avoiding 'back' sleeping

[dcubed]

Apparently my OSA events occur more frequently when I am sleeping on my back. What methods have any of you employed to prevent/reduce back sleeping. I have heard of using a tennis ball in the small of the back, but I figured that I would try to get some feedback before trying to rig up such a contraption.

[truetopath]

You can use a tennis ball, a firm pillow, a wedge, anything that will keep you from rolling over.

[retired_guy]

Don't necessarily give up on back sleeping if that's what you like to do. Start working with Sleepyhead and your pressure settings. See what your apnea experience is while treated with your machine.

One of my great joys about the cpap experience is being able to sleep on my back for the first time in many years. My ahi while on my back is completely controlled just as it is on my side.

So work the program a little and see if you can't maximize your sleeping experience without having to buy a bunch of tennis balls.

[dcubed]

Don't necessarily give up on back sleeping if that's what you like to do. Start working with Sleepyhead and your pressure settings.

My CPAP machine(s) don't appear to have an SD card. Can I use the software with the SmartCard in my BiPAP machine? I assume that I would need to procure a reader for these cards.

[OpalRose]

Apparently my OSA events occur more frequently when I am sleeping on my back. What methods have any of you employed to prevent/reduce back sleeping. I have heard of using a tennis ball in the small of the back, but I figured that I would try to get some feedback before trying to rig up such a contraption.

Hi dcubed,
I think I'm one of the few people that can sleep on back or side. My OSA doesn't seem affected by it too much. I'm probably in the minority here.
If you know you are affected by back sleeping, then do your best to avoid it.
OpalRose

[retired_guy]

Yes, you can purchase a sdcard to usb converter from Amazon or any number of places for just a few bucks. Then download and install the Sleepyhead software from the link at the top of the page. You might also want to request the clinician manual for your machine from the above links.

[dcubed]

Yes, you can purchase a sdcard to usb converter from Amazon or any number of places for just a few bucks. Then download and install the Sleepyhead software from the link at the top of the page. You might also want to request the clinician manual for your machine from the above links.

My issue is that my CPAP machine appears to have no storage capability and my BiPAP machine seems only to have the Respironics SmartCard. If I use my BiPAP machine, it would seem that I would need to transfer its data (proprietary formatting?) to another medium (like SD). I have already downloaded the manual for my BiPAP machine.

[retired_guy]

Oh, ok.... I'm not too familiar with the Respironics product line, but I do recall that some of the older machines used a "smartcard" instead of the newer SDcards. So if that's what's going on I don't think Sleepyhead will work for you.

But the machine might be great!

[OMyMyOHellYes]

One of the greatest things that PAP therapy has allowed me to do is sleep on my back.

For more than a decade before starting PAP therapy, I was unable to sleep in a supine position. And it took several years after starting PAP therapy before I could condition myself to sleep on my back, but it has been a wonderful benefit! My back feels so much better through the day which allows me better mobility and stamina. I judge that supine sleeping has been a VERY healthy behavior that PAP has allowed me to resume.

I never tried to eliminate sleeping in the supine position, it was just that my body would not allow me to drift off to sleep so long as I was on my back. An unconscious defense mechanism?

I noticed neither AHI events nor pressures increasing when I was finally able to start sleeping on my back. But even if it had, I would go that way anyway. That is what having a PAP machine is FOR: to keep my airway open regardless of position.

I wonder if it is a better position for breathing in that my gut is not mashed in putting pressure on the diaphragm as it does if I'm on my belly.

OMM

[retired_guy]

One of the greatest things that PAP therapy has allowed me to do is sleep on my back.

For more than a decade before starting PAP therapy, I was unable to sleep in a supine position. And it took several years after starting PAP therapy before I could condition myself to sleep on my back, but it has been a wonderful benefit! My back feels so much better through the day which allows me better mobility and stamina. I judge that supine sleeping has been a VERY healthy behavior that PAP has allowed me to resume.

I never tried to eliminate sleeping in the supine position, it was just that my body would not allow me to drift off to sleep so long as I was on my back. An unconscious defense mechanism?

I noticed neither AHI events nor pressures increasing when I was finally able to start sleeping on my back. But even if it had, I would go that way anyway. That is what having a PAP machine is FOR: to keep my airway open regardless of position.

I wonder if it is a better position for breathing in that my gut is not mashed in putting pressure on the diaphragm as it does if I'm on my belly.

OMM

When I read this I thought I must have written it.

I so way agree with Omm.

In the year now that I've been sleeping on my side or back at will I have eliminated waking up with really not nice hip pain, or back pain, or both. I think in the past when I could only sleep on my left side I must have been entering rigor mortis or something at night because after a few hours I was up, moving around and hunting drugs for the pain.

We have a saying around here that "It's better at the beach." My saying is "It's better when you don't hurt all the fricken time." Almost the same thing.

But beyond that, the shear enjoyment of rolling over on your back and stretching out to twice your size? That's heaven on earth.