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Sleep apnea and attention deficit
Jamie Phelps | Feb 18 2006
I have been having trouble with attention deficit symptoms that have progressively worsened over the past 2-3 years. I was talking with a friend who said that he used to have similar problems and that he was finally diagnosed with sleep apnea. Once he started using a CPAP machine, his apnea was much better, his wife would not have to sleep on the couch, and his cognitive functioning was markedly improved. The research on sleep apnea that I have been reading indicates that sleep apnea can cause attention deficit troubles. I am pretty sure I'm a good candidate for sleep apnea, as I reflect two of the three common risk factors: overweight, middle-aged, male. I'm 25, so I'll let you guess which two I fit. I'm 5'10 1/2" and weigh in at around 230. The most basic treatment for sleep apnea is to lose weight. After that, tests and such have to be run that would be a strain on my student budget. I have health insurance, but $300 for a test that I wasn't planning for is a little steep. So, all that being said, anyone here have experience with sleep apnea? Did you experience attention deficit troubles as a result? How much did correcting your sleep apnea help your attention deficit symptoms? What treatments helped you? Did simply losing weight help or do you use a CPAP? I don't think I am a candidate for SA surgery, but if anyone has any experience with that, I would like to hear about that as well. I have contemplated taking medication for the attention deficit symptoms, but I would much rather fix the problem than treat the symptoms. Thanks in advance. 32 Comments
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 Berko, sleep (or lack thereof)...Submitted by emuelle1 on February 18, 2006 - 12:18pm.
Berko, sleep (or lack thereof) has a big impact on our ability to pay attention. My wife thinks I have sleep apnea, and she's also told me a time or two that she also suspects me of having ADHD. We have two small children, and between that and the supposed sleep apnea, I do have a lot of trouble concentrating and staying focused. The absolute best thing you can do is lose weight. Certain vitamins help as well. I take a decent range of vitamins and I notice that I have trouble paying attention when I run out of them. I would not recommend surgery for either of us. I'll be 32 next month. I know that, children aside, my problems are caused by my diet and lack of exercise. Were I to correct those two, things would change fast. That's the hard part for some reason. I have to wonder if anyone has been sucessful getting GTD to work for diet and exercise? » POSTED IN:
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