Only lasted 2 hours last night

[ChelseaChestnut]

I guess I have officially started my very slow journey on the road to a full night of good sleep. I was able to sleep only 2 hours last night with my new mask. You can see my history on finding this mask here: viewtopic/t57061/Newbie-side-sleeper-mo ... tions.html
Not sure why I woke up, but when I did I just couldn't keep that mask on. It is going to take a long time for me to get used to this mask over my nose, the chin strap around my head and keeping my mouth closed all night. I am ordering the regenesis pillow this weekend and I hope that helps out a little with the comfort level. Thanks for any info anyone can give me.
ChelseaChestnut

[bdp522]

Try wearing the mask, strap, etc. during the day with the machine on. Read, listen to the radio or watch TV to keep your mind off the gear. This may help you get used to it all quicker.

Brenda

[ChelseaChestnut]

I have tried that and have no problem with it then. Sitting watching tv, I forget I even have all of it on. It's when I have to lay down, all the pressure on the mask on my face and nothing to keep my mind off of it. My husband goes to bed before me, so I can't even lay there and watch tv in bed with it on because he is already asleep. I lay there and all I can think of is how uncomfortable I am. I was surprised that I even fell asleep last night. I am going to give this nose mask an honest to goodness try, but afraid I am almost positive I will be better off with a full face mask. Having to force myself to keep my mouth closed is so stressfull. I have a very small mouth and a large tongue. It pushes against my teeth and my teeth eventually bite down on my tongue.

[donnafowler]

You might try listening to music with earbuds or headphones. I have issues with pain keeping me awake and my doctor suggested this--it does help. Also CDs made for relaxation can be useful.

[kentoboo]

I have found that it helps me to sit on the edge of the bed with mask on for a little while before lying down. I also have my head higher now with extra pillow and just lay there and listen to myself breathing! Are you using ramp feature to start out? I tried that and found I am better off not using it.

[robysue]

It's when I have to lay down, all the pressure on the mask on my face and nothing to keep my mind off of it. My husband goes to bed before me, so I can't even lay there and watch tv in bed with it on because he is already asleep. I lay there and all I can think of is how uncomfortable I am. I was surprised that I even fell asleep last night.

When you find yourself lying in bed wide awake and unable to get to sleep for an hour or more becaye all you can think of is how uncomfortable you are, you're likely making yourself more anxious and even less able to get to sleep. It sounds counter-intuitive, but instead of lying there thinking about how uncomfortable you are and how you can't get to sleep, you should try simply getting out of bed, going into another quiet, dark room and sitting in a comfortable chair (without the mask on) until you start to feel sleepy. Once you start feeling sleepy, go back to the bedroom and put the mask on and try to get back to sleep.

Another thing that might help and at the same time not disturb your husband is to listen to some quiet, soothing music when you're lying in bed trying to get to sleep. I had to buy an iHome for my iPod so that I could do this since I was having some really serious problems getting to sleep with my nasal pillows mask on. I still have problems getting comfortable, but once I'm semi-comfortable with where the hose is and where the exhaust flow is going, I can then concentrate on listening to the music, which then allows my mind let go of cpap-related issues (i.e. how uncomfortable everything is and how abnormal I feel). So I'm usually fast asleep within 30 minutes or so of lying down---as long as I'm sleepy before going to bed in the first place.

Good luck.

[ChelseaChestnut]

When you find yourself lying in bed wide awake and unable to get to sleep for an hour or more becaye all you can think of is how uncomfortable you are, you're likely making yourself more anxious and even less able to get to sleep. It sounds counter-intuitive, but instead of lying there thinking about how uncomfortable you are and how you can't get to sleep, you should try simply getting out of bed, going into another quiet, dark room and sitting in a comfortable chair (without the mask on) until you start to feel sleepy. Once you start feeling sleepy, go back to the bedroom and put the mask on and try to get back to sleep.

Thanks for this suggestion. I have had issues falling asleep for years and have actually done this many times. If I can't fall asleep after 40 minutes or so, I just get up and do something else until I feel more tired. I was on the verge of doing this last night when I somehow fell asleep.

I have found that it helps me to sit on the edge of the bed with mask on for a little while before lying down. I also have my head higher now with extra pillow and just lay there and listen to myself breathing! Are you using ramp feature to start out? I tried that and found I am better off not using it.

I tried the edge of the pillow and it did help a lot. I am hoping the regenesis pillow helps me even more with this. I have also found that I am better off not using the ramp feature. My settings are quite low 10/6, so the ramp feature puts it so much lower that I feel like I am not getting enough oxygen if I use it.

