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Sleeping on back - sumzzzs - 01-15-2015
Back again, hello all, please I'm open to all suggestions on how to stay off my back? I've defeated some of the strategies I've used. 1) Body pillow (homemade) 2)Tennis ball in underwear, although this does work for 1st part of evening. It seems most of my apnea is definitely while I'm on my back.
RE: Sleeping on back - saltydawg2 - 01-15-2015
I still wake up, at night, so anytime I find myself on my back, I roll over. I can tell when I do not catch it; my Obstructive Apneas are up when I check the software. Don't really think back sleeping is my dominate position, anymore, although it has been for most of my adult life. With the help from this group, AHI has gone from 12-16, to under 5, in the last month. So, don't really sweat it, much...
RE: Sleeping on back - brianwood619 - 01-17-2015
I thought I was a dominant side sleeper until my study which showed I was on my back for most of the night. If yr pressure is set correctly it should not matter what position you sleep in unless you flip over on your stomach. I start out on my side and then wake up on my back, according to sleepyhead I can't tell when the transition from side to back happens.
RE: Sleeping on back - jeffembe - 01-18-2015
Took almost 4 years and 4 studies, 3 machines to get properly diagnosed. From obstructive changed to central. There is an obstructive element, but only sleeping position or some meds (OTC sleep aids - kill me) make this kick-in.
Resmed S9 Adapt w/humdifier works well.
But I can only sleep on my back. I used to be a stomach sleeper but found that even a little chest pressure nullified the CPAP.
Early on read suggestions to try sleeping in chair, more upright, pillows under back, etc which all work.
RE: Sleeping on back - sumzzzs - 01-18-2015
(01-18-2015, 11:56 AM)jeffembe Wrote: Took almost 4 years and 4 studies, 3 machines to get properly diagnosed. From obstructive changed to central. There is an obstructive element, but only sleeping position or some meds (OTC sleep aids - kill me) make this kick-in.
Resmed S9 Adapt w/humdifier works well.
But I can only sleep on my back. I used to be a stomach sleeper but found that even a little chest pressure nullified the CPAP.
Early on read suggestions to try sleeping in chair, more upright, pillows under back, etc which all work.
That's where I'm at, new to CPAP, obstructive doesn't seem to be as prevalent as Centrals, and I have a lot of them. I am on sleep aid at the moment I guess it's time to knock these off.
RE: Sleeping on back - becker44a - 01-19-2015
(01-15-2015, 05:49 PM)sumzzzs Wrote: Back again, hello all, please I'm open to all suggestions on how to stay off my back? I've defeated some of the strategies I've used. 1) Body pillow (homemade) 2)Tennis ball in underwear, although this does work for 1st part of evening. It seems most of my apnea is definitely while I'm on my back.
Hi sumzzzs,
I'm one of those who MUST stay off my back - my sleep study showed an AHI of almost 60 when supine, only 3 otherwise. However, I did not have this data at first, as the Sleep Dr. did not think I needed to know this and omitted it from the Summary report. For the 1st month, I had serious problems trying to get my AHI below 10 - it was often above 15. Finally I started to try measures to stay on my side. I tried a couple of large, heavy memory-foam pillows. Made some difference, but not enough. Then I tried the tennis balls in a sock on the back of my shirt - again, not enough. I then jumped to trying a knapsack/backpack full of lumpy objects, like plastic dog toys, tennis ball canisters, etc. Voila! My AHI is now averaging well below 1, and I'm still sleeping with a backpack, along with the memory-foam pillows. This sounded crazy at first to me, but it's working, and very well indeed.
Some folks have indicated that their PAP machine controls their apneas well enough that they can sleep on their back. I don't ever expect to join that group. When a backpack strap gets a little too loose, or otherwise I slip somewhat sideways in the straps, I will start having some really nasty clusters of events. If that happens, it often jacks up the pressure enough for the leakage to waken me. Then I turn off the machine briefly, re-position myself, restart the machine, and I'm asleep again in a few minutes. I also look at the data daily so I can spot and correct any trend in the wrong direction ASAP.
Good luck, and don't be afraid to experiment - the results can be dramatic.
RE: Sleeping on back - sumzzzs - 01-19-2015
(01-19-2015, 01:59 AM)becker44a Wrote:(01-15-2015, 05:49 PM)sumzzzs Wrote: Back again, hello all, please I'm open to all suggestions on how to stay off my back? I've defeated some of the strategies I've used. 1) Body pillow (homemade) 2)Tennis ball in underwear, although this does work for 1st part of evening. It seems most of my apnea is definitely while I'm on my back.
Hi sumzzzs,
I'm one of those who MUST stay off my back - my sleep study showed an AHI of almost 60 when supine, only 3 otherwise. However, I did not have this data at first, as the Sleep Dr. did not think I needed to know this and omitted it from the Summary report. For the 1st month, I had serious problems trying to get my AHI below 10 - it was often above 15. Finally I started to try measures to stay on my side. I tried a couple of large, heavy memory-foam pillows. Made some difference, but not enough. Then I tried the tennis balls in a sock on the back of my shirt - again, not enough. I then jumped to trying a knapsack/backpack full of lumpy objects, like plastic dog toys, tennis ball canisters, etc. Voila! My AHI is now averaging well below 1, and I'm still sleeping with a backpack, along with the memory-foam pillows. This sounded crazy at first to me, but it's working, and very well indeed.
Some folks have indicated that their PAP machine controls their apneas well enough that they can sleep on their back. I don't ever expect to join that group. When a backpack strap gets a little too loose, or otherwise I slip somewhat sideways in the straps, I will start having some really nasty clusters of events. If that happens, it often jacks up the pressure enough for the leakage to waken me. Then I turn off the machine briefly, re-position myself, restart the machine, and I'm asleep again in a few minutes. I also look at the data daily so I can spot and correct any trend in the wrong direction ASAP.
Good luck, and don't be afraid to experiment - the results can be dramatic.
I've tried to rig up something similar using a lumbar support for a chair. But your idea sounds like something I need to try also, thanks for reply.