Rhythmic Breathing - any adjustments?

[mark.apnea]

I notice i have many periods during the night with what appear to be very regular rhythmic flow rate patterns, making ~almost a sine wave. I do see occasional H and CA events sprinkled into these periods.  Other periods during the same night show a very flat waveform w consistent amplitudes.

   

Questions:

1.  Any concerns with this rhythmic pattern?
2.  Any adjustments of pressure/epr to address?   
3.  Any need to address?
4.  CA events were very prevalent for me, but nicely reduced w a decrease in EPR.  Can H events be addressed similarly?

Note: My H events ONLY appear during these rhythmic waveform periods

Thank you!

[PeaceLoveAndPizza]

Those look to me like positional apnoea events. Basically you are chin-tucking cutting off your own airway. You may read more about it at the following links.

https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...onal_Apnea

https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...Rate_graph

Using a flatter pillow and/or soft cervical collar should help resolve them. I do not see anything in your chart that suggest to me any tweaking is required.

[quiescence at last]

It appears to me (from that short clip) that you remained asleep during the whole period, and the breathing is not your willful active make up breathes, but rather your autonomic sleep brain and lung interaction to make sure you are getting oxygen you need and expel the CO2 you need to. There are some here that have found ways of calming or moderating the repeated under over breathing pulses.

It doesn't appear to actually bother you. Let us know if you find out what reaction, if any, your blood oxygen or pulse rate has. Don't go to the bother of getting a pulse oximeter, but if you have one, you might use it a couple nights to get data that can be correlated.

Good luck.

QAL

[mark.apnea]

Thanks,

I'm a pretty solid side sleeper, but I do flip from one side to the other quite regularly.

Recently, before reducing EPR, I had a 3 prolonged events tagged as CSRs, with a similar pattern, but with very regular CA events.  I was using a P10 pillow mask (experiment) and had a consistent low leak...which may have incorrectly flagged these.

Since going back to my Evora full face mask, and with a lower EPR, I am seeing fewer CA events and zero CSR events.  However, the rhythmic flow rate pattern persists.

[mark.apnea]

Thanks,

I think nearest to a spo2 device I have is a smartwatch, but as I recall, it does not provide a clean timestamp in its chart data to align with Oscar's waveforms.

I think the only real value of the smartwatch info is showing peak and low levels.  My O2 levels is always in the mid/upper 90s, maybe dipping to high 80s.  Have not used in quite a while as it's not terribly comfortable to sleep with.

Maybe I'll give it a spin tonite.

Any thoughts where/how to begin looking for discussion on calming/moderating these effects?  I'm not sure the terminology.

[quiescence at last]

you can use "Search" in the top menu bar. You can search for a keyword (exa. "periodic"), and select "Show Results as" posts.
QAL

[SarcasticDave94]

Positional Apnea is not directly connected to what body position you're sleeping in. It's typical cause is chin tuck, as in the chin pointing towards your chest and kinking off the airway.

Simulation of this: bend your head and neck in an attempt to touch your chin to your chest. Feel the restricted breath? If yes, that's the restriction happening, much like kinking the garden hose and restricting water flow.

How thick is your pillow? Single or several? If they push your head into that simulation position, then you'll need to reduce thickness of the pillow. If you're side sleeping and doing this, bring the corner of a pillow under your chin to block this. If that doesn't work, you'll need to get a soft cervical collar to prevent chin tuck.

And if Positional Apnea does apply, no extra fussing with CPAP controls fix it. It's an external, physical restriction that needs physical correction.

[quiescence at last]

I was quickly able to use search to find one post that shows similar breathing: https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread...#pid522792
There are many more example littered about...

[mark.apnea]

you can use "Search" in the top menu bar.  You can search for a keyword (exa. "periodic"), and select "Show Results as" posts.
QAL

On it, thanks again.