The # 1 Reason You're "So Tired".....

rockin'robin · 02-23-2010, 12:38 PM

It's Not What You Think

Does this sound familiar? You finally manage to get everything done and fall into bed, where it's easy to fall asleep because you're bone-tired. You sleep a reasonable number of hours -- at least it seems as if you do -- but when you wake up, you feel like you hardly slept. Then you drag around all day, feeling fuzzy-headed, grumpy and longing for a nap.

If this sounds like you or someone close to you, you'll want to know about a little-known breathing problem called upper airway resistance syndrome, or UARS. Unlike sleep apnea, which has been well known for a long time, UARS has only recently been getting attention.

The term "resistance" refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women. One French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing.

e term "resistance" refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women. One French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing.

Park says he sees many patients with UARS who think they're sleeping poorly due to stress or insomnia, but it's more complicated than that. He wrote a book about the phenomenon called Sleep Interrupted: A Physician Reveals the No. 1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired. What's really happening, Park says, is that your body is half-waking over and over again during the night. Since you're unable to fall into a deep restorative sleep, you don't feel refreshed in the morning.

How to Find Out if You Have UARS

While sleep apnea is much more common in men -- only 5 percent of those with apnea are women -- UARS affects men and women about equally. Other characteristics common to many people with UARS: having a narrow face, having a small or narrow jaw and having a thin neck. In fact, if you had to have orthodontia as a child for overcrowded teeth, Park says, it's very likely you could develop UARS. Some people with UARS also have low blood pressure and cold hands and feet. And, says Park, if you have found over the years that you simply cannot sleep on your back because you invariably wake up, it's very likely the reason is UARS.

UARS is so new, not all doctors are familiar with it and many sleep clinics don't use techniques capable of identifying these subtle changes in breathing patterns. (UARS may not show up in traditional tests for disordered breathing, which measure oxygen levels.) So if you suspect you have UARS, choose a sleep study lab that's familiar with the disorder and has the equipment to test for pressure changes in your nose or alternations in breathing or pulse wave signals.

Treating UARS Yourself

Over-the-counter products can be effective at treating UARS, says Park, so this is a great first step. Many people benefit from breathing strips, such as Breathe Right.

To see if breathing strips might work for you, try this simple test: Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril firmly to close it off. Then close your mouth and try to breathe. If you feel resistance as you inhale through the open nostril, try holding it wider open with your pinky finger or the flat side of a toothpick. Try this on both sides. If you notice that you breathe more easily with your nostril propped open, you're a good candidate for breathing strips.

Some people also find great benefit from the nasal dilator Nozovent, available online. Other steps to try include irrigating the nasal passages with a saline nasal spray and taking a non-sedating allergy medication such as Claritin if you suspect congestion from allergies. You can also ask your doctor for a prescription nasal spray containing itraconazole (Sporanox), xylitol, mupirocin (Bactroban) and dexamethasone.

When To Call A Doctor

If these don't work, the next step is to ask your doctor for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. With the help of an ENT, you'll have access to a number of treatments, including dental devices and continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, a specially designed nasal mask that prevents your nasal passages from collapsing and delivers air directly into your airway.

If the otolaryngologist determines that tongue position during sleep is causing your UARS, she might recommend a dental device that pushes the jaw forward, which also pushes the tongue forward and prevents it from blocking the opening to the throat. If the obstruction is in the nasal passages, then CPAP is likely to work best. There are also minimally invasive surgical techniques available in cases where the obstruction is located in the area of the soft palate.

Getting a good night's sleep is absolutely essential in order to be at your best during the day, so if any of this sounds like it might apply to you, take action. Once you experience what if feels like to sleep deeply again, you'll look back and be thankful you got help.

The No. 1 Reason You're So Tired - Health News Story - WJXT Jacksonville

MoniDew · 02-23-2010, 01:37 PM

thank you for a fantastic article. this is very useful information!

**Dixie** · 02-26-2010, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin'robin

It's Not What You Think

Does this sound familiar? You finally manage to get everything done and fall into bed, where it's easy to fall asleep because you're bone-tired. You sleep a reasonable number of hours -- at least it seems as if you do -- but when you wake up, you feel like you hardly slept. Then you drag around all day, feeling fuzzy-headed, grumpy and longing for a nap.

