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RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Dormeo - 06-09-2024
This is looking good! You did have a period of large leaks, and in time you may be able to eliminate LLs, especially if you find just the right mask/tape/whatever combination.
You can certainly try raising your pressure further, but think about your goals. Your AHI is excellent and is in no need of improvement. Your FLs and snores are variable, but this may depend more on your nasal congestion than on anything the machine can fix. Also, the FLs and snores may or may not be affecting how restful your sleep is. As you fine-tune your settings, pay more attention to how you feel the next day than to the numbers.
You may have an allergy to dust mites. You might ask your doctor to refer you to an allergist to check this out (and other allergies too). Meanwhile, try using Flonase in the evening; just be aware that it can take a week or two to kick in. And you might try encasing your mattress and pillow in dust-proof covers. They're available on Amazon.
Good luck with the new job!
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Himm - 06-09-2024
I really needed to read that today. I've been stressing about my sleep for weeks ahead of my job. Feeling sub optimal the day before I start has been so demoralizing. At least there's light at the end of this tunnel. Thanks a lot.
For at least a year I've been thinking that I have unknown allergies. Need to schedule that appointment. I've never been too concerned because I'm far less congested when I'm standing up. I'm very concerned about those addictive nasal sprays though.
This is a great excuse for hiring a deep cleaning company, which I've always wanted to do. This place needs it.
My top goal is to wake up feeling completely refreshed. For a short precious time I knew what that felt like. I was leaping out of bed. Had no desire to stay longer. That's what I want to go back to. Diet is the second important factor so I am working on that too.
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RE: My Better Sleep Journal - UnicornRider - 06-09-2024
This is a new journey you are starting, Diet, Exercise and CPAP are keys to reaching your goals. Do not expect to see lots of change over night, it took years to get where you are now. I try to encourage new people to utilize the Notes tab of their Daily OSCAR page to record Changes in PAP settings and why they were changed. What desired effects you expect to see from the changes. Any changes in medication, seasonal allergies or stressors that may change your sleeping profile.
Several years down the road that information may come back to be of some value.
Over the next couple of months of the new job, while you are studying the Corporate Glossary of Key Words & Tricky Phrases, Learning the Chain of Command, Studying all of the Office Floor Plan so you know where the lunch room, break room and Pay Master's office is located. Try doing so with the PAP machine hooked up and clocking hours towards the compliance. It will help acclimate your body to the fit and feel of the mask under pressure, and build towards the three month review. If you show marked improvement towards compliance they can be very forgiving for earlier neglect. They want to keep the customer, and you want to enjoy the benefits of improved quality of life that can come from a well tuned machine. So even if you are getting more than 4 hours of PAP use every night, use again during the day time. Ideally you will be getting at least 8 hours of un-interrupted Quality Sleep.
Enjoy the ride. Post back often.
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Himm - 06-09-2024
Thank you, Unicorn. You just gave me a great idea. I will be working from home 3 days out of the week so I can try to wear it during those days. Hope I don't get sick of it.
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - UnicornRider - 06-09-2024
The body will remember these early days, It is the time to set and reset habits that are beneficial to our new way of life. There is a "Sleeping Hygiene" section in the ApneaBoard Wiki. Go to the top of this page, in the Black Bar, click on Wiki.
Give the Wiki a chance, that is all that any Wiki wants, is a chance to quickly guide you to information in the subject of your choice, numerous time daily so that soon ApneaBoard Wiki, also becomes a daily habit.
As part of your journey, try to make time for sleep at least 1/3 of your life.
https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Sleep_tips
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Himm - 06-11-2024
Thank you, Unicorn. After all these years, I'm pretty sure I have that entire list memorized by now lol
Just as I thought, shaving my beard drastically reduced my leak problem.
I've been feeling pretty worried this week. I got diagnosed with prediabetes a few months ago. I want to lose weight but my sleep issues don't help. I hate it when I'm too tired to work out or prepare food, which happens too often. I'm switching to carnivore to try and solve both issues and ideally satisfy my hunger long enough so that I can naturally eat much less.
I have OSA so I'm trying to lose weight, but because of my apnea I feel like I've been stuck at this weight and slowly rising. I have more hunger during the day than usual. I used to wake up in the middle of the night because I apparently didn't eat enough during the day, even though I've been trying to eat less to lose weight.
I miss being able to sleep in. Now that I have a job I can't really do that anymore.
Still waking up tired and yawning throughout the day. I hope I can get at least 7 hours tonight, but it's already 930pm right now and I just started eating. This week I have never felt like I have enough time so I steal it from somewhere else.
My stats may be ok but I often don't feel like it.
Feeling sad. I want to change and feel better so badly, but maybe not badly enough.
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Dormeo - 06-12-2024
You have your work cut out for you, but I think you'll make it. The reason I think that is that you're doing a great job of identifying and solving problems in the CPAP realm. That capacity will serve you well as you continue to work toward sleeping better and losing weight.
You might try enlisting some professional help. You've mentioned seeing an allergist; that's a great idea. Having your house deep-cleaned -- another great idea. And how about a nutritionist? (Nutritionists aren't just about good nutrition; they also can work with you on strategies for modifying your eating habits.) You might also ask your doctor whether the new appetite-reduction medications (e.g., Ozempic) could be of help to you.
Meanwhile, now that you have to get up at a set time for work, think hard about when you want to be going to bed. If you have to get up at 7, I'd strongly suggest a bedtime of 10:30 or 11 at the latest.
