View Full Version : Ugly sleep habits.
Brushmonkey
10-04-2004, 11:04
Snoring, talking in your sleep, and any other unwanted side affects of sleep. Have you experience them? In the field or otherwise; how were these issues delt with? Did you?
The Reaper
10-04-2004, 11:23
Snoring, talking in your sleep, and any other unwanted side affects of sleep. Have you experience them? In the field or otherwise; how were these issues delt with? Did you?
I do not do either, but have had to wake up more than a few guys who were getting too loud sleeping while we were tactical. Usually rolling the snorers over face down and/or muffling them helped.
TR
NousDefionsDoc
10-04-2004, 11:29
Irregular hours. I sleep from 0200-0545, then from 0610 to about 0900.
The Reaper
10-04-2004, 11:51
Irregular hours. I sleep from 0200-0545, then from 0610 to about 0900.
Still getting up for Stand-to? :D
TR
NousDefionsDoc
10-04-2004, 11:55
Still getting up for Stand-to? :D
TR
LOL - Junior Medic has Common Tasks Training. Trans departs at 0600. CTT is on his training schedule for the next 11 years.
Kyobanim
10-04-2004, 12:21
Not active duty anymore but . . .
In the last couple years I developed a loud snoring problem accompanied with honking sounds from my nasal cavity. Problem rectified with those tape things that go on the top of your nose. Problem compounded by age and abnormally large nose.
NousDefionsDoc
10-04-2004, 12:28
LOL - I had a Team Sergeant once that snored so bad we bought him one of those battery-powered things that gives a little shock to raise conscience level. It never phased him. We used to race to bed trying to get to sleep before the TS came in. So the shocker thing isn't working and nobody can sleep. Big Head the Commo dude gets up and gtrabs it off the TS and heads outside:
"Where ya goin'?"
"Gonna go figure out a way to rig this thing to a deuce and half battery. If it won't wake him up, maybe it'll electrocute his ass."
LOL
Brushmonkey
10-04-2004, 15:35
Irregular hours. I sleep from 0200-0545, then from 0610 to about 0900.
Same here, I hit the rack anywhere between 2300 and 0100, wake up around 0300 then take 15 minute naps till my alarm goes off.
This'll go on for about 6 weeks or so, then one day I'll have a crash where I sleep for 12 hours or so. Usually a 3 hour nap in the afternoon then a full night's worth of sleep, 9 hours or so.
The Reaper
10-04-2004, 15:50
LOL - I had a Team Sergeant once that snored so bad we bought him one of those battery-powered things that gives a little shock to raise conscience level. It never phased him. We used to race to bed trying to get to sleep before the TS came in. So the shocker thing isn't working and nobody can sleep. Big Head the Commo dude gets up and gtrabs it off the TS and heads outside:
"Where ya goin'?"
"Gonna go figure out a way to rig this thing to a deuce and half battery. If it won't wake him up, maybe it'll electrocute his ass."
LOL
Big Head!! Good Commo Dude!
TR
I'm a snorer. Usually all it would take, though, is to roll my over (face down seems t o eliminate it) or a couple boots to the head; either works, neither bothers, and choice seems to depend on assholishness of guy on shift previous. :D
I'm so in tune w/these habits...I use them to my advantage. ;)
0110hrs now...sitting up reading SOG. :lifter I'll crash for about two hours then hit the air-pistol range out doors.
Ambush Master
10-05-2004, 07:42
Snoring, talking in your sleep, and any other unwanted side affects of sleep. Have you experience them? In the field or otherwise; how were these issues delt with? Did you?
In the AO we operated in, a snorer would get you killed or a lot of exercise running till you got away !!! If they snored, they wore their Gas Mask all night !!! Cant't get enough air through one of them to even think about Snoring !! :D
brownapple
10-05-2004, 07:48
I'm a snorer. Wore my gas mask when sleeping in hide positions or patrol bases.
I don't know if I posted this before. I was awoken by almost the whole team pulling me off of one of my "Yards". I had a death grip on his throat. It seems I had dreamt that the NVA had attacked and was over running our RON. Things had deteriorated to hand-to-hand and I was trying to kill one of them with my bare hands. We laughed about it later but it was really a very scary situation.
