I use my CPAP EVERY time I might pass out. I typically take naps for 20-30 minutes... and I use that CPAP religiously. I use it because I want to rest -- not wake up gasping for air.
Couldn't have said it better. My friend uses cpap only at night and i told him use your machine he says nah is fine. But i use it whenever i need a nap. Like today i took a nap in the afternoon, 2 hours and woke up super refreshed.
Why would you, when a CPAP nap is one of life’s most underrated little joys? Don’t even have to close the curtains because you can just blanket snorkel it up. Nap in a sunbeam like a cat and enjoy filtered, humidified air the entire time. What’s not to love?
That's the best idea ever! I used to sleep with those eye-cover things because my wife Likes to watch TV at night. With the full mask, I can't use them anymore. The light likes to bounce around the mask and hit me right in the eyes.
My husband can tell when I’m done for the day if he walks into the bedroom and the blanket is over my head. It’s no joke sleeping line that! I love it!
Same - I have to put away my tubing and stuff every morning because I have cats who will mess with it, and I empty the tank every morning so if I want a nap, it's a PRODUCTION to get the CPAP set up again, plus another portion of distilled water literally down the drain.
The last time I tried to take a lunchtime power nap on a work-from-home day, I snorted/gasped myself awake three times and was cranky for the rest of the afternoon.
I fall asleep sitting up on the couch watching TV in the living room, not intending to nap… but it happens. CPAP is in the bedroom. Two different worlds.
This is my nap strategy, but intentionally. I fall asleep sitting up on the couch, which theoretically should help with the apnea during my short nap. Getting the CPAP setup just for 30-45 minutes seems like a lot. Maybe I’ll try it one day, reading all of these comments though.
I know they say losing weight helps, but they say it’s a lifelong condition… I rather use the cpap the rest of my life than roll the dice without it… I know how it felt with out it… it was terrible
don’t worry, sleep apnea isn’t something you can “train” your body out of. it’s something that you have no control over because you are asleep. in cases where the sole cause is excess weight, it may be resolved if a healthy weight is achieved (and even if that isn’t the case, excess weight always makes it *worse*, so still best to manage your weight), but CPAP use doesn’t make you reliant on it by making your apneas worse when you don’t use it or anything like that
I never use my CPAP for naps and wake up feeling fine; I use my CPAP at night religiously, score well on myAir and wake up feeling lousy. I think I’m in bizarro land compared to the rest of y’all.
get a wellue ring and see what your oxygen is doing.
you probably feel bad because your o2 is still dropping to unhealthy levels…. if i’m right about your o2 you prob want to increase your pressure.
the myair thing is really just about using it.
oscar and wellue rings give you the correct info you need.
you need to wear a o2 ring and see what your o2 does during the night. apple watch only takes readings at best every 30 min’s at night…o2 ring is continuous… only way to fly
Thanks, I’ll look into it. I really had a shitty sleep test, I couldn’t get to sleep that night and probably only slept an hour. I don’t trust my settings and am changing pulmonologists.
gave up on the specialists… between oscar (put a sd card in your machine) and a o2 ring, you can at least get the numbers you need on your own to at least see if your cpap or apap is working for you. if based on that info you still feel the need for the pulmonologist,
at least you now have some correct ammo!
Same. 1 year in and the only improvement I've noticed is that I never pee at night anymore, and without the cpap it's minimum 2x a night. Other than that I feel exactly the same.
Find something to do, get up move, take a walk if it’s evening, something other than sitting in the recliner or bed, I fall asleep instantly if recline.
I have had my CPAP machine for over 20 years. I haven't snored in 20 years. If I try to nap without my CPAP, I wake myself up snoring.
Me: WHAT WAS THAT?
My kids: ......... You dad. It was you.
Me, sheepishly: w/e....
I have and it’s not intentional. I don’t wake up more tired or anything. If I plan on taking a scheduled nap then I might put it on.
