Dreams and APAP

So lately I have noticed that the times that I am not using my APAP machine, I remember having a dream (though not necessarily the content of the dream). I never seem to remember that I was dreaming when using the APAP. For example, last night I was extremely tired and got in bed and didn't mask up. A bit later my husband woke me up to mask up. I was dreaming. Other times I would wake up in the middle of night to go the bathroom and get back in bed and fall asleep before I could mask up. When I would wake up, I would remember having a dream. I don't remember ever having dreams when I was using the APAP. My AHIs are good, ranging between 2 and 3. Maybe it is just me, but I find it a bit strange.

Why aren't you using Apap every single time you sleep?

I have read that we don't usually remember dreams unless we wake up during them.
In general the lack of remembered dreams in association with cpap therapy simply means that we aren't waking up so much (from the apnea events causing the wake ups) so we don't have a chance to wake up during a dream and remember it. It's a good thing actually. I bet you are still dreaming but you just don't wake up during one to remember it.

In full harmony with Pugsy and Julie: The more of the awkwardly bad-timed awakenings that you have, the more likely you are to become aware of dreams. So remembering dreams is not generally considered an indication of good sleep. (Though not universally considered an indication of bad sleep, either, depending.) For many, good sleep while using PAP now means that remembering dreams takes more effort for them (such as lying perfectly still when waking up in the morning and consciously trying to recall dreams before moving a muscle). During good uninterrupted sleep on PAP, you are still dreaming dreams. In fact, your dreams when on PAP are now less likely to be interrupted by the self-strangulation of being off PAP. As Julie says, it is best to use PAP every single time you sleep, even for naps--and especially any time that you are likely to sleep long enough to make it into REM (even though dreaming can occur in any stage of sleep).

Thanks Pugsy. That makes sense. And for the record, I do my best to use my APAP all the time, but sometimes I fall asleep literally as soon as my head hits the pillow, which is what happened last night. Also, when I get up at night, I am sometimes groggy when I get back to bed and I fall asleep immediately.

Cavalier wrote: . . . but sometimes . . .

Happens to me sometimes too.

jnk... wrote:

Cavalier wrote: . . . but sometimes . . .

Happens to me sometimes too.

I am glad I am not alone! I do try to use my APAP all the time but 100% perfection is sometimes difficult in real life.

Cavalier wrote:

jnk... wrote:

Cavalier wrote: . . . but sometimes . . .

Happens to me sometimes too.

I am glad I am not alone! I do try to use my APAP all the time but 100% perfection is sometimes difficult in real life.

Please remember me when you rule the world.

I put my mask on while sitting upright on the edge of the bed...that way no chance of falling asleep without the mask. I have done it that way for so long that if I happen to lay down first (rarely happens) that I have to make and extra effort to get the mask all situated.
I have my mask in my hand before I even sit down....just a habit now and second nature.

Now the middle of the night thing...that's usually a bit harder because we aren't fully alert but it's so are that I have to get up in the middle of the night that it's really a non issue at least for me.

BUT...if you make it a habit of "no laying down without the mask being on" there's a good chance the habit will carryover to the middle of the night when we are less alert.

Cavalier wrote:So lately I have noticed that the times that I am not using my APAP machine, I remember having a dream

the brain is unable to form memories when asleep, so the only time you remember dreams is when you're roused either during, or after them.

when you've got your apap on, you're sleeping through them, and they fade away shortly after they're over.

this means you're sleeping better with the apap.

Cavalier wrote:Thanks Pugsy. That makes sense. And for the record, I do my best to use my APAP all the time, but sometimes I fall asleep literally as soon as my head hits the pillow, which is what happened last night. Also, when I get up at night, I am sometimes groggy when I get back to bed and I fall asleep immediately.

put the mask on before you put your head on the pillow then.