Shelley and others,

Just because you did not have sleep apnea before the head injury does not mean you cannot have it after. My point is that some of the injury can be to the part of the brain that controls breathing. The apnea can be caused by the brain injury and be making the symptoms worse.

The healthy brain needs good full cycles of sleep each night to function properly. The injured brain is starting in a sleep deficit condition. It needs much more. Neuronal healing/recharging only takes place during REM sleep. If you are not getting REM sleep, the deficits from the previous day are carried over to the next day.

The key to good sleep is proper oxygenation of the blood. Low blood pressure and poor respiration can leave the brain tired form a nights sleep.

Think of it. Those bad days feel like you got tired trying to sleep. Or, you woke up more tired than when you went to bed.

One of these days I want to buy a recording Pulse Ox monitor/alarm to wear while sleeping. They are about $200 to $400. Doctors can prescribe a take home sleep test or even just a sleep Pulse Ox test. Medical equipment companies rent them for use under a doctor's prescription. Sleep labs have them too.

Before 1/16/2001, I never had any sleep problems. Since then, my wife has observed me many times with breathing irregularities. Since I do not have any obstructive breathing problems, doctors are reluctant to consider the possibility that I have any apnea issues. Occasionally, I will stop breathing while awake. All of a sudden, I am horribly out of breath. Once, I stopped breathing during an EEG. The tech noticed it and reminded me to breath. Sometimes, I notice that I am not taking a breath. Weird stuff.