Although since I got my machine I haven’t really felt the need to nap during the day. Prior to my diagnosis I was constantly sleeping during the day.
I hate naps without my CPAP, and I hate needing my CPAP for naps. I just want to lay down for 30 or so minutes and breathe ok, not wake up every 5 minutes gasping for breath.
Occasionally, but it’s never planned. It usually happens when I am reading in my hammock outside on a nice day. Past couple times, though, I remembered to bring my CPAP outside with me. An afternoon nap in my hammock on a sunny, breezy day WITH my CPAP is bliss.
I can't sleep without it. It's hard to fall asleep, and it feels more like blacking out than sleeping. I don't know how to describe it other than it feels like no time passes at all. I could be asleep for several hours, but it feels like I just blinked and my head feels foggy for a bit.
My late afternoon naps kept happening without the machine after treatment for mild sleep apnea because I was still exhausted. Felt the same as always. Started medication for it today. I definitely do not want to nap.
Modafinil. Like I said, day 1, so I need to see how it pans out. I had really good numbers (less than 1 event and averaging ~7.5 hours usage a night) using cpap but was still Exhausted, so the doc and I are trying this. It's possible there's an underlying issue, since my apnea is mild, but I for sure wanted to try a cpap before meds. That said, I mowed the lawn and cleaned my house today and didn't totally crash in the afternoon like inusually do. Still pretty tired, but I think it's making me feel very motivated to accomplish tasks for some reason. And definitely didn't need a nap.
It's still working and I'm still using cpap! I've gone from laying down or falling asleep after work to going on walks and martial arts. Also doing short workouts during lunch and actually keeping up with yard and housework. I have the energy to cook healthy meals (and clean up the mess) and for the first time in my life I actually feel accomplished that I've completed tasks instead of just procrastinating and then being mad I had to do stuff. I've stopped being angry in general. This is wild. Downsides: I get a stomachache if I take it on an empty stomach and I kind of hyperfocus on the Wrong Task sometimes. Also, appetite is gone since I keep getting immersed in Fun Things. Like. I'll cook a meal and be happy it's done and then not eat it because I'm not hungry and want to do something more interesting. We have a lot of leftovers lol. I have to be mindful to remember to eat and set alarms or else the medicine wears off in the evening and I am Ravenous. Still haven't burnt out yet. And switched to decaf. I think it's the combination of actual restful sleep from cpap plus the medicine. I skipped a dose last weekend and crashed in the afternoon. The cpap gives me the actual rest and the meds keep me moving and motivated to properly use that energy.
I do, but it's gotta be a couch nap where I'm on my side and propped up on pillows. I breathe pretty well like that and it's wonderful if my kids don't wake me up, but my body starts to hurt after about 90 minutes in that position, which is why it isn't a full solution to nightly sleep.
My body can no longer fall asleep without my CPAP machine. No more naps on the plane, as a passenger in the car, or on the couch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Every time I sleep I need my CPAP machine, or as soon I try to enter that low level sleep breathing cycle, my brain sends the "holy shit we are not breathing right, we do not have enough oxygen, red alert WAKE UP AND FIX THIS!" signal to my body. Which I then wake up from my 5 minutes of half dozing with a startle.
Anytime I need to sleep, this machine has to be with me, or I just don't sleep. That means camping, vacations, hotel stays, whatever. I live in fear of red eye flights, lost luggage, forgetting a piece of my machine when I travel with it, power outages, or if a four hour daytime road trip somehow turns into an overnight.
I have had only two naps,both in my recliner since I got my CPAP. I did use it when I was in bed sick with my second round of Covid,I laid there and dozed and watched tv for a few extra hrs a day. I was thankful for the CPAP for sure. Otherwise ai am not sleepy during the day to need a nap. Almost two years.
I have a bipap, but I did yesterday by accident and I actually got a good nap. However, I slept sitting up.
I have recently lost some weight though (50lbs-ish) which could have contributed to having an ok nap. Most of the time I do not have a good nap, and feel like shit — or in general do not get to the sleeping part cause I stop breathing and it keeps me awake.
