[CPAP] Keeping mask on all through the night!

[Gr8Catter]

Hello all.

I've been using my machine (can't remember make/model etc currently) for a few years now, but for probably the last 18 mths, having a lot of trouble sleeping through the night AND keeping the mask on.

I regularly find myself waking at some time during the night, tossing and turning and despite trying to get back to sleep, I can't without taking the mask off - at which stage I fall asleep quickly. It doesn't seem to matter how long I've been asleep for - 1 hour, or 4 - if I take the mask off, I go back to sleep.

My wife says I should 'reset' my body clock - get up, get a drink/go to the toilet, but try and break the cycle. However this wakes me up even further OR I'm worried it will wake me even more, whereas if I remove the mask, I'll go to sleep straight away.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how I can get back to sleeping through the night with the mask on?  I'd love to have a night where I go to bed, and sleep - without waking again till morning, but I don't think it's happened for as long as I can remember.  Normal?

Any help or suggestions appreciated.

[C0mbe]

It seems like you are experiencing some anxiety regarding whether you will be able to use the mask for the remainder of the night.  I think what your wife is suggesting is the best way to do it - often when you try to force sleep, or sleep in a certain manner that just makes it worse.  

I have taken my mask off a few times, and here are a few of the rules I have in place help prevent me from falling asleep without the mask: 

• When I take the mask on I place it on the pillow, that way I have to move it to go back to sleep.  
  
• If I feel "up" I will go downstairs and leave the bedroom to try and avoid frustration.  I will only come back when ready. 
  
• If my head is on the pillow and the lights are off, my mask is on.  If I can't fall asleep I force myself to get up.  It makes for some very tired days, but it reinforces the goal of mask on if in bed.  
  

I haven't taken my mask off in a while, and most of the behaviors I mentioned above are now second nature.  

If you can't get any of these or similar tricks to work, you could always try zzzquil or other non-habit forming sleep aids to help push you by that first wake up.  As a last resort you could always speak to a doctor who could possibly prescribe something to help with the middle of the night anxiety.  

Good luck!

[trish6hundred]

Hi Gr8Catter,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
If you were using software, you could post some data for others to look at , to see if there are any settings you could change to dial your therapy in to help you. Hang in there for more suggestions.
I wish you good luck as you continue your CPAP therapy.

[Gr8Catter]

I've just found the SleepyHead Software, and downloaded all the data. I have no idea what I am looking at though!

A better night last night - slept from 12 till 6 ish with the mask on - about the average amount of sleep for me. I woke up but was determined not to take the mask off, so just tried to convince myself not to - and it worked!

Mind you - I did have an interrupted sleep where I had to get out of bed at 2.

If anybody is willing to have a look at my 'data' and tell me what it means, or give me a guide to what to look for, most appreciated!

[OpalRose]

Great, keep it up. In no time it will be second nature, and you won't want to take the mask off.

You'll need a couple more posts to send a screenshot. Follow the tutorials in my signature line, especially the one that shows how to organize your graphs. Then we can take a look and see if your therapy needs tweaking.

In the meantime, a link to the Beginners Guide to SleepyHead.
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...SleepyHead