Posted by Tim M (152.163.207.181) on August 10, 2000 at 13:39:25:
In Reply to: Sleep disorders may cause cluster headaches posted by Graham on August 10, 2000 at 11:43:37:
I spent last night at the local hospital sleep lab, doing a sleep study to find whether I have sleep apnea, or not, due to the correlation between sleep apnea and clusters. A very different experience, trying to have "normal" sleep, hooked up to a zillion wires, monitoring everything from brain waves, eye movements, breathing patterns, blood oxygen level, number of nocturnal erections (not really!), With electrodes on head, legs, around the eyes, chin, all the while, being monitored with camera and microphone.
The preliminary results indicated that I have some apnea, only when I am on my back, and only in REM sleep. The non-medical cure is to pin a sock with a tennis ball in it to the back of the shirt that I will have to start wearing when I sleep, to keep me from being comfortable on my back. I told them that my wife's elbow has been serving this function, but I guess its time to let her off the hook. I should be sent the official results next week.