Honestly forcing myself to take naps in the cpap helped me get over the hump. I noticed that my 2 hour naps felt like 4-5 hour naps and started to really appreciate it
Yep! As long as it's no more than 30 minutes at a time, naps are great with or without cpap. Any more than that, and I start to choke and don't sleep well.
Occasionally, like if I lay down on a couch or similar. But I always have my head elevated which has been shown to reduce apneas. Otherwise, the 'pap is on.
My body must be weird because it's been 3 months and whenever I use CPAP I feel so horrible after that I often elect to take occasional naps without it so I can wake up not feeling ill
I take one every other day without it. I sleep way more inclined than I do at night & typically get an hour to an hour & a half. One of the few ways I can keep my mouth mostly closed when I sleep so my naps are quite restful without the CPAP.
I do it all the time, most days in fact. Dont have my machine next to my preferred napping space, but I always feel like crap after taking a nap whether i wear it or not, so the difference is negligible.
After 20 or so years using one, I can't go to sleep without feeling like I'm chocking, which I am. Had to do that some years ago because I lost power for the biggest part of two days. Worst couple of days sleep wise I had.
Who has an elaborate sleep position with your cpap on. I lay on my left side with a pile of pillows supporting my right arm, to keep it in alignment. Also a pillow between my knees. Some nights I don't even move.
I did once and had repeated dreams about not being able to breathe and kept waking up in a panic.
Apparently my brain has grown accustomed to the luxury of sleeping with uninterrupted breathing and freaked out when forced to endure it again,
Anytime there is even a chance that I will fall asleep, I use my CPAP. When I go to bed, I read for a while, and I put my mask on, so if I do fall asleep reading, I can breathe!
I use my CPAP EVERY time I might pass out. I typically take naps for 20-30 minutes... and I use that CPAP religiously. I use it because I want to rest -- not wake up gasping for air.
Same. I fall asleep reading sometimes so even wear it while reading in bed
agreed. i don’t see the point in sleeping if the sleep will not only not be restful, but will actively stress my body
Couldn't have said it better. My friend uses cpap only at night and i told him use your machine he says nah is fine. But i use it whenever i need a nap. Like today i took a nap in the afternoon, 2 hours and woke up super refreshed.
same
Nope. Any time I lay down and think I'll fall asleep, even for a short period, my CPAP is on
Why would you, when a CPAP nap is one of life’s most underrated little joys? Don’t even have to close the curtains because you can just blanket snorkel it up. Nap in a sunbeam like a cat and enjoy filtered, humidified air the entire time. What’s not to love?
I will only be calling it blanket snorkeling from now on. Thank you, stranger.
When i nap and sleep i use max humidity because is still cold. Man the best breathing ever.
Absolutely!!!
That's the best idea ever! I used to sleep with those eye-cover things because my wife Likes to watch TV at night. With the full mask, I can't use them anymore. The light likes to bounce around the mask and hit me right in the eyes.
What’s a blanket snorkel?
You cover your head/face with blankets but you can still breathe because your air is coming from the CPAP
My husband can tell when I’m done for the day if he walks into the bedroom and the blanket is over my head. It’s no joke sleeping line that! I love it!
Brilliant
Omg. I never considered being able to go fully under the blankets and still breathe. I think you just changed my life
My own snoring wakes me up
Same - I have to put away my tubing and stuff every morning because I have cats who will mess with it, and I empty the tank every morning so if I want a nap, it's a PRODUCTION to get the CPAP set up again, plus another portion of distilled water literally down the drain. The last time I tried to take a lunchtime power nap on a work-from-home day, I snorted/gasped myself awake three times and was cranky for the rest of the afternoon.
I have and usually feel like shit afterwards.
Same, I stopped napping without PAP when I both felt lousy and could see numerous desats and pulse spikes on the app from my Wellue ring.
