sleep study and sleeping on one's side/back

[sleepyinmississippi]

Good evening CPAPTalkers!
Is it possible to get a sleep study done while sleeping part of the night on one's side?
I read another post from someone who referred to his side Apnea Hypopnea Index.
My sleep technician never gave me the option of sleeping on my side--but if he did and I discovered my apnea was much less worse while doing so, I would want to know that (I know apnea is worst while sleeping on one's back.)
Please let me know if you've had a Sleep test partially on your side and how much time you spend on your side vs. sleeping on your back--I'll know to ask for one next time.

[SleepDepraved2]

The technician I had asked me how I usually slept. I told her I always started on my side and sometimes ended up on my stomach. She told me I could sleep however I wanted but I would have to spend at least 30 to 40 minutes sleeping on my back so she would have the numbers for that. If I didn't sleep on my back, I would have had to do the study over. She said that most people who don't sleep on their back do spend a little time sleeping that way without realizing it and the doctor wants to know what your numbers are while on your back. So I slept on my side except for about 30 to 40 minutes I spent on my back.

[sleepyinmississippi]

Sleepdepraved,
If I may ask, what was your AHI on your back vs. your AHI on your side?

[SleepDepraved2]

Sleepdepraved,
If I may ask, what was your AHI on your back vs. your AHI on your side?

You may ask, indeed, but I have not been given the privilege of seeing my own sleep study, so I don't know.

I plan on asking for a copy at my next appointment.

[tiredmama]

I've forgotten the numbers, but I had 2-3 times as many AHIs on my back as on my side, and I didn't spend that much time on my back. Now when I look at my data in sleepyhead, I see clusters of hypopneas and sometimes apneas and wonder if I'm sleeping on my back when that happens. (I try to avoid sleeping on my back because I know my breathing is much worse and I had to wait a while to start CPAP.) I can see how an APAP could be nice to have to increase pressure if needed with a position change, but I had to fight to get a data capable CPAP from the DME as it was.

[zoocrewphoto]

Good evening CPAPTalkers!
Is it possible to get a sleep study done while sleeping part of the night on one's side?
I read another post from someone who referred to his side Apnea Hypopnea Index.
My sleep technician never gave me the option of sleeping on my side--but if he did and I discovered my apnea was much less worse while doing so, I would want to know that (I know apnea is worst while sleeping on one's back.)
Please let me know if you've had a Sleep test partially on your side and how much time you spend on your side vs. sleeping on your back--I'll know to ask for one next time.

My sleep tech told me I could sleep in any position I wanted. She only asked me not to prop myself up on the headboard. I did a split night study. I slept for 150 minutes during the diagnostic portion. I slept on my back for 20.9% of that time. On my side, my AHI was 73.6. On my back, my AHI was 99.

During the titration portion, I slept for 284 minutes. I slept on my back for only 13.3% of the time. They determined that a pressure of 11-13 was sufficient was most of my sleep (side sleeping), but they weren't quite sure how much I needed for sleeping on my back since I had only done it twice while asleep during the titration. They determined that I would do best with the apap machine with a range of 11-17, and that has been just about perfect. It doesn't go up high very often, but it has been 16.8 many times and up to 17 for a few short times. And I am definitely feeling better and having success with treatment.

I can also see the graphs that show my oxygen levels during the night. And my sleep patterns. You can see a huge difference between the diagnosis phase and the titration phase. And there are only two spots that show lower oxygen levels during the titration phase. And those were the two times I was on my back. I have found that, even at home, I sleep on my side more, and my back less, while using my apap machine. I have no idea why. But I am aware that I rarely wake on my back now.

I think it is very odd that a sleep study would insist on sleeping in one position. I realize that sleeping on the back tends to be worse, so yes, they would like to see examples of it. But if the difference in positions makes a big difference in pressures needed, then that can be very important in treatment. I need up to 17 for when I sleep on my back, but it would be harder to sleep at 17 ALL night. And certainly not needed.

[DavidCarolina]

When I did my sleep studies I intentionally slept on my back. I wanted the "worst" of the possible data to show up. I never told them
that im a natural back sleeper and that it has caused me unending problems for 2 years.

Ive finally got a system rigged up to prevent rollover.

Its funny and ironic, but backsleeping is perfect for my back but hard on my back itself. Lots of aches and pains ( i have disc problem down there as diagnosed
at mayo clinic). But at this point, all that matters is correct breathing both at night and day.

[xenablue]

I had a split study and was able to sleep in any position I wanted to begin with. Then I was asked to sleep on my side only, then back only - both before and after them fitting me with a mask.

I can't recall the numbers but my AHI was astoundingly higher when on my back - even with the CPAP on.

cheers,
xena

[123.Shawn T.W.]

I was asked to try to sleep on my back, but also told I could sleep any way I wanted ... Sleep was the important part!

I use to sleep on my back the majority of the night, now ... Within the last 6 months I find that I tend to prefer my right side then left, hardly ever on my back ...

[Grand-PAP]

Hi sleepyinmississippi,

On my sleep study I averaged AHI of 26 and 60+ on my back. I have tried many things to prevent sleeping on my back, but with limited success.

Ive finally got a system rigged up to prevent rollover.

DavidCarolina,

Why don't you share what you rigged?

[Stacita]

I had my studies on two separate nights. Both nights I told the techs during setup that I don't sleep well on my back and asked what they wanted me to do. In both cases they told me they needed a certain amount of back time, but not all night. They suggested I try to start out the night on my back, get that out of the way, and then if I rolled over later after they'd had enough data they wouldn't have to wake me up.

Both studies I slept the first part of the night on my back, which doesn't work well for me but I suffered through it, and then later flopped over on my side/stomach and was a much happier girl.

I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but pre-mask, my numbers were something like AHI of 30 on my back and 9 on my side/stomach (the report didn't specify), so I can definitely see why they needed the back-sleeping time to figure out the worst-case scenario for me.

[sleepyinmississippi]

To DavidCarolina,
Please do share (or PM me) with what you rigged up so that you don't sleep on your back.
I don't think I could naturally sleep on my side unless I had some sort of system.

[Kerr]

Hi sleepyinmississippi,

On my sleep study I averaged AHI of 26 and 60+ on my back. I have tried many things to prevent sleeping on my back, but with limited success.

Why don't you share what you rigged?

I started sleeping on my side years ago when I started dealing with acid reflux. Since then I only sleep on my side and have had significantly reduced issues with reflux. My method is four pillows. Two under my head, one between my knees/thighs, perpendicular to my torso, and one pillow against my chest that I lean into and somewhat wrap my arm around. The one between the legs helps better align the spine too. When I did my sleep study they FORCED me to sleep on my back even though I told them I don't ever do that, and while on my back had serious Centrals. During the night though, I twice said screw it and turned onto my side. While on my side 90% of the Centrals vanished. The markedly would show up while on my back and then go away when the chart showed me on my side. The ECG or whatever which showed the sleep process of falling deeper asleep showed a perfectly healthy process too, while when they had me on my back it was erratic with a lot of arousals. My first sleep study with no titration came back with about 50 AHI while on my side, since I've been using an APAP machine a month ago I'm now at a 4.9 AHI on the last 7 days, 6.9 on last 30 days.

[sleepyinmississippi]

One last question (perhaps a dumb one): is sleeping on one's stomach just as bad for one's apnea as sleeping on your back?

[tiredmama]

I don't know the answer to your last question, but I can tell you that when I lay flat on my back and relax, I can feel my airway closing. So it makes perfect sense to me that my AHIs are much higher on my back. From what I understand on this board, position is a bigger factor for some people than others.