Dear Jaclynn-

The symptoms you describe are exactly what I have been suffering from for
about the last 2-3 years. I have recently been diagnosed as suffering from
sleep apnoea. My wife says I stop breathing for several minutes at a time
while I am sleeping, apparently your soft palatte flops over the entrance to
your larynx thus blocking the air flow to your lungs, your brain detects you
are not breathing and wakens you up, although you are probably unaware of
any of this going on. This constant waking disturbs your nights sleep and
therefore you are not getting properly rested. I am currently waiting to be
fitted with a CPAP(Constant Positive Air Pressure)machine, which gently
blows air up your nose at a pressure which keeps your airway open enabling
you to breathe and therefore get a good nights sleep.
	
If I were you I would look up your local sleep clinic.  

There is lots of info. on the internet about this condition, and there are
many sufferers(many who are unaware). Perhaps the most famous sufferer(this
side of the Atlantic)is Billy Connolly the Scot's comedian. Who describes
himself as dying several times a night.

If I can be of any help do not hesitate to contact me.

Liam Brennan
Histopathology Dept
Belfast City Hospital


Original message

Sleep depravation -- Do you carry out perverted acts in your sleep?

Sleep deprivation -- Do you suffer from the lack of sleep?

Sorry, but you'll have to pardon me.  I'm attempting to be funny (even
though it's only been three days, this has been a long week nonetheless).

Actually, I've been known to fall asleep at the ultramicrotome (forehead
resting against the stereomicroscope) and nod off in the middle of labeling
slides at the cryostat (waking up to find I've written things like "lettuce"
instead of specimen numbers).  This sort of thing has been getting worse; I
used to have no problem driving on vacation for nine hours and now I find
myself drifting off after two (and that's after having consumed three large
cups of coffee).  I'm currently undergoing sleep analysis--no diagnosis yet.

If anyone has the solutions to these sorts of problems, there are obviously
a lot of us out there interested in the matter.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving (and to those that don't celebrate
Thanksgiving, stay safe and happy as well).

Jaclynn M. Lett, Research Technician

Electron Microscopy Core
Fay and Carl Simons Center for Biology of Hearing and Deafness
Central Institute for the Deaf
4560 Clayton Ave.
St. Louis, MO  63110