Sleep

[jedimasterlincoln]

Does AF disturb your sleep?

My quandry is a bit backwards in that disturbed sleep upsets my AF. I seem to feel "less tired" if I only have 5 hours unbroken sleep compared to having 8 hours where I've been up/woken up a couple of times.

I've found it worse to sleep on my left (though I prefer my right) because even when in NSR my heartbeat is stronger and I feel myself "listening" to it more out of habit.

I've only had AF hit me once "in the night" where it woke me up and back in 2013 I had it "on waking" but was already awake. Both of these came after a heavy day at work the day before.

I know 5 hours sleep isn't enough long term, but its hard with a teething baby! Doesn't help I seem to need to pee more when I'm in AF or just getting over a cardioversion/ablation!

At the moment, I'm trying to stop all TV/Screen/stimulation activity after 9pm, read for a bit and be ready to sleep by 10, and generally get up at 5:30am (though today it was 4am due to dodgy guts)

That's only 7 hours sleep, and when Other Half is at work I'm up 2/3 times if daughter is restless to allow her to sleep before her shift, a courtesy extended to me if I'm at work as we try to take it in turns.

So, how does AF factor into your sleeping?

[CDreamer]

I think the quality of the sleep is more important than the quantity - for me at least. I was told at the sleep clinic that 4 hours undisturbed and going through the cycles of NREM & REM is worth 7 hours of disturbed sleep. 7-8 hours is the ideal but so many factors - personally I rarely manage more than 7 hours undisturbed.

I am sleeping more at the moment but because of cough, which wakes me, the quality is poor & I don’t seem to get into Delta wave sleep. When I can use my CPAP I usually get 5-7 hours quality sleep, mostly undisturbed and I feel much more energetic. I think relaxing rest is also important - the worst is lying there not being able to sleep and getting agitated about it!

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to CDreamer]

Yes I have been known to get up and sit for a bit, in fact when daughter was boob feeding I spent about 3 months in the spare room because OH would be up all night or have her next to her if she was restless and nap when they could and I would sleep 8 hours solid then sort out the "day shift" allowing her to sleep upstairs between feeds. That was better than all being tired.

[Buffafly]

I have been having episodes of AF at least once a week lately and have been quite surprised at how it does or doesn't affect me. I bought a MiBand 2 which is supposed to record your length and quality of sleep though I think it is very inaccurate. Still I find if I have recorded more deep sleep despite 2 hrs AF I feel better next day in spite of shorter total sleep time than if I had a long light sleep. I have wondered if the disturbed sleep I have been having because of hip/back pain is contributing to the AF? Or is it the very deep sleep due to exhaustion setting it off? One theory among many, roll on my cardiologist appointment!

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to Buffafly]

I bought a wristband from Aldi (Crane is the band) and it's an activity monitor which includes HR. It measures my HR every 5 minutes and beeps at me if its below 60 or above 120 (the point at which I usually feel symptomatic)

It does also measure sleep and I was apparently getting anywhere between 50-63% deep sleep per night. Trouble is I was so tired I was either forgetting to activate it or forgetting to disable it when I woke up!

[secondtry]

Yes sleep is an issue that crops up a lot with AF. I am trying to work out why I can wake up several times in the night and don't get enough deep sleep. I am about to have a sleep study when you get a machine from the sleep clinic and strap it to your chest & abdomen when you go to bed. I also record my sleep quality by giving marks out of 10 for just how fresh I feel when I get up' as this is surely the key indicator. I think I have narrowed it down myself to not getting enough oxygen through the nasal passages, could be Upper Airways Resistance Syndrome.

[jedimasterlincoln in reply to secondtry]

Be interested to know the results of the sleep study !

[KMRobbo]

"why we sleep" by matthew walker tells you all about why you sleep , what problems lack of sleep can cause and what occurs during sleep. It cost £ 7 or £8 on Amazon. It has helped me a bit.

[Dr_G1998]

Up at 0445 this morning 😁

God dam AF knocking on my chest like a nutter...then I remember i have stuff to do and get up.

Had red wine last night which ALWAYS makes it worse...sadly i forgot that as it's been a while since I had some.

AF hasn't woke me up too much recently but in the last it's been a regular thing. I just accept it now and try and use the time productively. Thankfully I'm a morning person but I'll be knackered by late PM.

I wonder if the stress of baby waking up kicks off your AF.......who bloody knows with it!??!?!