Require less sleep using cpap

[ztraw]

I have been on cpap about 2 months and have seen improvement starting from day one. The 2 biggest things I notice is no yawning during the day anymore and requiring less sleep at night (went from 8 to 9 hours a night without cpap to 6 to 7 hours a night with cpap). Does anyone else experience requiring less sleep when on cpap. I am not sure if this is a good thing or not, as your body usually needs more than 6 hours of sleep, although I do feel fully rested after 6 hours. I thought one reason for less sleep maybe due to so many years with poor quality sleep and now that I am having better sleep at night, I don't need as much sleep. I am interested in hearing from anyone with similiar experience. Thanks.

[snnnark]

Hi and welcome!

What you describe is fairly common, and for the reasons you have guessed. It seems that after a few weeks or months of therapy, the sleep time increases to the optimal for each person.

So for now enjoy the extra time and energy!

[BlackSpinner]

In some cases, for example for older women, it was found that we require less sleep and it seems to correlate to longer life.

[zipit555]

I have been using CPAP for about a week and a half now. I have not noticed an immediate difference like you have (not yet anyhow). I am curious, how many out there quit waking up repeatedely through the night after you started CPAP therapy or do you still wake up but because you reach a deeper sleep feel better? I find myself still waking up several times through the night...............I know I know.........probably still adjusting right? But I want it fixed NOW

[Mammal]

I have been on CPAP for just over 4 months, and the longer I go, the less I wake up during the nite. For the first two months I was waking up quite a few times during the nite. In my case, it was mastering the leaks that reduced the wakeups.

[nosenabook]

requiring less sleep at night ... I am not sure if this is a good thing or not ... I am interested in hearing from anyone with similar experience. Thanks.

Same here, after beginning CPAP therapy I seem to need less sleep - although I have been using the CPAP for ahem years.

[snnnark]

I have been using CPAP for about a week and a half now. I have not noticed an immediate difference like you have (not yet anyhow). I am curious, how many out there quit waking up repeatedely through the night after you started CPAP therapy or do you still wake up but because you reach a deeper sleep feel better? I find myself still waking up several times through the night...............I know I know.........probably still adjusting right? But I want it fixed NOW

It may be adjustment or it may be that your therapy is not optimal. Check your leak graphs and your AHI.

[zipit555]

It looks like my leaks are not that much and my AHI has been trending down to under 2. Only 1.5 weeks of therappy so far so evolving. Few bad nights of AHI of like 6 or so.

[Janknitz]

Zipit, I counted exactly 45 days before I first slept through the night on CPAP. Everyone is different, and it doesn't come immediately just because you're impatient. ("I want more patience and I want it NOW!!!!").

Hang in there.

You should start seeing longer and longer times between waking, before you sleep all night.

And, if you can look at your data, you might be able to see if anything (like a sudden pressure spike or a cluster of hypopneas) are responsible for waking you.

[rested gal]

have seen improvement starting from day one. The 2 biggest things I notice is no yawning during the day anymore and requiring less sleep at night (went from 8 to 9 hours a night without cpap to 6 to 7 hours a night with cpap). Does anyone else experience requiring less sleep when on cpap.

I had the same experience you described. Improvement after the first first night. Six or seven hours of good breathin' sleep using cpap seems to do fine for me, too.

[chunkyfrog]

Well, I must be different.
Before CPAP, I was getting up after maybe 4 or 5 hours in bed (I did not say 'sleep') I was avoiding the headaches.
--and going through HELL.
Now, I curl up with a good hose 7 hours, 8, or when I'm sick--10. It really works when you're really sleeping;
and when I'm up--I'm up as long as I need to be.
No "zonking out" unexpectedly.--or when it's embarrassing. . .

[dtsm]

After more than 10 months of therapy, I usually get 7+ hrs and good for the day. What I found is once I'm 'up', can't turn-around and sleep that extra hour. I've tried many times to 'sleep in', just doesn't work

[zipit555]

Well my grilfriend thinks I am being unrealistic in thinking I can eventually get a whole night's sleep. I am optimistic I will get there eventually. Not sure if the times I am waking up are because of a leak or what. In looking at my data it seems I have quit a few hypopneas through the night. Not sure what to make of that yet. Also still trying to figure out if my mouth opens during the night or not.

[italiantribe604]

I have been using mine for almost a year. What I'm concerned with is I use to sleep 8-9 hours with out it and now with my cpap I sleep about 4-5 hours. I'm not sure if this is okay or not. Any comments about this?

[Julie]

4-5 is not enough... look at when you go to bed now... if it's the same time as you used to (prior to Cpap), try waiting an hour longer to reset your body clock. Yes, it's expected that you'll need less sleep on Cpap - the point being that you weren't getting enough useful sleep untreated, but 4-5 is pushing it. And if you guzzled caffeine in any form until starting Cpap, back way off and don't have any after noon if you can help it... it can make a big difference.