The explanation of REM rebound still does not make sense. Can you provide a link to some scientific or medical literature than discusses this phenomenon? I mean this sincerely---I'd like to see some scientific data/discussion about this issue and how it's been studied.
The idea that I'm spending all my sleep time in REM is intriguing to say the least. I know that it's very possible to get to REM and not remember dreams. For me, most of the time, when I wake up in the morning I can tell that I've been in REM (for a reasonable amount of time) even if I don't remember my dreams. In other words, I can remember that I have dreamed even when I can't remember what I've dreamed about.
During the first two exhausting weeks on CPAP, I didn't wake up feeling like I had done much dreaming---except for the couple of nights I woke up with really bad nightmare dreams of the sort that I never had prior to CPAP. Now, six weeks into therapy, I feel like I am dreaming more like I used to do before CPAP. In other words, on an average morning, I wake up knowing that I have been dreaming, but not necessarily remembering my dreams. That's one small part of why I am beginning to feel better too, I think.
The Guest also wrote:
My problems with pressure were related to the pressure being too high, not too low. I started out with straight CPAP at 9cm and felt like it was killing me. I'm now using APAP with a prescribed pressure range of 4--8cm, and while I still feel exhausted and sleepy, I am also much better than I was before the pressure reduction. [AHI numbers are roughly the same too.] I really think the extra pressure was causing additional symptoms that were indicating my body was being subjected to unnecessary stress caused by too high of a pressure and that unnecessary physical stress was significantly contributing to my fatigue and daytime sleepiness.Robysue let me first say that I am glad you are now on APAP. Perhaps a portion of your trouble was an inadequate pressure.
JohnBFisher also wrote:
Already doing the extra exercise routine. I've already found that getting back into doing an hour or so of yoga every evening is critical both to helping me get to sleep at a semi-reasonable time and also seems to make me feel better the next day.Robysue, in addition to what The Guest noted, you might want to try some mile exercise late in the afternoon, very earlier in the evening. A longer walk is the type of thing that can help. I agree with what The Guest notes. It sure sounds as if you are struggling with REM rebound. A little bit of exercise will help you feel better. And trust me, I know just how hard it can be to do when you don't feel like it.
I'd quit doing the yoga a couple of years back because the AFS exchange students we've been hosting had keep us hopping with various activities and blocking out the time was difficult. Well, we're hosting two young men this year, too, and they keep us hopping with activities. But if I don't get my yoga in, I can't seem to get to sleep or stay asleep. So regardless of how it fits in with everybody's schedule, I get the yoga done maybe 5 out of every 7 days!
And finally, have no fear: I'm determined to make this work. As a mathematician I've got a great deal of appreciation of the statistics concerning what untreated sleep apnea can lead too. So if I can ever get back to simply feeling as good as I did before starting CPAP, I'll be delighted, because at that point I'll have no trouble continuing to use it as a way of preventing the nasty things that apnea can lead too.
