The "production" of getting ready for bed

[LSAT]

It used to be a production .. but I'll be honest .. after the first couple of years, I decided that I did not need to go through all the rigmarole .. I just get in bed, put on the mask and fall asleep. Why make life more complicated that it has to be? 22 or 23 years later that's all I do ... it works. It continues to work.

Likewise John....I watch TV for a while, then put on my mask and turn on the CPAP. I'm out in less than 10 minutes.

[Maxie]

When I finally get everything ready and turn out the light is the only time I wish I could just lie down and go to sleep but I tell myself to think about how I will wake up feeling good and not have that hungover feeling all day. I think I have it down to a fairly efficient routine but there is always room for improvement so I've enjoyed reading how others manage. I've wondered if I could just plop the nasal pillows in a glass of denture cleaner and leave them for the day. Probably not a good idea but I do seem to do a lot of cleaning of equipment and I only clean the nasal pillows nightly, refill the humidifier tank nightly and do the rest weekly.

[Pugsy]

For those of you who use wrinkle cream/moisturize/lip balm/etc, do you do anything special to make sure the product residue doesn't touch your mask? Should I worry about shortening the life of my mask by using moisturizers before bed? I've been avoiding them to err on the side of caution, but in a contest between my vanity and my pocketbook (keeping masks good for as long as possible), my vanity often wins.

Is this something I should just not worry about?

They say to avoid products with a petroleum base...like vasoline because it can degrade the silicone ...but I doubt many of use would be using Vasoline as a night cream..talk about clogging up the pores. Zit city here I would come even at age 60 For those of us using nasal pillows the night cream doesn't really matter much because we aren't going to be using much (if any) on the nostril area and contact there is minimal anyway.
Over the nose masks and full face mask users might have a bit more work keeping a seal if the moisturizer makes things slippery...in those cases I would suggest a mask liner.

I use the machine so that I feel better during the day but I am not going to give up on looking better if I can help it.
Vanity...well it is what it is and looking better also helps us feel better.

[chunkyfrog]

I have been known to put a THIN coat on Lansinoh on large areas of my face.
I cannot describe how soft my skin felt in the morning.
A friend of my dad's had a few sheep; when he clipped them, it did wonderful things to his hands and shoes.
(of course the smell wasn't so terrific)

[lagasan]

I find the Lansinoh lanolin cream is great for my skin. I was worried it might cause acne on my nose, but it has not. I do have to clean my glasses more often, because the lanolin inevitably gets on my glasses.

My bedtime routine is still evolving. I recently started using the mask while reading. Then when I am drowsy, I put the Kindle down, take off my glasses, turn off the light and I am asleep within a minute or so.

I like the idea of putting everything in a plastic bag in the AM to avoid the dog hair! I am sure my cpap will one day blow a dog hair way up into my sinuses!

Anne

[Suzjohnson]

I like the idea of putting everything in a plastic bag in the AM to avoid the dog hair! I am sure my cpap will one day blow a dog hair way up into my sinuses!

Anne

Yes, that is a good idea and I do that as well. I don't know if a hair has actually made it up into my sinuses, but it was soooo tickley to have one blowing around inside a full face mask. Another reason I love the Aloha mask! Much smaller surface available to picking up a stray hair. Love my dogs, but sometimes

Suz

[jen4700]

I clean the mask cushion and check the humidifier in the morning. I wash my face and brush my teeth then snap the cushion back on the mask and go to bed.

[xenablue]

My bedside table is strictly XPAP and I have an open shelf under the top, which holds 2 mini canvas totes - one with filters, wipes, a tiny LED flashlight, earplugs, lanolin - the other has replacement pillows, chinstraps and clean masks (I interchange Swift FX, LT and SleepWeaver). The fully assembled, ready to hook up and hose up masks are in drawstring bags, ready for a quick change if needed. The bottom has a door which has a large canvas tote with all my spare tubing, FFM, tanks, etc., and 2 small plastic containers which have silicone tape, ace bandage, more pillows, earplugs etc.

I wash my pillows in the morning, or use wipes in the evening and check water level at the same time. If I've removed the SD card, it gets put back in before bedtime.

When it's bedtime, the only thing I have to do is turn the machine on and put a couple of drops of oil on the Pur-Sleep diffuser.

If I wait until it's bedtime to make sure everything's ready - all hell breaks loose because I've already started to turn the lights off in my brain, so thinking is in powersave mode. Even when we are in our camper - everything's ready long before I actually head for bed.

Cheers,
xena

[smurfyabs]

I never washed my face before bed. I don't wear makeup, so I would just wash my face in the shower each morning and that was it. But now I go into the bathroom, wash my face, brush my teeth, brush my hair and put it in a pony tail, put my humidifier tank back together, fill with water, do my reading time in bed, drink a bottle of water (otherwise I feel horribly thirsty with the cpap all night), put on chap stick, put on the mask (breathing through my mouth because I don't want it to auto on until I'm on my pillow and comfy), turn out the light AND then take that first breath.

But I feel like mornings are worse. Besides my morning cpap cleaning, I also have to take my meds and oh actually wake up! But I'm on a time limit because I can hear my daughter over the monitor the whole time "MAMA! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUUUUU???" I hate feeling rushed!

[jlklinko]

Well, I have only had 2 nights of the CPAP, but already it takes an extra 10-15 minutes. I fill my humidifyer tank, connect the tubing. Then I go to the bathroom, wash my face, and brush my teeth. Get a final drink of water. The drink is important because I don't want water near my CPAP when I'm in bed or I may spill it! I keep my hair down as that is what I am used to. Then I put on my mask in the bathroom so I can see what I am doing. Off to attch the hose and turn the machine on. Then into bed mice a comfy. I don't use chapstick. Does everyone use chapstick?

[ems]

Then into bed mice a comfy.

Please don't tell us you sleep with mice

No, no chapstick.

[jlklinko]

* Then into bed nice and comfy! No mice. hehe

[Kody]

* Then into bed nice and comfy! No mice. hehe

That's a relief to hear. A couple dogs on the bed are one thing, but I draw the line with sleeping with rodents.

[squid13]

I have a cat that loves to come in during the middle of the night and head butt you cause she wants some loving. I ignore her and she goes over to my wife and gets her loving.

[SleepingDVader]

I know what ya'll mean. Before I started this bipap therapy I used to tell my wife that I was "getting ready" for bed...now I tell her that I'm going to "suit up"!