SOLUTION: No more green hornets! :eek:
Bravo1-3
10-05-2004, 10:37
I didn't snore until 1998, and I got my face caved in and reconstructed. Now I'm going to have another surgery in the next year to unblock the restrictions behind my nose.
Usually, if someone in the platoon was snooring, we'd roll them over or have them don and clear. If we weren't tactical, then I'd apply a strategic backhand to the offending noise maker.
Squad Bay Rule #1 - Snoorers sleep on the top rack so that the non-snoorer on the bottom rack can kick them without getting out of bed. :D :lifter
I don't know if I posted this before. I was awoken by almost the whole team pulling me off of one of my "Yards". I had a death grip on his throat. It seems I had dreamt that the NVA had attacked and was over running our RON. Things had deteriorated to hand-to-hand and I was trying to kill one of them with my bare hands. We laughed about it later but it was really a very scary situation.
SOLUTION: No more green hornets! :eek:
You Mean you were able to Fall asleep while on Green Hornets?
:eek: :eek:
You Mean you were able to Fall asleep while on Green Hornets?
:eek: :eek:
They were an amphetamine coumpound which was supposed to last for only 12 hours and have no side effects. We were issued one capsule per expected day on an operation (if you wanted them). At the time they were perfectly legitimate and dispensed by the medics.
d in a friendly fire incident claimed they were given drugs.
They were an amphetamine coumpound which was supposed to last for only 12 hours and have no side effects. We were issued one capsule per expected day on an operation (if you wanted them). At the time they were perfectly legitimate and dispensed by the medics.
d in a friendly fire incident claimed they were given drugs.
I'm familiar with them, Just didn't know one could fall asleep while using them.
I'm familiar with them, Just didn't know one could fall asleep while using them.
You couldn't. They were only good for 12 hours. The idea was to take one in the morning and be able to sleep at night.
You couldn't. They were only good for 12 hours. The idea was to take one in the morning and be able to sleep at night.
Gotcha.
Thanks for Clarifying
At Least you Didn't Blow Claymores :eek:
Where the hell is everyone at? :lifter
Gotcha.
Thanks for Clarifying
At Least you Didn't Blow Claymores :eek:
That's a scary sight. Could you turn the avatar around?
:D :D
Once in RVN an NCO was going outside and the XO asked him where he was going. He said he was going to test fire the claymores. The Lt said:"Oh, good idea." :eek:
Once in RVN an NCO was going outside and the XO asked him where he was going. He said he was going to test fire the claymores. The Lt said:"Oh, good idea." :eek:
He was also the same LT that was sent to supply for for canopy lights, squelch oil and frequency grease???? :D
Achilles
10-06-2004, 13:52
I know guys (mostly engineering students) who will literally stay up for 3-4 days doing work that is pretty mentally demanding. They use the ADHD prescription drug Adderall. It has an amphetimine-like effect for keeping you awake but also keeps you very focused. Personally, I hate having outside chemicals interfere with my mind (except alcohol when I'm relaxing), but I realize the difficulty in staying alert for long hours. What do yall think of this drug's effectiveness in the field?
Roguish Lawyer
10-06-2004, 15:01
No one has mentioned flatulence? :eek: LOL
No one has mentioned flatulence? :eek: LOL
One of my poor old dogs sleeps at the foot of my bed. If I pass a little he immediately gets up and leaves the room.
Big Chief
10-25-2004, 08:25
Hello,
I am prepping for the pipeline (i.e. PTing like a crazed animal) :lifter and it gives me very restful sleep.
My two problems are 1) At the end of the day, when its almost exactly the same time every night, nothing will keep me awake. I crash like an airplane into a train wreck. The flip side is: I wake up on a dime and haven't used an alarm clock in 4-5 years. 2) I never snore, but sometimes I "sleep talk" and have very weird conversations with people while completely asleep. I never remember anything I say while I have these conversations until people tell me the next morning. :D
I know staying awake is very important in SFAS. Does anyone have any good tips or tricks to help me out?
Is "sleep talking" really, really bad? As long as all my team knows about it, will it be ok?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :munchin
Thanks fellas!
At the barracks Saturday night my team was trying to get some Zs while the other teams were wide awake, listening to the radio, talking, studying, etc etc. In the end, we all ended up using our elasticated reflective PT belts to secure our extra BDU pants to the sides of our head to muffle the noise, and then draping the thinner back portion of our BDU top over our eyes to block the light... We all fell asleep instantly.
