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Fragmented sleep - SamStamport - 07-03-2016
Hello,
Since starting CPAP in early March my sleep has improved, but I've not yet achieved a solid night's sleep without waking 3 or more times each night. I've not found a graph in SleepyHead that shows the trend, but it seems that the wakefulness periods are slowly getting shorter. Should I be concerned about this or just be patient and wait for my body to continue to adjust into a normal sleep pattern?
Thanks,
Sam
RE: Fragmented sleep - Crimson Nape - 07-03-2016
Don't worry, you're on the right path. Just try waiting it out. It almost took me a year to "normalize".
RE: Fragmented sleep - PoolQ - 07-03-2016
There are so many possible reasons for this that no one can give an easy answer. Some people make 1 or 2 setting changes and then sleep fine, some adjust and then sleep fine, others like me are very sensitive to CPAP and just don't sleep restfully until the machine is adjusted with about every setting available. I can tell you that I would never adjusted.
I started out waking up every hour and slowly with lots of help from this forum just got up once last night and that was a bathroom break. It can be done, but it does not do it by itself. If you can get used to it then great, many can do just that. If not we need to see plots and get an idea of just what is going on for about an hour before you wake up.
step one is leak control
step two is therapy pressure to get the apneas under control
then you get on to comfort settings, if you are not comfortable you will not get restful sleep.
Personally I had to be able to rest with CPAP running and figure out what I was feeling: not enough air, too warm, too humid, inhale being cutoff, start of inhale being delayed. None of this was something I was used to before CPAP and was all new. Congested before was a cold, now it was too much humidity and just the pressure itself made me think I was congested.
Small adjustments and keep a journal so you know what changes you made and how your felt, you will forget.
If you want to go after changes, post some sleepyhead plots.
RE: Fragmented sleep - chill - 07-03-2016
Did you wake up like this before you started CPAP?
RE: Fragmented sleep - SamStamport - 07-03-2016
Thanks for your prompt and helpful replies.
I started with a full face mask at a pressure of 10.
About a month ago I got a Respironics Pico mask and pressure was increased to 12. I've been using the small mask since I got it, but last night I decided to try the large mask again. I was having lots of large leaks with the large mask and lots fewer with the small one. Last night was a learning experience. I tried the large mask again. Wow! What a difference. I had an awful night. Toward morning I went back to the small mask and slept much better.
At the time I got the Pico mask and pressure was increased to 12 I also got a chin strap. I'm experimenting to see if that makes a difference. I'm concerned that it makes me grind my teeth. I've not used it the last several days.
Here's some data from last night.
RE: Fragmented sleep - PoolQ - 07-03-2016
Well a couple of things: first off it shows that you are really trying to make this work!
As I am sure you know by now-something is bothering you, a lot. Do you remember any thing about what you were feeling around the time you took the mask off? Starved for air, congested, something interrupting your breathing?
I would like to see two different zoomed in sections: first just before 23:30 and again just to the right of the green curser between 4:00 and 4:45 where the flow rate drops down and leading up to that point.
For me personally starting at 12 would be very difficult, even at 8 is not easy. Are you having any trouble exhaling? Feeling like you have to concentrate and push air out?
RE: Fragmented sleep - SamStamport - 07-03-2016
With the large mask I felt a lot of leaks and moisture accumulating on the lower part of the mask & my chin. I may have been drooling. It just seemed like I wasn't getting enough air.
I started in early March with a pressure of 10. It was increased to 12 a month ago per Pulmonologist prescription.
I hope these are the graphs you wanted to see.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ed171ncg22us7n9/sh1.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l2fm058vc2s1a2b/sh2.jpg?dl=0
RE: Fragmented sleep - Sleepster - 07-03-2016
(07-03-2016, 10:12 AM)SamStamport Wrote: Since starting CPAP in early March my sleep has improved, but I've not yet achieved a solid night's sleep without waking 3 or more times each night. I've not found a graph in SleepyHead that shows the trend, but it seems that the wakefulness periods are slowly getting shorter. Should I be concerned about this or just be patient and wait for my body to continue to adjust into a normal sleep pattern?
Just be patient and wait. But while you're waiting it's important to monitor your data and make changes.
I have the same problem you're experiencing. One thing that helped a lot was changing to a full face mask, something I did as a result of looking at my leak rate graphs. No doctor saw it, even though they looked at my data.
RE: Fragmented sleep - SamStamport - 07-03-2016
My situation seems opposite from yours. The small mask has fewer leaks than the large one.
I guess everyone's face is different.
RE: Fragmented sleep - Rip and Rosie - 07-05-2016
When I started on CPAP, it fixed my SA but did nothing for my insomnia, which emerged as a greater issue for me.
I was taking ages to get to sleep, 2 -3 toilet breaks per night and couldn't get back to sleep for ages after each one.
I got a copy of The Sleep Diet by Carmel Harrington.... it gives some lifestyle changes and a diet..... which helped immensely..... and I'm losing weight.
The changes involved no caffeine after mid day, exposure to sunlight and decreasing bright lights before bed etc. The diet is a Spanish ketogenic diet... low carbs / high protein. Lots of fish, chicken, salads, olive oil, veges.... no calorie counting.
After 4 months, I'm doing okay... AHI under 3 usually, 8 hours sleep, 1 toilet break and back to sleep within minutes. However, nothing's perfect and it still takes me an hour or so to nod off, and some times my mask leaks annoy me .
Hope it helps you.