Can't wake up at all...and that's on CPAP..!

[trojans74]

Hi everyone,

I've been off and on cpap for almost 5 yrs now. I usually try to wake up around 6:30am. I usually try to get to bed by 12-12:30am. I noticed that some days when I sleep around 12:30-1am, I literally cannot wake up. There have been days I have woken up @ 9am with no recollection of anything...meaning I never heard any of my (3) alarm clocks and cell phone alarm going off for an hour. I am a statistical analyst with a lot of responsibilities and I am scared to use the mask on days I have important meetings or big projects.....fearing that I won't wake up. The days where I was 1-2 hours late to work, I couldn't really give them a 'medical' explanation of why I was late, but those few untimely instances have caused me to use my mask less frequently these days.

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? Thank you.

[Wulfman]

Hi everyone,

I've been off and on cpap for almost 5 yrs now. I usually try to wake up around 6:30am. I usually try to get to bed by 12-12:30am. I noticed that some days when I sleep around 12:30-1am, I literally cannot wake up. There have been days I have woken up @ 9am with no recollection of anything...meaning I never heard any of my (3) alarm clocks and cell phone alarm going off for an hour. I am a statistical analyst with a lot of responsibilities and I am scared to use the mask on days I have important meetings or big projects.....fearing that I won't wake up. The days where I was 1-2 hours late to work, I couldn't really give them a 'medical' explanation of why I was late, but those few untimely instances have caused me to use my mask less frequently these days.

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? Thank you.

I would say that, "statistically", you need to get to bed much earlier.

It would also help if you filled in your profile with your equipment and the pressure you're using in your machine.
Do you have a data-capable machine? The "statistics" (data) from it could help you immensely.


Den

[Julie]

There are many reasons you could be having trouble, not the least of which is trying to confine yourself to 6 hrs sleep (why?). Without knowing what mask and machine models you use though, it's hard to know where to start.

[kurth83]

My guess would be that with CPAP you sleep better, deeper, more soundly,
and since you are operating at a major deficit you sleep through earthquakes and cell phones.

3 alarm clocks sounds like you are compensating for being a heavy sleeper already,
so when exhausted (and are not being awaked by apnea) you sleep as much as you need.

Sounds like your body is talking to you and you should listen to it.

Sleeping without the mask returns you to the insomnia of apnea, so you wake up easier,
but that isn't really a good thing in this case.

I was sleeping 9.5-10 hours with apnea, and never felt fully rested.
With the mask it dropped to about 8.5 on most days, but I still give myself 9 hours of sack time
in case I am a bit tired that day (and coffee to me is pure poison).
One thing you learn hanging around in apnea circles is just how many nasty long-term
health problems can be caused by sleep deficits.

[JuanBoy]

From my standpoint, I would love to have that problem.

[DreamOn]

Trojans74, I agree with what everyone else has said, and I think it's a good idea to consider all their suggestions. I have another thought as well. It is possible that your sleep apnea is not being effectively treated.

You said that you've been using CPAP, on and off, for 5 years now. Is your machine fully data capable? Are you able to read your therapy results from the machine, such as AHI and the leak rate, to determine how effective your treatment is? How are you feeling during the daytime, after you drag yourself out of bed? It could be that your pressure needs have changed, or pressure was never set correctly. When is the last time you had a sleep study?

If you let us know which specific machine you're using, we can help you determine if it is one that can report useful therapy results information. Also, are you taking any medications that could be interfering with your sleep -- sleep aids, antidepressants, etc.?

I do hope you figure this out soon so you can get some good sleep. You're obviously needing more hours and/or better quality sleep than you're getting now.

[roster]

.... I am a statistical analyst ....

You should know: Without data answering your question is just guessing. If you don't have a data-capable machine get one.

If you do, what does the data show about the effectiveness of your therapy?

[kteague]

I agree with those who have already posted. Just thinking this through logically... If you sleep without cpap and are getting poor quality sleep, you are probably always in the light stages of sleep, so can wake up easier. Add chronic short sleep and nights without treatment, and it's reasonable to expect that when you do use your machine you will crash hard and sleep deep and you will have a hard time waking. Maybe rethink your approach. I don't know your life commitments. Some people short sleep because it is required of them for a period of time. If there is anything at all you can do to change that, I really think it's your best hope of gaining and maintaining some normalcy in your sleep life, not to mention in your daytime functioning. An even keel in your sleep schedule and cpap use will most likely lead you to a place of being able to wake up just fine even when on cpap. For a short period you will likely need to "catch up" then things should level off. Then you will have more predictability in your ability to be not only awake but also alert for your work day. You've already found the hit-and-miss approach isn't working. Until you can make a change, I don't foresee a change in the results you've seen thusfar. If you do try a more consistent schedule, let us know how that goes, and how long it takes for things to stabilize for you. Best wishes.