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+--- Thread: Sleep On Side or Back? (/Thread-Sleep-On-Side-or-Back)
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Sleep On Side or Back? - surferdude2 - 09-26-2014
I ran a test that demonstrates the different therapy pressure requirements that I experienced when changing from a side sleeping position to sleeping flat on my back. YMMV but I suspect everyone will require higher therapy pressure while back sleeping.
![[Image: Side2Back.png]](http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r5/1936dude/Side2Back.png)
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - Ghandi - 09-26-2014
How long were your OAs?
Also you pap seems to have ajusted the pressure accordingly so after the 4 OAs your apneas were controlled due to higher pressure.
I'm far from beeing an expert but the pressure is ok ifrom what i know.
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - surferdude2 - 09-26-2014
(09-26-2014, 01:26 PM)Ghandi Wrote: How long were your OAs?
12-18-15-42 first to last
Notice that the OAs were all scored before the S9 AutoSet could get the pressure raised high enough to prevent them. Once the pressure hit 16 cm wc, no further OAs were scored. It could be assumed that if I wanted to put up with a pressure of 16 cm for a major portion of the night, I could sleep flat on my back like I would love to do and have no OAs. I've tried that pressure level before and right away decided that side sleeping with the lower pressure is much more restful. Leaks and exhale difficulty were the major factors in making that decision.
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - Ghandi - 09-26-2014
Maybe the lower pressure should be at like 13 to avoid having a couple of apneas for it to raise. It doest raise that quickly. Dont forget i'm just an amateur
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - surferdude2 - 09-26-2014
Yes, you are correct. If I wanted to continue to back sleep I would raise the lower pressure quite a bit so that the S9 algorithm wouldn't be getting such a poor hole shot on the OAs. Then I would also bump up the maximum pressure a little so as to have some "throttle" left if/when needed. I don't intend to do any of that.
Going from my comfortable settings of 9 minimum and 16 maximum to the new settings required for back sleeping of something like 14 minimum and 18 maximum is just too much for me to handle. I'm pretty new to CPAP so perhaps I'll get strong enough some day later and be able to do that.
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - JimZZZ - 09-27-2014
No matter the pressure settings, when I sleep on my back, my jaw overcomes my chinstrap, my lips part and I get those pesky little air bubbles in my mouth. This arouses me enough that I expel the air bubbles, close my mouth and roll onto my side. Then my hip pain forces me to roll onto my back again and repeat, repeat, repeat. It's only a few times per night so not as bad as it sounds. The trick is, when the side position becomes uncomfortable, roll all the way over to the other side. That's why you have two...sides
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - surferdude2 - 09-27-2014
JimZZZ, What has worked very well for me is to place a support pillow that runs at an angle to my torso. I place it so it supports my shoulders at an approximate angle of 45° (half way between side and back sleeping) and angles away so that it doesn't contact my hips at all. That way I can stretch out my legs like as if sleeping on my back. I can keep the side of my head on the pillow as if side sleeping. That takes most of the strain off of the bottom shoulder but I also use a memory foam mattress topper to assist with that.
The only positional change I make during the night is from that half way position to fully side sleeping position. This has given me splendid AHI numbers and allowed for some comfort in the process.
The support pillow serves the dual purpose of making the half-way position possible while preventing me from rolling into a fully back sleeping position. I use a firm pillow for that purpose.
HTH
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - Ghandi - 09-27-2014
I'd be curious to see a picture of that pillow Surferdude2
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - surferdude2 - 09-27-2014
It's right there in my avatar for the time being. Also shows the angle I use it in.
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Got it at Kmart. It's rated as a firm pillow for side sleepers.
RE: Sleep On Side or Back? - Ghandi - 09-27-2014
It look twice as big as the normal pillow.
I must admit that i had the best number sleeping on my side before the pressure was raised. On the rigth side particularly because when i'm on the rigth side mu left nostril et totally cleared. My left nostril breaths better than the rigth nostril for some reason.
I'd be curious to see of the few events i still get are from sleeping on my back. Eventually maybe i'll try your pillow trick.