Sleep study - dreaming?

[Jerry_NJ]

I go in for a sleep study tomorrow night.  This was prescribed by my doctor because of a low oxygen reading on an at-home recording oximeter test.  I had complained about waking up with a feeling of suffocation in recent months - I also have chronic nasal congestion - and trouble mares (not night mares).

The pre-study questionnaire brings up the subject of dreaming.. so there may be a connection.  This may lead to a CPAP to help me breath at night, in any case I will report anything I believe is useful.    

[Jerry_NJ]

A follow up here, I have posted this information elsewhere, so if you've already seen it, sorry for the duplication.

My Sleep Study indicates mild OSA and the doctor discussed the next step of using either a oral device (my word, I don't recall what he said) to hold my jaw forward or use of a CPAP mask, which requires another sleep study to "fit" the mask and pressure.  He also confirmed obesity (hey, I was only 245 and a bit over 6 feet 5 inches) could aggravate, even cause, mild OSA. So I said let me try to lose 20 pounds over the next two months and see if there is an improvement.  He agreed saying he would prescribe another over night recording oximeter test to confirm my oxygen saturation level.

It is just over one month and I have lost 10 pounds and think I have already improved.  My sample readings on my personal oxymeter when I wake in the sleep period is much better, I saw one reading below 90%.  I also have few to none wake up in a panic with breathing problems, my nasal congestion continues on its own power.  

I will have to double-down to lose another 10 pounds, but give what I perceive as an improvement is motivation to lose the other 10 pounds, there are other motivations, such as being able to comfortably wear some of my better clothing I had "outgrown".  

Along with the nasal congestion the dreaming goes on unabated.  I guess I can feel good about the implication Dream->REM and that is good body rest time and helps resolve mental issues.  I am a senior and becoming a member of the older (oldest - all relatives, including aunts and uncles are now gone) generation has its mental issues, and of course the physical failures don't help the spirit either.  

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

During sleep, the body cycles between non-REM and REM sleep. Typically, people begin the sleep cycle with a period of non-REM sleep followed by a very short period of REM sleep. Dreams generally occur in the REM stage of sleep. A lot of studies are going on to study the importance of REM sleep, which is the dream phase of sleep. Psychologists generally agree that achieving the dream state of sleep is a critical element for maintaining good mental health.

So, the questionnaire could implicate two possibilities, whether you are having adequate REM phase sleep. This can be interrupted, if you have sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea. OSA can also cause hypoxia. Another possibility is disorders related to dreaming could occur with REM sleep behavior disorders (trouble mares). Here the person acts out the dreams.

Good Luck with your sleep study.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.