My latest sleep pattern: your thoughts?

[mrstevegross]

Hi folks. Every few months or so, my sleep pattern seems to evolve and change. Of late, here's my ritual:

In bed around midnight, sleep solidly till 3-4am with CPAP.
Awaken, switch to couch, sleep solidly till 6-7am (no CPAP).
Awaken, do 30 minutes cardio workout.
Back in bed, sleep not-so-solidly till 9am (no CPAP).
Nap post work, 5:30-6pm.

The net result is that my workday is manageable, though not great. Still pretty tired overall, but I'm doing ok. The post-work nap is very effective, and really resets the body clock and energy level effectively.

I can't quite figure out why I awaken consistently at 3-4am. As far as I can tell, the CPAP is comfy and effective, the environment is very sleep-conducive, and my stress level hasn't changed significantly. Any ideas on why I can't seem to get more than 3.5 hours of consolidated sleep?

Thanks folks!
--Steve

[Lizistired]

You are only using cpap 1/2 the time. What do your numbers look like? If you felt great, you wouldn't be asking.....

[mrstevegross]

You are only using cpap 1/2 the time. What do your numbers look like? If you felt great, you wouldn't be asking.....

I haven't looked at the collected CPAP data in awhile. I should do that, eh?

[Wulfman...]

Hi folks. Every few months or so, my sleep pattern seems to evolve and change. Of late, here's my ritual:

In bed around midnight, sleep solidly till 3-4am with CPAP.
Awaken, switch to couch, sleep solidly till 6-7am (no CPAP).
Awaken, do 30 minutes cardio workout.
Back in bed, sleep not-so-solidly till 9am (no CPAP).
Nap post work, 5:30-6pm. I presume "no CPAP"?

The net result is that my workday is manageable, though not great. Still pretty tired overall, but I'm doing ok. The post-work nap is very effective, and really resets the body clock and energy level effectively.

I can't quite figure out why I awaken consistently at 3-4am. As far as I can tell, the CPAP is comfy and effective, the environment is very sleep-conducive, and my stress level hasn't changed significantly. Any ideas on why I can't seem to get more than 3.5 hours of consolidated sleep?

Thanks folks!
--Steve

PUT THE FRIGGIN' MASK ON!!! (Anytime you're going to be sleeping.)

I haven't looked at the collected CPAP data in awhile. I should do that, eh?

DUUUUHHHH...... Ya think? < smacks forehead >


Den

[mrstevegross]

>PUT THE FRIGGIN' MASK ON!!! (Anytime you're going to be sleeping.)

Yes, but... If I'm on the couch, I can't take the CPAP with me. I can try adding it in for the 8-9am portion, though.

>DUUUUHHHH...... Ya think? < smacks forehead >

Yeah yeah, I know

--Steve

[Hawthorne]

Why are you sleeping on the couch between 4 and 6 or 7 am after sleeping in bed from midnight until 4 am??

Can't you nap in bed after work WITH cpap after work?

Why don't you do cardio AFTER you have finished your FULL night's sleep - why do it and then go back to bed? It is no wonder that you sleep "not so solidly" until 9 am. A cardio workout is too stimulating to allow restful sleep immediately afterwards.

I just don't understand your "sleep schedule" and your choice of exercise time at all.

When you get around to looking at your data it will be bad as well as meaningless.

[Lizistired]

You seem like a perfect candidate for an oximeter. If you are going to sleep without the cpap, at least you would know if there was an obvious impact by sleeping without it.
Here is a 30 minute nap on the couch for me.

Do I need to tell you what I fel like after that?

[BleepingBeauty]

>PUT THE FRIGGIN' MASK ON!!! (Anytime you're going to be sleeping.)

Yes, but... If I'm on the couch, I can't take the CPAP with me. I can try adding it in for the 8-9am portion, though.

Don't be a Yabbut! viewtopic.php?p=393195#p393195

Why are you sleeping on the couch between 4 and 6 or 7 am after sleeping in bed from midnight until 4 am??

Can't you nap in bed after work WITH cpap after work?

Why don't you do cardio AFTER you have finished your FULL night's sleep - why do it and then go back to bed? It is no wonder that you sleep "not so solidly" until 9 am. A cardio workout is too stimulating to allow restful sleep immediately afterwards.

I just don't understand your "sleep schedule" and your choice of exercise time at all.

When you get around to looking at your data it will be bad as well as meaningless.

All good points, Hawthorne. OP gets a "ditto" from me. (And hello to you, stranger! )

[Lizistired]

Ha ha Yabbuts, I'll remember that!

[goldfinch]

Some people just seem to do better splitting their night's sleep. I believe I read that there is some evidence that in pre-electricity days people would go to sleep after sunset, sleep a few hours, get up and do stuff, and then sleep again.

So, maybe the issue isn't waking up but in using the CPAP consistently. Why the couch? If the couch is necessary move the CPAP to the couch. Somehow you need to figure out how to use the machine consistently. If you do, you might not need the sleep after the cardio.

[Starlette]

Good evening.

May I suggest when you wake up in the middle of the night exchange your cardio exercises for something quiet.
Go in a another room and put the light on low and read something that doesn't cause mental stimulation.
IMHO doing cardio brings a confusing message to the body, "It's no longer time to sleep, it's time to rev up for the day."
Do something low key and quiet will send a message to the body that its still quiet time and we need to got back to bed.

As for being a night splitter, my Husband does that and honestly I don't know how. I wouldn't be able to survive.

Starlette

[Pugsy]

Don't be a Yabbut! viewtopic.php?p=393195#p393195

I have often wondered what happened to the poster who inspired your Yabbut posting. I think she shot down every single suggestion anyone ever offered. Completely unwilling to try to help herself. She did not want to do anything except find a reason not to use the machine.

[BleepingBeauty]

Don't be a Yabbut! viewtopic.php?p=393195#p393195

I have often wondered what happened to the poster who inspired your Yabbut posting. I think she shot down every single suggestion anyone ever offered. Completely unwilling to try to help herself. She did not want to do anything except find a reason not to use the machine.

I've wondered about her, too, and I hope she's doing better now than she was then. But I don't lose any sleep over it.

[Jade]

You might want to check out the post on 'first sleep, second sleep' or look up segmented sleep...

[CREATIVITY658]

I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES YOU ARE.....FALL ASLEEP ON COUCH.....AWAKE IN FOUR HOURS

GO TO BED WITH MACHINE.....CAN'T FALL ASLEEP....GET UP .....FALL ASLEEP ON THE COUCH...

VERY TIRED....HATE THE MACHINE....PATTI