If this sounds like you or someone close to you, you'll want to know about a little-known breathing problem called upper airway resistance syndrome, or UARS. Unlike sleep apnea, which has been well known for a long time, UARS has only recently been getting attention.

The term "resistance" refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women. One French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing.

e term "resistance" refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women. One French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing.

Park says he sees many patients with UARS who think they're sleeping poorly due to stress or insomnia, but it's more complicated than that. He wrote a book about the phenomenon called Sleep Interrupted: A Physician Reveals the No. 1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired. What's really happening, Park says, is that your body is half-waking over and over again during the night. Since you're unable to fall into a deep restorative sleep, you don't feel refreshed in the morning.

How to Find Out if You Have UARS

While sleep apnea is much more common in men -- only 5 percent of those with apnea are women -- UARS affects men and women about equally. Other characteristics common to many people with UARS: having a narrow face, having a small or narrow jaw and having a thin neck. In fact, if you had to have orthodontia as a child for overcrowded teeth, Park says, it's very likely you could develop UARS. Some people with UARS also have low blood pressure and cold hands and feet. And, says Park, if you have found over the years that you simply cannot sleep on your back because you invariably wake up, it's very likely the reason is UARS.

UARS is so new, not all doctors are familiar with it and many sleep clinics don't use techniques capable of identifying these subtle changes in breathing patterns. (UARS may not show up in traditional tests for disordered breathing, which measure oxygen levels.) So if you suspect you have UARS, choose a sleep study lab that's familiar with the disorder and has the equipment to test for pressure changes in your nose or alternations in breathing or pulse wave signals.

Treating UARS Yourself

Over-the-counter products can be effective at treating UARS, says Park, so this is a great first step. Many people benefit from breathing strips, such as Breathe Right.

To see if breathing strips might work for you, try this simple test: Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril firmly to close it off. Then close your mouth and try to breathe. If you feel resistance as you inhale through the open nostril, try holding it wider open with your pinky finger or the flat side of a toothpick. Try this on both sides. If you notice that you breathe more easily with your nostril propped open, you're a good candidate for breathing strips.

Some people also find great benefit from the nasal dilator Nozovent, available online. Other steps to try include irrigating the nasal passages with a saline nasal spray and taking a non-sedating allergy medication such as Claritin if you suspect congestion from allergies. You can also ask your doctor for a prescription nasal spray containing itraconazole (Sporanox), xylitol, mupirocin (Bactroban) and dexamethasone.

When To Call A Doctor

If these don't work, the next step is to ask your doctor for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. With the help of an ENT, you'll have access to a number of treatments, including dental devices and continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, a specially designed nasal mask that prevents your nasal passages from collapsing and delivers air directly into your airway.

If the otolaryngologist determines that tongue position during sleep is causing your UARS, she might recommend a dental device that pushes the jaw forward, which also pushes the tongue forward and prevents it from blocking the opening to the throat. If the obstruction is in the nasal passages, then CPAP is likely to work best. There are also minimally invasive surgical techniques available in cases where the obstruction is located in the area of the soft palate.

Getting a good night's sleep is absolutely essential in order to be at your best during the day, so if any of this sounds like it might apply to you, take action. Once you experience what if feels like to sleep deeply again, you'll look back and be thankful you got help.

The No. 1 Reason You're So Tired - Health News Story - WJXT Jacksonville

I fit this description to a T!

**TXgolfer** · 02-26-2010, 03:34 PM

I'm not tired

**Rio** · 02-26-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXgolfer

I'm not tired

Care to share what kind of vitamins you are on?

**TXgolfer** · 02-26-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oceanblue7

Care to share what kind of vitamins you are on?

Multi vitamin

I really think the problem is people sleep WAY too much and their body becomes dependent on it. I sleep on average about 4 hrs a day (if you doubt that check the times of my posts) . I have since birth according to my mom.

Being tired is just an attitude to me.....