Which was good, because two of the guys are SERIOUS snorers. You don't want to try to fall asleep with them snoring.
Another one of the guys is a bit... individualistic. He slept UNDER his bed on the cold, hard floor, without even the benefit of his woobie!
Different things for different people, I guess.
Solid
I guess earplugs and a cravat weren't available? BTW, is 'elasticated' a British word, 'cuz I don't think we 'colonials' ever adopted it. ;)
The Reaper
10-25-2004, 15:18
In the end, we all ended up using our elasticated reflective PT belts to secure our extra BDU pants to the sides of our head to muffle the noise, and then draping the thinner back portion of our BDU top over our eyes to block the light... We all fell asleep instantly.
Solid
Wish I had a picture of that.
TR
When I was younger I used to sleep walk alot. One day I was staying over at my mates house (must have been 10 or 11) and I suddenly wake up in the hallway standing in my sleeping bag. I had woken the whole house up, it seems. I asked my mates Mum what happened. She gives me this odd look and says:
"You were running around the house in your fart sack yelling something about how 'The Russians are coming' and something about a machine gun nest."
I very very rarely sleepwalk now- and only at home. I just wake up in the middle of the lounge or whereever, only remember the previous minute before I woke up.
It's an odd feeling, but something you get used to.
We surely looked very ridiculous... A bunch of guys with veritable turbans of BDU strapped to their heads, and one of them sleeping underneath his bed.
It was probably even more funny in the mornings when we were rudely awakened by the other teams getting up way before it was even remotely necessary- a bunch of guys with camouflage turbans for heads yelling 'WTF?!' and 'STFU!' (in their nonabbreviated forms) from their beds.
On another note, I used to sleep walk. When I was eight my Dad had gotten back late from work and sat down to talk to my mom and eat dinner... I came down, fast asleep, walked in, slapped him across the face, and then sat down on his lap.
:confused:
Solid
Ambush Master
10-25-2004, 17:36
Sleep Walking ??? No way !!! It would only happen once, and then you would, if you ever went with me again, find your boots Zip-tied together, your Web Gear Zip-tied shut, and your Web Gear Fookin Zip-tied to a TREE !!! God help you if we got attacked, hope ya got a sharp Harsey Knife !!! :D
CLEAR !!!!!!!
**ZAP !!!!**
Beep....beep....beep....beep......this thread lives. :eek:
So, anyone else have any useful tips on stopping/curtailing their snoring, aside from hooking up a shock device to a deuce and a half?
It's been said....that I snore. I don't know if it's true or not. I'm asleep and don't hear myself, but I have been told, that I start sawing logs as soon as I fall asleep. Some have even said, that I have a "reverse snore". That I snore upon EXHALATION, that I take a deeeeeeeeep breath in, then grunt/rumble/snore upon exhalation.
I've used those "breath right" strips. Taken sudafed before going to sleep. Used saline spray, to moisten up my nasal membranes. Those work sometimes, but when it comes to quick "cat naps", I'm sounding like Vulcan going off.
I've thought about going under the knife and fixing my deviated septum, and thought that there might be a few here who have under gone that procedure, or if any AD guys have under gone it, so they don't go off snoring while being "tactical" in the field/on mission.
BTW.....this is for any new people to the boards.....THE SEARCH BUTTON DOES WORK !!!! ;)
Remington Raidr
05-24-2007, 21:10
I finally bit the bullet and got tested. I had a VERY restfull sleep but warned the nurse I had to be in court later that a.m. At 0530 I awoke from a VERY nice sleep and I asked her if I had wha they were testing me for. She demurred, saying the doctor would have to make the diagnosis. I explained that I understood her reluctance, but just wanted an idea if I had wha they were were looking for. I will never forget the look on her face when she said "oh yeah, you got it BAD". I had no idea, but think about this . . . if you have ANY difficulty with a good sleep, your body NEVER really has a chance to repair itself. I don't care if you are high-speed or not. While snoring=death downrange, if you aren't getting enough oxygen while you are asleep you cannot really heal. If you are not sure, get tested. Life is too short as it is.
