Holding Breath Whilst Awake?

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on January 14, 2012 at 16:21

I am often asked this question. My patients often ask me what to do when they catch themselves doing it. My response is always "Breathe".

 

There is a difference between an apneac event and holding your breath. During an  event our body puts forth more effort to breathe than most people truly know. This is why a great many apneacs wake up sweating and the cause of a great deal of nightly bathroom trips. Holding your breath comes from a completely different source. When we are awake we can control our breathing even though we rarely do. Typically when people hold their breath it is do to some kind of action. The average person takes somewhere between 15-20 breaths per minute. So there are gonna be pauses somewhere in each minute.

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 14, 2012 at 16:25

I wasn't meaning it was an apnoeic event Rock, but just wondered if it was connected to the fact that we do it in our sleep, so have we created a habit into doing it whilst awake?  The times I've noticed it is when I'm sat quietly watching tv etc.

RockRpsgt said:

I am often asked this question. My patients often ask me what to do when they catch themselves doing it. My response is always "Breathe".

 

There is a difference between an apneac event and holding your breath. During an  event our body puts forth more effort to breathe than most people truly know. This is why a great many apneacs wake up sweating and the cause of a great deal of nightly bathroom trips. Holding your breath comes from a completely different source. When we are awake we can control our breathing even though we rarely do. Typically when people hold their breath it is do to some kind of action. The average person takes somewhere between 15-20 breaths per minute. So there are gonna be pauses somewhere in each minute.

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Permalink Reply by paula jones on January 14, 2012 at 18:02

if im sat watching t.v and totally in a relaxed state (as everynite past 6pm) when im so tired i dont even wanna go toilet, when im in my most relaxed i sometimes have to Gasp a deep breathe,dont think im breathe holding but its like im waking myself up from a total relaxed state, hard to explain but iv not always done this just since having sleep apnea.when im at my tiredest ever i do have to gasp every now and again,just to get abit more Air...when im awake and actively doin somet,breathing isnt somet i think about it just happens...its weird!! :)

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary Kemp on January 14, 2012 at 18:12

I don't think I've ever held my breath while awake other than as a child prior to letting out a scream when I was cross! The GP you asked, Kath, who didn't have an answer probably didn't know for the same sort of reason! He / she probably hasn't ever deliberately stopped breathing either and as holding one's breath deliberately or even semi consciously is different to an apnoea, perhaps this behaviour is a habit rather than a typical medical symptom. GPs usually have knowledge about medical issues they have researched but a behavioural symptom is more the domain of a behavioural psychologist (which I am) but I haven't got a good answer to this one. I'll watch this space in the hope that someone has a better idea as to why people might hold their breath while awake! Could there be a link with the snoring that some people do when they are awake?

Rosemary  

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on January 14, 2012 at 18:22

I wasn't say that holding are breaths was an apnaec event either. When we stop breathing in our sleep it is completey different from when we stop breathing while awake. I don't see the connection between the 2 was all I was trying to say. Therefore I don't understand how one could be a habit of the other.

 

Now I have to ask do you stop breathing on purpose or do you notice that you are not breathing. The only explanation that I can think of is that you stop because you do not need to rid yourself of Co2 at that particualr moment.

Kath Hope said:

I wasn't meaning it was an apnoeic event Rock, but just wondered if it was connected to the fact that we do it in our sleep, so have we created a habit into doing it whilst awake?  The times I've noticed it is when I'm sat quietly watching tv etc.

RockRpsgt said:

I am often asked this question. My patients often ask me what to do when they catch themselves doing it. My response is always "Breathe".

 

There is a difference between an apneac event and holding your breath. During an  event our body puts forth more effort to breathe than most people truly know. This is why a great many apneacs wake up sweating and the cause of a great deal of nightly bathroom trips. Holding your breath comes from a completely different source. When we are awake we can control our breathing even though we rarely do. Typically when people hold their breath it is do to some kind of action. The average person takes somewhere between 15-20 breaths per minute. So there are gonna be pauses somewhere in each minute.

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 14, 2012 at 18:39

No I don't do it on purpose.  Just sometimes when I'm relaxing, watching tv of such-like I'm suddenly aware of the need to give out a big exhale because I've been subconsciously holding my breath.  Seems it's fairly common as to the replies on here and Facebook, but there again it could be common with everyone, irrespective of OSA.  It was the Twitter follower that asked me the question and got me thinking....

