Deep Sleep Questions

Looking for some input. Newer CPAP user ([attachment=0]chart 8 28.PNG[/attachment]7/27/18 start). Appreciate all of the help and insight so far.

Switched from Amara View mask to Airfit pillows on 8/21 and are loving them. Feeling much better, no feelings of air starved or hyperventilation type in middle of night. Sleeping more consistently through the night without waking up and feeling a need to adjust mask. AHI since the switch ranges from .32 to 0 averaging around .1 or less AHI so I think those are good numbers and feeling good.

Background - I am an IT analytical type guy....

Two questions:
(1) Should I be at all concerned about leaks? Here is my latest chart. I am NOT wearing a chin strap but also not waking up with dry mouth or sore throat.
(2) I also wear a fitibit ionic which monitors sleep. I am not getting much deep sleep, Only averaging 8% over the last 30 days. I believe the benchmark is more like 12-18% of sleep should be deep sleep. Most of my sleep is charted as light sleep 61% average last 30 days but some days over 70%. Any suggestions for deeper sleep?

I will also say that I don't dream much or remember any dreams at least.

You have nothing to worry about in terms of leaks unless those tiny leaks are waking you up.
No where near bad enough leaks to impact the therapy pressure or machine's ability to sense, respond and record.
It's a prettier leak line than mine.

This deal about not remembering dreams meaning we aren't dreaming....not necessarily true.
First of all we can dream in any sleep stage...doesn't have to be deep or REM sleep.
Secondly...actually for us to remember a dream we have to wake up during it and be awake long enough to form a memory of the dream.
So actually the waking up part is unwanted. We don't really need or want to remember our dreams because it means we woke up and we want to limit our wake ups because wake ups mess with sleep architecture and sleep quality and thus how we feel during the day.

The FitBit devices that measure sleep are basing their estimation of results on heart rate and accelerometer results (assuming a lot of movement means less sleep). While probably close in a lot of regards it's not the gospel. To actually know for sure the sleep statues in terms of which sleep stage we have to be using EEG leads.

From my point of view even if it were the gospel it is not so easy to change your sleep cycles...like what can you do about it if you only get 10% REM vs the 20% usual average for most people. We can look at the usual suspects that might be impacting sleep quality and make some changes if at all possible but we really don't have much control in that area.
Some medications affect sleep quality as well as the sleep stages....so if you are on any medications of any kind dig deep in the research as to the least little potential side effect that might impact sleep.
Other health issues can also impact sleep quality...pain, etc. Bed comfort can also impact things. About all we can do is try to reduce those other potential culprits for messing with sleep quality and its often trial and error.

So what do we do in the meantime....we evaluate how we feel in general because ultimately your body will tell you what is happening. Won't always tell you how to fix a problem but it will usually tell you that you have some sort of problem.

I like the FitBit idea...it probably comes close in a lot of areas but I had one (until it quit charging) and it wasn't always correct.
I had it tell me I was asleep when I knew for sure I wasn't...it's not perfect and it can and will be wrong sometimes. I took what it told me with a grain of salt. For me I think it also over estimated light sleep and under estimated deeper sleep. Maybe because I toss and turn a lot from arthritis pain issues.
When I had a bad night in terms of pain and lots of wake ups....I really didn't need the FitBit to affirm it...my body already told me I slept like crap.

Now I think I remember reading about a device that a person can use at home that actually does measure EEG brain waves which is the ultimate data point for really knowing for sure the sleep stages...but I can't remember for sure what it was...it's new and that to me means unproven.

Barring a sleep study (you can get a home study with EEG leads and it's called a Type II study) there is no easy, cheap way to 100% know for sure the actual sleep stages.

1) nope.
2) *guesses* at sleep, not monitors sleep stages.

Remembering dreams is *bad*, it's a sign of fractured sleep.

palerider wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:35 am

Remembering dreams is *bad*, it's a sign of fractured sleep.

It means you were awoken WHILE still dreaming so that a memory formed. Fractured sleep. Bad.

...although, I don't even WANT to remember some of my drea....nightmares.

There is an option on the fitbit preferences/setup to select a more detailed reading. I am sorry I can't remember the exact wording. Once I selected that option, my sleep was recorded as more typical/normal.

If you haven't already, try that and see if it makes a difference. It won't change your sleep just the report on your sleep.

Thanks - I changed the fitbit setting for sleep from normal to sensitive