In this episode, we discuss who else is podcasting about sleep apnea. Specifically, what patients are also trying to raise the awareness of sleep apnea. Are you one of those people who really love podcasts and can't get enough information about sleep apnea (I'm one of those people)? There are some patients who have great podcasts and we are becoming a community of patients who are working to raise awareness and hopefully helping people take action. I am someone who learns by lis...

I wanted to take a step back and thank all of the listeners of Sleep Apnea Pathfinders. This seasons episodes have been heard in 7 different countries and 37 cities in the U.S. It reminds me that sleep apnea is a worldwide issue and many of us are searching for information which is empowering and actionable. In this episode, I talk about some of the important issues I covered in the first few episodes. One issue is the usage of 2 different scoring rules by the Americ...

Are you one of those who only think sleep apnea is something that only people who are overweight can develop? Well, sleep apnea can be found in people with all body types. I interview John Dortch, a thin person with sleep apnea. His body mass index is 24, which is normal weight for his height, according the a BMI calculator from the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute of the National Institute of Health. John is someone whose physician would not think he fit t...

In this episode, David and Yvette discuss the three reasons why sleep apnea can go undiagnosed for years or even decades. Fatigue becomes normal to the individual due to their life circumstancesUneducated about sleep disorders and sleep hygieneYou slowly become the person We are faced with managing fatigue within the context of what is happening in and around our lives. We often (especially when younger) can just adapt to being tired all of the time. In David and Yve...

Have you ever experienced heart palpitations and were unsure if it warranted speaking to your doctor? Has your doctor placed you on statins for rising cholesterol based on a family history of heart disease? What does sleep apnea have to do with heart palpitations? The American Heart Association issued a statement in June 2021 that “between 40% and 80% of people in the U.S. with cardiovascular disease also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), yet it is under recognized and undertreated in...

In Part 2 of our interview with Dr. Kubacky, we discuss how fatigue is a hallmark of PCOS and how a host of other health issues are associated such as diabetes, high cholesterol, infertility, and hypothyroidism. We discuss how women tend to be diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and how some sleep physicians will recommend weight loss in place of using other interventions such as a CPAP. The path for women to be diagnosed is often difficult based on how they sometime report fatigue,...

This interview with Dr. Gretchen Kubacky, a health psychologist whose practice includes people with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. According to Womenshealth.gov, this a serious health condition that caused by a hormonal imbalance of the reproductive hormones. The imbalance creates problems in the ovaries. She shared so much beneficial information about dealing with chronic health issues and advocating as well as shifting language about failure. Dr. Kubacky is an author of 2 ...

Welcome Back to Season 2 of Sleep Apnea Pathfinders We are so excited to be back for a second season! There have been many things happening while we were on break. Covid-19 rates have risen in some parts of the country and Juanita, Co-Host of Sleep Apnea Pathfinders is taking a hiatus due to her role as a healthcare worker in sleep medicine. We started this podcast together in March 2021 and spend many hours talking about how we could raise awareness so that more people coul...

In this episode Juanita and David go over all of the highlights from each episode briefly. Listen in if you missed any episodes and want to go back. This episode also lets the listener hear how many topics we covered to show how much the social, physical, and emotional aspects of sleep apnea affect a person. We also hoped that our episodes help listeners understand that not only is the individual impacted, but also their partners, families, and career. We are excited...

In this episode, hosts of Sleep Apnea Pathfinders Podcast David and Juanita discuss 8 reasons someone may be afraid or overwhelmed with the idea of being diagnosed with sleep apnea. The reasons may vary and there may be many more reasons which cause someone to be stuck or put the process of being tested for sleep apnea. Those reasons are: 1. it doesn't feel like the right time to add anything new to our routines to our lives and to our schedules. And sle...

This is part B of our Episode 8 on Sleep Studies. If you haven't listen to Part A please go back and listen for some really great gems on sleep studies. Part B has juicy stuff too such as: What the heck are all those wires attached to us during an in lab sleep studyBrainwaves which help determine stages of sleepAttachment by the eyes to determine onset of Rapid Eye Movement (REM)Another attachment on the jaw to detect jaw movement and or bruxism (grinding of the jaw)Legs...

Have you ever wanted to ask a sleep technician why they need to watch you sleep during a sleep study? Well, David gets to ask Juanita that and more! This is part A of our discussion about in lab and home sleep studies. In this episode Juanita and David discuss a wide range of topic that most patients don't have an opportunity to ask their sleep health professionals. This episode discusses: What is an in-lab sleep study and what does it recordWhat does a home sleep study capture ...

How many people are aware that symptoms of Sleep Apnea (SA) & depression overlap? There is a bidirectional nature between anxiety, depression, and SA. Most would be surprised to learn that there is a large percentage of people with SA who also have depression or anxiety. Our mental health is on a continuum and life’s challenges can tax our coping skills. When unrefreshing sleep or sleepless nights are added to a busy life, there may be things that happen w...

In episode 6, Juanita and David share a couple of areas people may benefit in taking earlier action around undiagnosed sleep apnea and developing heart conditions. Often times, when a person is experiencing a heart condition they are dealing with a variety of issues emotionally and physically. The fact that ischemic heart attacks have been the leading cause of death, according to the World Health Organization for the last 20 years is staggering the consider. The intersect...

What many people may not realize is sleep apnea may fly under the radar for years or even decades. There are two consequences which have a lasting effect on our quality of life. One consequence of undiagnosed sleep apnea, is relationships between bed partners can become strained due to repeated observations being ignored. The other consequence is medical debt can accrue as someone experiences medical issues as a result of emerging health issues (diabetes, hypertension, cardi...

Have you ever thought that signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are the same? Well, we discuss the difference between signs and symptoms in this episode. Signs are generally not observable, (with the exception of a few signs such as neck circumference) and the biggies are snoring, gasping and chocking. These unobservable signs, are often subject to conflicts between bed partners. We also discuss how some signs are different for men and women especially around neck circumf...

Are you wondering if sleep apnea has any connection to our emotions, mood and mental health? The connection sleep apnea has with our emotions and mental health are not widely talked about. Juanita Crawford, a sleep health professional, and David Bishop, a patient talk about undiagnosed sleep apnea and how a number of hormones and neurotransmitters altered during the process of apneas (full closures) and hypopneas (partial closures). Join them as they discuss the primary stress hormone...

This episode discusses the issue of sleep apnea and various serious health conditions. There has been many discussions and studies about whether sleep apnea contributed to the onset of specific serious health conditions. The research studies have identified a number of medical conditions which have a higher rate of occurrence for people with sleep apnea. Some are well known such as: high blood pressuretype 2 diabetesand metabolic syndrome which include high blood press...