I was also a sleepwalker as a kid. My family loves to tell the story of how one night I walked into my little sister’s room and peed in the wastebasket.
One of my aunts lived with us when she first arrived in the States. She had survived a junk ride which included pirate boardings in the South China Sea, then several months in a Thai refugee camp, just to make it to the States to be terrified by my young ass sleepwalking around the house. The first time she saw me she couldn’t sleep the rest of the night and asked my mom the next morning what in the world happened. At that time she wasn’t that much older than my sisters and I. After my sisters stopped ROTFLTAO, they told her, “Oh, he does that all the time!”
Today, my only sleep malady is that several times during the night I get a sharp elbow or shove, followed by a hissed, “Sleep on your side!” To which I usually groggily respond, “Whhhaa…” Apparently, I have taken the crown for Loudest Snorer in the Whole Wide World. I usually like to tell my wife, “If you don’t fall asleep before I do, it’s on you,” but somehow, I’m getting the feeling those words are beginning to lose some traction! :D
A little off topic, but to keep up with the funny sleep stories I got one to tell.
Pulling security one night at Benning on a ftx I am completely ragged out. Nothing high speed here, I haven't learned to deal with lack of sleep like I'm sure you QPs have. I'm walking the line, and I see what I'm assuming is an opfor advancing towards the line, so I call out for the interloper to identify himself..no response...I call out again with the same results, I don't know what came over me but before I know it I'm running to spear the guy only to abruptly and painfully find out that the guy had transformed into a pine tree.
It would have been ok if the thud hadn't woke up everyone around...who preceded to rag me about it for the rest of the ftx.
If this is sensitive, then please, do ignore my question but its a question thats been on my mind for years; I never was a snorer till about four years ago and even then, I actually caught myself snoring while having short naps and even at night especially so when I was exhausted.
I even got kicked out of the village hall we were all cramped into by an aussie detachment who kept waking me up through the night complaining about my snoring...I eventually felt bad and moved on outside and got bitten to death by mossies...
But anyways, my question was, how do you guys cope with the snoring issue when you are out on duty or on operations?
I can only imagine it can also be a problem in the field......
Damn mouse is double clicking on its own again. Sorry for the almost double post. Technology is great until it breaks.
I say all of the following tongue in cheek, as I'm having a great read here, and this is just a tad bit embarrassing, but warrants an airing out.
About 3 years ago, not too long after my second hip surgery, and being on some pain med I don't remember the name of, I was sleeping soundly one night and my wife says she attempted to lay her head on my chest and drape her arm across my abdomen, fitting into her 'spot' as she calls it.
She tells me that I told her, "No!" very adamantly, that she sat up and looked at me and realized that I was still sound asleep. She again attempted to fit into her 'spot' and again was rebuffed, only more aggressively. She figured I was only having a bad dream and this strengthened her resolve to "comfort" me so she attempted a third time to fit into her 'spot'. This time, she states I raised up, grabbed the back of her head with my left hand and placed my right palm (she's little...only4' 11" and tiny boned and I have very large hands) on her chin, as if to twist (break) her neck, looked her directly in the eyes and spoke a viciously sounding, "I...SAID...NO!!" :eek: She states that she dared not move for fear of my breaking her neck, and then just as suddenly as it all started I blinked a couple times, looked right at her again and said, "Oh! I'm sorry, Baby," and fell back onto the pillow sound asleep, and actually started snoring at this point. I don't snore much, to which she can attest.
What scared her was the fact that I (then) slept with a Cold Steel Tanto under my pillow and I had 25 years involvement in MA/Combatives, 8 years as an instructor at the time.
I felt terrible about the whole thing. Needless to say I don't sleep with the knife so close, but it's still close enough. :D
And way back in basic I nearly plastered some kid's head into the wall when he came to wake me up for fireguard. Grabbed him by the throat and nearly picked him off the floor before I realized what I was doing. :o
Anyone else have any experience with anything like this? My 13 yr old sleep walks, has for years, and that makes me wonder if it's something genetic. Or it could have just been the meds. :confused:
Anyone with some kind of intel on this, please speak up. Your advice would be much appreciated.
