07-31-2015, 06:57 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-31-2015, 07:01 PM by aussiefilo.)
I finally feel rested - some tips
After a whole month of CPAP with seemingly no improvement in my symptoms, I finally can say that I feel rested. No, I don't wake up wanting to jump out of bed full of energy (I don't think people without sleep apnea are like this either), but once I wake up and do get into my morning routine I feel very refreshed and energised ready to seize the day! This is despite of a very stressful work-week. At the end of the day I'm still fully awake!! Here are some tips that may be helpful:
- Try to allow for full 8 hours of sleep. For example if you want to wake up at 6 AM this means you need to be asleep by 10. If it takes you at least half an hour to fall asleep, then you need to be in bed by 9:30. Stick to this routine especially if you have just started CPAP.
- Minimize coffee intake. This was the key! They say it takes 8 hours for the effect of caffeine to wear off, but I used to have at least 2-3 cups before lunch so I think the caffeine stayed in my body for much longer, interrupting my sleep patterns. I still had zombie like days even after starting CPAP and I'm sure coffee was the culprit. I'm not saying quit coffee, but less is definitely more! I find that other high caffeine drinks such as black tea doesn't quite have the same effect.
- I still wake up in the middle of the night, but my AHIs are really low, going as low as 0.9 and no higher than 1.3 some days. I think my brain simply hasn't adjusted and is still used to waking up at night. For the past 2 days I've been waking up "in the middle of the night" later and later. This is a good sign.
Well that's it from me. Any questions feel free to ask.
- Try to allow for full 8 hours of sleep. For example if you want to wake up at 6 AM this means you need to be asleep by 10. If it takes you at least half an hour to fall asleep, then you need to be in bed by 9:30. Stick to this routine especially if you have just started CPAP.
- Minimize coffee intake. This was the key! They say it takes 8 hours for the effect of caffeine to wear off, but I used to have at least 2-3 cups before lunch so I think the caffeine stayed in my body for much longer, interrupting my sleep patterns. I still had zombie like days even after starting CPAP and I'm sure coffee was the culprit. I'm not saying quit coffee, but less is definitely more! I find that other high caffeine drinks such as black tea doesn't quite have the same effect.
- I still wake up in the middle of the night, but my AHIs are really low, going as low as 0.9 and no higher than 1.3 some days. I think my brain simply hasn't adjusted and is still used to waking up at night. For the past 2 days I've been waking up "in the middle of the night" later and later. This is a good sign.
Well that's it from me. Any questions feel free to ask.
AHI of <5 since starting CPAP. Lowest recorded AHI is 0.9!!!
Sleep apnea, we will beat you!!!
