12-20-2020, 05:59 PM
RE: Violent awakenings
Very nice to see a success story.
If you awaken with pounding heart and gasping for air, it could be due to hypoxia, but it could also simply be a fear reaction due to dreams which are rapidly forgotten. The fear reaction induces a rise in serum levels of cortisol and of epinephrine (adrenalin). We don't notice the cortisol, although the body will react very poorly to it if it stays elevated for weeks. Instead, the epinephrine will cause your body to ready itself for the flight or fight response, including piloerection, diaphoresis, rapid pulse, and deeper breathing.
To determine which of the cases is true, you would want a blood saturation monitor running concurrently to your machine so that you would know when a severe hypopnea or CA happens and that a concomitant drop in O2 sat takes place. If they regularly match in the timeline, you'll know which it is likely to be.
If you awaken with pounding heart and gasping for air, it could be due to hypoxia, but it could also simply be a fear reaction due to dreams which are rapidly forgotten. The fear reaction induces a rise in serum levels of cortisol and of epinephrine (adrenalin). We don't notice the cortisol, although the body will react very poorly to it if it stays elevated for weeks. Instead, the epinephrine will cause your body to ready itself for the flight or fight response, including piloerection, diaphoresis, rapid pulse, and deeper breathing.
To determine which of the cases is true, you would want a blood saturation monitor running concurrently to your machine so that you would know when a severe hypopnea or CA happens and that a concomitant drop in O2 sat takes place. If they regularly match in the timeline, you'll know which it is likely to be.