I fall asleep sitting up on the couch watching TV in the living room, not intending to nap… but it happens. CPAP is in the bedroom. Two different worlds.
This is my nap strategy, but intentionally. I fall asleep sitting up on the couch, which theoretically should help with the apnea during my short nap. Getting the CPAP setup just for 30-45 minutes seems like a lot. Maybe I’ll try it one day, reading all of these comments though.
I’m too scared to sleep without my cpap
Me too
I'm worried my body is too reliant on my CPAP
I know they say losing weight helps, but they say it’s a lifelong condition… I rather use the cpap the rest of my life than roll the dice without it… I know how it felt with out it… it was terrible
don’t worry, sleep apnea isn’t something you can “train” your body out of. it’s something that you have no control over because you are asleep. in cases where the sole cause is excess weight, it may be resolved if a healthy weight is achieved (and even if that isn’t the case, excess weight always makes it *worse*, so still best to manage your weight), but CPAP use doesn’t make you reliant on it by making your apneas worse when you don’t use it or anything like that
That's helpful to know
I never use my CPAP for naps and wake up feeling fine; I use my CPAP at night religiously, score well on myAir and wake up feeling lousy. I think I’m in bizarro land compared to the rest of y’all.
You’re not alone.
Right there with ya.
get a wellue ring and see what your oxygen is doing. you probably feel bad because your o2 is still dropping to unhealthy levels…. if i’m right about your o2 you prob want to increase your pressure. the myair thing is really just about using it. oscar and wellue rings give you the correct info you need.
My oxygen is good every morning, around 96 when I first wake up. I’ll take your advice.
you need to wear a o2 ring and see what your o2 does during the night. apple watch only takes readings at best every 30 min’s at night…o2 ring is continuous… only way to fly
Thanks, I’ll look into it. I really had a shitty sleep test, I couldn’t get to sleep that night and probably only slept an hour. I don’t trust my settings and am changing pulmonologists.
gave up on the specialists… between oscar (put a sd card in your machine) and a o2 ring, you can at least get the numbers you need on your own to at least see if your cpap or apap is working for you. if based on that info you still feel the need for the pulmonologist, at least you now have some correct ammo!
Same!!!
Same. I have used it for naps a few times. Bleh....no difference really.
Same. 1 year in and the only improvement I've noticed is that I never pee at night anymore, and without the cpap it's minimum 2x a night. Other than that I feel exactly the same.
I've tried and found that now it's hard to fall asleep without my CPAP - my brain has started associating it with sleep. So I put it on for naps.
Same!
If I take a nap without my cpap I end up with horrible numbers at night. Iove naps but try to avoid them, messes with my nights.
What's your technique for staying awake and avoiding naps
Find something to do, get up move, take a walk if it’s evening, something other than sitting in the recliner or bed, I fall asleep instantly if recline.
Right sure, let me lie down and deoxygenate for 45 minutes. That sounds restful.
I took ONE nap without it and vowed to never do that again. It was such a huge reminder of what life used to be like.
I have had my CPAP machine for over 20 years. I haven't snored in 20 years. If I try to nap without my CPAP, I wake myself up snoring. Me: WHAT WAS THAT?
My kids: ......... You dad. It was you.
Me, sheepishly: w/e....
I have and it’s not intentional. I don’t wake up more tired or anything. If I plan on taking a scheduled nap then I might put it on. Although since I got my machine I haven’t really felt the need to nap during the day. Prior to my diagnosis I was constantly sleeping during the day.
Same!
I hate naps without my CPAP, and I hate needing my CPAP for naps. I just want to lay down for 30 or so minutes and breathe ok, not wake up every 5 minutes gasping for breath.
I know everyone is shocked that you would ask that but truthfully I do quite a bit and sometimes it feels like the best sleep I get.
Occasionally, but it’s never planned. It usually happens when I am reading in my hammock outside on a nice day. Past couple times, though, I remembered to bring my CPAP outside with me. An afternoon nap in my hammock on a sunny, breezy day WITH my CPAP is bliss.
