Pace Yourself: Sleep Soundly

For several years, I’ve woken up most mornings feeling unrefreshed and often questioned the point of laying down in the first place. There were countless theories of why I couldn't get a good night of sleep, and unfortunately none of the suggested solutions provided relief.

Until I had my first night with a pacemaker.

Hospital overnights are usually not ideal places to get a deep sleep. However, my first morning waking up with a pacemaker felt like the deepest and most restorative rest I’ve had in recent memory. Even with all the hospital noise and regular nursing checks, I felt amazing when I woke up and ready for a day of recovery. I was optimistic my restful night would become a regular experience.

Fast forward a few months, and restful sleep is now a regular occurrence. My pacemaker is doing its job overnight by keeping my heart rate above 55, which seems to be a key ingredient for me to have better sleep.

In addition to better sleep, I haven’t had dizzy spells or instances where I felt like I was going to pass out. From a quality of life perspective, I’m grateful we made the choice to have a pacemaker implanted and it has been a welcome addition to my family of medical devices (insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor, ostomy bag, and a loop recorder).

Beyond day-to-day living, my pacemaker has also made a difference in running and mountain biking. I’m no longer gasping to catch my breath during very easy workouts, and I’ve been able to push my heart rate above 160 during high-intensity workouts, which hasn’t been the case for many years.

Overall, having a pacemaker was the right call for my situation. I’m still learning how to trust how I feel in every day situations as well as during activity. I’ve committed myself to a patient and long-term recovery from surgery, which I’ve been able to maintain for more than two months.