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How to get to zero apneas??
#1
How to get to zero apneas??
Good day! I've read posts about folks getting "zero" apneas overnight - using their machines, of course.  How in the world can we all attain that elusive and coveted number? Is it just random good luck or does it entail something more?  Just curious... Best.
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#2
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
Zero is achievable for many people. It's more important to achieve comfortable restful, comfortable sleep with a normal number of events. I have had some zero event nights, but it isn't very common (or important) for me. The first step is to optimize your settings to provide a narrow range of pressure that is effective. If your pressure range is 4 to 16 as indicated by your profile, then narrowing that range will help. A good first step is to increase the minimum pressure to equal your current average or median pressure. Good luck!
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#3
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
My sleep doc told me everyone will have some pauses in breathing during the night that will be recorded as centrals, so some people might never have 0.0.  I had a few 0.0 nights early on and became obsessed with trying to get more. Changed pressure to the point that leaks increased. Then tightened mask to stop leaks, which caused discomfort. Never had another 0.0 night, so decreased pressure, loosened straps on mask, and learned to accept that I’m going to have some episodes recorded as centrals. Main thing is that my AHI averages 1.0, and I feel great. So, I accept that 0.0 is just a number, but is not necessary to feel well rested.
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#4
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
My treated AHI ranges from 0.0 - 2.2 if memory is working well. Anywhere in that range feels the same to me. And my EPAP Min is 9.8, with an algorithm determined Min over the past month of 11.

Coffee time for ginger tea! Y'all finally get to have the coffee in the break room I used to hog.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#5
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
(07-28-2018, 10:52 AM)laprof Wrote: Good day! I've read posts about folks getting "zero" apneas overnight - using their machines, of course.  How in the world can we all attain that elusive and coveted number? Is it just random good luck or does it entail something more?  Just curious... Best.


Yes, I believe random luck.  It is nice to see though, but a Zero AHI doesn't guarantee that you wake up feeling refreshed.  

Some of my best nights sleep showed a AHI between 2 and 3.  Mostly I average .5 to 1 AHI.  

Maybe, if I drank as much coffee as Dave, I would see more Zero AHI's. Oh wait, he's drinking tea now!
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#6
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
That's no typo. Regular coffee out. I've chosen the lesser of 2 pains.

Oh and that AHI thing, I suppose there is some randomness to it. Then again, us hose heads are balancing the proper fitting mask, keeping leaks under control, having optimized machine settings, even to the extent of adding a proper pillow and cervical collar if found helpful.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
"Then again, us hose heads are balancing the proper fitting mask, keeping leaks under control, having optimized machine settings, even to the extent of adding a proper pillow and cervical collar if found helpful."

you really put things in perspective there Dave. to which we might add all the ways our bodies, what we put into our bodies and our surroundings can influence sleep. a lot of variables to attend to. I can't decide if a house of cards or tightrope walking or juggling knives is the better metaphor for what you describe. any way you look at it you are right that it's a balancing act!
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#8
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
Thanks, just goes to prove that even this blind squirrel finds the acorn sometimes. Smile
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#9
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
(07-28-2018, 10:52 AM)laprof Wrote: Good day! I've read posts about folks getting "zero" apneas overnight - using their machines, of course.  How in the world can we all attain that elusive and coveted number? Is it just random good luck or does it entail something more?  Just curious... Best.

I have had quite a few 0.0 nights, but it is a hard one to get.  I had a whole week of it, but after that I had a few days of 0.3 and then 0.6  Rolleyes 
A lot of it depends if I lie on my back or stay on my side and I get no mouth leaks, which is always a problem as I use Nasal Pillows.
Trust me it is not easy to get a 0,0 and I feel better if I get a 0.2 or 0.3 anyway, so going for 0.0 will not mean you feel at your best.
Getting it down as low as you can will help, but it might not be as easy as it sounds.
Following advice here will help you loads and getting Sleepyhead and following the links in some peoples signatures here will see you off to a good start.
I am NOT a doctor.  I try to help, but do not take what I say as medical advice.


Every journey, however large or small starts with the first step.

Sleep-well
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#10
RE: How to get to zero apneas??
0.0 can be particularly difficult to attain because the machine sometimes flags non-events when we're awake or holding our breath during a change in position, etc. sometimes when we get close to 0.0, we can look at the flow rate and other charts and determine that despite what the machine recorded, we can discount some events as not real and know that we really did get to or close to 0.0. not quite the same feeling of victory we get upon seeing the number 0.0 displayed for all to see, but pretty close. plus what others have said: ahi is not the only or even always the best measure. how we feel is as or more important. there's nothing wrong with "chasing" 0.0 if it interests us. the (sometimes difficult) trick is not to get hung up on it.
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