Charles Dickens just walked into a hotel room. The year is 1860. As arguably the most famous author alive, you might think he set up his writing station and poured a glass of Brandy. Instead, he pulled out his compass and rearranged the place [1].
Dickens’ Odd Fix for Insomnia
Dickens believed that sleeping with his head toward the north helped with his insomnia. This sounds funny but is probably more helpful than his previous solution, which was to walk all night, sometimes covering up to 30 miles [2].
Although Dickens’ sleeping habits were peculiar, it was his keen observations of others that changed sleep science.
Joe’s Snoring and Sleep Science
In 1836, Dickens began writing The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, also known as The Pickwick Papers. In it, Dickens’ character “Joe” displayed all of the classic characteristics of sleep apnea. Joe was always tired, he fell asleep during the day, and he snored loudly.
Sleep scientists credit this work as being the first accurate observations of sleep-disordered breathing [3], recording it 120 years before the science caught up.
Modern Sleep Science Catches Up
Today, estimates of sleep-disordered breathing are, well, breathtaking. The term “sleep-disordered breathing” itself is rather generic. It covers a wide range of issues related to sleep and breathing (most commonly, obstructive sleep apnea).
However, in 1996 a review study was published that sheds light on the mechanisms that cause sleep-disordered breathing. This research helps explain why it is so common and provides suggestions as to what we can do about it.
Sleep and Breathing State-of-the-Art Review: Sleep-Induced Breathing Instability
(Published in Sleep in 1996 — Click Here to Read Full Summary)
The main conclusion from this study is that your breathing system does not work the same during sleep as it does during wakefulness.
For example, there is less input to the muscles that keep your upper airways open, which can narrow or collapse them. This narrowing of the upper airways also increases breathing resistance. Additionally, sleep dampens the chemoreflexes that usually keep blood pH in a tight range.
Interestingly, this “State-of-the-Art Review” concluded that carbon dioxide (CO2) could potentially help with sleep-disordered breathing. CO2 could stimulate the chemoreflexes that keep breathing steady. Additionally, CO2 is a smooth muscle dilator, which would help increase blood flow to the muscles that keep the airways open.
Two Ways You Can Start Tonight
1. Tape Your Mouth
You can start adding CO2 to your breathing tonight by taping your mouth during sleep, which will reduce breathing volume and increase CO2.
Paradoxically, while nose breathing increases resistance during the day, it reduces upper airway resistance during sleep. This small change will help you breathe better during sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
2. Breathe Less During the Day
You can also practice light breathing during the day to train your body to tolerate more CO2. By doing this consistently, you can reset your baseline CO2 back to normal values and ultimately improve your breathing during sleep.
In good breath,
Nick
P.S. I think we all need a smile like this right now.
References
[1] Source: https://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/opinion/blogs/how-dickens-got-a-good-nights-sleep/11074673.blog (I made up the little hotel story to go with it…he might have in fact poured some Brandi too…)
[2] Source: https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/15/3/264/2749285
[3] Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3365094/
