks and actually try a cpap. I must say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it does feel weird breathing against the air pressure. Also it's a bit creepy how I open my mouth and air just whooshes out. The machine itself wasn't much louder than an oscillating fan, and both Jennifer and myself sleep with white noise type devices anyway, so no worries there.
The room itself wasn't bad, it was basically just like a simple hotel room. Couple nightstands, DVD player and small flatscreen tv. Bed was nice though, they actually offered one of those fancy Sleep Number beds. I proceeded to put it to maximum firmness, and I must say my back felt the best it had in years. They also had a mediocre wifi access, so I was able to putter around on the laptop while trying in vain to find something to watch on TV. I ended up just leaving it on those silly FoodTV competition shows, followed by Iron Chef America. I much prefer the Japanese Iron Chef, but at the same time I love Alton Brown so I'm torn. So I just try to pass time until about 10:30, where I pop the ambien the doctor gave me so I could actually sleep.
Ambien, now that is some wacky stuff. I'm actually fairly sensitive to sleeping pills, so at first I thought the stuff wasn't working. Then it just hit me like a truck after about twenty minutes. I could feel my body getting heavy and my eyes could not stay open for more than a second. I zonked out and before I knew it the tech was on the intercom saying it was morning. During the night I had some crazy dreams, but one in particular I remember vividly. The tech came in, turned on the light and I figured he was there to put me on the cpap. Instead we began to have a frank discussion about marriage. Not anyone's in particular, just marriage in general. When he came in I asked him, and he said the only time he came in was before the whole thing really began to adjust the electrodes on my chin, since my beard was causing them to unstick. So yeah, all those warnings you hear about, so very true.
Morning rolled around, tech told me I do have the signs for sleep apnea and to get in the touch with the doctor for follow up proceedings. He said that I most likely would be put on a cpap, and either it'd be a home testing or I'd come in for another overnight. He mentioned the latter tends to work better because they can properly adjust the machine while I'm there and send me home with a perfectly calibrated unit, and not depend on the machines self adjusting. I grabbed a shower to get the gel out of my hair, gathered up my stuff and headed home around 6:40am. Jennifer was still asleep so I decided to sleep off the rest of the ambien before the game. I did however, start up one of my gametime snacks in the crock pot. It consisted of a 2lbs pack of Lil Smokies, a bottle of chili sauce and a small jar of grape jelly. I know that sounds horrible, but the two sauces combine into a sort of sweet and sour BBQ sauce. Let them cook all day and they are tasty. A two lbs pack was overkill though, as I only ate a few and Jennifer didn't care for them. So I've got lunch for the week.
I got in around 6:30pm, got orientated and changed into my pajamas. Since they requested easy access to legs and chest, I opted for just a pair of shorts. So from about 6:50 to 7:40 I was sitting still in a chair getting wired up. The tech asked if I wanted to have the TV on while he did this, but silly me said no. So I sat there, and it was in complete silence as I had numerous electrodes stuck to me. By the end I looked like this man.
Once he was done he took the control box, attached a lanyard and hooked it around my neck so I could move around the room. Then he had me sample different nose masks and actually try a cpap. I must say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it does feel weird breathing against the air pressure. Also it's a bit creepy how I open my mouth and air just whooshes out. The machine itself wasn't much louder than an oscillating fan, and both Jennifer and myself sleep with white noise type devices anyway, so no worries there.
The room itself wasn't bad, it was basically just like a simple hotel room. Couple nightstands, DVD player and small flatscreen tv. Bed was nice though, they actually offered one of those fancy Sleep Number beds. I proceeded to put it to maximum firmness, and I must say my back felt the best it had in years. They also had a mediocre wifi access, so I was able to putter around on the laptop while trying in vain to find something to watch on TV. I ended up just leaving it on those silly FoodTV competition shows, followed by Iron Chef America. I much prefer the Japanese Iron Chef, but at the same time I love Alton Brown so I'm torn. So I just try to pass time until about 10:30, where I pop the ambien the doctor gave me so I could actually sleep.
Ambien, now that is some wacky stuff. I'm actually fairly sensitive to sleeping pills, so at first I thought the stuff wasn't working. Then it just hit me like a truck after about twenty minutes. I could feel my body getting heavy and my eyes could not stay open for more than a second. I zonked out and before I knew it the tech was on the intercom saying it was morning. During the night I had some crazy dreams, but one in particular I remember vividly. The tech came in, turned on the light and I figured he was there to put me on the cpap. Instead we began to have a frank discussion about marriage. Not anyone's in particular, just marriage in general. When he came in I asked him, and he said the only time he came in was before the whole thing really began to adjust the electrodes on my chin, since my beard was causing them to unstick. So yeah, all those warnings you hear about, so very true.
Morning rolled around, tech told me I do have the signs for sleep apnea and to get in the touch with the doctor for follow up proceedings. He said that I most likely would be put on a cpap, and either it'd be a home testing or I'd come in for another overnight. He mentioned the latter tends to work better because they can properly adjust the machine while I'm there and send me home with a perfectly calibrated unit, and not depend on the machines self adjusting. I grabbed a shower to get the gel out of my hair, gathered up my stuff and headed home around 6:40am. Jennifer was still asleep so I decided to sleep off the rest of the ambien before the game. I did however, start up one of my gametime snacks in the crock pot. It consisted of a 2lbs pack of Lil Smokies, a bottle of chili sauce and a small jar of grape jelly. I know that sounds horrible, but the two sauces combine into a sort of sweet and sour BBQ sauce. Let them cook all day and they are tasty. A two lbs pack was overkill though, as I only ate a few and Jennifer didn't care for them. So I've got lunch for the week.