Question about mattress and OSA

So I am back in my bed after two years sitting up on the couch due to undiagnosed OSA. My CPAP machine has allowed me to easily sleep in bed again. Unfortunately, my upper back and shoulders are very sore (muscle sore) by about 4 or 5am. I am mainly a side sleeper, and at times roll onto part of my back (never awake directly on my back) This wears off during the day, but continues to present when I wake up. Could this be a problem with my bed? Are there particular kinds of mattresses recommended for people with CPAP?

No particular type of mattress to address OSA that I know of...mainly it is get the mattress that let's you sleep better, is more comfortable, causes minimal back issues...that sort of stuff.
Get a mattress that meets your needs even if OSA wasn't in the mix. That way you won't have mattress issues still being present which would/could sure cloud any potential benefits optimal therapy brings.

bavinck wrote:So I am back in my bed after two years sitting up on the couch due to undiagnosed OSA. My CPAP machine has allowed me to easily sleep in bed again. Unfortunately, my upper back and shoulders are very sore (muscle sore) by about 4 or 5am. I am mainly a side sleeper, and at times roll onto part of my back (never awake directly on my back) This wears off during the day, but continues to present when I wake up. Could this be a problem with my bed? Are there particular kinds of mattresses recommended for people with CPAP?

The first thing I did after the 3rd painful night with my cpap machine was get a new pillow and build a mattress cover from that egg crate foam and two Ikea duvets. My hips and other body parts did not like laying on a hard mattress without moving for 8 hours at the time.

BlackSpinner wrote:

bavinck wrote:So I am back in my bed after two years sitting up on the couch due to undiagnosed OSA. My CPAP machine has allowed me to easily sleep in bed again. Unfortunately, my upper back and shoulders are very sore (muscle sore) by about 4 or 5am. I am mainly a side sleeper, and at times roll onto part of my back (never awake directly on my back) This wears off during the day, but continues to present when I wake up. Could this be a problem with my bed? Are there particular kinds of mattresses recommended for people with CPAP?

The first thing I did after the 3rd painful night with my cpap machine was get a new pillow and build a mattress cover from that egg crate foam and two Ikea duvets. My hips and other body parts did not like laying on a hard mattress without moving for 8 hours at the time.

Hmm, I wonder if it is as simple as my body is not used to laying still for longer periods of time. I am still waking up a few times a night, but generally going right back to sleep and not moving positions. I have some really irritating rain out issues I think are waking me up...

> my upper back and shoulders are very sore (muscle sore) by about 4 or 5am
> I am mainly a side sleeper
> generally going right back to sleep and _not moving positions_

When you wake up, change _the side_ that you are sleeping on.
Alternate sides.

Another way to give your sides a rest is to lay on your back for a while if and when you wake up. You will roll back over on your side to go to sleep, but it can be restful on your back, and then you can choose a shoulder from there *smile*.

I have found one simple thing helps more than anything else: s-t-r-e-t-c-h-I-n-g.
Always take your time, feel for the "pinch", and don't go past it.

What able a pillow being too flat, could that be causing my pain? It has been a good long while since I got a new pillow, maybe I should spring for one of them fancy cpap pillows...

I am a side sleeper and was complaining about those same things with our mattress. Hubby and I went out and found a new mattress! It's a hybrid. Parts of it like the top and side are gel foam material while inside are springs. Can't wait to get it on Saturday - hope it helps with those trigger points. Mainly hips and shoulders.

sleeplessinaz wrote:I am a side sleeper and was complaining about those same things with our mattress. Hubby and I went out and found a new mattress! It's a hybrid. Parts of it like the top and side are gel foam material while inside are springs. Can't wait to get it on Saturday - hope it helps with those trigger points. Mainly hips and shoulders.

Keep me posted on if it works! I don't want to spend the money without knowing this is the problem for sure, but if it is I am willing to spend the money:)

Sure! I will let you know - it gets delivered Saturday. I can't wait!

bavinck wrote:What able a pillow being too flat, could that be causing my pain? It has been a good long while since I got a new pillow, maybe I should spring for one of them fancy cpap pillows...

I'm a side-sleeper, too. I bought a king-sized side-sleeper pillow, and a standard one, and stack them. That gave me a "cliff" to drop the edge of my mask off, and for about the same price as a fancy CPAP pillow.

Where I ran into trouble was the fact that for the first time in years, I was sleeping soundly, not waking in pain three to four times a night, and I was ending up stiff and sore from just not moving.

My preference is to sleep on my left side, so I make it a point to start out on my right side. At some point during the night, I change positions to the left side, and that appears to solve the problem.

You might find this interesting:

http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/memory- ... mfort.html

As far as pillows are concerned... I've tried several, including the expensive CPAP pillows. The memory foam pillow that I got from Macy's is by far the most comfortable for me.

I'm having the same issue and I have a really good relatively new mattress. I think it is because before CPAP I only stayed in bed about 6 hours. Now I'm in bed, sleeping for a good 8-9 hours. I use different sleeping positions than I did before so I am having a lot of back pain and other aches and pains.

ems wrote:You might find this interesting:

http://www.sleeplikethedead.com/memory- ... mfort.html

As far as pillows are concerned... I've tried several, including the expensive CPAP pillows. The memory foam pillow that I got from Macy's is by far the most comfortable for me.

I had a memory foam neck support pillow - totally useless because after a couple of nights it conformed to my neck and no longer supported me.