sleeping on your back verboten?

I'm a side and stomach sleeper but I actually would like to sleep on my back--never could. Except last night I managed to sleep on my back most the night through, although I woke up every few hours--which is typical. My ahi was fine: 1.2. I didn't notice any real irregularities on the encore basic read out either. A while ago a dme told me that it doesn't matter if I sleep on my back if I'm using cpap. So there's that. I may be on the verge of learning to back sleep--flat out bad idea with apnea or o.k. as long as my numbers are fine?

I have a history of afib that comes on during the night. Last night I was awoken by mild tachycardia, which resolved after a little time and a beta blocker. With no real reason, I 'think' that sleeping on my back would be better in terms of afib etc. I'm looking into this now. Hence, my interest in back sleeping. You can't win for losing sometimes!

I sleep supine for maybe a third of every night and love it. I do prop my head up a bit with some pillows. My AHI is a little bit higher but that's an acceptable trade-off since I get too much joint pain from continuous side sleeping, especially my shoulder joints. Pain is a deal-breaker for good sleep, at least for me.

What can I say?... I'm an old coot, I easily get sore joints But hey, everybody is different, so please do what feels good and works for you. A-fib and side-sleeping is another issue which maybe your cardiologist can advise you about. I kind of remember something about not sleep on your left side, but don't quote me on that.

Back sleeping matters more if your apnea is UNTREATED, and it is more worrisome if your apnea is positional,
as apnea may be worse on ones back. Pick whatever position feels best, as long as your numbers are good.
As we age, comfort is elusive. It's OK to take it wherever we can.

If the machine is doing it's job holding the airway open then it doesn't matter what position we sleep in.
Gotta get the sleep first.
I am of the opinion that people should sleep in whatever position affords the best sleep and just make sure the machine is set to deal with it.

Now if there happened to be some really big differences in the supine vs side sleeping pressures someone might want to stay on their side just to avoid using higher pressures but that's their choice.

Not everyone will have their OSA be markedly worse or need huge pressure differences when sleeping on the backs anyway. My OSA happens to be worse in REM sleep and I also happen to need significantly higher pressures during REM sleep. Supine sleeping doesn't seem to be much of an issue but REM sure is.
I don't/can't/want to reduce REM so I just let the machine sort it out. That's why I prefer auto adjusting pressure machines....so the machine uses the higher pressure only when needed and not all the time.

I have always been a back and side sleeper. I was told that during my sleep study I did have less events when I slept on my side. I don't roll during the night nearly as much as I used to, mainly because I now have a hose to deal with getting caught or pulled. But, I don't worry about what position I sleep in while I'm using my machine because I figure that's why I use the machine - so I can sleep on my back if I want. I do have an ASV so it auto adjust's and I don't have to worry.

As Pugs stated, sleep in the position you like. You get the therapy with the machine, and the whole point is to be comfortable. If you can't have chocolate, a beer, French fries... I can keep going!! ... once in a while, then you are cheating yourself in your life. Just sayin'

Sheriff

thanks for all of the responses! Good news! Now if I can only learn to sleep on my back for real, without bad cpap consequences.

Oh just one more question: I 'thought' that sleeping on my back with my head as flat as possible was best. If my head is raised, say on a second pillow, even though that actually just keeps my head in line with my body, that would more likely cause my airway to collapse. but is this true? Because it looks like a cervical collar raises your head while laying flat.

hegel wrote:Oh just one more question: I 'thought' that sleeping on my back with my head as flat as possible was best. If my head is raised, say on a second pillow, even though that actually just keeps my head in line with my body, that would more likely cause my airway to collapse. but is this true? Because it looks like a cervical collar raises your head while laying flat.

Only YOU can know for sure. Not all users' airways collapse in that area. OSA affects people differently.
Just try what you want to and monitor your data.

Personally, I can't sleep on my back.......at all.


Den

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In concept, tilting your head back as far as possible is best. That's what they teach in CPR class. In practice for apnea/CPAP, that doesn't seem as clear cut. Figure out what works for you.

This is what you do for CPR to open the airway, but it doesn't seem that useful or practical for sleep apnea. I wonder if anyone's ever studied head tilt as a treatment for apnea.

hegel wrote:I'm a side and stomach sleeper but I actually would like to sleep on my back--never could. Except last night I managed to sleep on my back most the night through, although I woke up every few hours--which is typical. My ahi was fine: 1.2. I didn't notice any real irregularities on the encore basic read out either. A while ago a dme told me that it doesn't matter if I sleep on my back if I'm using cpap. So there's that. I may be on the verge of learning to back sleep--flat out bad idea with apnea or o.k. as long as my numbers are fine?

I have a history of afib that comes on during the night. Last night I was awoken by mild tachycardia, which resolved after a little time and a beta blocker. With no real reason, I 'think' that sleeping on my back would be better in terms of afib etc. I'm looking into this now. Hence, my interest in back sleeping. You can't win for losing sometimes!

Sleeping on your back increases the risks of apnea episodes. So, it's a problem WITHOUT therapy. With therapy, shouldn't be a problem. They do titration based on your numbers on your back. An Auto-machine will do it automatically. I also used to be a back sleeper and sleeping on my side is actually causing me problems now. I'm gradually moving back to the back sleeping. I'm saving up to get a new soft-sided waterbed again. I slept SO good in a waterbed! One doctor INSISTED it was causing my back problems, so I got rid of the bed but have regretted it ever since. I since found out that I actually have 2 degenerating disks, which cause my pain, and a waterbed actually helps. Just make sure your pillow is not tilting your head forward. I may have to switch to one of those contour pillows until I can afford to buy new pillows. The new pillows I bought at Macy's are crap compared to the ones I used to be able to get at Daytons.

One definite advantage for me when I sleep on my back is that my leak stats improve A LOT ! Presumably this happens because I'm not smushing my FFM out of position by cramming it into the pillow while I'm sleeping on my side.