Low AHI but poor sleep. Thinking about Supplementation
Hello all,
I have low AHI (below 1.5 average) but poor deep sleep (groggy and tired throughout the day) and I am thinking about using common supplementation for better deep sleep.
Do any of you have any experience using Magnesium while using CPAP? Are there any issues with using Magnesium while on CPAP therapy?
Also, what other supplementation (Melatonin, Vitamin B6, etc.) have you used to find success with getting more deep sleep, and if you have one, please share your experience below!
Thanks
RE: Low AHI but poor sleep. Thinking about Supplementation
With approval from my doctor, I've been taking Magnesium Glycinate for about 6 months. It had really helped me fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
Magnesium glycinate is easily absorbed by the body, but caution is advised if you have diabetes, alcohol dependence, liver disease, phenylketonuria (PKU).
Even though it's an over the counter mineral supplement, you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist first for dosage recommendations and possible interactions with other medications you may be taking.
06-16-2024, 08:29 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-16-2024, 08:30 PM by G. Szabo.)
RE: Low AHI but poor sleep. Thinking about Supplementation
I have been taking magnesium citrate (in powder form because it is cost-efficient) for years before bedtime. It helps me fall asleep and have a good night. However, at higher doses, it is a laxative. I also take 5 mg of melatonin.
RE: Low AHI but poor sleep. Thinking about Supplementation
I use melatonin and magnesium. I also have a snack before bed.
Post your sleep charts. The pressure might be irritating you, even if AHI is low. I would be dying at a 5.
RE: Low AHI but poor sleep. Thinking about Supplementation
We often confuse low AHI with quality sleep. To my thinking they are two different things, closely interrelated, but not always correlated.
You could have a great AHI with low pressure, but still have enough arousals or flow limitations to be disturbing to sleep quality. Sometimes even a small increase in pressure can make a world of difference, other times it requires more than a wee bit to smooth things out.
HalfAsleep said it best, post some charts and we can try to help.
RE: Low AHI but poor sleep. Thinking about Supplementation
(06-16-2024, 08:48 PM)PeaceLoveAndPizza Wrote: We often confuse low AHI with quality sleep. To my thinking they are two different things, closely interrelated, but not always correlated.
You could have a great AHI with low pressure, but still have enough arousals or flow limitations to be disturbing to sleep quality. Sometimes even a small increase in pressure can make a world of difference, other times it requires more than a wee bit to smooth things out.
HalfAsleep said it best, post some charts and we can try to help.
Here are some sleep data!
I would love some guidance and eyes on my sleep data, as I still suffer from tiredness and fatigue.
I had a sleep study done and my AHI was 23 so I started my APAP journey 3 weeks ago.
The first 3 weeks of APAP were awful, because I was always feeling like I needed more air when I'm breathing with the machine and I was also waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air. I would say my sleep was maybe 2/10. I reached out to my CPAP technician 2 days ago because of my poor sleep, and they turned the EPR off (from 2).
It has been 2 days since the change, and I don't have any more of those feelings of breathlessness or episodes of gasping for air in the middle of the night, but my sleep still remains overall poor.
I have included 4 nights of SleepHQ link here along with my written sleep quality summary. Please have a look and let me know what you think I should do to improve my sleep quality.
Machine configuration
Pressure: 5-15
Ramp: Off
Mask: N20
Recording 1: EPR on 2. Pretty poor sleep. Felt tired all day. Low energy. Overall sleep quality: 3/10
https://sleephq.com/public/3927732c-3e52-4fa6-af24-501b16c80715
Recording 2: EPR on 2. Awful sleep. Felt extremely tired and down all day. Overall sleep quality: 2/10
https://sleephq.com/public/d1860780-cad8-47d9-a757-2128e96f6fdf
Recording 3: First night with EPR off. Slept pretty well. Felt decently energised during work. Overall sleep quality: 7/10
https://sleephq.com/public/b8e279c7-45c9-4a45-9f24-885e3e01a2e1
Recording 4: Second night with EPR off. Feel tired like I used to before CPAP where I am just sleepy during the afternoon. Overall sleep quality: 5/10
https://sleephq.com/public/dac7e869-7474-4798-b266-24093391c1ba
One thing I cannot figure out is: My OA has always been quite low, but my CA has always made the majority of my AHI. Now with EPR off, I had 2 nights without an OA, but just CA’s that disturb my sleep. What is causing my CA?
Thank you all in advance!