Finally fixed my habit of yanking the mask off but still not feeling great yet

[mw1655]

Hi All


First of all to some of the forum members who have helped and to this site itself. After many many months of struggling trying not yank my mask off unconsciously (sleep hygiene changes, different nasal masks, humidifier, etc), I finally broke the habit - I ended up taping my mouth and seems to have worked. However, I don't feel refreshed in the mornings and still seem to be sleepy by the afternoons. My AHI ranges from 1-3. I have noticed I see a dozen hypopnea events during the night and I am wondering whether this is caused by leaks or non-optimal pressure settings. 

Have attached a screen shot of last night which is typical of the most nights in the last couple of weeks. 

I was diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea


Any guidance would be much appreciated

[OpalRose]

You could move your minimum pressure to 7cm and set Flex at 2.
This may make it a bit more comfortable, and clean up some of the hypopneas.

Your leak rate is not a problem.

So why your still tired is a mystery.  I notice that your getting under 6 hrs sleep, and if that’s the norm for you, it probably isn’t enough.

There could be any number of reasons for the tiredness.  Have you had a physical lately?
Blood work normal?  What about vitamin levels?  Talk to your doctor to rule out anything else.

[Dormeo]

It's good to hear you're keeping the mask on at night.

It is possible the hypopneas are causing you to wake up a little, even if you don't remember the awakenings. This could disrupt your sleep architecture, leaving you feeling unrefreshed the next day. (Sleep architecture is the pattern of sleep stages we are supposed to cycle through during the night.) That's just an hypothesis, so it'll be interesting to see whether the change in pressure that OpalRose has recommended will help.

You almost certainly need to sleep longer than 5-6 hours per night. And really try to adhere to all the rules of "sleep hygiene":


Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.

I was quite dismissive of this stuff -- until I tried it.

Let us know how it goes. I hope the change in settings and a longer sleeping time will make a positive difference for you.

[mw1655]

Thanks OpalRose and Dormeo

Your suggestions are much appreciated. I went through some of things you suggested with fluid intake, darkened rooms, etc so thanks for reminding me. I try hard for the 7 hours of sleep but because of work conference calls with the US (am based in Singapore) it's sometimes difficult. Will let you know how I get on

[WillSleep]

.. I went through some of things you suggested with fluid intake, darkened rooms, etc so thanks for reminding me. I try hard for the 7 hours of sleep but because of work conference calls with the US (am based in Singapore) it's sometimes difficult. 

 
I agree with OpalRose  "You could move your minimum pressure to 7cm ... "
Hopefully will drop some sleep disruptions but also hopefully will increase the amount of oxygen you are taking in while you sleep, both of which will help you get more value out of six hours of sleep.  



 

I try hard for the 7 hours of sleep but because of work conference calls with the US (am based in Singapore) it's sometimes difficult. 

  
"I went through some of things you suggested with fluid intake, darkened rooms, etc ..."  
If your doing mid-night calls to the US might add 'blue light glasses" to this list.

Those darn Americans keeping me up at night.  Ha ha
 
Love Singapore!
 
WillSleep