Position to sleep in

I've been on CPAP Machine for about two weeks and having difficult time sleeping on my side. I keep waking up switching sides. Think I have some arthitis in hips. Wanted to know -- can you sleep on back with CPAP machine. I know it makes the apnea worse -- but if you are on the machine - does it make a difference? I sleep two hours this morning on back with CPAP machine -- and was very comfortable.

Your machine is data capable. SleepyHead is a free software program that allows you to view your data. You can check your data after a night on your back... lower or higher AHI will tell you if it makes a difference. If you need help making heads or tails of the data or using the software, we're here to help.

Yes, it might take more pressure to keep your airways open, so you want to check your data. But it should be fine as long as the pressure is sufficient.

I'm a stomach sleeper by nature, but xPAP therapy has made me sleep on my back mostly. It still works..

I'm a side/stomach sleeper and Its was hard getting use to sleeping with the mask. I found that putting a pillow between your knees when on your side helps with the uncomfortable position of your legs.It might really help with some pain. I've become use to stomach sleeping, which you can do as long as you let the mask hang off the pillow.

My apnea is much worse when I'm on my back. But one of the great benefits of the apap machine is that it will respond and up the pressures so that I don't have to worry about my position. If you're on cpap, I guess it would depend on whether you have more apenas when supine (as is common) and whether the titration included that position when your pressure was determined. If your pressure is enough to prevent apenas when you are on your back, you don't have to worry. But for me, my variability between my back and on my side is the reason I have an apap.

Roch369 wrote:I've been on CPAP Machine for about two weeks and having difficult time sleeping on my side. I keep waking up switching sides. Think I have some arthitis in hips. Wanted to know -- can you sleep on back with CPAP machine. I know it makes the apnea worse -- but if you are on the machine - does it make a difference? I sleep two hours this morning on back with CPAP machine -- and was very comfortable.

Roch, I use the same mask as you do, and I am also a side sleeper. Maybe you're already doing this, but I found it a lot easier to sleep with the hose behind my head and out of the way. I often start the night out sleeping on my back but inevitably end up turning onto my side and then shifting sides throughout the night. I like that the OPUS 360 allows the hose to swivel and stay out of the way. Once I'm in bed, I never have to touch the hose until I wake up in the morning.

As far as my AHI goes, it stays in the less-than-5 range, and I haven't found any difference whether or not I'm sleeping on my back or my side.

One of the trade-offs that I made since starting CPAP is that I use a firmer pillow than I used to use. I loved sleeping with a feather-down pillow before CPAP, but since my mask would get pressed against my pillow when I turned on my side, I switched to a firmer pillow that allows me to sleep on my side without the pillow interfering with my mask. Maybe a firmer pillow would also work for you. Hope you find a solution. Take care.

Some people will have an increase in apnea events when they sleep on their back. Not everyone will have this happen.
Some people will have a need for greater pressures when they sleep on their back. Not everyone will have this happen.

It is more important to be able to get good sleep first and foremost. If pain in one position makes it difficult to get good sleep then by all means sleep in whatever position lets you sleep the best.
Let the machine do its job. Watch your reports and if sleeping on your back is allowing too many events to slip past the defenses then you can make some adjustments. It's not like you could do without the machine if you stayed off your back anyway.

Heck, it may not even matter you may be one of those people who it doesn't make any difference. While it is common for some people to have a marked difference in the number of events or pressure needs when sleeping on their backs it doesn't mean that it happens with everyone. I happen to have more events in REM sleep and sleeping on my back makes no difference in regards to number of events nor pressure needs but REM stage sleep sure does. I can't and don't want to limit REM sleep so I just let the machine do its job and sleep however I want.

Im loaded the new version of sleepyhead software on computer and put my SD card in computer - every time i try to import information from the card - i get an error message, "No CPAP Machine Data Imported" - does anybody know what could be the problem. also downloaded the SD card information from card to computer and tryed importing it that way - and didnt work either. thank you.

I also like to sleep on my back and I often lay there on my back but i can never fall asleep. My machine just ups the pressure so that I eventually roll to the side.

Roch369 wrote:Im loaded the new version of sleepyhead software on computer and put my SD card in computer - every time i try to import information from the card - i get an error message, "No CPAP Machine Data Imported" - does anybody know what could be the problem. also downloaded the SD card information from card to computer and tryed importing it that way - and didnt work either. thank you.

Do you by any chance have the PR S1 machine with the heated hose? The 60 series machine? If so SleepyHead won't work with that machine just yet.
You will need EncoreBasic. Send me a private message and I will help you find EncoreBasic.
If unsure about which machine you have look on the bottom of the blower (remove water tank first if it has water in it) and look for the model number.

The PR S1 Pro model number will be either 450 or 460...the 460 won't work with SleepyHead yet.
Model number usually has DS in front of it or maybe Ref number.