By the way, Flonase is not addictive. You can stop any time with no rebound. I used it on the advice of my allergist, who also prescribed two medications and gave me allergy shots. Dust mites lost their power over me!
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Himm - 06-16-2024
Thanks for the reply.
For the nutrition stuff, I just discovered the carnivore way of eating. My first meal surpassed my expectations and I'd like to keep it going. I had no desire to eat for the rest of the night. steak and eggs every day from now on
Another surprise was after I had my steak meal, I slept better and longer on my couch than I usually do, and without CPAP. I was asleep an entire (fragmented) 8 hours. Normally I'd wake up after 4 hours and want to eat again. That day I felt the best I've felt all week. My skin looked great too.
I was looking into Ozempic but I don't like the side effects. And apparently eating carnivore can provide very similar results to Ozempic anyway. Works for me!
I may look into Flonase.
On to sleep stuff, I've had days where I feel better and one day where I was yawning every five minutes. I think I had an unusually high AHI that night so that could be why. Average was 2 but the graph showed that it got as high as 7 which is a huge outlier number for me. I'm pretty sure the cause is positional. I have a pillowcube foam side sleeper pillow that is taller than normal. I'd like to get a slightly shorter one of the same brand someday.
Aside from that high AHI night, and feeling better the night after I had a full steak meal, I want to say that I feel the same most of the time. Not worse, not drastically better, still need to sleep at least 7 hours consistently.
I've been sleeping at 15 static pressure for at least 2 days and still not seeing any drops. I am static 15 the entire night. Should I keep going up to the max of 20? Should I ask about APAP now? Or should I keep using this for the next two months?
I should be sleeping just a bit longer but I haven't always been doing that. Last week was a tough adjustment to a new job but I was getting there. But now I no longer have that job (crazy story), so at least I'll have more time to sleep more again
The anxiety from having my contract suddenly terminated in a week may be affecting my sleep and stress levels, but I don't think I feel that bad. My family is supporting me and aren't making me feel bad about something I couldn't control. There are pros and cons to everything in life. I prefer to stay optimistic.
And bonus, my CPAP compliance shot way up just over the past week. I went from 50% to 59% in just a week! I more confident now that I'll make it to 70% and stay there! I really need to because I can't afford to pay for this thing right now lol
Finally, I have my first check up appointment with my sleep specialist. The last time I saw her in person was when she diagnosed me in April and helped me understand my results. I know A LOT more since then. I'm not sure how helpful she will be at this point, but I'll listen. I wonder what she'll say about me fiddling with my own settings. I'll write down some quick notes on my progress to share with her. I may ask her about APAP as well.
Almost forgot, I got my P10 but haven't used it yet. I'll start this week and report back. I really think nasal breathing is the key to my lethargy. When I think back to all the best sleep I've had in recent years, I was breathing through my nose. I just started listening to Breathe by James Nestor and the book has reaffirmed my beliefs substantially.
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Dormeo - 06-16-2024
I'd leave the settings where they are. I don't think raising your pressure will help you feel more rested.
Definitely get a low pillow -- firm, if you can find one that works for you. This will help you keep your head and neck in a good alignment. That might cut down on the FLs and snores.
I'm glad you feel you're making progress on the food front. Be sure to take a vitamin and mineral supplement if you're cutting out pieces of the "food pyramid."
Don't sleep on the couch without your machine! Go to bed and mask up! (I know you know that.)
Let us know how the P10 works for you. Did you get the kit with S, M, and L? You'll want to pick the size that lets the pillows sit ON, not IN, your nostrils. You may have mouth leaks; if you do don't despair. We can talk about using tape on your mouth.
I see you went to bed super-late last night. To the extent that you can, try to keep a regular schedule even though at the moment you're not working. (Sounds like something maddening happened on the job front.)
RE: My Better Sleep Journal - Himm - 06-16-2024
Yeah it's Sunday and I still have no idea what happened with the job on Friday. I refused to read any messages until Monday. Not my problem anymore. Our best current guess is surprise layoffs.
Friday's bad news was tough to go through so I overdid it with the video games this weekend. I'm a grown man yet I still love playing until 4am
It's one of my go-to destressors when life gives me problems, aside from walking and cycling. Thank you for your concern. My couch is comfortable enough that it's hard to get up and walk to bed when it's time. Having to then strap on my F20 doesn't help, although I have done the work to make it easier than when I started. What's weird is that months ago I had a harder time getting comfortable on my couch when I really need the elevation so I could try to snore less. Maybe I should buy a second machine one day?
My biggest reason for sleeping on the couch is because I couldn't play my Nintendo Switch comfortably in bed anymore because of the mask. People frown on electronics in bed but replacing my phone with my Switch has been one of the best decisions I've made in years. I don't play anything exciting, only relaxing games. I fall asleep faster and don't check my phone in the morning because I now leave it outside my room. Killing two birds with one stone!
I got all 3 sizes for the P10. Testing it out for the first time right now. I like the M so far. The whole mask already feels so much nicer and lightweight! My cleaning is gonna take seconds compared to the F20! I can wear my blue-light glasses in bed again!
When I got the P10, I bought some random mouth tape just to start with. May need a different brand because I'm not sure how I feel about this design. I have a feeling air is still gonna leak out as I sleep. I've been an evening mouth breather for so long and the F20 hasn't helped.