Does Sleeping on Your Back Increase AHI

My Wife claims it does....any input??

rozenbob wrote:My Wife claims it does....any input??

For many people YES. You will find the proof in many sleep studies.

As an asthmatic, I can tell you that breathing on your back is the most difficult way to breathe. I can't explain it well but it basically because there is more weight and stress on your lungs on your back. When I was being titrated this last time, I did fine on my sides with a setting of 10. AHI low, oxygen levels good. Flip over to my back and my AHI went up to 36 and my oxygen levels went down to 80%. Your wife is right. Your apnea probably does get worse on your back.

rozenbob wrote:My Wife claims it does....any input??

Yep, for a lot of people sleeping on their back will cause more apnea events. Also some people have more event during REM stage sleep. Double whammy if they are worse on there back and roll on their back when in REM.

Either is quite common.. Not rare at all.

BlackSpinner wrote:

rozenbob wrote:My Wife claims it does....any input??

For many people YES. You will find the proof in many sleep studies.

Ditto! BlackSpinner, please tell us about your new avatar, stunning!!

Depends entirely on who you are. During my diagnostic sleep study, my AHI was lowest when I was on my back.

rozenbob wrote:My Wife claims it does....any input??

For me, yes, clearly so and also during REM and with the two combined, I have events galore!

Everyone is different, but for the majority, yes, it does. If you did a poll here, I'd bet you would get at least 70-80% saying yes. Before cpaps, doctors would tell snoring men to have their wives sew a tennis ball in the back of in an undershirt or pj's and that would force the guy to sleep on his side or belly, reducing snoring (and apneas, but that was generally not understood in those days of yore....

Since when is she not right, it also promotes mouthbreathing and snoring. Jim

My AHI is lowest on my back. I can hardly go to sleep on either side. I used to prefer side and stomach sleeping before CSA got me. Now I occasionally get tired of back sleeping and if I am already sleepy, I can roll to one side and sleep for a while. But my AHI immediately goes up and I eventually wake up and roll over on my back so I can go back to sleep.

I have basically zero events while sleeping on my side, but it's just not very comfortable for me. I've been experimenting lately trying to start off on my side and stay there as long as I can which lasts about the first two hours. Looking at my data the next day, can tell EXACTLY when I flip over on my back, the events start right up! So at least in my case it's very true.

DoriC wrote: Ditto! BlackSpinner, please tell us about your new avatar, stunning!!

It is my new doll - Medusa.

http://artdollsbylena.wordpress.com/201 ... o-you-get/

(warning - naked fabric nipples)

I used to be a side/front sleeper, but I can't get comfortable with the mask on my side so I end up sleeping on my back.

How do y'all sleep on your side in the mask? I get blowback of cold air from the exhaust off of my pillow.

Over the last month, I have tried very hard to train myself to sleep on my side. I was diligently searching for an alternative to taping for the rest of my life. I'm doing fairly well, since I no longer tape and do great as long as I stay on my side. Occasionally, I wake up on my back. When I do, I have dry mouth. Additionally, as long as I remain a side sleeper, my breathing is also deeper and much easier and length of sleep has increased from 9 to 10 hours. I feel so much better and have more energy. I'm so glad I am able to abandon the tape, although I will miss the debates with Archangle.

adrianne wrote:I used to be a side/front sleeper, but I can't get comfortable with the mask on my side so I end up sleeping on my back.

How do y'all sleep on your side in the mask? I get blowback of cold air from the exhaust off of my pillow.

You sleep on the edge of the pillow with the mask hanging over the side. Other people use foam pillows where they have hacked out chunks so the masks fits nicely in. My pillow is soft and I tuck the excess under my chin/neck.