OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea)

[brumby33]

I didn't know whether to write this in Bicycle Touring Overseas or under the Cycling Health, but because it was more health oriented, I decided to write it here even though bike touring is mentioned too.

So why am I writing about experiences with Obstructive Sleep Apnea on a bicycle forum?

It'll become more apparent further down when I learnt this morning that a long time Bicycle Tourer and Bikepacker Adventurer Iohan Gueorguiev (1988-2021) only in his early 30's lost his life due to OSA.

I have suffered from OSA for about 15 years now and have rigorously used a CPAP machine to help me sleep well and I do sleep well with it on most nights and can function like a normal person on most occasions but there are those out there who either don't know they have OSA, deny they have it as I had done in the early days as I seen having to rely on wearing a mask to sleep being a total turn off in the early days of my Marriage but it wasn't as bad as my wife getting up to sleep in another bedroom because of my constant snoring and gasping.
I never heard about Sleep Apnea prior to my condition but I've always been on the chubby side except when a young child or around 16 years of age and learnt that it was usually associated with people with too much weight on, but as it turns out, it's not really true, anyone can develope OSA, even those who are pretty fit and normal weight and the stories to come will explain this.

One of the events that spurred me into seeking help was around the time when Ansett Airlines was just about to go belly up, One of our major Union leaders had to go to Adelaide due to Transport Strikes I think around the time that Adelaide's Buses were privatised by the SA Government. Ron was a big man, actually a huge man mountain, he had to wear braces to keep his trousers up, but he was such a friendly bloke and a bloody good Photographer and he was the President of the St George Camera Club in Sydney.
Anyway, he was supposed to fly to Adelaide the Morning that Ansett collapsed and all flights were cancelled so he drove down instead, he stayed overnight in Parkes, got up early in the morning and continued on his journey, he didn't get far, fell asleep behind the wheel and head on into a Semi-trailer, he was killed instantly.
When I learnt of this, I quickly got checked by sleep studies and learnt how to live with a CPAP. My early experiences were quite negative not only with the sleep specialist at the time but with the full face mask and a machine that only blew constant pressure into me, it took only a week and I told them to shove it where the sun don't shine, then my Dad called me out of the blue and told me of a mate of his using a new Resmed Auto Pap which detected an apnea then ramped up the pressure till the breathing normalised and lowered the pressure automatically, so I tried one of those and I was hooked....it was so much better than the CPAP I had used before. Mine is an APAP with the A = Auto.
I've been using them ever since...they arn't cheap, i'm on my 3rd one now and they cost over $2K plus masks every 2 years at $300 each.

So why am I writing about this in a Cycling and Bicycle Forum?

Well this morning I had notification from a Youtuber 'Cycling About', and they put up an Obituary video of a Travelling Bicyclist and Adventurer Iohan Gueorguiev (1988-2021) Iohan had OSA, so he had developed a severe case of insomnia due to not being able to sleep well, so bad he couldn't take it anymore and ended his own life. This is a guy who lived his life to the fullest in his travels but he was fit, not overweight at all and it's likely his OSA was undetected or if it was, he did nothing about it as it's not easy to travel with a CPAP type device. Going without sleep is not a good thing and OSA is a large contributor of stroke or Heart failure.

https://youtu.be/9QGPBTf1Yys

This is the Obituary Video about Iohan Gueorguiev. The video didn't actually state he committed suicide but it said it in a different way for respect purposes. So you don't have to be a fatty to have OSA and I highly suggest that if you're constantly feeling groggy or your throat is often dry of a morning, it could be a fair indication that you have a degree of Sleep Apnea.

As many of you might know I've often talked about bike touring and camping but I've been too afraid to do it due to my OSA condition and so therefore have grown a lot older never having this experience. I still dream about bike touring even though my fitness level is pretty crap these days and I know it's my own fault. These days battery operated portable mini apap machines are available with Battery and are about $1200 -$1500 plus and I'm looking to invest in one just for camping but the battery is only good for 2 nights of about 7 hours max per night and take a long time to charge, probably up to 6 to 8 hours. Not sure if a Solar set up would be adequate.

Anyway, probably everyone here knows of someone who has OSA and is using a CPAP or APAP device or if they arn't using it, kick them up the kyber pass and get them to use one because it could cause stroke or a massive heart failure and that can be prevented.