M
Red Flag 1
02-06-2008, 18:42
This thread has been going for some time! My anesthesia practice since 1977 has taught me a few things. At sleep, soft tissues in the upper airway tend to
loose support and can obstruct the upper airway= snoring. If you are "awake" you probably won't snore. If you are on your back and sleeping you can snore. If you are on your side or belly, you probably won't snore. So... if someone is asleep and snoring, awaken the person...or turn person to their side. I snore. I go to sleep on my side to keep my wife happy on that subject. As for sleep walking, I have no experience...it is rather poor form to have anyone anesthetized found to be walking about the operating room.
RF 1
As for sleep walking, I have no experience...it is rather poor form to have anyone anesthetized found to be walking about the operating room.
RF 1
Let me know when you have one. :munchin
Here's something I wanted to pass along.
My PCP told me about this a few months ago, and I've been using it ever since.
It's a product called NeilMed. http://www.unimedprod.com/
It's a saline flush for your sinuses, and it really helps. I've noticed a big improvement in my sleep habits. I find I'm more rested, and also been told, I don't snore, as much, as I used to.
Also with allergy season upon us, it really clears out the sinus cavities of all that dust and pollen that's floating around.
Here's something I wanted to pass along.
My PCP told me about this a few months ago, and I've been using it ever since.
It's a product called NeilMed. http://www.unimedprod.com/
It's a saline flush for your sinuses, and it really helps. I've noticed a big improvement in my sleep habits. I find I'm more rested, and also been told, I don't snore, as much, as I used to.
Also with allergy season upon us, it really clears out the sinus cavities of all that dust and pollen that's floating around.
My wife's been bugging me to get a Neti pot ever since she heard Dr. Oz talk about it on Oprah. I, of course, had been resisting.
Yesterday, I fired up the lawnmower for the first time this season, and got a nose full of dust, pollen, and exhaust fumes (I didn't drain out the gas that was sitting in it over the winter, and haven't changed the oil, but the Honda motor still fired up on the second pull :)). After being somewhat dismayed after blowing my nose, I remembered what she had been talking about and went to the drugstore. I bought a kit similar to the one cited, with the prepackaged salt packets.
It was a bit disconcerting the first time I squirted the solution up my nose, sort of like being dunked in the ocean. But unlike the ocean, the isotonic solution did not burn, and it tasted only slightly salty. About five minutes after I blew my nose and cleared the solution from my throat, my sinuses opened up and I felt great, breathing easily through my nose. I will have to do it tonight and find out if it decreases my snoring too!
I had surgery last summer to correct for obstructive sleep apnea, i.e. smothering on my own anatomy at night. The tonsills and uvula would collapse during sleep and prevent me from breathing, causing me to wake gasping for air 10-12x per hour. They removed my tonsills and uvula, fixed my deviated septum and trimmed down the nasal turbinates (I had a nearly complete obstruction of my nasal airway). It was a very rough surgery, but I no longer snore and I sleep much better. If anyone considers having this done - make sure that you have someone at home to look after you for the first 5-7 days!
I sleep like a log, generally. Only exception being when I have gas...
'cause it's nasty...
and wakes my wife and I up...:lifter
or the guys in my 10-man arctic tent...
not a real popular guy when the insides are turbulent.:o
We'rewolf
07-25-2012, 17:19
I'm now currently waiting to see if my mild OSA is going to DQ me from even going to SFAS in September now. Not a good day
Thanks for introducing me to an older thread! I was an OS (Operations Specialist) in the Navy...US, Navy in case some might wonder. OSs are part of operations, and operations intel. Anyways out in the IO (Indean Ocean) we had this one guy who was talking in his sleep. This is a major DQ/NOGO for clearance. My LPO (E-6) was getting ready for midwatch and heard this guy babbling away. His clearance was taken away in a matter of hours. He was in the kitchen by breakfast.
As for myself, I can be sound asleep for hours and all someone has to do is say my first name "Sar" :cool: or make noise, such as door opening, footsteps and in the next 2 seconds I am up.
Making rounds in the Navy you cannot touch the person. You can call their name shake their rack (bunk). I am awake from a deep sleep long before...with the sound of footsteps, or with my curtain sliding open.
From a deep dream / REM shouldn't take long to be on your feet and moving.
HOO YAH NAVY!
