How Long Before You Slept Through the Night?

I have been using CPAP for about 5 weeks now and have yet to sleep more than three hours at a time. My normal routine is to wake every 1 to 1.5 hours with an occasional 2 or 2.5 hour stretch in there. I am still fidgeting with my mask at night, so I know that is a factor. Also, I just got my AHI down under 5 per hour in the last week, so that is probably another factor. Some of this may also be habit, from years of untreated apnea. For those who have been using this treatment a while, When did things finally settle down for you and you slept most of the night?

I've been on cpap therapy 14 months, and still wake up during the night. Usually 3-4 times a night, but I am able to get right back to sleep. I used to worry about it, but realized that it's normal for me, to wake up and turn over, or take a drink of water, or adjust the bed covers or pillows, then go back to sleep. I still feel well rested, and my AHI is very low.

Just completed my first 12 months of therapy, didn't start sleeping through the night until month 4-5. Still wake up every once in a while. It usually takes a few months to get 'caught up'....good luck and keep at it

KatieW wrote:I've been on cpap therapy 14 months, and still wake up during the night. Usually 3-4 times a night, but I am able to get right back to sleep. I used to worry about it, but realized that it's normal for me, to wake up and turn over, or take a drink of water, or adjust the bed covers or pillows, then go back to sleep. I still feel well rested, and my AHI is very low.

Thank you, thinking back now--I guess I never really slept through the whole night, so it might be moot to think I will now. I am glad you pointed that out!

dtsm wrote:Just completed my first 12 months of therapy, didn't start sleeping through the night until month 4-5. Still wake up every once in a while. It usually takes a few months to get 'caught up'....good luck and keep at it

Thank you! You give me hope that things will improve. I guess it is pointless for me to think I will ever sleep through the entire night, because I never did before OSA, but I certainly hope I improve over what I am going through right now. It makes me feel better to realize it could take a few months; I am definitely goal oriented!

Been using mine for over a year. (S8 w/humidifier) stopped snoring and sleep great from day 1. do wake up sometimes but go right back to sleep. when I can't its time to get up. just moved to a cold climate and trying to adjust to new conditions with breathing cold air and water build up.

Thank you for a timely thread, after only 3 nights on CPAP I am also still waking 2-3 times each night. I had thought this may not happen as during my CPAP titration study I slept through the whole night except for one time when the attendant woke me to make some mask adjustments as things started to leak as pressure was increased.

I am however pleased in that already I am feeling better and have more energy than I have in a long time. This makes getting used to the mask and everything much more worth the efforts and is encouraging I believe. I'm managing between 7 and 8 hours of sleep with the CPAP each night so far!

First off it can take up to a month for your brain to believe in cpap, that you will survive the night with a) that thing on your face and b) that it will keep you breathing.

Also REM cycles are about 90-120 minutes and your depth of sleep varies as well as the kind of apneas.

Having said that - I slept like a log without moving the first night. It was on the 3rd week I suddenly started waking up thinking I was not getting enough air but that was just psychological. A lift of a corner of the mask to prove to me that the air was still moving and saying to myself "There was enough up to now so shut up and go back to sleep"

BlackSpinner wrote: Having said that - I slept like a log without moving the first night.

LOL: you're one of real lucky ones

In normal individuals there are patterns of lighter and deeper sleep throughout the night. The problem with CPAP users is that we have a lot of things that tend to bring us to an even lighter stage of sleep (more arousal) like a chunk of plastic strapped to our faces, blasts of air in our face and on our bodies from the outflow vents, noise and sometimes light from the machine, etc., plus years of arousals to breathe. So it takes time to knock out each and every annoyance to finally get sleep where we don't wake enough to become aware.

I noticed my sleep periods gradually and slowly got longer and longer. I would make a mental note of what woke me, to work on the next day. Bit by bit the time extended, until one morning I awoke after about 9 hours, shocked at both how long I slept and how great I felt.

I still wake in the middle of the night sometimes, but I fall back to sleep so easily now.

Janknitz wrote:In normal individuals there are patterns of lighter and deeper sleep throughout the night. The problem with CPAP users is that we have a lot of things that tend to bring us to an even lighter stage of sleep (more arousal) like a chunk of plastic strapped to our faces, blasts of air in our face and on our bodies from the outflow vents, noise and sometimes light from the machine, etc., plus years of arousals to breathe. So it takes time to knock out each and every annoyance to finally get sleep where we don't wake enough to become aware.

I noticed my sleep periods gradually and slowly got longer and longer. I would make a mental note of what woke me, to work on the next day. Bit by bit the time extended, until one morning I awoke after about 9 hours, shocked at both how long I slept and how great I felt.

I still wake in the middle of the night sometimes, but I fall back to sleep so easily now.

Good idea about making a mental note of what wakes you. I think for the most part, it is still my struggle with the masks. My nasal pillows kept coming loose last night when I would roll on my back. I will make fixing that my priority for tonight. Thanks!

tschultz wrote:Thank you for a timely thread, after only 3 nights on CPAP I am also still waking 2-3 times each night........I am however pleased in that already I am feeling better and have more energy than I have in a long time.........I'm managing between 7 and 8 hours of sleep with the CPAP each night so far!

Glad to hear you have your machine now, I guess your schedule to get it was moved up.

I have been on cpap for 1 year now and have been up and down, sometimes sleeping 3-4 hours, sometimes sleeping off and on,sometimes sleeping better than other times, so it's been messy.
Actually, have never been able to find that sweet spot that everyone talks about,just the perfect mask.
Last night I tried a new way of fitting the sleepweaver and went to sleep with a good seal.When I knew anything it was 5 a.m.!
That was fantastic and I have felt great today! The only problem I couldn't go back to sleep,I wanted to,actually saw no reason to get up at 5 a.m.
But no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the mask to seal the same again.
Going to work with this mask though and see if I can make it work.

I started sleeping all night around day 3. Then about 6 weeks into treatment I started waking again and having some night terror type dreams. My doc prescribed Elavil to take at bedtime...and I am back to sleeping all night.

I have to agree with the advice. The brain has to adjust. My family doctor also told me that many with sleep apnea have sleep issues period and he does not have any problems keeping me on a medication to sleep.

Well, I've been on APAP now for about 4 and a half months, and I've counted 5 nights that I've actually slept 6 or 7 hours straight. (And they were glorious nights!!!) I keep waiting for it to happen consistently, but I keep waking up three or four times a night. My sleep doctor said I'm making too big of a deal about it as most people wake a few times in the night. He says it is "normal" and sleeping all night long isn't a necessity......but, I'd sure like for it to happen more often! Maybe it is just psychological, but I know I feel better with 6 or 7 hours of UNINTERRUPTED sleep.

I'd been waking up for months before my therapy began, so maybe some of this is a habit I need to break. I keep hoping the best is yet to come!!