Thanks for reading

Cheers

brumby33

[baabaa]

Thanks for that fella.
Bit more here https://bikepacking.com/plog/iohan-gueo ... 1988-2021/
Been hard/ sad news for me, not that I have OSA but have a mate who does and his life was/ has been tricky at times. The "machine" really helped his quality of life

I am a big, big Iohan fan, the way he did life was such a inspiration. His biking, the quality of his vids and the love of the simple things such as the environment, landscapes,dogs and animals made all of his films worth watching at least once - TBH, I just don't know how he managed to even function let alone sleep ( and knowing of his condition make it even more impressive) at such altitude as in South America. Above 3500m I am a brain fog mess yet he went and lived, walked and bikes at way above that.
Anyway, what a man and I really hope people here watch his stuff as he shows off what biking can be . He also highlighted what South America and its people is all about.
Iohan - What a fine person and will be missed by many.

[foo on patrol]

It's a bastard thing and many don't know that they have it.

Foo

[brumby33]

It's a bastard thing and many don't know that they have it.

Foo

Or like me Foo when much younger and not wanting to admit I had it or to do anything about it.

My sleep doctor has often remarked that if I lost a lot of weight, it can be reversed but I've learnt that it's not a prerequisite even though it can't hurt to lose some bulk. I've always had a fat neck.

When I was first diagnosed that I had sleep apnea, I was in denial, I didn't want to look like Darth Vader while sleeping.....but I knew what a stroke looks like as my Grandma suffered with Stroke as did a mate of mine who is virtually a vegetable in a wheelchair...that happened before he hit 60. I did not want to have this happen to me and even though there's no guarantees, I'll cope with a Machine.

I've got a Resmed Airsense 10, probably about 3 yrs old now but it's fantastic and as it's got it's own WiFi modem, my speep details go to a Resmed central account and I can download or have a resmed person send my results to my sleep specialist so they can forward it on to the RMS. My drivers Commercial Drivers license has a condition on it due to having a Passenger vehicle Authority.

But now I love it, I really feel refreshed when i get up of a morning which is important as I'm on permanent AM shifts so up every morning at 3.30-4am.

Many people don't realise that every time, and sometimes up to 60 times per hour, not a night but per hour, a severe apnea case can be as much as that, the brain comes out of a deep sleep when it realises you can't breath and kick starts it and then tries to go back into deep sleep, so night in and night out, you're brain is always on guard, it cannot rest even though you don't realise it and why you don't understand why you're feeling like crap. Now in Iohan's case, in order for it to cause insomnia is that your brain won't allow you to go to sleep and why he ended up feeling the way he did, it would've slid him into deep depression then the unthinkable happens and his great lifestyle never mattered anymore...he wanted out.....don't know how he did it but i'm glad they kept that out.

Another thing, I've found out over a period of time the amount of my work colleagues, all men, who use a CPAP machine yet are still reluctant to talk about it.....

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

I used a CPAP machine for 3rys but after the first yr, it really didn't make any difference. The first year I was slightly fresher when I awoke in the morning but I still didn't sleep for anymore than 1-1.5hr intervals. I'm not a snorer and I don't stop breathing, my problem is that every time that I hit the restful deep sleep stage, I wake up!

Foo

[brumby33]

I used a CPAP machine for 3rys but after the first yr, it really didn't make any difference. The first year I was slightly fresher when I awoke in the morning but I still didn't sleep for anymore than 1-1.5hr intervals. I'm not a snorer and I don't stop breathing, my problem is that every time that I hit the restful deep sleep stage, I wake up!

Foo

Yeah in your case Foo, you didn't have OSA at all. You just needed to slow down your brain to allow it to rest.....were you always that way? was it like in your childhood that you had to sleep with 1 eye closed and the other open and always had anxiety? why dod you think you are so high wired?
I've tried meditation once lol. I couldn't clear the cache, I couldn't not think of anything...it was usually..."how long is this s'pose to last" or other !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! i was contending with at the time.....didn't work, I tried hypnotherapy to give up smoking, lasted 5 minutes, as soon as I was out of sight from the clinic, I had one lit up But as soon as I hit the pillow and put on my mask, unless I've got some stressful stuff happening, I'm out like a light within minutes,

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

No, I used to be able to sleep really well. It was only after doing shift work and interstate driving that it became a problem. Even now, I go some days with no sleep or just an hour or two. I've learnt too recognise my fatigue maker points and I have adapted to the fact that I don't get restful sleep. No set sleep pattern for 30yrs now.

