CPAP Therapy and Dreaming

[brucifer]

Since I started CPAP therapy last week, I am dreaming in overdrive. I have always been one to have dreams, but I am dreaming quite a bit every night now. Is this a common phenomenon with other CPAPers?

BTW, although putting on a mask each night and cranking up the CPAP machine is now a new bedtime routine for me, I am absolutely enjoying sleeping for the first time in several years. It's like the difference between a coffee drinker who drinks coffee to stay awake and one who drinks it for the simple enjoyment.

[poppi2]

Last week, I had my first dream in which CPAP was mentioned. Many years ago, I went to a company event in San Diego and shared a room with a coworker. During the night we woke each other with our loud snoring. I'm sure we both had OSA at that time. It has been many years since I've seen him, so I don't know if he does have OSA, or not. In this dream, we laughed about both of us having OSA.

You are correct in that I have many more dreams since starting CPAP. Earl

[Ineedanap]

Youre dreaming more because youre going through all the sleep cycles now.

[Sloop]

Exactly right -- all the sleep cycles.
When you have moderate to severe OSA, you wake up so often that you never get into delta sleep and any REM you have will be spastic. CPAP therapy puts you back into normal transition through the sleep stages and toward the end of the night, you are spending most of your time in REM (which is where you do the dreaming).

[Wonderbeastlett]

I've had a lot less dreams since starting cpap? On my sleep study's it said stage4 0% and REM 2%. So before cpap therapy I wasn't really getting any deep sleep. So I am trying to figure out why my dreaming is less. Shouldn't it be more? My husband has a theory that before cpap my body would go into the beginning stages of REM but then it would wake up. So my body would dream more because it was stuck trying to get into REM but couldn't. I don't know if that's true but hey it's a start! Lol

[BlackSpinner]

You are dreaming more because you are going into REM state. If possible check your data for events because you only remember dreams if you wake up enough to register them.
However you dream during non REM state too, especially during the early morning waking state.

PBS had a good program on dreams

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/what-are-dreams.html

[lazer]

During the first month +, I immediately started to have dreams upon starting on the APAP. Lately it has been hit and miss and usually the nights that I don't remember or have dreams, I feel less rested in the morning and am in a process of trying to figure out what's going on.

[Suzjohnson]

Since I started CPAP therapy last week, I am dreaming in overdrive. I have always been one to have dreams, but I am dreaming quite a bit every night now. Is this a common phenomenon with other CPAPers?

BTW, although putting on a mask each night and cranking up the CPAP machine is now a new bedtime routine for me, I am absolutely enjoying sleeping for the first time in several years. It's like the difference between a coffee drinker who drinks coffee to stay awake and one who drinks it for the simple enjoyment.

Brucifer, I like your coffee drinking analogy and agree with you! Dreaming again, yes, that's neat isn't it. I honestly didn't realize I hadn't been dreaming until they began again after starting therapy. What a revelation that was! It was like my subconscious had all this stuff it hadn't been able to express for so long but now that the plug has been pulled, everything wants to come rushing out at once. I've been on therapy three months now and realize that my dreaming has taken on a more normal rhythm and tenor. God bless cpap!

Suz

[BasementDwellingGeek]

I rarely remembered dreaming Pre-CPAP. When I first started I noted more dreams. I even had a few lucid dreams. Once I realized that I was in control I would soon wake. At that time I was waking 8 to 14 times a night. Now I only wake 4 to 8 times a night and rarely remember dreams.

[brucifer]

Thanks for the replies. I thought I wasn't alone in this. The explanation of REM-state sleep inducing more dreams makes sense. I've also had some very lucid dreams where I just let the tape roll and enjoyed the show.

[chunkyfrog]

I'm one of the weird ones. My dreaming was strenuous; awakening me breathless and hyper.
I don't miss it.

[AbbyNormal]

Chunkyfrog and Wonderbeastlett, I'm dreaming less as well. Keep in mind, this is only my first week on the CPAP though. I'd stop breathing in REM sleep and wake up gasping from horrible nightmares. One after another, after another... I became an insomniac through the years because of it. I guess it was like Nightmare on Elm Street.. Don't. Fall. Asleep!!! O_O So far this week, I've had very few dreams that I can recall and most were benign goofy things. Talk about relief!! So, the CPAP so far has one plus in it's column. Only one thus far however.

[jen4700]

I've been having more bad dreams lately. Probably has nothing to do with CPAP!