Hubby Sleep Walking Diagnosed as Sleep Apnea??

Updated on October 07, 2011
L.N. asks from Minneapolis, MN
6 answers

My husband has slept walked sporadically the 5 years of marriage. It was mainly when we were traveling and he was in a new bed. A few months ago he was under a lot of stress and started to do it a lot more frequently. I have always been freaked out by sleep walking and now even more so that my husband who is a foot taller and 100 lbs bigger than me is the one doing it. He acts out his dreams, which upon doing some research seems a lot like REM Sleep Disorder where the person doesn't get the normal paralysis with dreams like others do. After a violent episode where he started attaching me in the night because he was dreaming that there was something in our bed, he did agree to go see the doctor.

He was referred to an ENT?!? (thought that was odd, wouldn't a neurologist be a better match?). During the sleep study they woke him at midnight (most of his sleep walking happens after that) and put a sleep apnea machine on him, he wasn't able to sleep the rest of the night because of it. In the end they said he has sleep apnea and needs a CPAP, they think the sleep walking will be better by treating this. I am a skeptical person and know as an ENT his bread and butter is selling these expensive machines and most importantly: with REM Sleep Disorder (if that is what it is) if he is sleeping harder and in REM sleep longer wouldn't that make him sleep walk alot more since he sleep walks while in REM??

I am really stressed out about all this and find it really hard to sleep for fear of him attacking me or our 2 year old. I am also 5 months pregnant and pretty soon I won't be able to jump out of the bed as fast to get out of his way. What would you all recommend? We will get a CPAP anyways, because he does need it. But I truly do not believe that will fix the sleep walking and am afraid we wasted our money on that last sleep test.

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More Answers

L.A.

answers from Austin on

This is the truth.. Sleep apnea does cause sleep walking. I have a very good friend that actually woke up in her car! The engine was running!

That was the last straw, She said she had been "in denial about the whole sleep walking thing."

She was also sent to an ENT and did the sleep study.. They have video of her sleep walking.. They also showed she was not dreaming even once a night.. you usually fall into a dream state 15 times.. She was issued a CPAP and it has changed her life.

I have had more and more health problems had all sorts of test, saw an ENT and just finished my second sleep test and have been prescribed a CPAP.. The other night they had me on the machine and I felt so good and clear the next day , I was amazed.

They will be able to show your husband the results after the sleep study.
My insurance is going to cover the machine. I cannot wait for it to arrive.

3 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

Take sleep apnea seriously, try what they recommend. They could be wrong but if they arent and caught it early thats great. Its no joke, you can die from it very easily.

2 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Here is the thing with attacking in their sleep, you wouldn't realize it at the time because you are sleeping, you can move away from them.

My ex, both my sons have sleep walking/talking/flailing issues. When my sons would do it I moved it. It is what humans do, they try to calm those that appear to be in distress. They are dreaming well sort of, they are not in distress. Unless they are about to do something that could seriously hurt themselves stay back. Even when you wake up and he is flailing just back up and off the bed. Wait until he goes back to sleep or wakes up.

Think about when he "attacked" you. Did you do anything to get out of the way? If you did did he follow you and continue to attack?

I know this doesn't answer your CPAP question but hopefully it will give you enough information to keep yourself safe. :)

1 mom found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

My husband does the same thing and can also become physically aggressive. Stress is a huge factor. I have never heard of sleep apnea as being a cause. It would only be a factor if he was also having trouble breathing.

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A.C.

answers from Madison on

My husband has been using a CPAP machine for about a year now. It's like I have a totally different husband. He actually gets his deep REM sleep now, so he wakes up refreshed/he's actually slept. During an 8 hr night, the testing revealed he was only sleeping 2-3 hrs, if even that. His oxygen level was so low, he was at a 70% risk for having a stroke. He's only 40 years old.

He's had issues with sleeping/snoring since he was 14 years old; we've been married 13 years and together 14 years, and it took FOREVER for us to get a doctor who would listen that he had a problem.

My husband says the CPAP machine is the best thing that's ever happened to him, and I totally agree. If you're like me and you have to have total quiet to sleep, get some wax for your ears; I sleep like a baby and never hear the machine (it's quiet anyway, but I really have to have it quiet to sleep).

If my hubby was sleepwalking to the point he remembered none of it and there was even a chance that he might strike out/act out whatever dream he's having while he's sleepwalking, and there were children in the house, I would do everything possible to make sure that stopped. Including it it means he needs to use a CPAP machine.

And yes, almost every insurance company will cover the CPAP machine (or you have to pay a few deductibles) and subsequent doctor follow ups, especially when tests reveal that you need to have it/you're not sleeping because of the sleep apnea.

Definitely try this. If your husband was getting the deep REM sleep that he needed, then he wouldn't be up and walking around. Good luck.

M.B.

answers from Orlando on

My husband has sleep apnea and after spending the $$ on the CPAP machine he used it maybe 8 times and hated it. So now it sits in our closet...sigh so no good sleep for me

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