Foo

[brumby33]

So you're still in Truckie mode.

You still work in that industry?

Linehaul or Interstate general Freight?

I've got a mate who is only a year younger than me who was working for a major well known Company with all the fatique Management sensors and stuff and them calling him up every so often to check on him, he was doing Bris/Mel/ Adel/Bris and not see home for 3 weeks and he ended up leaving them and buying his own rig with a set of B-Dble Tautliner trailers and went subbying doing pretty much the same routes but not doing the farm work he was with the refrigerated mob. He is much happier and seems to get his required sleeps.
I don't think I could do it now....love that i'm in my own bed at night after a 9 hour day.....and stay clean lol.

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

Yeah still in heavy transport but only for another 2-3yrs, then I'm retired and the trucks can get stuffed!

Foo

[brumby33]

Yeah still in heavy transport but only for another 2-3yrs, then I'm retired and the trucks can get stuffed!

Foo

Yeah Foo, I know exactly how you feel, if it wasn't for this bloody Covid crap, I'd have pulled the pin a few Months ago but it looks like I'm going to have to hold off and see what transpires early in the next year. If these damned Premiers can decide how they are going to deal with it, live with it and stop stuffin' people's lives around, then I might be able to snatch it in the first Quarter Next year.
Mind you, because I'll only be 62, I don't want to fully retire so when I've had a good break, I'll just look for some part time work.
If Scomo opens up the Border, I'm hoping to fly over to japan to help MIL to do some work clearing up her house a bit.
I'd love to do some bicycle touring in Japan but not sure if this ol frame of mine could handle some of the big hills (see mountains) over there. My Mrs reckons that as soon as I'm out of sight from their local rail station, I'll be lost she may well be right

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

Well, lets hope for us that things get sorted out sooner rather than later Brumby.

Foo

[warthog1]

Yep 20 years of shift work and my sleep patterns are way worse than they used to be.
It aint healthy.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics ... deficiency

https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and- ... ur-health/

https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep ... eprivation

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/hea ... eprivation

I get a shift penalty for working hours that negatively affect my sleep duration, quality and habits.
Effectively that shift penalty is there to compensate for higher rates of chronic disease, poorer quality of life and shorter life expectancy.
Not really worth it is it?
Wish I had known how bad it was a long time ago.
I plan to get out earlier rather than later in life.
The longer I stay in the shorter my life expectancy will be.
The science is unequivocal.

Something to keep firmly in mind when sleep is discussed anyway.

[brumby33]

Yeah shiftwork, many times a neccessary evil pending on what work you do, some have fixed shift work outside the normal daylight working hours like myself, I'm on permanent AM shifts that have me out of bed between 3.30am and 4.30 am, it's usually variable pending shift pattern and timetabled runs in the bus, at time I was on the midday shift, not a bad time to start but finish generally between 8-9pm then the PM shifts that can also include overnighters, they start at 3pm till 5pm and go till 2am next morning.

Then there's the rotational shift work like in the manufacturing and mining and railways, these have you working a whole range of shift during a rostered Month working on a 24 hour rotational. that is the worst, am shifts one week, Pm shifts the next....bugger that!!

And then you got guys like Truck drivers, in particular Interstate truck drivers who are on the road average 14 hour days including loading (well that's the legal requirement but reality can be a lot more) these guys like Foo grabs sleep at all different time of the day when they possibly can. others take little pills to keep them going (often get with pay docket) and recently have to stuff around at borders to get Covid checks and often have to go out of their way to do that......

I know from my experience on am shifts, I'm not neccessarily a person who can go to bed too early, usually around 10pm, get up at 4am or at times a bit earlier so that's 5.5-60 hours sleep per day average, my Apap machine confirms this as well.

I usually get home around 3.30-4pm but often flounder around, maybe have a short nap on the sofa if I'm really tired then come a day off, sometimes only getting one day off on it's own, not often 2 together. I know I need 1 hour extra per day but if i got to bed at 9pm, i'm still awake by 10pm, but at 10 I can generally dose as soon as my head hits the pillow till that god awful alarm goes off.

I'm currently on annual leave and waking up naturally over the past few weeks and getting an average of 7-8hours has been bliss.

I had plans during these holidays to go and get my health checked with blood tests and the like but because of these lockdowns and Covid risks, the Doctors arn't doing much at all except giving jabs.

