Day 23 Be Lazy--Get you ZZZZ's
This title is very hard for me to type because it goes against everything that is not ME, at least according to my point of view, and I guess you'd say laziness is my pet peeve. You see, I am a workaholic. I cannot sit still. Larry says that my mind is a project machine in motion. I don't like watching TV because it is boring. Larry likes some TV---mostly sports, and we both like a couple of "cop" shows, so I watch a little for enjoyment, but mostly to be with him. Now if I have a crossword puzzle, a sewing or craft project, or a book to read while I am watching TV, I do fine. I mention all of this because I was too busy to the point that I did not value sleep and rest like I should. I was once captivated by a story that I heard about a very successful man who said he only needed three hours of sleep at a time. His optimum performance came when he slept three hours worked three hours, slept three hours--you get the point. I secretly wanted to be able to do this. I was mesmerized by his success and his work ethic.( I hope he is still alive). I knew that some of my greatest work (or at least I thought), got done in the middle of the night when I would wake up and could not go back to sleep. I often balanced the check book, paid bills, did on-line banking, wrote lesson plans etc. But Psalms 127:2 says It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows for he giveth his beloved SLEEP!! Some commentaries say the "bread of sorrows" means working too long and too hard just to have something to eat. Now it is ok to work and work hard--the Bible also warns of idleness. In other words---work hard and rest hard---you need your rest and not just rest, but sleep and good sleep.
I'm continually amazed on this health journey at what I learn about just the basic facts of life that no one taught me. I'm nearly seventy years old and I knew nothing about the importance of sleep. God designed our body to sustain itself in every area I know that, and sleep is one of those things. So God, why did I have trouble getting a good night's sleep every night? Am I not your beloved?--which means one who you love? You said in Psalms that you give your beloved sleep .So I had some research to do. I quoted in an earlier blog that God made everything and it was good, so I wanted good sleep. I wanted to cooperate with Him in this area too. So here is my story along the journey.
It was shocking to me to find out how important quality sleep is for you health. Everything good that happens to your body occurs during sleep, and if you are not getting quality sleep you will make yourself sick. This lack of good sleep affects the health of the entire body, but it was while I was studying about Alzheimer's that I learned what happens to your brain when you do not get good sleep. It was eye-opening. I basically thought that poor sleep was a part of getting old. Didn't everyone my age say, " I just don't sleep well, I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. I've got so much on my mind and I just don't know how to turn it off." And many, will say that they need a sleeping pill to help or make them sleep. I did try an over the counter sleep aid one time. It did not work in my opinion, so I did not buy them again. On my journey I found out why I should not take them. I'm glad because I have heard horror stories about people who got hooked on sleeping pills and then needed more pills the next day to make them alert, then the sleeping pills to calm them down and so the cycle begins. So here is what I found out on the journey that I am still on. I have turned poor sleep at best, to the best sleep I have ever had in my life. But I say I am still on the journey because it is not perfect 100% of the time. So I am still adding to, or changing things that will give me even deeper and better sleep. Occasionally when I have a restless night, I can figure out why. I then make the adjustment that I already know works, and the sleep straightens out. But in order to get the entire picture of how I slept at night I had to talk to the one I sleep with---Larry.
I told him that I had read that without fail, all Alzheimer's patients have sleep issues and probably had those issues for years, finally getting to the place that the issues effected their breathing causing them to not get enough oxygen to the brain. This is not good. This can then becomes a serious sleep disorder--sleep apnea. There are other health complications from sleep apnea, but right now I am concentrating only on the brain. Now not all people with bad sleep habits are guaranteed to get Alzheimer. But all Alzheimer's patients have serious sleep problems. One source I read said that without fail, all Alzheimer's patients have sleep apnea. So when I mentioned my sleep habits to Larry, he said that he had witnessed some episodes at night when I would stop breathing for short periods of time. Of course that concerned me, so I went and had a sleep study done. Sure enough, the sleep study said that I was in the middle range for sleep apnea. So next was the consultation with the doctor. Because of so many patients, there was a few weeks from the time of the study until I actually could see the doctor, so I had time to do some research. I was so excited about some things I had learned about sleep apnea and wanted to discuss them with him. So in I go for the consultation. I find out within a few seconds that he is a "know at all, don't question me" type of doctor. He was very blunt---I have no time for you, type of guy. This is the diagnosis, get fitted for a CPAP, end of story.