**Beowulf** · 02-26-2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXgolfer

Multi vitamin

I really think the problem is people sleep WAY too much and their body becomes dependent on it. I sleep on average about 4 hrs a day (if you doubt that check the times of my posts) . I have since birth according to my mom.

Being tired is just an attitude to me.....

Interesting. However, I keep seeing reports that teenagers get way too little sleep nowadays. I am not sure what the "proper" number of hours a teen should get per night, but I think it was nine or ten.

As for myself, seven hours a day is perfect. Most of the time I take a one-hour nap during the day and six at night.
Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

**TXgolfer** · 02-26-2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beowulf

Interesting. However, I keep seeing reports that teenagers get way too little sleep nowadays. I am not sure what the "proper" number of hours a teen should get per night, but I think it was nine or ten.

As for myself, seven hours a day is perfect. Most of the time I take a one-hour nap during the day and six at night.
Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Yeah they say teens need it to grow. I didn't have time to sleep as a teen. I had school, lettered in 4 sports and had a year round lawn care business. (Houston)

Firebrand · 03-20-2010, 11:13 AM

Golfer! 4 hours of day per day???? I wish I could do that! OMG....... I can easily sleep 24/7. I'm not kidding. This is why you have not seen me in here for the last few weeks. I sleep like the dead. I hate to sleep because I have a horrible time waking up. I just sleep on and on.

Thank you so much for the article, Robin!

I will see if that's my problem. Not sure but I think there may a few things that are causing me so sleep like I do.

yizuman · 03-20-2010, 11:41 AM

If I don't have my coffee in the morning

, somebody is gonna die!

Yiz

quirkylibra · 03-20-2010, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yizuman

If I don't have my coffee in the morning

, somebody is gonna die!

Yiz

I second this motion!

rockin'robin · 03-20-2010, 04:22 PM

3rd the local motion.....there's no life before coffee!...My boys get 9-10 hours a night (school)....I'm lucky I get 4-5...so I do nap during the day if I'm really tired. But those Breathe Right strips work for me!

pandaundercover · 03-31-2010, 01:34 AM

Pretty sure my extreme tiredness is a combination of drinking 1/2 a cup of coffee every morning (which is odd enough when the fatigue likes to kick in and I don't even drink that much of it), drinking maybe, a cup of tea, and eating, usually, some chocolate and other assortments of candies every single day. Because I'm otherwise, pretty healthy- I work out 5 days a week, my weight is normal, I eat otherwise a healthy diet (I just NEED the candy- sugar addict), and I sleep roughly 9 hours a night. The cause for tiredness, can often, simply be right in front of our faces, but we don't want to shift our habits.

