just curious

[storm]

I am seeing someone who I think might show symptoms of a sleep disorder and I have guess apnea on my own. I first noticed it when he was asleep on my lap on the couch. He almost always twitches as he is falling asleep which I noticed to be strange compared to other people Ihave slept next to. But this particular time I actually think it seemed as though his breathing became so shallow it was unnoticable that he was infact breathing or may have in fact stopped, all together for brief periods of time. It was obviously noticable enough for me to wonder about it and try to observe what was going on. At night he doesn't toss and turn perse. But he does prefer to sleep on his side and does move/change positions often in the night because it awakens me when he does. There isn't a lot of snoring (very little) but occassionally there is light snoring and every once in a while an abrupt noise related to breathing but not a gasp or choke. I was originally trying to reseasrch bi-polarity and depression because he deals with moodiness and anger issues (or should I say "we") but something about his sleep habbits was nagging at me the entire time. I entered a search for Depression+apnea and low and behold there were severa studies showing some link between the two. I found this group and was hoping that someone may be able to tell if there may be something to my theory that he has in fact some kind of sleep disorder and if anyone has more information about the link between depression and sleep apnea. Also, I hoped maybe some one had some ideas about how to approach him about it because he is very private about his problems and very anti-medical intervention. ANY help or advice on the subject would be greatly appreaciated. Thank you all, I am a little overwhelmed with how to tackle and address this with him. I love him and want to help.

[Liam1965]

Wow. You could be describing me. Except that I already know I have apnea. And to the best of my knowledge, I wasn't asleep in your lap at any time recently. And my wife would probably be upset if I had been.

However, I would have him mention the possibility to his doctor. Document what you observed, and his doctor should refer him for a sleep study.

It sounds pretty clear, but of course I'm neither a doctor nor an actor who plays one on TV. I'm just a meddlesome busybody who recognized a lot of himself in your post and thought he'd reply.

Liam, who would like to reassure his wife Janet that he was not sleeping with his head in anyone else's lap.