As you have read from my recent post, sleep apnea is a very serious disease. There seems to currently be an increase with sleep apnea like many other chronic diseases. All of these diseases follow very closely the reduction of the amount of vitamin D that is produced in the population from sun avoidance as promoted by our medical professionals for the last fifty years. In addition, air conditioning and electronic ‘toys’ keep us trapped when we would otherwise be outside soaking up the sun.
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
Daytime sleepiness
Memory Issues
Headaches
Body pains
Tiredness
Obesity
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart disease which includes arrhythmia and heat attack
Would you like to get rid of that CPAP? There is hope. It is possible! It took me two years because my sleep apnea was so severe. I had sixty events per hour or an AHI of 60. That is I would hold my breath for thirty seconds; and then, breathe for thirty seconds for the full sixty minutes in an hour. This would drive my blood oxygen saturation to extremely low levels to say nothing of the lost sleep. My health was bad as I was nearing death.
After my polysomnagrapy, the neurologist described what he felt was nothing more than obstructive sleep apnea. That is I was so fat at a BMI of 32 that my ‘fat was closing my airway when I slept.’ I suggested that perhaps some of it could be coming from all of the spinal cord issues that I had with degenerative disc disease. He simply shook his head and said that he did not see anything to suggest that it was central sleep apnea or coming from my central nervous system. On a later MRI by my neurosurgeon, it was discovered that I had severe stenosis at C3-C4 cervical disc. This location is the origin for the nerve root that supports lung function. This diagnosis also explained why I sometimes would just stop breathing during my awake time. I had another professional tell me it was just stress.
The CPAP was a blessing because it cleared up a lot of the symptoms. However, it is a real ‘evil’ device when you have to use it even to take naps. I know that if you have used this device that you recognize the truth of what I have just said. Enough oxygen and enough sleep is always a necessity to life. A breathing mask on your face or a nasal cannula stuck up your nose, supported by a band wrapped around your head, and tied by a hose to a mechanical air pump is well, just ‘evil.’ This device belongs in the twentieth century and not the twenty-first.
There is now at least one neurologist that finally is practicing medicine and not the politically correct NIH guidelines. Dr. Stasha Gominak, Tyler Texas, discovered vitamin D and its effects on sleep in 2009. I first discovered her work through Henry LeHore at www.vitamindwiki.com. She has now been treating patients for two years with vitamin D and magnesium with great success including the elimination of the CPAP device. If you have sleep apnea, I would suggest that you review her website closely so that you will know how to talk with your neurologist about this treatment. In a recent email I described all sleep apnea as being related to the central nervous system except for extreme obesity and her response was “You’re right, it’s all central, if you can breathe through your neck when you’re awake you can breathe through it while sleeping, until your paralysis in sleep kicks in. — explanation of how the CNS works in sleep———- Be careful to follow your levels [25(OH)D], the sleep disorder comes right back when you go over 80. Keep it 60-80 and you’ll do great. Once you get the vitamin D connection the morbid obesity is explained by the D deficiency as well, so it’s not obesity causes sleep apnea, it’s that obesity and sleep disorders of many kinds both arise from D deficiency.”
We applaud your efforts Dr. Gominak and thank you for your work in helping the sufferers of the many chronic diseases that are a result of vitamin D deficiency!
Dr. Gominak’s info:
Vitamin D Hormone http://drgominak.com/vitamin-d ‘I have left the link visible to be sure you can connect.’
Video Lecture on Sleep and Vitamin D and Magnesium: 5 part series http://drgominak.com/lecture First video is middle of left hand column.
I know that you may be restless and tired, but get excited, go to this website or have your neurologist go there and then do the treatment. Dr. Gominak does a great job in an entertaining lecture on how we got to where we are in the treatment of sleep disorders and what to do about it as well as her journey of discovery.
I have been without a CPAP and healed of sleep apnea since 2008. Be well, sleep well, and go into the sun! Pandemic Survivor
Vitamin D Deficiency Survivor 
Thank you for sharing your story and for providing Dr. Gominak’s name. This gives me hope of a resolve for severe sleep apnea. I’m scheduled to see a doctor of functional medicine and will discuss information on Dr. Gominak’s RightSleep website and in her protocol workbook.
Taking hormone D is not good for people are chronic sick. Lyme. Mold etc the D receptors are lowered for a reason
Ah, Sherry. You should spend more time reading about the benefits of vitamin D when you have chronic disease. http://grassrootshealth.net/
my sleep apnea has real physical causes, not understanding how magnesium and Vitamin D would help, though I have been taking those to lower blood pressure.
Hi. Am glad to have read all of the above. I have sleep apnea along with other major issues, spine, obesity, memory issues etc..I was told that Melatonin with 5HTP is what I should take. I don’t want to start the machine but I am so desperate to sleep at least one proper night that I was looking into it. I will get the mag, potassium and vit. D with Vit C and cod liver oil as suggested but also wondering about the Melatonin. Should I start that? Any feedback would be good. Thanks!