RockRpsgt said:

I wasn't say that holding are breaths was an apnaec event either. When we stop breathing in our sleep it is completey different from when we stop breathing while awake. I don't see the connection between the 2 was all I was trying to say. Therefore I don't understand how one could be a habit of the other.

 

Now I have to ask do you stop breathing on purpose or do you notice that you are not breathing. The only explanation that I can think of is that you stop because you do not need to rid yourself of Co2 at that particualr moment.

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary Kemp on January 14, 2012 at 22:39

I suspect that we may all stop breathing when we are awake (or think we are fully awake) sometimes and perhaps we are about to fall asleep when we gasp for a breath while relaxing in a chair. It is easy to drop off to sleep at the end of the day when relaxing in front of the television but we all now know that we should try to not do this. We need to go to bed and attach our machines and masks. Other than that, it is better to keep busy and as alert as possible so that we don't doze off with no cpap to help our symptoms.

Behaviours that become habits don't necessarily have to be connected to the sleep apnoea either of course. We all do things because of habit and because it is automatic. The human body is a clever thing! It is amazing that under most conditions we are kicked back awake with a snore when we stop breathing. We have all been there prior to diagnosis and treatment or we would no longer be alive.

Problems creep in when we fall asleep if some of the apnoeas are central or mixed and perhaps we like to have a drink of alcohol before bed for example. Dr Parks not only tells us to avoid alcohol prior to bed but he also tells us clearly that we shouldn't eat just before going to bed. The body may be a clever thing but the mind is often a foolish thing. We don't always do what is best for us. Just do your best to be sensible and obey the rules that are there to protect us. We all get it wrong on occasion but that is because we are human and fallible.

I am sure that those of us whose children have held their breath during a tantrum have had a mighty fright. We don't need to worry about that for ourselves I think. The most important thing is to use the equipment when we go to sleep!

Rosemary   

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on January 15, 2012 at 3:29

Great post. I hate it when I don't know.

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Permalink Reply by Philip on January 15, 2012 at 18:17

My Papworth consultant explained that when I suddenly take an extra deep breath during the day (loud gasp) it is a habit, which needs to be broken before it becomes too much of a habit. There is nothing wrong as such.

Out of interest - I saw another consultant (gastro expert) this week who said that as I use CPAP (pressure 9) I will get some acid reflux due to the pressure going into my stomach forcing some acids out. Hence I suppose why people say gastro reflux and sleep apnoea are often linked. In severe cases acid reflux can cause cancer of the oesophogus, with a very poor recovery rate, so it is worth watching.

 

Phil E

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on January 15, 2012 at 18:44

Good point Phil - there's lots of people with acid reflux and OSA, which is one of the reasons we should try not to eat within 3 hours of bedtime. 

Philip said:

My Papworth consultant explained that when I suddenly take an extra deep breath during the day (loud gasp) it is a habit, which needs to be broken before it becomes too much of a habit. There is nothing wrong as such.

Out of interest - I saw another consultant (gastro expert) this week who said that as I use CPAP (pressure 9) I will get some acid reflux due to the pressure going into my stomach forcing some acids out. Hence I suppose why people say gastro reflux and sleep apnoea are often linked. In severe cases acid reflux can cause cancer of the oesophogus, with a very poor recovery rate, so it is worth watching.

 

Phil E

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Permalink Reply by Julie on January 15, 2012 at 22:56

Kath,

I have stopped breathing while in a meeting.  I just stopped breathing and didn't even notice till I gasped for breath.  I was very tired so think I'd fallen asleep with my eyes open......I can do this as one of my colleagues can testify.   Apparently he caught me looking up at the corner of the room with my mouth hanging open and I was totally away in another world....surprised I wasn't dribbling, lol.  That was before I was diagnosed with OSA.   Haven't done either since being on the treatment...or at least no one has mentioned it.

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Permalink Reply by Norman Brydson on January 16, 2012 at 10:50

I've experienced a similar thing, although I don't actually 'hold' my breath since I find that I often don't actually breathe in again after I've exhaled, so my lungs are empty.

When I realise that I've not inhaled for a while, I then have several deep breaths to 'catch up again' and get the oxygen back around my blood-stream.

It's as though (just for a few moments) my brain has forgotten that I need to breathe.....

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