Took mask off - don't remember doing it

[SleepWellCPAP]

Hello All and good evening!

I have been wanting to throw this question out for some time. Why are masks discarded and patients don't remember doing it?

My theory has to do with CO2 buildup being the primary culprit, but I would be very interested to hear what you experts have to say.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Jim

[SleepingBetty]

Interesting question, Jim. I've been wondering the same thing. I haven't done that and my husband hasn't, but one of his nephews said yesterday that he kept waking up with his mask off, so he just gave up on the machine. I'm discovering too many friends and family members who are among the 50% that have given up and either put it on the shelf or got rid of it. Said nephew gave his to his brother.

[hyperlexis]

Hello All and good evening!

I have been wanting to throw this question out for some time. Why are masks discarded and patients don't remember doing it?

My theory has to do with CO2 buildup being the primary culprit, but I would be very interested to hear what you experts have to say.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Jim

People do a lot more interesting things while sleeping than just taking off a mask...... http://azdailysun.com/lifestyles/health ... 59431.html

Sometimes the quick clips just pop off with movement while asleep, so you may not have even done it. And you shouldn't really have much if any co2 build up with all the air flowing out the vents. Could just be discomfort causing it, if that's indeed what happened.

[chunkyfrog]

Since the phenomenon is temporary for some users, I believe that some of us learn to trust the mask sooner than others.

[Sheriff Buford]

Lots of folks experience this early on. Getting used to wearing the mask, before going to bed by watching tv, listening to music or ready can help. Also using painters tape will awaken the person at night. Painters tape won't take off skin.

Sheriff

I think its the body's last ditch effort to take that unwanted conclaption from your body...

[SleepingUgly]

Why are masks discarded and patients don't remember doing it?

It's pretty obvious to me that the reason they are removed is because they are uncomfortable. As for why they don't remember doing it, I would guess that it's because they are either 50-100% asleep while doing it.

[mgaggie]

When I wore my mouth guard for bruxism I would quite often wake in the morning to find it on my bedside table, with absolutely no memory of removing it.

Subconciously it must of been annoying me so I removed it, I can't see why it wouldn't happen with a mask.

[KylaManhattan]

On the occasions that I have awakened without my mask on, my wrist splint has usually been off, too -- typically resting on top of the CPAP unit. It makes me wonder if I sometimes awaken in the middle of the night thinking that it's time to get up -- and then, still half-asleep, realize it's not.

(It is also possible that Lucy, my companion cat, has figured out a way to remove my mask and splint ...)

[zoocrewphoto]

This is a pretty common problem with pretty standard reasons.

Most people remove their mask because something feels wrong. It could be just getting used to it. It could be that something is hurting, rubbing, too tight. It could also be leaking, making noise, pressure getting uncomfortable, etc. I usually take mine off because of leaking (not so much of that now), or I drooled and the mask is wet and loosing its seal.

Why do we take it off and not put it back on? Several reasons. One, we may be frustrated and done trying for the night. In my case, I cannot put my mask back on without sitting up. I just can't get it on correctly while lying down. I get the headgear twisted and/or stuck in my hair. So, I may intend to put it back on it, but I am sleepy, not thinking clearly, and I just don't bother to get out of bed unless I have to use the bathroom. So, I just fall asleep without it.

Why don't we remember doing it? Because we probably weren't fully awake. We already know from our sleep study that we have plenty of arrousals all night, and we don't remember those either. We can do plenty of things in our sleep without remembering them.

Just last Saturday, I set my alarm for 6:20, intending to go one snooze and get up at 6:30. I set a timer as a backup for 6:37. I woke up at 7:20, wondering why my alarm was going off. Then I realized I was going to a cat show, and I was supposed to be leaving in 10 minutes. When I got back from the bathroom, my alarm was going off again as I never actually disabled it. I just kept hitting the snooze for an hour without remembering a single one. Back when I was on college, I had a lot of sleep deprivation. I would set a 3rd alarm clock, but I put it across the room. I had it set for 2 minutes after my last alarm to get up. If I got up okay, I could go turn it off before it sounded. It is a very happy bird chirping sound. I still have that horrible clock. I take it with me when I travel. I always set it for 2 minutes after my timer. So, I only have to hear it when it is saving my butt.

Also, back in college, there were times when my brain would confuse sound and vision. I would wake up and see my alarm clock blinking at me. I knew, rationally, that the alarm was beeping. But I was fascinated with the fact that I could not hear it, but I could see it. This only happened maybe 5 times. But it was very odd.

[SleepWellCPAP]

Thanks for all the replies!

It seems as though an exact reason may be difficult to pinpoint. The reason I ask is because I hear that a lot and have always tried to figure out what is initially causing it. If a precise "reason" could be identified, maybe more people would adapt to their device. SleepingBetty's husbands nephew for instance, might have keep going.

Have a great day!

Jim

[SleepingUgly]

I think the general umbrella reason is that it's not comfortable. Subsumed under that would be reasons specific to that individual, including any one or more of the following: they aren't used to the feeling, they feel they aren't getting enough air, the pressure feels too high, it's leaking, etc. etc. It's hard to know what it is unless they remember what issues they were having. That said, the first place to start, IMO, is with a piece of tape attaching the mask to the face in a spot, so they wake up if they try to remove the mask. At that point they can make a slightly more conscious decision whether to remove it or not (and might have some awareness of what's bothering them).

[SleepWellCPAP]

Thanks SleepingUgly!

I'll suggest the tape idea to some of my more problematic folks.

Jim

[SleepyonMagnoliaSt]

I don't think it's that it's necessarily uncomfortable. I've removed clothes in my sleep. I've also removed hair ties, earrings, taken off my wrist brace which I've slept with for 5 years without problems.

When my daughter had her sleep study? They bandaged her head to keep the electrodes on. Children in their REM sleep remove electrodes and it's likely related to dreams.

[chunkyfrog]

I must be weird; I've never (knock on wood) removed my mask in my sleep.
I have, however, awakened with my Zeo headband half off.
I have even gone to sleep numerous times with gum in my mouth-
-always woke up with it right where I left it.
Maybe we need to examine why it does NOT happen versus when it DOES.
I left the gum in because it was a happy thing to do.
My face is happy when my mask is comfortable, my pressure is OK,
and I don't feel significant pain anywhere. Make happiness, and the rest follows.

[angcor580]

I was taking my mask off and didn't remember doing this. However when I switched from a hybrid mask to a full face mask I stop taking off my mask. My doctor thinks the pressure was too much for my congested nose.