Sleep Fragmentation

[Eishan]

Hi Guys, newbie here.
Been using APAP for 6 months now and my AHi's are always below 2.0
Problem is I cant have a restful sleep ever since.
I am always getting up at the end of each sleep cycle that is during REM stage after dreaming.
As such, it will be almost every 1.5 hours meaning in a 9 hour sleep period, I would wake up 6 times.
What could be the possible reasons ?
My sleep doctor is also clueless as there are no problems in terms of mask leak, pressure settings. 
Really need some advice. Thanks

[harrywr2]

A normal sleep cycle is about 90 minutes. Normal people will have 4 to 5 sleep cycles per night.
Sometimes I awake briefly after the 2nd cycle,sometimes the 3rd cycle, sometimes the 4 cycle.

An AHI of 2 is two disturbances per hour...or 3 disturbances per sleep cycle. Doctors tend to consider an AHI below 5 as good.
Personally I think an AHI below 1 is good...anything more and I don't feel rested the next day.

You might want to consider posting you OSCAR charts so others can see if there is room for improvement.

[slowriter]

Post your (redacted) sleep study results, and some representative data from OSCAR?

[Sleepster]

Hi Guys, newbie here.
Been using APAP for 6 months now and my AHi's are always below 2.0
Problem is I cant have a restful sleep ever since.
I am always getting up at the end of each sleep cycle that is during REM stage after dreaming.

I had fragmented sleep like that, too. As I adapted to CPAP therapy it gradually subsided. I figure it just takes time for our bodies and minds to get used to the idea that we don't have to keep waking up to breathe. Who knows how many decades we endured sleep apnea.

I'm told it's common to awaken a few times during the night, but we often don't have a memory of it.

[Dormeo]

Waking up briefly after REM is not unusual. Also, even younger people will wake up about five times a night:

https://www.uclahealth.org/sleepcenter/sleep-older

But it sounds as though you wake up and stay awake, or actually get up out of bed. Do I have the right picture?

One other thing, just so you know: people dream during sleep stages other than REM. I mention this because I’m not sure how you know you’re waking up after REM (though the timing is certainly suggestive).

[Big Guy]

Prior to SA Therapy, it wasn't unusual for me to get out of bed anywhere from 6-8 times a night to go to the bathroom. 

Now that I'm well into my therapy, it's down to 3-6 times a night. Some might call it an overly sensitive / overly-active bladder issue. I tend to think of it as a royal PITA. 

[AshSF]

It gets better as your
Body adjusts to therapy.

When I started out, I would wake up couple of times a night and typically around 90 minute intervals. I was good sleep deprived for so many years that the body was taking in 1.5 or 3 hrs of sleep and waking up thinking it has all the rest needed.

Slowly, it went to one wake in the night and now I only wake up in the morning.

One more thing you may want to try is go to fixed pressure and see if that helps.

[sheepless]

lots of things disturb sleep. could be sleep hygiene and adapting to therapy. I think most of us have to deal with these things. in my case it's periodic limb movement that rouses me many times a night. it's unlikely you'll get much help from the sleep docs (if it's anything like here in the US) so it'll be up to you to scrutinize your charts, sleeping environment and behavior to try and identify the culprit(s). folks here can give you feedback on these as well.

[70sSanO]

Well you’ve been at it for 6 months not 6 days, so it would be worth your time to download OSCAR and post some charts.

Most doctors only care about AHI, but that is only part of the problem that can disrupt sleep. You shouldn’t be waking up every 90 minutes if your therapy is correct.

John

[trish6hundred]

Hi Eishan,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck with CPAP therapy.