I intend to retire a lot earlier than the required pension date so I have a chance to enjoy some of my time without work stress. None of us know how long till our number is called up, irrespective of how healthy one thinks they may be, nothing is guaranteed.

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

Yep 20 years of shift work and my sleep patterns are way worse than they used to be.
It aint healthy.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics ... deficiency

https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and- ... ur-health/

https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep ... eprivation

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/hea ... eprivation

I get a shift penalty for working hours that negatively affect my sleep duration, quality and habits.
Effectively that shift penalty is there to compensate for higher rates of chronic disease, poorer quality of life and shorter life expectancy.
Not really worth it is it?
Wish I had known how bad it was a long time ago.
I plan to get out earlier rather than later in life.
The longer I stay in the shorter my life expectancy will be.
The science is unequivocal.

Something to keep firmly in mind when sleep is discussed anyway.

I've just had a look at those sites and will dispute them and their thinking. I don't have blood pressure problems or obstructive sleep problems, nor do I have excessive yawning problems. I'm over weight due to not being able to exercise when I need to, so if you can be slightly active and manage you fatigue the only way that you can, it's better than their studies of "normal" plebs.

Don't give up so easily!

Foo

[warthog1]

I've just had a look at those sites and will dispute them and their thinking. I don't have blood pressure problems or obstructive sleep problems, nor do I have excessive yawning problems. I'm over weight due to not being able to exercise when I need to, so if you can be slightly active and manage you fatigue the only way that you can, it's better than their studies of "normal" plebs.

Don't give up so easily!

Foo

Sorry mate, I strongly disagree with your thinking.
Those findings are the result of large scale studies.
There are multiple sites that show the same result.
Science requires evidence and an assessment of said evidence.
A study of a sample group of 1 such as yours is not regarded as a repeated conclusive finding that is applicable to the population at large. It is too narrow.
Nor have you studied your health in the absence of shift work and sleep deprivation, so have no idea of how well you would be without it.

I know it has fked my sleep and I accept the evidence that is not good.
I have a job that relies on evidence and our procedures and treatment are based around it.

Show me the studies about how good broken sleep and long term sleep deprivation are for health and longevity.

Happy to agree to disagree.

[foo on patrol]

I don't and never have believed everything that is written on paper. I've seen to many things that don't add up by the so called experts that put out papers. Plenty of people that still live and live to very good old ages that have gone through the same chit, it's all about how you manage the fatigue issues.

Foo

[warthog1]

I don't and never have believed everything that is written on paper. I've seen to many things that don't add up by the so called experts that put out papers. Plenty of people that still live and live to very good old ages that have gone through the same chit, it's all about how you manage the fatigue issues.

Foo

You have no idea of how many atheromatous plaques you have in your cardiovascular system.
You haven't been without sleep deprivation so don't know how that has affected your weight.
Diet is more important than exercise for weight loss by the way.


I'll take evidence and understanding over opinion any day.
My neighbour is refusing to get the covid vaccine and it has cost her, her job in a nursing home.
Her opinion is informed by a spiritual guidance counselor rather than scientific evidence that demonstrably proves on a large scale that vaccination is far more effective than non-vaccination.

She has her opinion though.
I wonder how that will protect her

[brumby33]

Don't know what your truck set up is Foo but even if you don't get exercise as much as you want but jumping in/out, tarping or even sliding curtains on a trailer, gates, strapping is all energy used.
Even when I drove Container trucks around Sydney and Brisbane, just by regularly walking around the truck and trailer, do up the twist locks, and even helping hand unloading a 40 container gave me a lot more exercise than I ever got driving a bus.
So unless you regularly eat fast food and the like, you might be surprised over a period of a workday how much energy you actually burnt.

Keep on truckin'

brumby33

[foo on patrol]

Don't know what your truck set up is Foo but even if you don't get exercise as much as you want but jumping in/out, tarping or even sliding curtains on a trailer, gates, strapping is all energy used.
Even when I drove Container trucks around Sydney and Brisbane, just by regularly walking around the truck and trailer, do up the twist locks, and even helping hand unloading a 40 container gave me a lot more exercise than I ever got driving a bus.
So unless you regularly eat fast food and the like, you might be surprised over a period of a workday how much energy you actually burnt.

Keep on truckin'

brumby33

I'm not a fast food eater, unless I'm pushed for time. I take my main meals away with me and try to limit what I buy to just one or two meals.

