I was almost always tired and sleepy, especially when driving. I would fall asleep after about 30 minutes when watching TV or reading. I would get headaches almost every day and some nights. It was sometimes like I had been drugged. I snored very loudly too - I was famous for it. Also and perhaps the worst thing was that I was frequently grumpy and irritable.
I finally told my family doctor and he had me tested for sleep apnea.
"The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer."
The test clearly indicated that I have sleep apnea. So, for the last two months, I have a machine beside my bed that pumps air into my nose when I'm sleeping. I have to wear a mask over my nose with straps around my head. My Wife and Kids laughed when they saw me with it on. It's quite intrusive, but well worth a little discomfort.
I don't snore now. I have not had a headache in over a month. I'm not tired all the time anymore. I'm not "Mr. Grumpy" at all. If fact, I feel better than I have in the last fifteen years.
If you have the symptoms that I had, go and get tested. . . don't put it off.
