Stomach Sleep - best sleep ever, but shoulders destroyed

[haibert88]

Hello Fellow CPAP Users,

I've mostly lived a healthy lifestyle but over the past 3-5 years my sleep kept getting worse.

This started many years ago switching from stomach sleeping to back sleeping, because my shoulders were just getting destroyed when stomach sleeping.

Long story short - I got a sleep study done and got prescribed CPAP.

I was using it for ~2-3 months, getting better and better sleep (slowly) but I had to use a mouthpiece to keep my tongue up to the roof of my mouth, mouth tape, and a chin strap.

I went on a 2 week vacation, stopped using the CPAP machine but started sleeping on my stomach...

OH My GOODNESS! I forgot how great I felt when I got good sleep...stomach sleeping...no breathing issues, more REM sleep, waking up feeling GREAT...except, my shoulders and my back and neck are getting destroyed...

A few quick questions for anyone familiar with this:

1. When going back to using my CPAP machine, along with the mouthpiece, tape, and strap....I'm now waking up feeling air leaking from my mouth because I'm used to actually opening my jaw during sleep (NOT my mouth, but my jaw drops)...is there a sensible solution to train myself to keep the mouth shut? Is there some magic chin strap that will gently force me to keep the jaw shut?

and

2. Since I get SOOOOO much better sleep on my stomach - does anyone know of a stomach sleeper's bed? Kind of like the SONU bed that has the arm slot built in for side sleepers...

My patience, control over food, overall mood, the look of my face, etc. etc. etc. is so greatly improved when sleeping on my stomach - except, my entire body gets destroyed head down.

Thank you in advance for any input or suggestions!

[ChicagoGranny]

is there a sensible solution to train myself to keep the mouth shut?

Some claim to have done it by training the tip of the tongue to stay on the roof of the mouth. Many others have had no success. Human anatomies vary.

Is there some magic chin strap that will gently force me to keep the jaw shut?

No.

my shoulders were just getting destroyed when stomach sleeping.

Your shoulders should not be damaged when sleeping in the proper stomach-sleeping position. Here is a description of the gold standard position for stomach-sleeping - https://www.uarsrelief.com/sleeppositions.html

[haibert88]

Your shoulders should not be damaged when sleeping in the proper stomach-sleeping position. Here is a description of the gold standard position for stomach-sleeping - https://www.uarsrelief.com/sleeppositions.html

I will try this but I just need the right pillow to go under my chest/stomach and also my head.

I cannot sleep without a pillow, even on my stomach. My shoulder naturally slides under the pillow to prop me up.

[ChicagoGranny]

my head.

I cannot sleep without a pillow, even on my stomach. My shoulder naturally slides under the pillow to prop me up.

I'm concerned the pillow will do some damage in the long-term to your neck. Remember what Falcon said,

Personally, I found that it actually took a little time to get used to the position, when I first tried it a few years ago. Now I find it extremely comfortable.)

[zonker]

(NOT my mouth, but my jaw drops)...is there a sensible solution to train myself to keep the mouth shut? Is there some magic chin strap that will gently force me to keep the jaw shut?

you may want to try a firm foam cervical collar. they are found at your drug or grocery store down with the rest of the home health things like bed pans and such.

I also use this method-

viewtopic/p1089718/viewtopic.php?f=1&t= ... s#p1086296

I also use a mouth device which helps keep my tongue to the roof of my mouth-
https://airwaav.com/collections/all?sno ... LaEALw_wcB

it's the one on the upper left.

hope this helps!

[McSleepy]

[...]
A few quick questions for anyone familiar with this:

1. When going back to using my CPAP machine, along with the mouthpiece, tape, and strap....I'm now waking up feeling air leaking from my mouth because I'm used to actually opening my jaw during sleep (NOT my mouth, but my jaw drops)...is there a sensible solution to train myself to keep the mouth shut? Is there some magic chin strap that will gently force me to keep the jaw shut?

and

2. Since I get SOOOOO much better sleep on my stomach - does anyone know of a stomach sleeper's bed? Kind of like the SONU bed that has the arm slot built in for side sleepers...

My patience, control over food, overall mood, the look of my face, etc. etc. etc. is so greatly improved when sleeping on my stomach - except, my entire body gets destroyed head down.

Thank you in advance for any input or suggestions!

I've been sleeping flat on my stomach, face down, most of my life - a rather strong indication that I've had OSA my entire life. I even remember as a child feeling suffocated sleeping on my back and side and turning over, face down. Even now, with IPAP of 21cm H2O, I can still not hold my airways open if I were to turn supine. To your first question: yes, it takes training, but you can get some help by using chin straps and mouth devices, as zonker suggested. I use a rigid mask (not available anymore) to prevent leaks, and the straps are attached to the mask frame. But what I believe is the biggest factor in helping me keep my jaw up and straight (a problem all face-down sleepers know very well) is the custom mouth guard (everything I do for my sleep therapy is custom): I buy those $2.50 silicone trays from Amazon and mold them to fit my teeth. I only use one - on my lower jaw, and just between the teeth (protect your gums!) Eventually, you get trained to bite on it and thus keep your jaw up. To your second question: I use three down pillows to keep me comfortable and in position. My mattress is an old Simmons Beautyrest Harmony, but I have some memory foam pads underneath, so - nothing special. I use the pillows to support my head in a comfortable position, and this even somewhat works at hotels. One pillow is for the head - I sleep with a cheek on one edge or the other. The other two pillows are on each side - to support the body form rolling off. Down is very soft and moldable - it yields (unlike memory foam), and is not elastic (like most others). I have no problems with my shoulders, even though I have had fractures, tears and surgeries on what seems like all my bones and joints - specifically in this case, rotator cuff and other tears reconstruction surgery on my right shoulder; fractured left greater tuberosity of the humerus, torn rotator cuff that I keep in check with continuous physical therapy - I spend hours a day exercising and doing PT, I'm "up there" in age. Not mentioning all the others - reconstructed knees (ACL/MCL/menisci), fractured femur, etc. You have to take care of yourself, if you want good quality of life and being active after 60 (and before that!)

You should be able to find something that works for you. I hope this helps.

Mc Sleepy