Stomach Sleeping

dkeat · Post by **dkeat** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:32 am

I have been recently diagnosed with OSA and am not looking forward to learning to sleep with a mask. I am wondering if it would not be possible to learn to sleep on my stomach. Wouldn't that prevent a blocking of the airways?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Dave

yellowcason · Post by **yellowcason** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:49 am

Hey, i was diagnosed with OSA about a year and a half ago. Up untill then I was a very devoted stomach sleeper. I had a horrible time adjusting to cpap therapy because of it. I had to learn to sleep on my back.....which I still hate...(sometimes i sneak in a nap or two on my stomach without cpap ).
I dont know if learning to sleep on your stomach will help OSA since i was diagnosed with it while sleeping on my stomach! But I guess everyone is different and anything is possible. Good Luck. Feel free to IM or email me.
Rebecca

yellowcason · Post by **yellowcason** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:00 am

the above message was from me...forgot to login...oops

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:44 am

I have slept on my stomach my entire life and was diagnosed with severe OSA. I use Breeze nasal pillows mask and still sleep on my stomach (just can't sleep on my back!). I just move to the edge of my pillow. I have seen other posts where people have said they had to get a thicker pillow in order to keep sleeping on their stomach.

Good luck to both of you!

Sergeant Bob · Post by **Sergeant Bob** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:58 am

If you like to sleep on your stomach a good pillow for you to use might be a Sobikawa (I think that's a brand name) pillow. Yeah, it's the one you see on the infomercials, filled with buckwheat husks.
They are great! I've had one for about ten years and can't stand to sleep without one. My wife bought me one of those memory foam pillows and it doesn't compare.
I'm a side sleeper and it rarely gives me any problems with my mask. You just fluff it up the way you want, and it stays "fluffed"!

They're not widely available but I think you can find them at stores like Elder Berman or Kohls.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 12:00 pm

When I sleep on my stomach, I shove the(head) pillow aside, always have. I can sleep on my stomach with the Breeze, I just had to learn to raise my head a little more when I turn it from one side to the other.

O.

Barb (Seattle) · Post by **Barb (Seattle)** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 1:30 pm

Not really sure if tummy sleeping would prevent apneas, but It might reduce them (??Not sure). I sleep kind of like an flamingo, kind of on my tummy with one leg pulled up WITH the mask on too! Then, sometimes on my sides too. I do a small amount of back sleeping, but can NOT get to sleep that way. Thus, the 1st study I ever had was torture. "Sleep on your back, because apnea is worse that way, and we can get more complete data" I layed there awake till 1:30 AM. He finally came in and said "ok, ok turn over if you want" I rolled over and promptly passed out LOL

Fatigue Fighter · Post by **Fatigue Fighter** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 3:39 pm

Hi,
Welcome to the trials of treating sleep apnea. I sleep on my stomach, side and back. I use the Swift nasal pillow system and it works great for me in all of these sleep positions.
Best of luck to you in your search for the best mask(s).

ITeach · Post by **ITeach** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:11 pm

I use an ultra mirage ff mask and sleep on my side and stomach all night. Never could sleep on my back anyway!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:20 pm

The Aura nasal pillows by Aeiomed is the the most comfortable interface for sleeping in any position, including tummy...imho.

JimH · Post by **JimH** » Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:37 pm

I was a stomach sleeper until diagnosed. I have learned to sleep on my back and side. I would sleep like a rock on my back in the beginning, but now find it a little more uncomfortable. Now I sleep more on my side. I have woken up with my face directly into the pillow. (That was a favorite position pre-cpap. But as someone mentioned before, just keep your turned and on the edge of the pillow.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:54 pm

According to my sleep doctor, side sleeping is the most healthful way to sleep. Stomach sleeping is second best and back sleeping is the worst, without cpap therapy, of course. I've been a stomach sleeper all of my life and have severe apnea. I use the Breeze Nasal Pillows and have learned to sleep sort of between my side and stomach. I use the Ultra Mirage and still sleep in the same position. You just have to hang the mask off of the edge of the pillow. I don't think stomach sleeping would cure sleep apnea. It sure didn't in my case.

dkeat · Post by **dkeat** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:15 pm

First of all, thanks to all of the forum denizens who responded to my message about Stomach Sleeping. It is great to have some support from others who know what this is all about.

I guess I will just have to see. I am off to the sleep lab day after tomorrow to be fitted with a mask and cpap.

My nasal passages are structurally a bit narrow so I often have trouble breathing through my nose. I doubt that I will be able to use the "nose only" masks which are available. Never having used one, I can only imagine that it must be very awkward to try to sleep on one's side using a full face mask. Or correct me if I am wrong?

Thanks.

Dave

sthnreb · Post by **sthnreb** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:34 pm

The only way I can sleep on my stomach is to prop my chin up with my hands. Any other way blocks the outlet on the mask from letting exhaled air out. I normally sleep on my side and semi stomach with my head turned on the pillow. I haven't figured out how to sleep on my stomach yet after 4 years with a machine. Maybe nasal pillow may work. I use the mirage with the tube out the top. Be careful and don't block the exhale port and rebreath the exhaled air.

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 4:08 pm

Stomach Sleeping ! No way. I keep mine awake by giving it something to do . I feed it every few hours. A light snack just before bed keeps it awqke.

:twis ted:

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach Sleeping

i was a die hard stomach sleeper

stomach sleeping

Re: stomach sleeping

Thanks for all the replies!

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