You might try listening to music with earbuds or headphones. I have issues with pain keeping me awake and my doctor suggested this--it does help. Also CDs made for relaxation can be useful.

I might try this, but that is just one more thing attached to me (the ear buds) to distract me from falling asleep. I will keep it in mind for the future if I get desperate. I would also be afraid I would not hear my alarm in the morning if I have something in my ears.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions!!!

[Doubtful Tom]

I second robysue's suggestion re getting up when you can't sleep. A number of books on meditation and mindfulness recommed the same thing. Simple things like sitting in another room and focusing on your breathing can help. Even if you don't get sleepy again quickly, this trick is more restful than lying in bed squirming and getting frustrated. tom

"When you find yourself lying in bed wide awake and unable to get to sleep for an hour or more becaye all you can think of is how uncomfortable you are, you're likely making yourself more anxious and even less able to get to sleep. It sounds counter-intuitive, but instead of lying there thinking about how uncomfortable you are and how you can't get to sleep, you should try simply getting out of bed, going into another quiet, dark room and sitting in a comfortable chair (without the mask on) until you start to feel sleepy. Once you start feeling sleepy, go back to the bedroom and put the mask on and try to get back to sleep."

[danimal71]

You could always turn the tv on and the volume off. You could turn on closed captioning. Don't forget to set the sleep timer.

Does the pressure setting bother you? I am at a constant 12 and at first used to use the ramp feature. Now I don't even hit the ramp button and the pressure doesn't bother me.

[robysue]

It's also really important to distinguish between feeling sleepy and feeling tired or exhausted. They are NOT the same thing: And simply feeling tired or exhausted when you go to bed is NOT enough to really manage bedtime-insomnia. You really need to be sleepy when you lie down.

When my insomnia is acting up, I sit in the dark in a comfortable chair until I feel like I'm going to fall asleep right there---massive yawning is my key: If I'm not yawning uncontrollably at the time I lie down, then I'll likely have problems getting to sleep when my insomnia is acting up.

[msradar65]

Maybe a different mask? I could not handle a mask. The weight on my face. I use nasal pillows. Swift LT for her. I don't even notice. Last night I was even sleeping on my stomach...mask on! I woke up enough to roll over as the hose was under me! lol

[robysue]

You might try listening to music with earbuds or headphones. I have issues with pain keeping me awake and my doctor suggested this--it does help. Also CDs made for relaxation can be useful.

I might try this, but that is just one more thing attached to me (the ear buds) to distract me from falling asleep. I will keep it in mind for the future if I get desperate. I would also be afraid I would not hear my alarm in the morning if I have something in my ears.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions!!!

I too can't stand the thought of trying to sleep with earbuds or headphones due to more wires to get tangled in and the alarm issue. But by using the iHome, I can set the volume low enough where it does not bother my husband, but is still loud enough for me to listen to and focus on in order to get sleepy enough to fall asleep. And it doesn't interfere with the alarm clock that has the radio set to an NPR station airing Morning Edition at the time we want to get up.

Would quiet, relaxing music bother you husband too much? If not, then using something like an iHome might let you listen to music without additional wires.

[robysue]

You could always turn the tv on and the volume off. You could turn on closed captioning. Don't forget to set the sleep timer.

Does the pressure setting bother you? I am at a constant 12 and at first used to use the ramp feature. Now I don't even hit the ramp button and the pressure doesn't bother me.

If you're dealing with insomnia, this is a really BAD suggestion: The light from the TV (and the concentration needed to read the closed captioning) just makes an insomniac's brain MORE ALERT.

Also, if you're near sighted, this suggestion is not feasible since glasses don't work with any full face masks like the OP is currently using due to mouth breathiing.

Just saying .... [Of course, your mileage may vary.]

[BlackSpinner]

One of the things I do when get to thinking about things obsessively when trying to sleep is to make up boring stories in my head, you know super dumb romances of the Barbara Cartland type. Nothing exciting, all about doing house cleaning for the 7 dwarfs for example while waiting for the prince to come, 7 beds to make, focus on each one, laundry to sort, sweeping the floors, doing the dishes....

[Big S]

Have you tried melatonin? I use it now to get ready to put on gear. I've been at it 3 months with dread at bedtime. I take 3 mg of melatonin and play mindless IPOD games like "doodle jump" until I start making poor judgements on moves. This serves as a signal to me that I am ready to give it up. I used to use melatonin when traveling overseas. One mg per time zone would do the trick. Three mg seems to help me with getting used to this ritual. Dryness is my main problem now, but tips found on these threads have helped. Good luck.