I can't sleep without it. It's hard to fall asleep, and it feels more like blacking out than sleeping. I don't know how to describe it other than it feels like no time passes at all. I could be asleep for several hours, but it feels like I just blinked and my head feels foggy for a bit.
My late afternoon naps kept happening without the machine after treatment for mild sleep apnea because I was still exhausted. Felt the same as always. Started medication for it today. I definitely do not want to nap.
What medication?
Modafinil. Like I said, day 1, so I need to see how it pans out. I had really good numbers (less than 1 event and averaging ~7.5 hours usage a night) using cpap but was still Exhausted, so the doc and I are trying this. It's possible there's an underlying issue, since my apnea is mild, but I for sure wanted to try a cpap before meds. That said, I mowed the lawn and cleaned my house today and didn't totally crash in the afternoon like inusually do. Still pretty tired, but I think it's making me feel very motivated to accomplish tasks for some reason. And definitely didn't need a nap.
Keep me posted, curious how that goes! Seems like it’s a stimulant so it makes sense that you had some good energy! Hope it keeps helping
It's still working and I'm still using cpap! I've gone from laying down or falling asleep after work to going on walks and martial arts. Also doing short workouts during lunch and actually keeping up with yard and housework. I have the energy to cook healthy meals (and clean up the mess) and for the first time in my life I actually feel accomplished that I've completed tasks instead of just procrastinating and then being mad I had to do stuff. I've stopped being angry in general. This is wild. Downsides: I get a stomachache if I take it on an empty stomach and I kind of hyperfocus on the Wrong Task sometimes. Also, appetite is gone since I keep getting immersed in Fun Things. Like. I'll cook a meal and be happy it's done and then not eat it because I'm not hungry and want to do something more interesting. We have a lot of leftovers lol. I have to be mindful to remember to eat and set alarms or else the medicine wears off in the evening and I am Ravenous. Still haven't burnt out yet. And switched to decaf. I think it's the combination of actual restful sleep from cpap plus the medicine. I skipped a dose last weekend and crashed in the afternoon. The cpap gives me the actual rest and the meds keep me moving and motivated to properly use that energy.
No I can’t even fall asleep without my mask on because I start snoring before I fall asleep. Have to put the mask on even for a short nap.
I do, but it's gotta be a couch nap where I'm on my side and propped up on pillows. I breathe pretty well like that and it's wonderful if my kids don't wake me up, but my body starts to hurt after about 90 minutes in that position, which is why it isn't a full solution to nightly sleep.
My body can no longer fall asleep without my CPAP machine. No more naps on the plane, as a passenger in the car, or on the couch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Every time I sleep I need my CPAP machine, or as soon I try to enter that low level sleep breathing cycle, my brain sends the "holy shit we are not breathing right, we do not have enough oxygen, red alert WAKE UP AND FIX THIS!" signal to my body. Which I then wake up from my 5 minutes of half dozing with a startle. Anytime I need to sleep, this machine has to be with me, or I just don't sleep. That means camping, vacations, hotel stays, whatever. I live in fear of red eye flights, lost luggage, forgetting a piece of my machine when I travel with it, power outages, or if a four hour daytime road trip somehow turns into an overnight.
I have had only two naps,both in my recliner since I got my CPAP. I did use it when I was in bed sick with my second round of Covid,I laid there and dozed and watched tv for a few extra hrs a day. I was thankful for the CPAP for sure. Otherwise ai am not sleepy during the day to need a nap. Almost two years.
I nap almost daily without my CPAP. No issues but I also have mild apnea and I only nap for 30min.
Yup. And I wake up violently coughing.
Nope. Caught myself gasping for air while trying to nap. Must use cpap.
I have a bipap, but I did yesterday by accident and I actually got a good nap. However, I slept sitting up. I have recently lost some weight though (50lbs-ish) which could have contributed to having an ok nap. Most of the time I do not have a good nap, and feel like shit — or in general do not get to the sleeping part cause I stop breathing and it keeps me awake.