Foo

[foo on patrol]

I don't and never have believed everything that is written on paper. I've seen to many things that don't add up by the so called experts that put out papers. Plenty of people that still live and live to very good old ages that have gone through the same chit, it's all about how you manage the fatigue issues.

Foo

You have no idea of how many atheromatous plaques you have in your cardiovascular system.
You haven't been without sleep deprivation so don't know how that has affected your weight.
Diet is more important than exercise for weight loss by the way.


I'll take evidence and understanding over opinion any day.
My neighbour is refusing to get the covid vaccine and it has cost her, her job in a nursing home.
Her opinion is informed by a spiritual guidance counselor rather than scientific evidence that demonstrably proves on a large scale that vaccination is far more effective than non-vaccination.

She has her opinion though.
I wonder how that will protect her

Ummmmm, I have days when I can't sleep and that's when home and also get by with only a couple of hours sleep, so yeah, I do know what that is like, more than anyone knows. I survive on a max of 5hrs for most days and that is broken sleep, hence why my fatigue levels are high for large parts of the year. Diet is only a part of weight loss, if you don't get your heart rate up for more than 15mins a day, no diet is going to help you, because you reach a point where it won't do anything. Also, you can be as light as a feather but still be unhealthy on the inside and there's plenty of evidence of this being the case.

Foo

[warthog1]

Ummmmm, I have days when I can't sleep and that's when home and also get by with only a couple of hours sleep, so yeah, I do know what that is like, more than anyone knows. I survive on a max of 5hrs for most days and that is broken sleep, hence why my fatigue levels are high for large parts of the year. Diet is only a part of weight loss, if you don't get your heart rate up for more than 15mins a day, no diet is going to help you, because you reach a point where it won't do anything. Also, you can be as light as a feather but still be unhealthy on the inside and there's plenty of evidence of this being the case.

Foo

Sure Foo, I hope you continue to go well and live a long and happy life
My point is that the evidence indicates going without sleep long term is not good for health and life expectancy.
I will go with large scale evidence.

I remember a bloke on another forum who argued against the evidence with respect to smoking.
"I am alright I will keep going with my smoking despite what the evidence says".
Didn't work very well for him and he is no longer with us.

Anyway I am going to try and stop the shift work early as I reckon it aint good long term.
Hopefully I bloody stick with it.
Wouldn't be the first time I've argued one thing and done the opposite if I don't.

With respect to diet, exercise and weight loss, sure exercise is a factor. However from what I have read, diet is a larger factor.

Yes people can have poor cardiovascular health without being overweight.
Diet, cholesterol and familial history of cardiovascular disease are large factors.
There is also a large amount of evidence that being overweight increases the risk.

[foo on patrol]

Ummmmm, I have days when I can't sleep and that's when home and also get by with only a couple of hours sleep, so yeah, I do know what that is like, more than anyone knows. I survive on a max of 5hrs for most days and that is broken sleep, hence why my fatigue levels are high for large parts of the year. Diet is only a part of weight loss, if you don't get your heart rate up for more than 15mins a day, no diet is going to help you, because you reach a point where it won't do anything. Also, you can be as light as a feather but still be unhealthy on the inside and there's plenty of evidence of this being the case.

Foo

Sure Foo, I hope you continue to go well and live a long and happy life
My point is that the evidence indicates going without sleep long term is not good for health and life expectancy long term.
I will go with large scale evidence.

I remember a bloke on another forum who argued against the evidence with respect to smoking.
"I am alright I will keep going with my smoking despite what the evidence says".
Didn't work very well for him and he is no longer with us.

Anyway I am going to try and stop the shift work early as I reckon it aint good long term.
Hopefully I bloody stick with it.
Wouldn't be the first time I've argued one thing and done the opposite if I don't.

So do I and he didn't make80. My father is 87yrs this year and has had crap sleep for decades and has been on blood pressure meds since he was 28yrs old and diabetic, all of which I don't have. He has been active all of his life but was a smoker till he was 40yrs old. Thankfully, we got him to stop that filthy habit. He had open heart surgery at the age of 85, due to a problem with his main valve, never being picked up.

