Sleep Position

[rozenbob]

I know that sleeping on your back might affect Hypopnea rate, but does the sleep position have an affect on the Centrals Rate?

[richb]

I know that sleeping on your back might affect Hypopnea rate, but does the sleep position have an affect on the Centrals Rate?

Sleeping on your back can make Obstructive events worse. That would include Obstructive Hypopneas. I don't think Central events (Apneas and Hypopneas) would be affected by position in the same way. I have Idiopathic Central Apnea. I am also a side sleeper. When I was on a traditional CPAP machine it didn't matter what position I was in. I am currently using an ASV machine and again position doesn't seem to matter for me.

Rich

[FrankNichols]

I don't think we know enough about the cause of central apnea's to say for sure. There is still a lot of controversy in the medical community. Position obviously will affect Obstructive Apnea's, but we can't say about Centrals - other than anecdotal.

[Mosquitobait]

You will get more centrals if you toss and turn, but that is how the machine sees them. For actual centrals, the theory is that it is the brain that is not telling the patient to breathe vs. having an obstruction. These aren't ventilators, so if you don't breathe, xpap can't help you. Now, there are machines designed to help with centrals that, if I understand correctly, act as low level ventilators. They do a breath for you if you don't breathe. Would it be different lying on your back vs. your side? I shouldn't think so.