About two years ago I would every now and then wake up still paralyzed and not be able to breathe. Aften trying to breathe for, I would guess around 5 seconds, I would snap out of the paralysis and gasp in a deep breath. Also I would wake up still paralyized, but being able to breathe (though for some reason I felt as though if I did not consciously breathe my body would forget too.), I would just lay there hearing all that is around me. (not panicking like when I felt like my mouth and nose are plugged.) I soon learned just to try to go back to sleep and then I would snap out of it. These both happened only about 5 times each that I recall in about a year period. The ones where I could not breathe, I would say only lasted about 5 to 10 seconds. The ones where I could breathe, but still paralyzed would last anywhere from about 20 seconds to a little over a minute.  I had also woken up with my heart pounding a few times, like I bet if someone was there they could see my neck throbing.

Again, this was about 2 years ago, since then I do not recall having any more of these symptoms, exept maybe 1 or 2 of the waking up with a pounding heart.

When a person wakes up are they suppost to feel energetic?

After waking up (or for the whole day for that matter)I have never felt energetic, unless I'm looking forward to doing something fun.
If I don't have to wake up in the morning I can sleep 12-16 hours easy before naturally waking up. And even after that many hours I'm not energetic.
I'm a tractor operator and with around 8-10 hours of sleep, about once or twice during my work day which can be anywhere from 8 to 14+ hours (depends on me) I will get really tired and I have to fight to stay awake. Or I will stop and put my head down on the steering wheel for a few minutes. After about 20 minutes, I'm fully alert again. I love my job, but anyone can get bored sitting for that many hours going 6mph. I will often day dream and talk to myself in my head. I Thought this was to my advantage because it allows the time to pass easier. But I have herd that your not suppost to day dream. and its not like I stop paying attention, I reduce my attention, and I have had my attention fully redirected back to what I'm doing when I hear/feel something "off" with the equipment. (for those who don't have alot of experience with heavy equipment, you become very "in tune" with the machine.)

I thought that maybe I have depression and that was why I feel slow just about all day long and then when I do get depressed just like anyone else, that these are deep depressions and that what I think is "normal" is not. But then i stumbled into sleep apnea and that seemed to be more like me.

A little info on me: I'm male, 17 years old, and overweight.

Even though I don't currently experience the stopped breathing and other paralysis thing I think I might still have sleep apnea. Is it possible that my body got use to it and now it does not need to wake me up anymore? Or why would those symptoms appear and then disapear?
So do you guys think I have sleep apnea? If so, to what degree?

Hi Uncool,

Take this test to find out if you might have Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Snore Score

The links to the left of the forum titles have a lot of great info. as does the ASAA (this forum's sponsor's) home page and the FAQ section in the list of message board topics.  The ASAA home page is here

American Sleep Apnea Association

To find a certified sleep doctor, look here:

Sleep Lab and Doctor Certifications

Keep us posted!!

Vicki


_________________
That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

I still have a few questions that hopefully someone can answer.

After having enough sleep, is a person suppost to feel energetic when they wake up?

I don't experience the stopped breathing and other paralysis thing anymore.

Is it possible that my body got use to it and now it does not need to wake me up anymore?
Or why would those symptoms appear and then disapear?

Also, what is the difference between the two experiences? Like when I could breathe, but felt that I had to consciosly breathe or my body would forget to, is that what was really happening?(my body forgetting to breathe)
Or was is just a strange feeling that I got?