Why do you wake up at night? | Barry Krakow | TEDxABQ

[kimlafever]

I've seen so many good Ted talks over the years and watching this today feels like defining moment in my life! This was me!! Dr. Krakow and his team seem to have cracked the code that has kept me awake for many years. Thank you for validating my experience 100%!

The issues with insomnia started in my 40s. It was also a time when work was really busy, life was hectic and stressful. Being a woman in her 40s at the time, the medical establishment implied that this was just a pattern of life and some people get stuck with it! It was very easy to get prescriptions for insomnia pills and for them to recommend I try other "lifestyle" approaches but none of it really fixed anything.

Fast forward a few years and people start to complain about my snoring. After years, I eventually had a sleep assessment. Many people don't think that small framed or recommended weight people get apnea but we are 70+% of people with apnea.

After a diagnosis of mild apnea, the specialist said a dental device could probably work well for me. My insurance company patently refused to allow one unless I failed 90 days of CPAP. The dental device without insurance was well over $2k; it was not something one would readily pay for out of pocket.

The problem with a CPAP trial is my claustrophobia with things on or around my face. I tried multiple ways of expressing this to my insurance co. Their response was no, you would need to fail at CPAP which just sounded horrific to attempt. I already couldn't sleep at night so the suggestion to add the trauma of claustrophobic to the mix was a non-starter.

Little by little, through my own research and persistence, I've adopted many of the practices Dr. Krakow talks about in his talk! I have a pretty decent dental retainer but not an actual apnea device. This science makes me want to push again on getting access to a sleep dentist. It helped to realize there actually is a physical component to all this and a greater root cause beyond it's just "life and anxiety." Thank you Dr. Krakow!

[maurenemorgan]

Krakow nails it!!!! He described me 100%

[asunciondiezarce]

Thank you so much for shearing y your knowledge to everyone. I think that you just have resolved my several awakenings and the trips to the bathroom, every night. Bless you

[danjopaluska]

6:30 why you wake up?
6:55 hundreds of mini awakenings
7:05 90% of awakenings caused by breathing obstructions
10:45 sleep apnea makes you pee more.
11:00 3 levels. nasal breathing. nasal strips, oral appliance, CPAP
13:00 summarizedazations.

[postfallsfamilydental]

This needs to posted EVERYWHERE!!! The physcians have GOT to start recognizing this. We as dental professionals are screening and helping as many as we can! WE just need more awareness!

[nancyv]

I had suffered with insomnia for 5-7 years after menopause. I’d tried & tested everything and then, I found this video. I’d never really snored so I couldn’t believe I needed a CPAP. However, I was desperate and willing to try it. After 2 weeks of getting used to it, I am now getting the best, restful sleep in over a decade. Thanks for sharing your data and experiences.

[josephlai]

Wow! This is revealing. Thank you so much for clarifying the cause for insomnia. I never understood it until now. Discovering abnormal breathing as a main cause for insomnia is truly 'breath-taking'!

[momsoloman]

This is amazing! I have had a BIPAP machine for about a year. I had a hard time getting used to using it. A friend suggested I try the "nasal pillow" rather than the full face mask. I went from having 8-11 "events" a night to .8 to 2 events per night! I don't know how they decided not to give me CPAP, but I am so glad they did it. These machines are so expensive, that the wrong machine would have been a huge problem.

[lauraelenamendoza]

I just had an apneic episode the same night after watching the video and woke up with a racing heart. Thank you!

[unclevroomvroom]

I am extremely grateful for this man, and his knowledge. Once I was able to get a better handle on my Sleep Apnea, my quality of life changed drastically for the better. Thank you, Dr. K!

[jimwilleford]

WOW. Going to look further into this. Thank you.

[scorpio]

I searched why I wakes up at night and going to the bathroom more than 2 times in between my sleep and it's 1:49 and found this. Thanks a lot it helps

[gazels]

But this doesn't answer why people have sleep apnea. It's often due to internal inflammation. I had bad sleep apnea. When I drastically reduced my carb intake over several months by sleep apnea disappeared as I no longer had chronic internal inflammation that causes my airways to collapse at night. Lost a bunch of weight too. Best thing I ever did. No drugs, no apparatus.

[crazycat]

Thank you for some great advice & the insight into a frustrating problem

[rosieburnham]

That’s brilliant, thanks a million. I have been suffering with insomnia for more than 30 years, I can go for 3 days with no sleep at all and when I sleep it’s broken and I’m luck if I get three hours, I don’t take any sleeping tablets, they don’t work for me anyway, and I can’t sleep day time either, nightmare!!!!, I do have a chromic lungs condition, probably something to do with it.

[paulmckinley]

Anyone claiming this is an infomercial did not have the patience to watch the whole talk. It's about sleep apnea and it's contribution to chronic insomnia.

[victorching]

My sleep deprivation lasted for about 5 months. I thought I was going to go crazy or die. It started with my plantar bothering me. I took anti-inflammatory drugs which woke me up due to the dry mouth is produced. I took more drugs to counteract the symptoms and it led me in a downward spiral of tapering, switching drugs, withdrawal symptoms, etc. It wasn't until I became drug-free that my sleep came back to normal levels.

[DianneElizabeth]

My friend had insomnia for 20 years. She began a chiropractic regimen and sleeps soundly. We can’t gab late anymore because she sleeps now. Sp many reasons for insomnia

[TheWhitingale]

Very good information. Thanks for this video!

[s]

This exactly describe the problem I suffered for a few years !! Thank you so much !! I am going to see sleep doctor immediately !