Keeping the mask on in my sleep

[Greggers In Toronto]

I am a very happy user of CPAP therapy. I know how much better I feel during the day when I've slept a good night's sleep with the mask on. However, the past week or so I'm running into problems.

For some reason, I am taking the mask off in my sleep.

I don't even remember doing it, but I wake up, and the mask is beside my head. I am very concerned, because I NEED this therapy, it makes me feel so very much better, and here I am sabotaging myself every night.

Could you guys help me brainstorm for reasons why people take the mask off in their sleep? Do you have any tricks to help you with your compliance? The only thing I can think of to do, is to set an alarm for myself 4 hours into my sleep to check and see if the mask is still on. If it isn't, at least I have the rest of the night to try again, as opposed to me waking up in the morning and missing a night's therapy.

Any suggestions? There might be something really obvious that you've checked out with your machine, or a trick you've learned, that I'm missing. I'd greatly appreciate ANY help or advice here.

Thank you!

[SuperSleeper]

This happened to me sometimes when I first started CPAP therapy. After a week or two, I stopped taking it off unconsciously. Never found out why I did that, other that it was somewhat uncomfortable. I just got used to the mask over time and never took it off after that, I guess.

I suppose strapping your hands to the bedposts is out of the question.

Will be interesting to see other ideas.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Greggers,
You are still fairly early on in your therapy so you could try to set up and wear your mask and use your machine during the evening when you are reading or watching tv and hopefuly that will get your body used to it before you go to sleep. Or you could try your suggestion with the alarm. Hopefully when you do that you will get back to sleep quickly enough.