Anecdotally, I had a terrible problem with "brain fog" and extreme fatigue (so severe that I referred to episodes as "near death experiences"). I had a sleep study, and discovered that unbeknownst to me, I was apneic approximately 40 times an hour, for 10 seconds or more. Each apneic episode caused a spike in CO2, which in turn triggered a release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which at a frequency of 40 times an hour never had a chance to dissipate before the next episode; causing a progressive build-up of cortisol through the night. Neurochemically this is pretty much what would happen if someone held a pillow over your face and smothered you repeatedly throughout the night; I even dreamed of suffocation, respiratory failure, and death. They started me on CPAP, and I feel much, much better during the day now. It didn't solve all of my problems, not by a long shot, but it helped immensely.
15 Nov 2018, 12:57 am
