Exhaustion, and Sleep Apnea

Back in July I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. It is a heck of a thing to realize that you may have never had good quality sleep as an adult. I remember that first night of sleeping with a bi-pap machine. I woke up and felt like I hadn't been to sleep. The amazing part was how quickly I fell asleep. I have always dealt with insomnia, and come to find out that may be because of the apnea.

When I first came home from the hospital I was pretty obsessed with the bi-pap machine. I took naps just so I could use it. (Of course, I was recovering from sepsis at the time.) Then, after a month or so I was less enchanted with the machine. Just this February, I got a new sleep mask, and my romance with the machine was revived.

All that to say, I'm not sure how much sleep factors into weight loss, but I know it does. Occasionally, I will sleep without my mask, and when I do I find that I need an afternoon nap. When I sleep with my mask I awake refreshed, and I do that with fewer hours of sleep. Without the mask I can never seem to get enough sleep.

Sleep factors into my pursuit of health because when I'm well rested I feel like I can conquer the world. I wake up ready to be productive, rather than slogging through my day from coffee cup to nap. I also seem to crave less sugar because I am rested. I'm not trying to get that sugar rush. Before getting tested for sleep apnea I would never have thought that sleep could make those differences, but then I don't think I ever really had good sleep as an adult. (Maybe even as a child.)