I think that I am breathing wrong ; retaining too much co2 and not getting enough o2 to the brain. for about 20 years I’ve known something was wrong , the sleep clinic said I wasn’t holding my breath but I don’t think they were concerned with the ratio of co2 to o2. They said I had a sleep disorder due to how fast I fell asleep and that I got sleepy on the road easily. Bt they couldn’t say why. Since May my heads felt fuzzy ( I’m 60 btw ) like there is something hot inside and here lately I have a headache thing going on after I sleep. ON medicine.net it listed 8 diagnosis’ a headache could point to and the only one that had headache especially after waking was that I must be mouth breathing and having too much co2 as opposed to o2. I am buying me a head strap to keep my mouth shut while I sleep and am going to get some o2 in a can for a quick snort- especially when I go to bed and wake up- I am worried that such a longterm habit can cause alzheimer’s etc. I have been doing kapalabhati more often - any other suggestions. I am trying to habituate myself to deep breathing- I had thought that I was.
also , the same medicine.net site said long exercise can bring too much oxygen to the muscles and away from the brain- so it suggested several short walks as opposed to one long one.
I am in the sleep medicine field here in NY. When you stop breathing during sleep due to sleep apnea, skin, fat, covers the airway when relaxed during sleep, you retain CO2 and don’t get the oxygen. Your brain wakes you briefly (you don’t even know it) and gets you breathing normally again only to have another apnea. Maybe 20, 40, 80 times an hour! You will only know how severe it is with a sleep study. It is nothing you can control during sleep. We don’t check for CO2 values unless it is a child, unnecessary. You should see a sleep specialist. The constant lack of O2 to the brain during sleep (think of it as a roller coaster, up down up down) leads to stress on the organs, particularly the brain and heart.
p.s. the retention of CO2 is what causes people to awaken w/headaches.
Yeah, I was thinking that about the co2 and waking and the stress on the organs. About 27 years ago I had a sleep study - they said I didn’t have apnea- didn’t need a c-pap machine but I did have a tired brain and they labeled it idiopathic sleep disorder and gave me an open ended prescription for methylphenodate which I only take if I am driving for over an hour somewhere- and that’s rare. I am sure that I need to get another sleep study and this time find how much o2 is in my head
A lot has changed since then. Your really should seek another sleep study. As much negativity as there is about CPAP therapy it is actually pretty good treatment considering the severity when left untreated. The machine’s and mask’s have come a long way. Good luck.
Focus more on asana and go for anuloma - viloma pranayama. This will help you have sound sleep. I have one of my student suffering with sleep disorder and got cured and does not take any medicine now. For the time being avoid Bhastrika and Kapalbhati pranayama.
I am getting a new sleep study soon - Umesh , thank you for the pranayama
I am not having the headaches for the last 2 months and have been doing the pranayama and some O2 accessories like O2 sprays and some food grade hydrogen peroxide diluted- just 3-5 drops in over 12 oz. and currently just on weekends for driving which makes me sleepy. I am going to concentrate on the pranayama and get a sleep study done. Thanks
Hi TonyTamer, it’s great that you’re
getting a sleep study done to check
the cause of your sleeplessness. It’s
also good that you are going to focus
more on pranayama.
I would like to add to the asanas, how
about incorporating Hastapadasana,
Baddha Konasana and Shisu Asana to
your routine? They are good asanas for
proper sleep.
XOXO,
Sexy Yogi
Thank you, I do all these, but I guess you are saying to do them at night ? ctually, I’m waiting for marijuana to be medically legal- as my sleeping problems have been diagnosed and I’d have a doctor’s prescription- I imagine that’d do the trick.
Hi Tony,
Looks like you are making you life a lab to experiment for sleeping disorders. I would suggest don’t do it. At the same time don’t depend on Marijuana. All these things will lead you nowhere and for your surprise, you will go more and more away from sleep.
Sleeping disorders are directly linked to your hormonal imbalance and regulation of cortisol and adrenaline hormones. Yoga practice (especially pranayama) helps reduce elevated level of these two hormones and helps have proper regulation of serotonin and melatonin. End result is that you get sound sleep, that too naturally.
Another factor I am more focused is your diet pattern. I suspect that your diet and lifestyle has direct impact on all your issues. If my analysis makes any sense then let me know I can teach you pranayama. For distant people I help through Skype. You must see change in 2 months if you practice sincerely.
Please also check for your daily physical activity. If it is more intensive then make it moderate to slow. It helps in hormonal balance as well. You can also try for “Yoga Nidra” which is very helpful. Thanks
yoga nidra is something I should do along with more pranayam- my diet is good except I do eat late and have a beer and sometimes 2 late. This may be something congenital as my brother has alzheimer’s and getting O2 to the brain is a priority there. We both have had diagnosis of sleep disorder from a long time ago. My exercise is almost all yoga and my day is fairly relaxed- nothing that causes a sweat in body or mind. I do like the adventure of trying things on myself- I try and do it with study beforehand. I don’t break laws so I don’t do marijuana but I would like to try and believe , at this point, that it is a gift from nature for many things. Though my life isn’t hard it is full and I have little time to spend on new things now- I will take early retirement at 62 and a half- I am newly 61- then I’ll learn yoga nidra hopefully and more pranayama- I am doing the alternate nostril thing now- my headaches are gone but my sleep is the same- I am healthy and never sick- I have energy and I take a power nap everyday. No caffeine after 6 either and not that much before. Thanks , I will try and keep safe and gradually learn new stuff. Namaste
Tony… you have said a lot and have got a lot of good answers…something that have caught my attention “like there is something hot inside” … kabalabhati will make you more HOT! think about if you really need to pump it up… have you considered an aurvedic doctor? if you do not have access to such this lecture might answer some of your questions about overheating and Co2… http://www.sanatansociety.org/free_yoga_video/teacher_peter_marchand_yoga_video_stop_getting_angry.htm#.UwFB-fldWls
Feel better!
Thank you , I’ll check this out. I need to evolve on this. I haven’t gotten a good handle on it yet
Pretty sure I’m not angry- not any more than usual- which I don’t exhibit much and I am very loose and expressive with my emotions. I am under some emotional stress but that mostly started after the headaches so I’m thinking it is more physiological as my brother has alzheimer’s and a sleep disorder- I have a sleep disorder that the only thing they can say ( about 18 years ago ) was that I had a tired brain and got to sleep quicker than average- to me both those kind of add up to a lack of O2 in the brain- other than drugs the therapy for my brother is aerobics to get O2. I am trying the anuloma viloma and have quit the kapalabhakti. The emotional stress I’m probably dealing with well -it’s mostly beyond my control. My daughter has a crippling cancer at only 29- that’s her picture on my avatar when she could stand. We are doing things to overcome it . I liked the site and love the advice for a sleep disorder of 2 drops of a nursing mother’s milk in each nostril. From the video I have learned things mostly for others like my fiance- I think I’ll buy her a pearl. Namaste
When you stop from serious sports, you should take a little time to recover from the shortage of oxygen.You know taking sports might need more oxygen than normal status.Sometimes you might suffer from headache, dizziness and etc. Just go to your coach, and let they teach you know to breath in order to avoid Uncomfortable symptoms.