Cake_14N
07-26-2012, 07:45
I hated the water running out of my nose and straight into my mouth with the NetiPot, so I got one of these: LINK (http://www.amazon.com/Grossan-Hydro-Irrigation-System-Original/dp/B000H84D2G) and it works perfectly.
Talked to my Doc about it and he said use it as often as I am comfortable, BUT.. and he really stressed this, he said to either microwave or boil the tap water before I flush out the sinuses. He says that tap water is treated to be safe to drink but not to be squirted up into our sinuses.
I have a SteriPen that I use to zap the water with UV before each use and it works just fine.
I snore terribly, so flushing the sinuses out and the occasional BreathRight strip seem to help.
Retiredfire
07-30-2012, 20:49
Snoring could be a sign of OSA (obstructive Sleep Apnea). A sleep study will determine if that is the case. Treatment can include nasal CPAP (device that maintains a continuos positive airway pressure), which prevents soft palate from occluding airway resulting in "snoring sound". people with OSA are at greater risk for MI (heart attack) than those without it. Strong corollary relationship between MI and OSA was found in a randomized controlled trial >65% of subjects with an uncomplicated MI were positive for OSA.
In Phase III one of our G's snored like crazy. We made him wear his protective mask at night to cut down on the noise. :D
Sir topham hatt
08-02-2012, 04:59
I snore fairly loud I suppose (how am I supposed to know...I'm asleep!), loud enough to wake my wife up nearly every night. The major problem there is that my wife and I play pranks on each other all the time. Her strategy is to wait until just a few minutes after I fall asleep to start jacking around. So, when she wakes me up for snoring too loud I usually go into a fit of yelling and telling her she plays too much, thinking she's trying to be funny.
I'm going to pick up some saline and nose strips this evening and see if that will help ;)
Another problem that only creeps up every now and then, I throw punches in my sleep. This has resulted in what I was sure was a broken knuckle one time when I caught a metal futon frame, and me rolling into a 2 foot gap between the bed and the wall in a hotel on a seperate occasion. I've never hit anybody, but I do worry about it. On most nights I'm told I twitch or shake, but it doesn't turn violent often.
I'm a loud snorer because of what i like to call "assisted congenital deviated septum" ( deviated septum made worse by years of muay thay practice) . Whenever I find myself sharing a room with another person, I always give instructions to kick or pinch me ( if sharing the bed ;) ) in order to make my shift position of to simply toss a boot or any other object deprived of any sharp sides ( if sharing the sleeping environment only )
TOMAHAWK9521
09-29-2014, 08:08
I thought sleep apnea was just guys who snore until a friend from SF said it was described as you stop breathing in your sleep and your body shocks you awake. Hell, I've been doing that for roughly 15 years and no idea what the hell was going on.
I've been having a bitch of time over the past couple years dealing with lack of energy, nap attacks in the middle of the day, and the increasing difficulty with school work and project designs. I know I'm an idiot, but not that big of one.
Anyway, i finally had a sleep study for OSA last week. The tech had me come in after the test and was alarmed at my readouts. When I was awake (I had trouble falling asleep to begin with) my O2 absorption was around 92%. It used to be close to 100% all the time. When I was in REM or deep sleep, it averaged around 82%. That was a bit of an eye-opener.
The tech said the readouts didn't indicate a blockage but a restriction in my breathing. He couldn't figure out why I'm showing these results since, although I'm not in fighting shape, I'm still in relatively fit shape. I have heard about the potential physiological consequences of OSA but asked the tech for the official version. None of it sounded good if one wanted to live a longer healthy life. Some of it was downright scary.
I was wondering what may have led to the development of this condition. My knees crapped the bed about 7 years ago so my usual regimen of running has been relatively non-existent. As a result, I know my lungs are not filling up as much as they used to. Could this be the reason for me developing OSA?
I welcome anyone who can shed some insight on this. In the mean time, I'm scheduled for the follow-up tomorrow night so they can get me fitted for my CPAP snozzle and determine the proper amount of pressure to open my lungs up during sleep time.
mark46th
09-29-2014, 08:34
When I took the sleep apnea test, I was waking up 80-90 times an hour. I started using a CPAP and it changed my life. I think it saved my life. My blood pressure dropped to normal, I was sleeping through the night, energy level went up. The CPAP may be a little difficult to get used to if you are claustrophobic but well worth it...