I found out some interesting facts that I wanted to talk to him about. I had learned that some people had reversed their sleep apnea, so I wanted to give God a chance to show me how to correct the problem without getting a CPAP machine. Since I believe that God designs your body to heal itself, then I had the faith to believe that if I cooperated with Him that I could find another answer. And I was hoping that he would be the kind of doctor that was interested in the cure and not the treatment. I reasoned that I am just too active to carry one of these machines around. What about my 500 mile walk across Spain that is coming up in September? What about camping where there is no electricity that Larry and I enjoy? Nope!! too confining!! It's not me. I reasoned that CPAP machines were a relatively new thing so what did people do all those years before CPAP? I already knew the effect that diet had on my health so I wanted to explore that also.
But he would not really listen to anything I had to say about my research and I had a lot of questions about the sleep study itself. I told him I was losing weight with my new way of eating and that I had read that obesity is the major contributor to sleep apnea. He asked how much weight I had lost since I was here for the study and I told him ten pounds. He said that would have no effect on the study. With basically no response to most of my questions except an eye roll, I asked if there were alternatives to the CPAP ( I knew there were). He said he knew of a doctor that prescribed a mouthpiece, but he said that it was more expensive and not worth the money. He said his practice did not recommend the device at this point. He became visibly upset and finally said, "Do you think you can just wear me down with your questions and I'll change my diagnosis"? I never considered that he would change anything. The sleep study results were the results. Then he added, "Why are you afraid of the CPAP machine"? I assured him that I was not afraid, that I had a family member who used one every night. I was just interested in alternatives and what I could do to change the standard treatment of a CPAP machine. He very adamantly told me that there was no cure for sleep apnea (which I knew was not true), and that my time was up. Before he finished writing on my report and telling me that the next step was to come back for a follow up sleep study--- this time using the CPAP machine so they could adjust it to my breathing pattern---I asked if I could use half the night as another sleep study and see if my results had changed and if they had not, then use the CPAP the other half of the night. I had read of too many people being able to get off the CPAP, not to explore other methods. Besides, the machine can cost up to $3500. I know insurance covers most of the cost. I think I was going to have to pay around $800, but then there is the cost of accessories, cleaning supplies and various other on going expenses. Now don't get me wrong, if I had a severe case that I could not change, and I was headed for Alzheimer's, it would be worth those expenses. I had read that generally the breathing problem was caused by fat in the throat blocking the air passage and since I was currently losing weight with my healthy eating, I at least wanted at see if anything had changed. He did agree to my suggestion. So I had time to do more research and develop a plan to get better sleep. I have not been back yet--it has been several months, but I want to give God a chance. So I started my journey to change bad sleep habits to good sleep habits.
I started very simply. I read that some people had sleep problems because there was a magnesium deficiency. I watched a video of a sleep doctor who specializes in helping Alzheimer's patients with their sleep issues. This sleep doctor said that he suggested his patients increase the magnesium level in their body with bananas because they are loaded with magnesium. Diet is the best way to get magnesium into the body because the absorption of a magnesium pill is not very good under most conditions (more later). So he gave this recipe to make banana tea that you drink before bedtime. Wash the banana and cut off the tips, then cut it in half. Leave the peel on it and the fruit inside. Put it into 2-3 cups of boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes until it the peel turns brown. Remove from heat and let it steep until it is cool enough to drink. It is great this way, but you can add a little honey and cinnamon if you like. If you are following the keto diet and are actually trying to get into ketosis to burn fat, you might not want to add the honey. I don't think you need the added honey because bananas are sweet by themselves. It is very calming and sedative and a great way to get magnesium. This helped me the first night to get to sleep, but it did not work 100% of the time. I still had some restless nights. The good thing I have found about healthy alternatives is that you can't go wrong---there are no side effects, unless you happen to be allergic to some foods. I also knew that research shows that a large majority of the people have a magnesium deficiency. But I knew there was more---a lot more before the sleep apnea was gone. So the journey continued. I have learned to be very patient on this trip. Very few health issues are emergencies and have to be dealt with immediately -----even cancer. And very few things I try actually give overnight results so I have to constantly reprogram myself not to look for the quick fix in the form of surgery and pills. Time is really on our side in most cases. Even though I saw a difference in my sleep, I knew there was more. A magnesium adjustment was good, but I could not eat enough bananas to cure my sleep problems. I knew there were some more natural ways that God had designed to reward His children with good sleep. So the next thing I attacked was melatonin, and boy was I excited about what I found out--Next blog!!