I have been suffering recently from episodes of Sleep apnea. Self-diagnosed, but getting worse, I decided to begin researching as much as I could, because a Sleep Test and CPAP machine were way out of my budget.
I’m 40, female, and peri-menopause (which I think is a factor) and also have a ‘modern melting face’ (weak lower jaw, overcrowded teeth, nutritional deficiencies as a child, and wasn’t breast fed) a flat neck, narrow nostrils – all of which put me at risk for breathing and snoring problems.
I initially thought because of that there was nothing I could do, falling estrogen levels, and physiology working against me… but, I’ve never had apnea before and I’ve always been a strong sleeper, so I also wasn’t really willing to give in and accept defeat. I kept researching, reading papers, and watching you-tube videos. What I found was this:
By tweaking my mineral and vitamin levels I’ve been able to cure my apnea episodes. Am I still at risk, because of my physiology? Probably… but for the time being, I’m sleeping through the night, waking up refreshed, and am not tired throughout the day. Big improvement!!!
I think I was vitamin D deficient, Iron deficient, probably low on Vit C, and I was waaay over on my magnesium levels, and waaay under on my potassium.
Mot people probably don’t pay much attention to their nutrition to such an extent, but I’m a gardener… I know that if I don’t get the nutrient levels right for my tomato plants, they won’t fruit, or they’ll get disease… It makes you pay attention to nutrition, and if it works for them, it’s logical perhaps, that it should also work for us.
I thought initially that I was magnesium deficient, because most of us are. So I began drinking over a bottle of sparkling water a day (thinking this would help). It didn’t… so I began having Epsom Salt baths, hot springs, and then, spraying on Magnesium oil.
My apnea actually got worse!
My throat was closing multiple times while falling asleep – even while sitting upright – it go to the point where it was really really scary!
I googled ‘too much magnesium’ – and found that it can actually relax your muscles TOO MUCH!
That was exactly what was happening, I put two and two together, and backed off from the magnesium. My apnea events improved. Now I could fall asleep initially without my throat immediately closing, but still wake up in the night, multiple times not breathing.
The next big improvement was increasing my potassium.
I googled, nutrients needed for muscles, and it seems that potassium helps the muscles stay strong. I began drinking orange juice, and eating sweet potatoes and molasses… anything that has a high potassium content.
My apnea events became… zero…!!!
Other things I have done have been, to begin eating liver and bone broth, sunbathing for 30 mins daily, purifying the air in my bedroom with an air-purifier, taking vitamin C (I’m not much of a pill popper, so I try to use food, not supplements as much as possible, but in this case pills) and FERMENTED Cod Liver Oil – the only type I’d take as it’s real food, and not rancid.
The take home nugget of information is: I’m now sleeping through the night, without waking up once.
I’m writing this in the hopes that anyone else out there researching how to cure their sleep apnea, or why they are suddenly having apnoea when they didn’t before. Natural cures for apnea exist and it starts, in my view with nutrition. I’m not saying don’t use a CPAP, or go against your doctors advice, or whatever, but THIS IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME and I hope if you’re looking for information, this might help.
We’re all different in terms of nutritional deficiencies, because of our diets, but don’t over look that you might be too high in one, and too low in another. Minerals and Vitamins often work in tandem with each other, so the correct balance is what is important!!!
I wish everyone luck in finding out the nutritional cause of their own apnea, I for one know what it’s like to wake up not breathing, or choking, multiple times in one night, and it really is not fun and thanks to PandemicSurvivor for writing this article.
It is apparent from reading your comment that you did overdo the magnesium. Please read an experienced nutritionist guide to magnesium requirements. http://krispin.com/magnes.html
Thanks for the link, I just read it and agree… Most people are severely deficient and need this nutrient (and others) so desperately! I’m now (apparently) allergic to sparking mineral water. It closes my throat and causes me to apnea really bad. I’m playing around with magnesium containing foods, and they don’t seem to, so I still think nutrition from food is superior to pills, when you can. (Of course this means organic, wild & pastured as much as possible, not always possible or cheap!) I really overdid the sparkling mineral water! I just thought I was doing a good thing.
You are absolutely right. I can confirm the same experience with magnesium and potassium effect on my sleep apnea. Thank you for this message. It helped me to understand my troubles better.
Thank you for sharing this information. You may have saved my life! Going to start taking D3 today!
