| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or CFS, is the name | | | | This causes you to partially awaken to restart |
| of an illness that can come on suddenly, or slowly | | | | breathing, usually with a gasp. This interruption of |
| over time. The main symptom is an intense | | | | the sleep cycle not only prevents deep sleep, but |
| fatigue that does not resolve with rest. It can be | | | | also causes the blood pressure to spike, the heart |
| persistent or intermittent, but must have lasted | | | | to race, and the body to fight for survival. It is |
| six months or more. Generally, people begin to | | | | not exactly a restful way to sleep, and greatly |
| experience the symptoms after a viral illness like | | | | increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. High |
| mononucleosis or flu, or after a very stressful | | | | blood pressure due to sleep apnea does not drop |
| period in their life. If you were an active, busy | | | | at night, like that from other causes. It is usually |
| person before this illness began, the difference in | | | | observed by someone else, as the person having |
| your life will be hard to imagine. It can affect | | | | the apnea is rarely aware of it. People with sleep |
| every aspect of your life. Accomplishing the | | | | apnea often get up to use the bathroom several |
| normal daily tasks can become very hard. It | | | | times a night. They may awaken with a dull |
| strains relationships with family, friends, and at the | | | | headache, and lack stamina. Night sweats during |
| office. Working may not be possible if your | | | | apnea episodes are common. If you think you |
| symptoms are severe. | | | | might have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, |
| Common symptoms include a deep fatigue, and | | | | you should ask your doctor to schedule a sleep |
| short term memory and concentration problems-- | | | | study for you. During a sleep study you will sleep |
| often called brain fog. Muscle and joint pains that | | | | overnight at the sleep lab. Your brain waves, |
| move around, headaches, swollen lymph glands, | | | | heart rhythms, and oxygen saturation will be |
| and digestive disturbances are also frequent. | | | | measured while you sleep. Any apneas or |
| Muscle weakness, heaviness in the legs, a lack of | | | | hypopneas (partially blocked breathing) will be |
| stamina, very low energy, and taking days to | | | | recorded. After the study, the doctor will evaluate |
| recover after any exertion are common. Often | | | | your data and advise you on your specific |
| there is a high susceptibility to other illnesses. | | | | situation in a few days. |
| Some people get dizzy if they stand up too fast, | | | | Gluten Sensitivity |
| or stand in one place too long. Many people run a | | | | Another fatigue causing illness that is often missed |
| persistent low-grade fever with a sore throat. | | | | is gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity can cause |
| Night sweats, morning stiffness, and waking up as | | | | symptoms that affect the brain, the muscles the |
| or even more tired than you went to bed are | | | | skin, the digestive system, and the bones. The |
| also frequently a symptom. There are treatments | | | | offending protein in wheat, rye and barley is |
| that can help somewhat, but no cause or cure | | | | collectively called gluten. It is this portion that |
| has been found. The unrelenting fatigue and body | | | | usually causes a gluten intolerance or sensitivity. |
| aches can be very wearing. | | | | This sensitivity can manifest as a skin rash, |
| Irritability and depression go along with CFS. It | | | | bloating, indigestion, nausea, and even gait |
| feels like having the flu, all the time. Before being | | | | disturbances. It also can cause malabsorption, |
| diagnosed with CFS, your doctor should rule out | | | | affecting muscles and bones from lack of calcium, |
| other illnesses that can cause fatigue. There are | | | | magnesium and vitamin D. In some people it can |
| two illnesses that must be ruled out, but that | | | | trigger migraines, while others have terrible fatigue |
| may be overlooked. | | | | and muscle weakness. The immune system is |
| Sleep Apnea | | | | often affected, making you more vulnerable to |
| Many doctors do not think to check for sleep | | | | respiratory infections and other illnesses. In some |
| disorders. Sleep apnea prevents you from getting | | | | people, the malabsorption of B12 can cause |
| the deep sleep your body needs in order to repair | | | | numbness and tingling of the hands and feet, and |
| its tissues. Unless you mention that you snore, it | | | | even lead to anemia. Muscle and joint pain are also |
| might never occur to your doctor to check. If | | | | common. Depression, panic attacks and irritability |
| you live alone, you might not even know that you | | | | are frequent. Many of the symptoms overlap with |
| snore. Some people do not snore but still have | | | | those of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. If a gluten |
| sleep apnea. The hallmark of sleep apnea is | | | | sensitivity is the actual underlying cause of YOUR |
| daytime sleepiness. Even while driving, a person | | | | fatigue, then you may be able to eliminate it with |
| deficient in deep sleep will find it hard to focus and | | | | a gluten free diet. There are antibody tests |
| not fall asleep. It causes many memory and | | | | available to determine if you have IGA or IGG |
| concentration problems. During the night, if you | | | | antibodies to gluten. If you do, then a gluten free |
| have sleep apnea, your breathing will pause for | | | | diet may be your answer to getting well. |
| more than 10 seconds. While this does not sound | | | | Disclaimer: Information in this article is not intended |
| like a long time for breathing to pause, (and up to | | | | to treat or diagnose illness. It should not be |
| 5 times per hour is considered normal), it can | | | | substituted for medical advice. If you think you |
| happen 6-30 times per hour or more. The result is | | | | might have any of these illnesses please contact |
| a body and brain that are getting low on oxygen. | | | | your medical provider. |