I'm continually amazed on this health journey at what I learn about just the basic facts of life that no one taught me. I'm nearly seventy years old and I knew nothing about the importance of sleep. God designed our body to sustain itself in every area I know that, and sleep is one of those things. So God, why did I have trouble getting a good night's sleep every night? Am I not your beloved?--which means one who you love? You said in Psalms that you give your beloved sleep .So I had some research to do. I quoted in an earlier blog that God made everything and it was good, so I wanted good sleep. I wanted to cooperate with Him in this area too. So here is my story along the journey.
It was shocking to me to find out how important quality sleep is for you health. Everything good that happens to your body occurs during sleep, and if you are not getting quality sleep you will make yourself sick. This lack of good sleep affects the health of the entire body, but it was while I was studying about Alzheimer's that I learned what happens to your brain when you do not get good sleep. It was eye-opening. I basically thought that poor sleep was a part of getting old. Didn't everyone my age say, " I just don't sleep well, I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. I've got so much on my mind and I just don't know how to turn it off." And many, will say that they need a sleeping pill to help or make them sleep. I did try an over the counter sleep aid one time. It did not work in my opinion, so I did not buy them again. On my journey I found out why I should not take them. I'm glad because I have heard horror stories about people who got hooked on sleeping pills and then needed more pills the next day to make them alert, then the sleeping pills to calm them down and so the cycle begins. So here is what I found out on the journey that I am still on. I have turned poor sleep at best, to the best sleep I have ever had in my life. But I say I am still on the journey because it is not perfect 100% of the time. So I am still adding to, or changing things that will give me even deeper and better sleep. Occasionally when I have a restless night, I can figure out why. I then make the adjustment that I already know works, and the sleep straightens out. But in order to get the entire picture of how I slept at night I had to talk to the one I sleep with---Larry.
I told him that I had read that without fail, all Alzheimer's patients have sleep issues and probably had those issues for years, finally getting to the place that the issues effected their breathing causing them to not get enough oxygen to the brain. This is not good. This can then becomes a serious sleep disorder--sleep apnea. There are other health complications from sleep apnea, but right now I am concentrating only on the brain. Now not all people with bad sleep habits are guaranteed to get Alzheimer. But all Alzheimer's patients have serious sleep problems. One source I read said that without fail, all Alzheimer's patients have sleep apnea. So when I mentioned my sleep habits to Larry, he said that he had witnessed some episodes at night when I would stop breathing for short periods of time. Of course that concerned me, so I went and had a sleep study done. Sure enough, the sleep study said that I was in the middle range for sleep apnea. So next was the consultation with the doctor. Because of so many patients, there was a few weeks from the time of the study until I actually could see the doctor, so I had time to do some research. I was so excited about some things I had learned about sleep apnea and wanted to discuss them with him. So in I go for the consultation. I find out within a few seconds that he is a "know at all, don't question me" type of doctor. He was very blunt---I have no time for you, type of guy. This is the diagnosis, get fitted for a CPAP, end of story.
I found out some interesting facts that I wanted to talk to him about. I had learned that some people had reversed their sleep apnea, so I wanted to give God a chance to show me how to correct the problem without getting a CPAP machine. Since I believe that God designs your body to heal itself, then I had the faith to believe that if I cooperated with Him that I could find another answer. And I was hoping that he would be the kind of doctor that was interested in the cure and not the treatment. I reasoned that I am just too active to carry one of these machines around. What about my 500 mile walk across Spain that is coming up in September? What about camping where there is no electricity that Larry and I enjoy? Nope!! too confining!! It's not me. I reasoned that CPAP machines were a relatively new thing so what did people do all those years before CPAP? I already knew the effect that diet had on my health so I wanted to explore that also.