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I am 42 ,4.10 I’m not obese, I’m actually petite. I have been diagnosed with everything under the sun, ms, fibromyalgia, blood disorders,depression,the list goes on and on. I’ve been in and out of hospitals ,drs, specialists, and the medication list. well that;s another list on its own. i run a business and I’m single, I used to be the center of attention very outgoing full of energy. my life is down to this. I finally was told I should have the sleep study done. I have central severe sleep apnea. 115 times an hour, I stop breathing. along w possible heart disease. my chest hurts all the time. I’ve had two pulmonary embolisms. 13 years ago in my lungs….Life seems like such a struggle anymore just to do daily things in my home. I really want a life again. my friends ,family etc..I just got this bi-pap machine and it gives me even more anxiety.. is there not anything I can do naturally to cure myself of all of this nonsense? I sure would and could do a lot for myself and many people around me. I have had my fair share of trauma events, illnesses, and lifestyle explosions, and I just want to have a happy, healthy normal life..I’m going to try my hardest to figure out how to change this viscous circle the way our natural bodies should be. any feedback would be great.
Tonya,
I am so very sorry for your pain. I know the difficulty of dealing with the medical profession when they do not have an answer. Whatever you decide to do you should keep your doctor fully informed. He may not agree with you, but most do not have a clue about nutrition. I would suggest that you find a doctor of osteopathy or his credentials will say DO after his name. Most of them have had training in nutrition. If not then a nutritionist that is fully aware of the benefits of vitamin D and magnesium. You are going to have to take personal responsibility for a lot of education in nutrition. Suggest that you get the newsletters from Mike Adams and Dr. Mercola – just google them.
Central sleep apnea is a very serious disease. In your note you said you stopped breathing 115 times per minute. I assume you mean 115 times per hour.(I corrected your post) Anything greater than 40 times per hour is consider severe. Since it is central it most likely originates from the nerves in your cervical disc or your neck. Suggest you consider gentle neck exercises to help the nutrients get to your disc. Be very careful as any impact on you head or sudden movement of you neck could make the condition worse. I would hope your neurologist suggested a physical therapist. I would also talk to him about a home cervical traction system for your neck. I know this sound strange about the neck to solve a sleep problem, but it is the central nervous system that is in trauma in your neck that connect to the nerves of your lungs and muscles in your neck.
You should also watch the video that was linked on the post that you read. Dr. Gominak has become very schooled in treating sleep apnea, but none is probably as severe as what you have. Stick with the BiPAP as this is necessary until your neck heals. You need the oxygen while you sleep.
The key with your neck is to get the cartilage healthy so that the nerve roots are not impinged. Only exercise will allow the nutrients to flow to the cartilage as it has no blood supply. If you have had neck trauma then an MRI of your neck may be a good idea. If the damage to your spine is severe then surgery may be necessary as a last resort. Try to heal with the nutrients first.
Our primary deficiencies are: Vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, sulfur and potassium. The potassium is the easiest to correct. It is just a mater of eating lots of vegetables without losing the salt in the cooking water. Eat lots of salads. Greens are high in potassium without the calories. Suggest you read krispin.com for potassium and magnesium deficiencies and how much to take in the case of magnesium.
If you would like to know what I took to heal, then read the post https://pandemicsurvivor.com/2012/02/12/winter-relieving-back-pain-without-the-sun/ Since you weigh about half of what I do then the vitamins should be portioned accordingly.
Vitamin D should be held to a serum of level of 60 to 80 ng/ml. To do this most folks require about 40 IU per pound of body weight per day. For you this would be about 4000 IU per day of vitamin D3. Be sure to use a reliable brand like Swanson, Vitamin Shoppe, or Bio Tech Pharmacal. If you want to buy online then try vitalady.com and sign on as a guest. This is the upper limit per day as described by the IOM so no doctor should have a problem. If your doctor wants to prescribe vitamin D, be sure not to use vitamin D2. Start the vitamin D supplementation and then have your level checked after about three months.
Magnesium is about 4.5 mg per pound of body weight per day so about 400mg as a chelate should work for you. see krispin.com
Suggest you take at least two to three grams of vitamin C per day. That is two or three caps of the 1000 mg size. Be sure only vitamin C and not with anything else added.
The sulfur should be of the form of the triple strength formula like Osteo Bi-flex. (Chondrotin, glucosomine, and MSM) A couple of these caps per day should be adequate.
Since you had the blood clots, then consider 400 IU of vitamin E per day to help keep your blood thinned. Dr. Mercola has suggestions on how much and what type at his website.
These nutrients should help all of your ailments.
See the post mentioned above for the other things that I take. I suspect that you are extremely vitamin D deficient. You didn’t say which part of the country you are from but I suspect a cloudy area like the northwest or Pittsburgh. Spend time in the sun this summer.
It may take a couple of years of good nutrition to help your apnea, but stick to the regimen. You other aliments should feel much better soon. Try to eliminate the meds as soon as possible. Be sure to get your doctor to agree that you don’t need them any longer. Remember, you are in control.
I will pray for you.
Mark
Vitamin D Deficiency Survivor
Hello.This article was really fascinating, especially because I was looking for thoughts on this topic last Thursday.