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[Diagnosis] Sleep position doesn't matter
#1
Sleep position doesn't matter
I experience sleep apnea even when I am sitting up in a chair sleeping. I told this to my sleep specialist, and she let me know that sleep apnea can occur whenever you sleep, even sitting up. Devastating. I cannot even take a snooze on a comfy chair, as I will have sleep apnea and feel like crap. Does anyone else experience this? I feel like I'm the only one! A lot of posts about not sleeping on the back. For me, I'm assuming that it doesn't matter?
Does anyone know of ANY other diagnosis that causes a person to have apneas/hypopneas even when they are sitting straight up!?
I have sleepyhead finally. Shows that I have mostly hypopneas as opposed to apneas, and 0.1-0.4 centrals. Any ideas???
Thanks to my fellow paprs.

















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#2
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
(06-06-2014, 05:56 PM)ppowers Wrote: I experience sleep apnea even when I am sitting up in a chair sleeping. I told this to my sleep specialist, and she let me know that sleep apnea can occur whenever you sleep, even sitting up. Devastating. I cannot even take a snooze on a comfy chair, as I will have sleep apnea and feel like crap. Does anyone else experience this? I feel like I'm the only one! A lot of posts about not sleeping on the back. For me, I'm assuming that it doesn't matter?
Does anyone know of ANY other diagnosis that causes a person to have apneas/hypopneas even when they are sitting straight up!?
I have sleepyhead finally. Shows that I have mostly hypopneas as opposed to apneas, and 0.1-0.4 centrals. Any ideas???
Thanks to my fellow paprs.

What is your AHI? The numbers for your centrals are certainly not a problem.

About positional apnea: It most certainly can be affected by whether or not your sleeping on your side, or on your back, or sitting up, or on your head. Some perhaps more that others.

In your case the proof is in the numbers. What you've provided so far indicate you are doing fine when using your machine. Sleeping in your comfy chair without a machine? Can't tell from here.

p.s. I take a power nap once in awhile in my comfy chair, no machine.... and I feel great..............

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#3
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
(06-06-2014, 05:56 PM)ppowers Wrote: I experience sleep apnea even when I am sitting up in a chair sleeping. I told this to my sleep specialist, and she let me know that sleep apnea can occur whenever you sleep, even sitting up. Devastating. I cannot even take a snooze on a comfy chair, as I will have sleep apnea and feel like crap. Does anyone else experience this? I feel like I'm the only one! A lot of posts about not sleeping on the back. For me, I'm assuming that it doesn't matter?
Does anyone know of ANY other diagnosis that causes a person to have apneas/hypopneas even when they are sitting straight up!?
I have sleepyhead finally. Shows that I have mostly hypopneas as opposed to apneas, and 0.1-0.4 centrals. Any ideas???
Thanks to my fellow paprs.

Hi Ppowerd,
I've been on Cpap and now Apap for almost 5 years, and cannot sleep in any position without my machine without having apneas and/or hypopneas fairly severly. I am not subject to positional SA, just as you are, and you will find that a great many of us hoseheads are afflicted like that. Not a pleasant way to spend life but it is a fact!
Stay tuned because there will be some replying to you soon that have been there, done that and have some great suggestions about how to handle it. My wife tells me that I'm just special and need my fan so I don't keep her awake when I nap (which is almost never since I've been on therapy). Glad to have you here.
I-love-CPAP Rycharde
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#4
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
Prior to my test and getting my machine I was so fried from a long long time with bad sleep that I would choke sitting up watching tv. I think my body was trying to sleep and I would choke out any time I had a boring minute. I don't think that I can sleep in a chair with out having apneas to this day, so it's either bring out the machine or go to bed. A nap with out would be worse than just staying up. Good news is now that I sleep well I don't even try to nap.
Good luck.
Doc J
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#5
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
I try not to nap during the day, but if I do, I ALWAYS mask up and use my CPAP machine. I even use it when I clean out my ears, just in case I happen to doze off.
trish6hundred
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#6
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
Neither hubby nor I can reliably sleep PAPless in the recliner without having problems with apnea.

Hubby's apnea is highly positional----if he's on his back, he has OSA, if he's not, he doesn't. He uses a PAP because it had become way too much trouble to try to (unsuccessfully) prevent himself from rolling over onto his back. He's only been PAPing for a couple of months, and he's taken to it like a duck to water. He really enjoys being able to sleep on his back once more.

Me? My apnea is in all positions about equally, and on my diagnostic test, my AHI was actually a bit LOWER on my back than on my sides (and I prefer side sleeping).

I also have theories about why we really can't seem to sleep sitting in the recliner:

In hubby's case I think that as he falls asleep his head starts falling backwards against the cushion of the chair, which is already semi-reclined. And that mimics the position of his head when he is flat on his back in bed. Hence the apnea and snoring start.

In my case, once I start sleeping, I turn sideways in the chair and start sliding down into a fetal position; when I wake up on those rare occasions when I've fallen asleep in the chair, I always wake up curled up on my side. Hence I'm not really vertical anyway.
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#7
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
According to this study by National Institute of Health, position makes a big difference in the possibility of Apnea. A sitting position is much less likely to have Apnea or the incidence is less.

This board doesn't allow links, so this is the bibliographic reference.

Sitting posture decreases collapsibility of the passive pharynx in anesthetized paralyzed patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Authors: Tagaito Y1, Isono S, Tanaka A, Ishikawa T, Nishino T.

I have recently bought a large overstuffed easy chair to do ready in. I notice I fall asleep in it because it is comfortable, but I wake rested. I use a CPAP when I am in bed always, even for naps. Yet I have a tendency to wake early, and not be always rested. My AHI level is less then 1, typically 0 to 2 incidents for a night.

This morning I woke feeling much better after sleeping 4 hours in it. It was like waking from a really deep sleep.

Of course there is a variation in individuals and for some their apnea is such that no position is going to help much, but for others it might be very significant. I like that I wake up rested for once, finally.

I am going to look for other articles.
I forgot there is a downloadable PDF of the article.
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#8
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
You are not alone.

I find myself falling asleep in the recliner - usually in a mostly upright or only slightly reclined position. I keep waking myself up with cut off airway, choking even more so than I ever noticed in bed. So now, when I nap there, I do it with a CPAP by the chair. Problem eliminated. Mostly. Sometimes my mouth will fall open as I am upright and gravity does its thing.

OMM
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#9
RE: Sleep position doesn't matter
I still can't sleep sitting up in my recliner without waking myself up with choking and gasping. My solution instead of bringing my cpap downstairs is to just not fall asleep in the chair. Luckily since starting cpap I haven't really needed to nap.
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