But he would not really listen to anything I had to say about my research and I had a lot of questions about the sleep study itself. I told him I was losing weight with my new way of eating and that I had read that obesity is the major contributor to sleep apnea. He asked how much weight I had lost since I was here for the study and I told him ten pounds. He said that would have no effect on the study. With basically no response to most of my questions except an eye roll, I asked if there were alternatives to the CPAP ( I knew there were). He said he knew of a doctor that prescribed a mouthpiece, but he said that it was more expensive and not worth the money. He said his practice did not recommend the device at this point. He became visibly upset and finally said, "Do you think you can just wear me down with your questions and I'll change my diagnosis"? I never considered that he would change anything. The sleep study results were the results. Then he added, "Why are you afraid of the CPAP machine"? I assured him that I was not afraid, that I had a family member who used one every night. I was just interested in alternatives and what I could do to change the standard treatment of a CPAP machine. He very adamantly told me that there was no cure for sleep apnea (which I knew was not true), and that my time was up. Before he finished writing on my report and telling me that the next step was to come back for a follow up sleep study--- this time using the CPAP machine so they could adjust it to my breathing pattern---I asked if I could use half the night as another sleep study and see if my results had changed and if they had not, then use the CPAP the other half of the night. I had read of too many people being able to get off the CPAP, not to explore other methods. Besides, the machine can cost up to $3500. I know insurance covers most of the cost. I think I was going to have to pay around $800, but then there is the cost of accessories, cleaning supplies and various other on going expenses. Now don't get me wrong, if I had a severe case that I could not change, and I was headed for Alzheimer's, it would be worth those expenses. I had read that generally the breathing problem was caused by fat in the throat blocking the air passage and since I was currently losing weight with my healthy eating, I at least wanted at see if anything had changed. He did agree to my suggestion. So I had time to do more research and develop a plan to get better sleep. I have not been back yet--it has been several months, but I want to give God a chance. So I started my journey to change bad sleep habits to good sleep habits.
I started very simply. I read that some people had sleep problems because there was a magnesium deficiency. I watched a video of a sleep doctor who specializes in helping Alzheimer's patients with their sleep issues. This sleep doctor said that he suggested his patients increase the magnesium level in their body with bananas because they are loaded with magnesium. Diet is the best way to get magnesium into the body because the absorption of a magnesium pill is not very good under most conditions (more later). So he gave this recipe to make banana tea that you drink before bedtime. Wash the banana and cut off the tips, then cut it in half. Leave the peel on it and the fruit inside. Put it into 2-3 cups of boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes until it the peel turns brown. Remove from heat and let it steep until it is cool enough to drink. It is great this way, but you can add a little honey and cinnamon if you like. If you are following the keto diet and are actually trying to get into ketosis to burn fat, you might not want to add the honey. I don't think you need the added honey because bananas are sweet by themselves. It is very calming and sedative and a great way to get magnesium. This helped me the first night to get to sleep, but it did not work 100% of the time. I still had some restless nights. The good thing I have found about healthy alternatives is that you can't go wrong---there are no side effects, unless you happen to be allergic to some foods. I also knew that research shows that a large majority of the people have a magnesium deficiency. But I knew there was more---a lot more before the sleep apnea was gone. So the journey continued. I have learned to be very patient on this trip. Very few health issues are emergencies and have to be dealt with immediately -----even cancer. And very few things I try actually give overnight results so I have to constantly reprogram myself not to look for the quick fix in the form of surgery and pills. Time is really on our side in most cases. Even though I saw a difference in my sleep, I knew there was more. A magnesium adjustment was good, but I could not eat enough bananas to cure my sleep problems. I knew there were some more natural ways that God had designed to reward His children with good sleep. So the next thing I attacked was melatonin, and boy was I excited about what I found out--Next blog!!
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