looking for tricks to sleeping on my side...please!

Hello
I have a take-home sleep study in two days.
I normally sleep on my back and have severe sleep apnea.
I occasionally sleep on my side, also.

I want to try sleeping on my side throughout the night during the take-home sleep study.
If you know of a way to help me do this, please let me know.
I don't have time to order something through the mail.
Thank you.

For a few months, Gramps put a big, empty plastic bottle in a small backpack.

You can also put a pocket t-shirt on backwards with a tennis ball in the pocket.

But why do you want to have your test while you sleep in a position that doesn't come naturally to you?

The object is not to 'pass' the test... the thing should be able to tell your position, give it some of left, right, and back... it records separate AHI numbers for each, this tells the doctor things they want to know. When I went in for my lab titration the tech told me during the second half to sleep on my back... now I have a bi-level prescription and I can sleep in any position (at higher pressures). Good luck.

If you want to take a decent sleep study don't do it at home. Go to his sleep lab and try to sleep very little of the night before and make sure somebody picks you up or you take a cab home because you will be without sleep. But that's normal for you now. I have taken my first sleep study which was a complete disaster it was a half an hour and all the electrodes I was attached to in 2003 made it impossible for me to sleep. The second one probably was around 2010 and I did that one in my doctor's office because they had a sleep lab there that's my internist's office where they also had a sleep doctor and RTs, I'm like the first one they had to wake me up at 6:30 to go home. So I did sleep but I was so used getting good sleep because I was on a machine for 7 years I wasn't used to it and the drive back I have to tell you was dangerous. I think I almost hit something. Luckily I was able to keep myself awake until I got home and then went to sleep. But that's where I got my first decent results. In 2017 or 18 when I thought I'd be getting an air curve 11 my sleep doctor who is a ENT, said I have to do a sleep study and since I already had my numbers I thought it was an absolutely ridiculous thing to do because I was on a machine that adjusted to what I needed, so really there was no need for sleep study except for Social Security or the doctor just wanted me to do it. It was a complete waste and it was as good as my first half hour sleep study in 2003. So if you really want good information don't waste your time with the home unit. If you can do it the sleep lab is so much better.

So the other part of this is when they have crappy sleep studies they just give you a wide range and the Machine will adjust to what you need and how you're breathing. It does what it sleep study does every night. Have to sleep study they titrate the machines which means they keep changing the settings and then they get the information how you did at those different settings. With the automatic machines like the air curve 10 or 11 or the air sense 10 or 11 the algorithms will find the best setup for you and set it.

I think you're better off having both, at least one legitimate good sleep study and a self-titrating machine.

Miss Emerita wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 08, 2024 11:53 am

You can also put a pocket t-shirt on backwards with a tennis ball in the pocket.

But why do you want to have your test while you sleep in a position that doesn't come naturally to you?

yes...a great question that, perhaps, I should have explained, except that I would be pummeled.
But here you go...

I want to do a long distance bicycling tour...for months at a time.
I have two 3 lb batteries that I can use that give me enough juice for 2 nights apiece...not bad.
But when you add up the weight of the batteries, BIPAP unit, cleaning supplies, protection cases. hoses...etc...it gets pretty heavy and takes loads of time to set up and take down every night and takes time to stop somewhere and charge the batteries. And there are no guarantees about places and time to recharge things.

I am willing to do all that...but if it is possible to sleep in a position that will not impact my health in a dramatic fashion, at least a few times a week...or in case something breaks...then I can feel better about hitting the "anything can happen" road.

I realize how crazy this all sounds. But I am 67 and this is the last hurrah...so to speak. I still want to go out in the world and do difficult, uncomfortable, some-what crazy things. There ya go.

Got it, and have a great trip!

Putting pillow between my knees has helped comfort tremendously, I think I struggled too until I did that.

Bicycle generator seems the obvious solution... only engage on downhills along with braking, perhaps. Obviously try this rig before taking off. I still think there's no reason to change your sleep study to do this... make sure they record all sleep position data, as most do. Practice sleeping on your side, use a pillow behind you... your CPAP machine will tell you how good you do. We still don't know your AHI numbers or if you're even currently a patient.

nmevan wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 08, 2024 10:10 pm

I want to do a long distance bicycling tour...for months at a time.

Forget the sleep test. Try sleeping one month at home without CPAP.

Sounds like you need to fail the test, sleep on your back! I only have apnea's on my back not on my sides. I'm 62 and very active but not in the physical sense like you. I have a three week program that I try to adhere to religiously. Week one, Stay at home and do nothing but rest and relax, mow lawn, pay bills etc... week 2, spend as much time surf fishing and boat fishing as I am able to do and week 3, camp at a campground in my new travel trailer on the shore with as little human interaction as possible. I just had a Carotid Artery clog on Dec 31st and am looking at my time the same way you are looking at your time. I wish you all the luck in the world with everything including your new CPAP life.
Cheers, Joe

Yeah big pillow behind you and small pillow between knees is what helped me stay sleeping on my side. I used to be a purely mouth breather and back sleeper, now I use a nasal mask (with very minimal leaking at night) and I sleep on my side. It’s all practice and repetition. Just like with anything else.

I did discover recently reading on my tablet reader an hour before bed basically puts me asleep while reading it. Much nicer and better than being on my computer/phone like I’ve been doing 20 years!