drkobra

The last few weeks my quality of sleep has declined drammatically_
I've always been a snorer ( many of you probably know that already )
but seems I stop breathing numerous times a night_
I took my digital recorder + sure enough I struggle to sleep.

In Sleep Apnea, when you approach REM sleep
the point at which we dream
the muscles in throat are relaxed + cut off air flow
the brain sends adrenaline to the heart
the mind wheezes, crying out for oxygen
+ you're roused to move + force a breath_
this can happen up to 200 times a night in some cases
unknown to me, denying rest + REM sleep.

I wake up almost every night about 3:30-4
heart pounding, head aching, mouth dry + wide awake
I can't remember the last dream I had, I can't remember what a "dream" dream is
lately I can't read more than a few pages in a book at a time
or work on something longer than a day before I get tired or distracted
yesterday I was so drowsy on my way to CCS that I had to have a cigarette
from an animation student named Ryan to wake me up.

There is treatment, it involves becoming Darth Vader
wearing a device that uses compressed air to force your airway open_
everything I read on the subject says this device
can relieve in as little as one night
+ finally give me a solid night of sleeping_
after who knows how much time?

Because it makes me wonder about many things, for example: my work_
the hallmarks of my work are quirkiness, humour, fantastic poetic leaps,
fluid, dynamic use of imagery + mediums_I wonder
if we define dreams by forming intuitive associations based on internal logic
+ if I haven't had a chance to enter REM sleep for god knows how long_

Could it be possible that I am making my dreams?

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So last night (the 16th) I submitted to a sleep clinic on Woodward, just south of Cranbrook and got there at 930. It was deserted except for the technician who took me to the chair and applied a dozen plus electrodes to my forhead, temples, chest and legs

The electrodes had to be wired into this box I had to carry at all times and somehow find a way to sleep while holding.

I was shown where I was going to sleep that night, given a small television with rabbit ears and tried to fall asleep at the early time of 10:30pm to Law & Order SVU, the one where Clarissa Explained All about Sex Addiction.

I'm so unused to not only sleeping on my back, but with some colecovision equipment that I have no idea of the quality of my sleeping, whether or not it was successful for the test or not. There was a singular moment of a lucid dream where I had convinced myself I was in Amsterdam and I was doing this sleep study with three other ladies in this giant poster bed. The impression was so strong that I still can't shake it.

So in the morning, after a restless night, I was wakened for breakfast.

Gotta keep those electrolytes up!

I go back on the 30th to perform a CPAP test, in which I get fitted for an airpressure mask to force my airways open at night to facilitate my breathing, wearing one of these

So we'll see how it goes. I'm really sleepy right now and expect to fall fast into unconsciousness tonight. My birthday is tomorrow and despite all the awkwardness I'm glad I have done this because if it leads to a path of healthiness, then by all means bring on the cybernetics!

you can view the photos at

Apnea Testing @ Flickr