Help! Can't fall asleep with CPAP

chunkyfrog wrote:If sensory input is disturbing you, is it possible to intentionally listen to the sounds?
Try to memorize the sequence of sounds; listening for subtle changes.
I find that if a sound is bothering me, it helps to meditate on that very sound.
Of course, I had to learn how to do that with tinnitus; but it works with any sound.
Eventually, it becomes background. It seems weird, but it can work.

Interesting chunkyfrog.

I fell asleep while experimenting with a machine setting in the afternoon. I didn't normally listen to a podcast as I do when I try to get back to sleep. And it seemed the focusing on the sensations that disturbed me caused me to feel quite sleepy.

I will have to give this a shot, thanks!

49er

Try a white noise machine in the bedroom, or even two of them. As someone sensitive to sound and light, I travel with both a white noise machine and a roll of black tape. In some hotel rooms it takes me 20 minutes to light-proof the place. I tape over all the green and red Power lights, even the blinking sprinkler on the ceiling, tape the curtains against the wall, tape around the door, etc. But back to the sound issues - you should be able to get a CPAP machine that is quiet - mine is very quiet - but still if my head is not positioned perfectly upright, I can hear bit of air noise on exhale. The white noise machine helps smooth that over. For a decade at least, we used "Sound Sleep" machines to smooth over each other's snoring. Now I prefer the Marsona, set on smooth (not wavy) whooshing sound. It is also much smaller and lighter for travel. Good luck!

Thank you for all your advice and your support.
For many years I was able to fall asleep but I would always wake up in the middle of the night. It was very difficult to go back to sleep.
There was no reason for me to wake up. This is why I underwent a sleep study. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
After I began to wear a CPAP machine I was not even able to fall asleep. I feel like my problem is even worse as I am not able to fall asleep. I do not feel like any sounds are bothering me. I also feel nasal congestion (perhaps associated with CPAP)...is there anything I can do to address the issue of nasal congestion? Any other ideas about my situation?

Irina - two things - one is that lowering (or turning off) the humidity can make a big difference to congestion. The other thing however, is frustrating... we've asked you for more information about your set-up and sleeping habits and food, etc., but you haven't given any more with which we could help you - i.e. we can't really guess at this or that without something to go on (more than speculation about noise, etc.) and there could be so many reasons why you're having problems... both physical (other conditions besides apnea), mechanical (mask, setttings, etc.), and mental/emotional.

We share the most intimate (and sometimes just gross information with each other so we can get and give help, and there's no question we all respect each other's privacy - plus we have no idea who you really are or where you are, so it wouldn't matter at all if you shared a bit more.

There's lots of good things listed here, but I missed seeing my only hurdle to starting my saga with the hose. We're all different!!! For me, the DME set the ramp rate and time. I thought I was gonna suffocate!! I fumbled around and figured out how to turn off the ramp and I was fine!! I always say that I was a poster child for CPAP though. I had a good pressure evidently, the nasal mask didn't leak in my eye and I already used earplugs so the noise of the machine didn't disturb me. I was lucky!! In your initial post you indicated you reduced pressure. That was opposite of me. FWIW.

KW

Sorry for not responding immediately. I have not provided many details of my lifestyle because I feel I am doing the right thing. I eat a balanced, healthy diet. I try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time. My room is dark and not noisy. I do not consume any caffeine. I think my problem is mainly with the CPAP because I cannot fall asleep with it but when I take it off I go to sleep right away. Prior to using the CPAP machine my main problem was always waking up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. I have tried herbal tea prior to sleeping and it didn't help much. Sleeping pills give me a very heavy head the next morning and I do not want to take any sedatives. My pressure setting is currently at 6 (was lowered from 8 to help me fall asleep better). I also lowered my humidity level to help with my nasal congestion...but I thought that more humidity would actually help my congestion? Any ideas to help me? Thank you so much in advance.

Waking up in the middle of the night is not all that uncommon. It could even be a normal thing, although inconvenient.
Some scientists believe it is a throwback to a primitive time when it reduced our odds of becoming some hairy creature's breakfast.