semi-awake events?

Just getting started. I've had 9 cpap nights so far for OSA. My AIH at diagnosis was 26.6.

I've always got up a lot at night and now, because i'm interested in what the cpap machine is doing, I'm sleepier than ever because I'm getting up even more often. But I'm getting much more comfortable with the machine. Once my curiosity is satisfied, I'm hoping for some great sleep.

So I noticed that most nights, my numbers start out great and end up not as good. Last night:

After 4 hours of sleep, AIH = 2.2
After 5 hours of sleep, AIH = 2.0

I take this to mean that in hour 5, there were no events. I felt great but after years of not getting good sleep, I wonder if I also felt a little rush of energy and maybe felt ready to get up for the day at that point? But I didn't.

After 6 hours of semisleep, or drifting in and out, or not sleeping, AIH = 4.0

I take this to mean that I had 10 events the first 5 hours and then 14 events in hour 6.

Then I checked after 15 minutes and 30 minutes and AIH progressed to 4.4 and 4.6.

Finally, at hour 7, AIH = 6.0.

I take this to mean that in hour 6 I was getting an event on average every 4 minutes and in hour 7 I was getting an event on average every 3 minutes. And yet, I'm pretty sure that in hour 7, at least, I was more or less awake the whole time.

Have I got this right?

Does the machine record what it thinks are events when the wearer is actually awake? I think I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the machine knows when you're asleep and only records events during sleeping periods but that is demonstrably not true.

I did notice while awake or half-awake that a couple of times I seemed to forget to breathe and the machine seemed to react, causing a puff of air to leak/poke into my mouth (I'm using nasal pillows).

Finally, I saw the data dumps for my first 8 nights at the local DME office and most of the events recorded were listed as CSA, not OSA. That sort of scared me and I sent a note asking about it to my doctor but haven't heard back. I was thinking that maybe some of these events are the semi-awake ones.

joem18b wrote:Does the machine record what it thinks are events when the wearer is actually awake?

it doesn't know, it assumes you're asleep.

joem18b wrote:I think I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the machine knows when you're asleep and only records events during sleeping periods but that is demonstrably not true.

you heard wrong.

Where are you getting all these AHI numbers after hour so and so?
Off the machine's LCD screen or are you using the software available?

If not the software...get the software.
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

off the lcd, real time. i'll get the software.

joem18b wrote:off the lcd, real time. i'll get the software.

You can get a lot of false positives during either transition from sleep/wake. Checking it every 15 minutes, I'm surprised it wasn't higher. I always get a bunch of events in the half hour to an hour before I get up. I usually wake up and doze on and off which alters my breathing a lot and makes the machine think they're events. I've gotten to the point where I reach over and turn it off and then on so I can filter that hour or so on Sleepyhead. As mentioned the only test that knows when you're asleep is a sleep study with an EEG connected.

As far as CSAs I get higher numbers when partially awake. If you take a deep breath and then don't take a breath for 10 seconds it records it.

Also, this will be of interest. Use the search box above and look for sleep wake junk or SWJ

Like somebody else said, get some sleep software.

joem18b wrote: But I'm getting much more comfortable with the machine. Once my curiosity is satisfied, I'm hoping for some great sleep.

put duct tape over the display, forget you can look at anything during the night, and then look at the whole nights activity in software the next day.

joem18b wrote: But I'm getting much more comfortable with the machine. Once my curiosity is satisfied, I'm hoping for some great sleep.

You're doing really well. I was very curious about what was going on with pressures and results in the first few weeks and was checking on the machine many times during the night. The good think is that as you get accustomed to trusting the machine and you have the really good data available on Sleepyhead, you will forget about it and just sleep.

I remember hitting the button every time I woke, which was a lot in the first few weeks. Now I don't wake up much. Also by using the software to carefully and slowly adjust your settings, you may well be able to reduce your AHI figures further and feel even better.

Good luck.

palerider wrote:

joem18b wrote: But I'm getting much more comfortable with the machine. Once my curiosity is satisfied, I'm hoping for some great sleep.

put duct tape over the display, forget you can look at anything during the night, and then look at the whole nights activity in software the next day.

+1

Quit looking. It will ruin your sleep.