What on Earth is going on? Very strange . . .
 

. . . occurrences when one reclines for a snooze.

This has happened on and off for months but only in the reclined position, not in bed.

With the recliner motored about 70% the way back, I drift off. If it happens, it happens several times in a row. I've had a batch just lately. A batch is both on the day and a group of days.

I awake alarmed that I feel as though I've not been breathing. I know that the first thing I must do is breath deeply several times before making any attempt to move. When I go through this procedure I feel fine in a few minutes. Slip off to sleep again and it starts over.

I imagine it might be related to sleep apnea but not sure.

Yesterday one of the times I was dreaming vividly. I moved in an old back garden to a water butt that we had 70 years ago. I was distressed as I couldn't breath but it was like asthma. The distress woke me up. Breath, relax, stand up. Not a hint of asthma

Today, I did my beach to the top of the cliffs 1 1/2 times. Fine. Passed many people having a rest part way up.

I'm going to try it again now so if you don't hear from me again, please let Addenbrookes know I'm on my way - I have my letter of approval for dissection. I don't particularly want to be cut up, but I REALLY don't want to be cremated.

The thing is, I'm not sure if I can resist the overwhelming desire to breath deeply a few times. I need to know if ordinary breathing is okay, during which time I have the feeling I'm slipping back to sleep. Though I suppose that if I'm dead I'll not know the difference. Be really neat to rise out of the chair and see my mortal form slumped in it.

It sounds a perfect way to go.

In the meantime, maybe worth having a little chat with your GP, mention "The Epworth Score."

Perhaps ask your GP to test you for sleep apnea.

What’s so bad about being cremated, Rivets?
I’m told you don’t feel a thing.

Unless you are awake at the time !

Sounds like the 70% angle is just enough to let the soft tissues in the back of your throat flop back and block your trachea. When you’re standing, lying flat in bed or lying on your side the geometry doesn’t line up the same way so you don’t suffer the same symptoms. Do you perchance snore heavily?

Agree. Most likely OSA. Sounds like sleep apnoea.

Avoid 70%, or if you really like that angle, get one of those gadgets that monitors your breathing and either wakes you up or feeds you oxygen before you notice anything yourself.