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+--- Thread: [CPAP] Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap (/Thread-CPAP-Waking-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-since-cpap)
Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - susilosaja - 06-20-2016
Hey guys, so I've been using cpap for about 4 days. Since using it, I always woke up in the middle of the night, usually after 2-3 hours of sleep. And I'm having a hard time getting to sleep again. It could take a couple hours before I'm tired enough to sleep again. Sometimes I just force myself to sleep right away, but all I get is bad quality sleep where I will wake up with bad mood.
This doesn't happen before cpap. Does anyone experience this, or know why this is happening to me? While I still feel slightly uncomfortable with the mask on my face and the cumbersome tube, I don't feel strong discomfort. I can't feel any discomfort when I woke up. My AHI was also pretty good, around 2.
So far I think I've notice some improvement in energy and mental clarity. But I still have strong post-meal sleepiness.
Susilo
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - FrankNichols - 06-20-2016
Well, once I got my AHI down below 5 I started noticing I was waking around 3AM every morning and feeling rested. So, I get up and mess around for an hour then go back to bed. I expect the issue is the quality of sleep is improved and your (my) body is adapting. Meaning your body thinks it is rested because it is sleeping so much better than before. I also expect after a while your body will adapt to the new higher quality of sleep and slowly go back to sleeping for 7 to 8 hours. That's my theory and I am sticking to it...
I plan to bring this up with my sleep doctor at my next appointment in a few months.
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - green wings - 06-20-2016
Hello, susilosaja. Welcome to Apnea Board.
I had an experience similar to Frank's. For about the first month that I used CPAP, I woke up much earlier than usual. I felt like my "sleepiness", "tiredness", and "awakeness" got all out of sync for a while.
I don't know what time you normally go to bed. If it's before midnight, you might find it better to wait until later to go to bed (if you can stay awake that long.)
The waking up too early seems to be pretty common, judging from my own experience and from posts from others that I see here on this forum. If you slept through the night before CPAP, I think that you will get back to doing that soon.
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - pholynyk - 06-20-2016
"I also expect after a while your body will adapt to the new higher quality of sleep and slowly go back to sleeping for 7 to 8 hours. That's my theory and I am sticking to it..."
I'm with Frank on this. I'm finally starting to sleep for 7 to 8 hours, even if I often get up and have breakfast at 6:00 or 7:00, and then go back to bed. I do have to change that during a choral fest week in July
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - Attono - 06-20-2016
I have a similar issue. I got my CPAP several years ago, but could never get a full night's sleep. Tried for a few months and finally gave up on it. Now with lung disease, my pulmonary Dr says I need to get back on it to get my pulse oxygen level up. Have been trying for about a month now, but I wake up anywhere from 1 - 4 hours after I go to sleep. I don't think I'm getting enough "higher quality" sleep to be waking up an hour after I go to bed. Not sure what exactly to do at this stage, other than just dealing with using the CPAP fopr the first part of the night and then off of it for the remainder. I did check and it looks like my oxygen level gets down to about 90 without it, versus 94-95 with it. As long as I stay above 88, it is good, but my lungs aren't getting better...
Any advise would be welcome.
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - susilosaja - 06-29-2016
Thanks guys. Slowly I've been able to sleep longer. And I think my sleepiness has slightly improved.
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - chill - 06-29-2016
Hi susilosaja, it is good to see you back again! I am also still struggling with frequent wakings and daytime sleepiness too. Now the daytime sleepiness is like i had a bad night's sleep. Before it made me ready to lie down and die on the spot. I am not sure why I am waking up. It might be RERAs. I rarely sleep longer than 90 minutes at a time. I also did this before CPAP, but often awoke choking and gasping for air, so just waking up is a vast improvement. I don't miss waking up wondering if I would ever be able to breathe!
Keep up with it, you will continue to improve.
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - PoolQ - 06-30-2016
I would suggest that when you go to bed you are tired enough to not be bothered by one or more "little" things and that once you get rested you are then bothered and this prevents you form getting deep sleep, and waking up. Your lower level of 4.6 is found to be too low for many people, they feel starved for air. You may be right on the edge of not getting enough air and that could be waking you up once you get some rest.
If your apneas are under control, I would focus on the comfort settings to make sure you are as comfortable as possible-worked for me.
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - cate1898 - 06-30-2016
Welcome to the forum susilosaja! Sounds like you are starting to get better therapy with time. Your body has some adjusting to do as it gets used to better sleep. Persevere and in time you may be sleeping through the night. Keep us posted!
RE: Waking up in the middle of the night since cpap - susilosaja - 06-30-2016
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys!
(06-30-2016, 01:36 AM)PoolQ Wrote: Your lower level of 4.6 is found to be too low for many people, they feel starved for air. You may be right on the edge of not getting enough air and that could be waking you up once you get some rest.
If your apneas are under control, I would focus on the comfort settings to make sure you are as comfortable as possible-worked for me.
I tried using pressure of 5 once, but my chest feels a bit uncomfortable. The staff at the shop said it might be too much air and suggested lowering it. So I lowered it to 4, and it felt fine in the beginning, but now I feel like I'm not getting enough air. 4.6 actually feels pretty good right now.
I'm going to start reading this forum again and try to learn how to improve the use of cpap. What comfort settings are there? Right now I don't feel anything significantly uncomfortable. Just a bit dried nostril. And I feel that I can get to sleep easier without cpap, so there are still probably mild discomfort. Though I'm getting more and more used to it.
Just spent 3 hours too sleepy to read this forum, but also unable to sleep. Duh.