Falling Asleep Before Getting Mask On

My current problem is falling asleep at night before I get the mask on. The BIPAP is working beautifully now...my AHI has dropped quite significantly. Last night was 5.8! But I only wore the mask for about 3 hours. What can I do to keep myself awake at night until I get the mask on. I'm so exhausted at night. Help!

Go to bed early, put the mask on and read in bed. Make sure you put the mask on while you read, and if you fall asleep with the lights on, no big deal. At least you will have the machine running and the mask on. Eventually, after you catch up on sleep, you may not have to resort to such measures, but for the time being, go to bed early.

Put it on before you get into bed maybe? Once you're getting enough hours (7 to 9 is recommended I believe but I get about 6.5) with the mask on you shouldn't feel so exhausted at bed time.

You put the mask on before you ever lay down in bed.
Mine goes on while I sitting on the edge of the bed before I ever lay down or even crawl under the covers. Then maybe a couple of quick adjustments once I lay down and then if I fall asleep earlier than I expect to...doesn't matter.

Crawling into bed and getting all comfy with the good intentions of putting the mask on the minute you start to feel sleepy won't work because you will go to sleep first.

Pugsy wrote:You put the mask on before you ever lay down in bed.
Mine goes on while I sitting on the edge of the bed before I ever lay down or even crawl under the covers. Then maybe a couple of quick adjustments once I lay down and then if I fall asleep earlier than I expect to...doesn't matter.

Crawling into bed and getting all comfy with the good intentions of putting the mask on the minute you start to feel sleepy won't work because you will go to sleep first.

+1 Mask on at edge of the bed in the evening. Mask off at edge of the bed in the morning.

Unless there's other pre-sleep activity going on here that is adding to the exhaustion, in which case putting the mask on first may be a bit of a passion killer!

Hannibal 2 wrote:Unless there's other pre-sleep activity going on here that is adding to the exhaustion, in which case putting the mask on first may be a bit of a passion killer!

If he can barely stay awake at night, that can be a passion killer too.

I don't mean to be mean here, but does an adult really need to ask an internet forum how to make sure he gets a mask on before sleeping?

RestedRebel wrote:

Hannibal 2 wrote:Unless there's other pre-sleep activity going on here that is adding to the exhaustion, in which case putting the mask on first may be a bit of a passion killer!

If he can barely stay awake at night, that can be a passion killer too.

True enough, we can only make assumptions as to what is going on here!

Julie wrote:I don't mean to be mean here, but does an adult really need to ask an internet forum what how to make sure he gets a mask on before sleeping?

To be fair Julie, we've probably all asked daft questions or done stupid things when we're tired, but the poor soul must be REALLY exhausted if he's unable to work that one out for himself

Good point I guess!

I agree with putting the mask on before lying down. If you fall asleep sitting up, put on the mask standing up. It does not hurt to have the mask on long before you fall asleep (or even lie down). It also does not hurt to have the mask on long after you get up.

Yes it does - no time for red marks to go away before going to work!

Thanks to those who kindly answered my question.

Julie wrote:Yes it does - no time for red marks to go away before going to work!

Red marks will disrupt your work much less than having a stroke or heart attack (on the job or off). Also, I doubt that this person will be doing that after the first few months.