Taking mask off in my sleep

Hello all,
I am constantly taking the mask off at night in my sleep. Whene I wake up to put it back on I can not go to sleep. Any suggestions. I have moderate sleep apnea and have had my machine a week.

Emguerrieri wrote:Hello all,
I am constantly taking the mask off at night in my sleep. Whene I wake up to put it back on I can not go to sleep. Any suggestions. I have moderate sleep apnea and have had my machine a week.

never had the need to myself, but some folks have suggested taping the straps to your face so it'll distrube you when you try to take it off and you can learn to CUT THAT OUT!

It's fairly common during the adjustment period to have difficulty making friends with the face-sucker. If you'll register your equipment, especially which mask you're removing, I'm certain we can give you some tips to help you get used to it and keep it on all night to maximize therapy.

Emguerrieri wrote:Hello all,
I am constantly taking the mask off at night in my sleep. Whene I wake up to put it back on I can not go to sleep. Any suggestions. I have moderate sleep apnea and have had my machine a week.

Definitely agree with the advice to register your equipment. Because once we know what you have, we can hopefully make sure there aren't any contributory factors like mask discomfort and wrong pressure settings.

49er

Some people have solved this problem by wearing the mask for an hour or so while they watch TV before they go to bed. It gives your face a chance to get used to having this strange thing on.

Emguerrieri wrote:Hello all,
I am constantly taking the mask off at night in my sleep. Whene I wake up to put it back on I can not go to sleep. Any suggestions. I have moderate sleep apnea and have had my machine a week.

Many times people remove their mask when/because they are not getting enuff air. There are RTs who start newbs off at 4 or 5 cms which just is not enuff for many of us to breath.

Do you know what your machine settings are? Are you using a ramp?

There can be several reasons why you are doing this. My first thought comes from personal experience. You're turning your head just enough to knock it loose and that causes discomfort. We all have a natural tendency to move around in our sleep. This may be Your Main Reason; as wearing this mask is new to you.

My suggestion is to find ways to prevent yourself from moving around while you sleep. More specifically moving your head. My apnea isn't as pronounced when I sleep in a recliner. Sleeping upright helps my apnea but I still need the mask. I have been sleeping in a recliner for several years. I don't fuss with the mask at all because it doesn't allow me to move around. Try that.

Bradsue