02-23-2010, 12:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
rockin'robin Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 15,260	The # 1 Reason You're "So Tired"..... It's Not What You Think Does this sound familiar? You finally manage to get everything done and fall into bed, where it's easy to fall asleep because you're bone-tired. You sleep a reasonable number of hours -- at least it seems as if you do -- but when you wake up, you feel like you hardly slept. Then you drag around all day, feeling fuzzy-headed, grumpy and longing for a nap. If this sounds like you or someone close to you, you'll want to know about a little-known breathing problem called upper airway resistance syndrome, or UARS. Unlike sleep apnea, which has been well known for a long time, UARS has only recently been getting attention. The term "resistance" refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women. One French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing. e term "resistance" refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women. One French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing. Park says he sees many patients with UARS who think they're sleeping poorly due to stress or insomnia, but it's more complicated than that. He wrote a book about the phenomenon called Sleep Interrupted: A Physician Reveals the No. 1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired. What's really happening, Park says, is that your body is half-waking over and over again during the night. Since you're unable to fall into a deep restorative sleep, you don't feel refreshed in the morning. How to Find Out if You Have UARS While sleep apnea is much more common in men -- only 5 percent of those with apnea are women -- UARS affects men and women about equally. Other characteristics common to many people with UARS: having a narrow face, having a small or narrow jaw and having a thin neck. In fact, if you had to have orthodontia as a child for overcrowded teeth, Park says, it's very likely you could develop UARS. Some people with UARS also have low blood pressure and cold hands and feet. And, says Park, if you have found over the years that you simply cannot sleep on your back because you invariably wake up, it's very likely the reason is UARS. UARS is so new, not all doctors are familiar with it and many sleep clinics don't use techniques capable of identifying these subtle changes in breathing patterns. (UARS may not show up in traditional tests for disordered breathing, which measure oxygen levels.) So if you suspect you have UARS, choose a sleep study lab that's familiar with the disorder and has the equipment to test for pressure changes in your nose or alternations in breathing or pulse wave signals. Treating UARS Yourself Over-the-counter products can be effective at treating UARS, says Park, so this is a great first step. Many people benefit from breathing strips, such as Breathe Right. To see if breathing strips might work for you, try this simple test: Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril firmly to close it off. Then close your mouth and try to breathe. If you feel resistance as you inhale through the open nostril, try holding it wider open with your pinky finger or the flat side of a toothpick. Try this on both sides. If you notice that you breathe more easily with your nostril propped open, you're a good candidate for breathing strips. Some people also find great benefit from the nasal dilator Nozovent, available online. Other steps to try include irrigating the nasal passages with a saline nasal spray and taking a non-sedating allergy medication such as Claritin if you suspect congestion from allergies. You can also ask your doctor for a prescription nasal spray containing itraconazole (Sporanox), xylitol, mupirocin (Bactroban) and dexamethasone. When To Call A Doctor If these don't work, the next step is to ask your doctor for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. With the help of an ENT, you'll have access to a number of treatments, including dental devices and continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, a specially designed nasal mask that prevents your nasal passages from collapsing and delivers air directly into your airway. If the otolaryngologist determines that tongue position during sleep is causing your UARS, she might recommend a dental device that pushes the jaw forward, which also pushes the tongue forward and prevents it from blocking the opening to the throat. If the obstruction is in the nasal passages, then CPAP is likely to work best. There are also minimally invasive surgical techniques available in cases where the obstruction is located in the area of the soft palate. Getting a good night's sleep is absolutely essential in order to be at your best during the day, so if any of this sounds like it might apply to you, take action. Once you experience what if feels like to sleep deeply again, you'll look back and be thankful you got help. The No. 1 Reason You're So Tired - Health News Story - WJXT Jacksonville

02-23-2010, 01:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
MoniDew Registered User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Posts: 95	thank you for a fantastic article. this is very useful information! __________________ PODA - parent of a late-deafened adult daughter ASL student, hopeful one-day interpreter

03-20-2010, 11:13 AM	#9 (permalink)
Firebrand Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 261	Golfer! 4 hours of day per day???? I wish I could do that! OMG....... I can easily sleep 24/7. I'm not kidding. This is why you have not seen me in here for the last few weeks. I sleep like the dead. I hate to sleep because I have a horrible time waking up. I just sleep on and on. Thank you so much for the article, Robin! I will see if that's my problem. Not sure but I think there may a few things that are causing me so sleep like I do. __________________ Firebrand Strongheart

03-20-2010, 11:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
yizuman Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,370	If I don't have my coffee in the morning , somebody is gonna die! Yiz __________________

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02-26-2010, 03:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
TXgolfer Dream Weaver Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Everywhere Posts: 17,557	I'm not tired

03-20-2010, 04:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
rockin'robin Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 15,260	3rd the local motion.....there's no life before coffee!...My boys get 9-10 hours a night (school)....I'm lucky I get 4-5...so I do nap during the day if I'm really tired. But those Breathe Right strips work for me!

03-31-2010, 01:34 AM	#13 (permalink)
pandaundercover Registered User Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: AZ Posts: 93	Pretty sure my extreme tiredness is a combination of drinking 1/2 a cup of coffee every morning (which is odd enough when the fatigue likes to kick in and I don't even drink that much of it), drinking maybe, a cup of tea, and eating, usually, some chocolate and other assortments of candies every single day. Because I'm otherwise, pretty healthy- I work out 5 days a week, my weight is normal, I eat otherwise a healthy diet (I just NEED the candy- sugar addict), and I sleep roughly 9 hours a night. The cause for tiredness, can often, simply be right in front of our faces, but we don't want to shift our habits.