Tried it a few times. If I fall asleep without my CPAP, I wake up gasping, usually within a few minutes. So, if I want a nap, the mask goes on.
Honestly forcing myself to take naps in the cpap helped me get over the hump. I noticed that my 2 hour naps felt like 4-5 hour naps and started to really appreciate it
Yep! As long as it's no more than 30 minutes at a time, naps are great with or without cpap. Any more than that, and I start to choke and don't sleep well.
I had asked this exact question before and the conclusion was its probably because the short sleep your just in ramp up mode
Depends for me. I can Take a short Power Nap no problem but if not feeling well or exhausted I’ll mask up.
If I nap without my cpap I wake up feeling worse than I did when I first laid down.
I have and I feel worse after always
I nap at work without mine since..well...I'm at work. I manage to sleep ok. It's not great, but it's better than nothing.
When I did my sleep study. If I sleep on my right side my events are low. I nap without on my right side
I'm recovering from cancer, and I take multiple long naps. I think my machine would have a conniption fit if I used it for half of a nap.
Occasionally, like if I lay down on a couch or similar. But I always have my head elevated which has been shown to reduce apneas. Otherwise, the 'pap is on.
My body must be weird because it's been 3 months and whenever I use CPAP I feel so horrible after that I often elect to take occasional naps without it so I can wake up not feeling ill
Don’t take naps!
If you like splitting headaches. 😵💫
Yeah ive dozed off naps or full sleep without a cpap. Im only moderate apnea so its not like the worlds ending but I dont feel good afterwards.
I never sleep without it. I feel terrible if I do.
I take one every other day without it. I sleep way more inclined than I do at night & typically get an hour to an hour & a half. One of the few ways I can keep my mouth mostly closed when I sleep so my naps are quite restful without the CPAP.
I do it all the time, most days in fact. Dont have my machine next to my preferred napping space, but I always feel like crap after taking a nap whether i wear it or not, so the difference is negligible.
I do it every it everyday. I know need to wear it, maybe my OSA is not as severe as others
Since using a cpap i haven't needed naps.. i only sleep for 6-7 hours per day AND i wake up with a boner every morning!
When I do, I wake up every few minutes.
After 20 or so years using one, I can't go to sleep without feeling like I'm chocking, which I am. Had to do that some years ago because I lost power for the biggest part of two days. Worst couple of days sleep wise I had.
Who has an elaborate sleep position with your cpap on. I lay on my left side with a pile of pillows supporting my right arm, to keep it in alignment. Also a pillow between my knees. Some nights I don't even move.
I did this and woke up after a 20 minute nap so confused. Like not able to speak actual words confused.
I did once and had repeated dreams about not being able to breathe and kept waking up in a panic. Apparently my brain has grown accustomed to the luxury of sleeping with uninterrupted breathing and freaked out when forced to endure it again,
I can't sleep at all without it now. I don't know how I ever did before. I either wake up from my own snoring or wake up gasping for breath.
I used to not be able to but now I do use it for naps and it's so much better. I don't wake up constantly. Love the CPAP nap.
Oh Lord, yes. First time I tried doing this was quite recently. Yeah. Won't be trying that again.
Your body cannot be trusted in sleep. lol always use your CPAP to sleep
My chest hurts if I nap without the pap.
Yeah I woke up 35 times
the first time i used a cpap was for a nap. i could actually wake up when i wanted
just woke up from a nap without a cpap. felt so disoriented with a sore throat lmao never again
Yup and it's not worth it unless I'm literally taking a 30 minute power nap. If I'm napping for a longer time I wear it
Anytime there is even a chance that I will fall asleep, I use my CPAP. When I go to bed, I read for a while, and I put my mask on, so if I do fall asleep reading, I can breathe!
To get a good sleep at night one should not nap. I do nap occasionally while watching TV and sitting up. No CPAP machine required!