Still no sleep

Hello everybody.Its been just over a month since starting theropy and still cant fall asleep with the mask on.I will go to bed when i feel im tired but the mask will stay on for about 2 or 3 hours before i take it off.The mask doesnt seem to feel as intrusive as it once did,so i wish i could find the secret to falling asleep with it on.Hopefully it will all work itself out,it just seems like forever some nights.Atleast we all have this forum to turn to for encouragement and advice.All done venting,thanks for the ear

bighorn1,

I bid you a sad welcome to my CPAP-induced insomnia club. I've been battling CPAP-induced insomnia off and on for about three months now. You can search for posts by me. You'll find all kinds of really useful tips to try from many kind posters to the forum in response to my saga. The latest set of posts is at viewtopic/t58596/The-insomnia-monster-r ... gain-.html and contains a wealth of information about all kinds of strategies for dealing with serious, insomnia that extends beyond mere CPAP related issues. But many of the things the kind posters have told me in that thread may help you.

Good sleep hygiene is a key, however, and that may be one of the problems you are facing. You write that you "still cant fall asleep with the mask on.I will go to bed when i feel im tired but the mask will stay on for about 2 or 3 hours before i take it off." It may sound counter-intuitive, but you may be working to hard trying to stay in bed to try to fall asleep with the mask on. May I offer this suggestion from Insomnia 101:

Do NOT lie in bed more than 30 minutes with the mask on if you cannot get to sleep with the mask on. If you are still awake at the end of 30 minutes with the mask on, get up out of your nice warm bed, go into a different room and do something relaxing and enjoyable---but do NOT fall asleep. Only go back to the bedroom when you fell sleepy enough to try falling asleep with the mask on again. At that point, put the mask on and give yourself another 30 minutes to fall asleep. Repeat the process several times if necessary. And try as best you can to still get up at the same time the next morning (yes, it's horrible) and not nap during the day.

Your welcome Bighorn. No problem. Keep at it, don't let the frustration grow too much, it wil come with time as you find what you like and what works for you. Took me a year to get to where I could wear it through the night. Went through a couple different masks, learned what to do with my hose, what kind of pillow, learning to get a good shave and wash the mask seal right before bed, how to get a good comfortable seal, aroma therapy, all kinds of things I've played around with to tweak and get things dialed in. Now, my mask is akin to a security blanket and a pacifier for me. I can't get to sleep without it. Keep up the good work, keep trying different things and before long you'll be a pro and sleeping like a baby.

Hi,

I wonder your insomnia pre-dates the mask? I have had it for a long time, and use medications to go to sleep. Three months into compliance, I will be SLOWLY titrating off of them.

Some Melatonin might help or half a Unisom (OTC sleep med).

I have a theory for my insomnia -- it was keeping me alive, keeping me from dying in my sleep. The body has such wisdom. I have to actively tell myself it is safe to sleep now.

It's such a hard thing, and I am sorry we are in this boat. Know I am with you as are so many others.

Bear Hugs,
MoonBear

Welcome fellow Ontarian! Sometimes we worry too much about not being able to fall asleep that it contributes to our insomnia, I agree with the other comment. Don't be afraid to speak with your Doc re not being able to stay asleep. I had insomnia for years before I found the right med to put me to sleep. It's better since I started CPAP but still had to take something for a couple of months. Once you get over the hurdle things will get better.

bighorn1 wrote:Hello everybody.Its been just over a month since starting theropy and still cant fall asleep with the mask on.I will go to bed when i feel im tired but the mask will stay on for about 2 or 3 hours before i take it off.The mask doesnt seem to feel as intrusive as it once did,so i wish i could find the secret to falling asleep with it on.Hopefully it will all work itself out,it just seems like forever some nights.Atleast we all have this forum to turn to for encouragement and advice.All done venting,thanks for the ear

What is your pressure? If it feels too high, then lower it until it is comfortable. Once you can sleep at a lower pressure, then work your way up to your titrated pressure.

Try taking a nap with it. If you lie down in the afternoon when there is no pressure to fall asleep, you may be able to relax more and get used to falling asleep with it on.

Try going to bed without wearing it, but sett your alarm a couple of hours before get-up time. Have the mask available. Don't get up, just put it on and turn on the machine. Then lie back down and see if you can drift back to sleep with it on. I have a much easier time falling asleep when it's time to get up. If that works, back up the "mid-sleep" alarm a few nights to see if you can get to the point of going to bed with it on at the beginning.

Hang in there, and use some creative thinking and positive attitude.