Foo

[brumby33]

Ummmmm, I have days when I can't sleep and that's when home and also get by with only a couple of hours sleep, so yeah, I do know what that is like, more than anyone knows. I survive on a max of 5hrs for most days and that is broken sleep, hence why my fatigue levels are high for large parts of the year. Diet is only a part of weight loss, if you don't get your heart rate up for more than 15mins a day, no diet is going to help you, because you reach a point where it won't do anything. Also, you can be as light as a feather but still be unhealthy on the inside and there's plenty of evidence of this being the case.

Foo

Sure Foo, I hope you continue to go well and live a long and happy life
My point is that the evidence indicates going without sleep long term is not good for health and life expectancy long term.
I will go with large scale evidence.

I remember a bloke on another forum who argued against the evidence with respect to smoking.
"I am alright I will keep going with my smoking despite what the evidence says".
Didn't work very well for him and he is no longer with us.

Anyway I am going to try and stop the shift work early as I reckon it aint good long term.
Hopefully I bloody stick with it.
Wouldn't be the first time I've argued one thing and done the opposite if I don't.

I guess there's many reasons we do the work we do and I won't get into that nitty gritty but shift work does pay well if the Industry is fairdinkum and not try and rip you off, you often hear of people talk about unpaid overtime possibly they have no union support or the like. Probably one major reason we no longer have a rag trade here, it's not viable.

As for diet and food consumed, it's not only about weightloss but there's many other elements too and one is overall nutrition. I see my colleagues all the time consume those big carboard bowls of Chinese noodles for lunch, it's ok every now and then I suppose but some of them, it's either regular or every day. The sodium level in those noodle bowls are very high and you don't know what's in the flavouring.

So getting back to Iohan the adventure cyclist, a young man who would be pretty fit due to his bicycle travel one would assume, however the more i read and watch bicycle tourers vlogs and blogs, their on-road meals are questionable, even the vegan ones. I haven't really watched his videos but intend to do so but you don't know what his overall health was like, whether he had high blood pressure which could have been sparking his insomnia and like some people who I know who are living alone, there's no-one to tell them how bad their apneas are. If it wasn't for my wife pushing me in the early days to do something about my snoring and it took the death of my work colleague to get me to get checked out....otherwise I may have brushed OSA off and could've been in a bad way or maybe not here at all.

brumby33

[warthog1]

So do I and he didn't make80. My father is 87yrs this year and has had crap sleep for decades and has been on blood pressure meds since he was 28yrs old and diabetic, all of which I don't have. He has been active all of his life but was a smoker till he was 40yrs old. Thankfully, we got him to stop that filthy habit. He had open heart surgery at the age of 85, due to a problem with his main valve, never being picked up.

Foo

Your father is 87, that is good.
His BP is managed because it is well understood that hypertension increases the risk of death and disability.
There is a large quantity of evidence behind this understanding.

You and your family may be able to function well on less sleep than others.
Also were it possible for you and your family to have more sleep regularly there is also the likelihood quality of life and life expectancy would be enhanced.

My point is that the evidence is that chronic lack of sleep is not good for health and longevity as per large scale studies.
I prefer to go with evidence.

[warthog1]

I guess there's many reasons we do the work we do and I won't get into that nitty gritty but shift work does pay well if the Industry is fairdinkum and not try and rip you off, you often hear of people talk about unpaid overtime possibly they have no union support or the like. Probably one major reason we no longer have a rag trade here, it's not viable.

As for diet and food consumed, it's not only about weightloss but there's many other elements too and one is overall nutrition. I see my colleagues all the time consume those big carboard bowls of Chinese noodles for lunch, it's ok every now and then I suppose but some of them, it's either regular or every day. The sodium level in those noodle bowls are very high and you don't know what's in the flavouring.

So getting back to Iohan the adventure cyclist, a young man who would be pretty fit due to his bicycle travel one would assume, however the more i read and watch bicycle tourers vlogs and blogs, their on-road meals are questionable, even the vegan ones. I haven't really watched his videos but intend to do so but you don't know what his overall health was like, whether he had high blood pressure which could have been sparking his insomnia and like some people who I know who are living alone, there's no-one to tell them how bad their apneas are. If it wasn't for my wife pushing me in the early days to do something about my snoring and it took the death of my work colleague to get me to get checked out....otherwise I may have brushed OSA off and could've been in a bad way or maybe not here at all.

brumby33

Glad you got it checked Brumby.

One of my work colleagues went to a sleep specialist also. Turns out he also has sleep apnoea.
The specialist also wrote a letter advising his condition meant night shift was inadvisable.
No more night shift
He was very happy he went.