should i turn off cpap while im awake

[nayan6842]

hi guys im new here and im 5 days in using a cpap machine sleepy study showed my ahi level at 39
i wake up a couple of times and i cant fall asleep during the first couple of hours of sleep do i take off the the nasal pillow or leave it on while i watch tv intill i feel sleepy again
its kinda weird i will go to sleep at 12am wake up 12:30 and then go to sleep at 1 then wake up at 230 and then get 1 or 2 more hrs of sleep waking up in between from 5am to 9am im fully asleeep
im going back to work this week what should i do as i might have sum shifts that start at 9am

[Julie]

Yes, turn off the machine when you're not using it. If you mean can you wear the mask (detached from machine) while watching TV or anything else, of course you can, why not?

[Goofproof]

NO! Not unless you have a machine to put the mask back on and turn the XPAP back on if and when you fall back asleep. If you get up and don't plan on ever sleeping again, turn it off if you want. Pretty much a No Brainer. Jim

[mrcrayola]

And why wear a mask unless you are about to connect the hose and use the machine? I am still having dreams that I am forgetting to take off the mask during the day and people are scared to come near me.

Cheers!

[nayan6842]

i mean when i wake up during the night i put on the tv and watch tv till i can fall asleep again
should i be using the cpap machine while i do this
thnaks for the replys guys and girls

[Marillion]

Don't watch tv if you wake up. The blue light from the screen will make it harder for your brain to fall asleep or to get to a deeper sleep state earlier. Far better to read a book or get up and do a chore then go back to bed and read again until you feel sleepy.

As to whether to wear the mask while you are doing the above...if there is any chance you may fall asleep while reading or even watching tv, then yes wear the mask. Better than falling asleep without it. Otherwise, personally speaking, I try not to use the mask until I am ready to try falling asleep.

[JimW159]

i mean when i wake up during the night i put on the tv and watch tv till i can fall asleep again
should i be using the cpap machine while i do this
thnaks for the replys guys and girls

It is very difficult to put it on and turn on while asleep.
If you can predict accurately when you might fall asleep while watching the tube, take it off and turn it off - OTH, if you might simply nod off, keep it on and running.

[nayan6842]

ok thanks guy
also does anyone feel a burning sensation on ur upper back it started with it on my chest but now its upper back sometimes it comes when i wake up during the night

[nayan6842]

oh yea sorry to bother u guys again i just started my cpap therapy 5 days ago does anyone know how long it takes to start showing improvment in sleep

[clenchingtobreathe]

ok thanks guy
also does anyone feel a burning sensation on ur upper back it started with it on my chest but now its upper back sometimes it comes when i wake up during the night

I'm just a little over a week with my CPAP and I frequently feel an uncomfortable sensation in my chest as the pressure builds. I read in some of the posted materials that the sensation is a stretching of muscles as a result of the CPAP pressure...which seems odd. But then, this whole process seems a bit odd, doesn't it?? I just figured if the discomfort didn't kill me, it was just another obstacle to get over. I would truly suggest that you take a minute to read Pugsy's Pointers near the top pf the homepage. It won't resolve all your issues but it helped me understand them a WHOLE lot more! And, BTW, I share your issues with sleep disturbance too. My ex used to say that I "could hear a gnat farting at the maibox," so you can imagine what the CPAP and all its "farts" does to me!

[jamesbond007]

oh yea sorry to bother u guys again i just started my cpap therapy 5 days ago does anyone know how long it takes to start showing improvment in sleep

I have been on CPAP for 11 days and I felt a chest "heaviness" while the machine was on for about a week into the therapy. But is suddenly vanished overnight. What changed was that I am now breathing at a relaxed pace and not stressing whatsoever. I guess that helped? Not sure but it sure went away.

As far as improvement goes. I started noticing changes as early as Day 3. Some changes I consciously noticed are less need for coffee, less droopy eyes, I don't take off my glasses and massage my eyes and forehead anymore, less muscle fatigue during workouts, quicker recovery after a workout, I stopped gasping for air during daytime while I am awake.

Good luck with your treatment. IMO, whoever invented CPAP deserves a nobel prize.

[D.H.]

As already stated, you should leave it on if you're wearing the mask and there's any chance of falling asleep.

Many of us run in for a while to dry. However, that's using an $800 medical device to do the job of a $20 hairdryer. The one exception is that I do recommend doing that on vacation to make sure that it's dry going into the bag.

[D.H.]

. . .

Good luck with your treatment. IMO, whoever invented CPAP deserves a nobel prize.

. . .

Here's info about the invention of the CPAP ===> https://www.cpap.com/blog/the-history-of-cpap-therapy/

[Stom]

Many of us run in for a while to dry. However, that's using an $800 medical device to do the job of a $20 hairdryer. The one exception is that I do recommend doing that on vacation to make sure that it's dry going into the bag.

An $800 device designed for a continuous duty cycle and made to last for years running 8 hours a day. A few minutes drying a tube isn't going to hurt a PAP machine.

[Goofproof]

i mean when i wake up during the night i put on the tv and watch tv till i can fall asleep again
should i be using the cpap machine while i do this
thnaks for the replys guys and girls

It is very difficult to put it on and turn on while asleep.
If you can predict accurately when you might fall asleep while watching the tube, take it off and turn it off - OTH, if you might simply nod off, keep it on and running.

It's hard to fall asleep while standing up, I did it once on guard duty in Nam 1966, fell on rifle, injector slide on the M-14 stuck, me in my ribs besides hurting for 3 days, woke me right up. Not recommended way to awaken. Jim

Too many 18 hour days back then......