Sleeping sitting up with adjustable bed frame

[DeeCPAP]

Any recommendations of what
angle the head should be will be greatly appreciated.

Start out the first night at about 20 degrees. If you have a comfortable night, bump it up a little each night. You will know when you get to a point where the angle is too high.

What is your APAP pressure range?

Hi Granny,
This message will be a bit disjoined because I think I'm starting to have a pain from a kidney stone that wants to start passing. Gotta distract myself. Anyhow, my first doc tested me because I had fibromyalgia. My HIA score was 35. I'd always slept 7 hours straight all the time so didn't know I had it. The pressure range I've been using was 7-11 or so. I had a home sleep apnea test, but the first time I failed (they said no data -- machine wasn't hook up properly or something else, can't remember).

For a couple of weeks I've raised the head of the bed 20 degrees because of GERD, but I also using the CPAP, yet I still have to take naps because I'm sleepy. If sleeping at an angle without wearing a CPAP would work, I'd love it. Trying all this headgear for years has been hell. I've always been a mouth breather and deep down inside I think mouth breathers should continue breathing through the mouth because trying to re-train is unnatural so less restful.

Since there's no one who can tell me how I'm sleeping, maybe I can record myself using my phone OR maybe there's an app?

[DeeCPAP]

Don't/won't know for sure unless you have a sleep study done sitting up in whatever position you end up wanting to try.
It might reduce the frequency or severity of the apnea events to a level that it isn't that big of a deal and it might not.

I will share this...I will sometimes fall asleep on the couch....sitting totally upright...and I will snore, snort and wake myself up and hubby says he still witnesses my stopping breathing and I still snore so much when I wake up he's laughing his ass off.

Same here. I have been kicked out of movie night sometimes because I fall asleep, fully upright, and snore and snort loudly. I even wake myself up, I am so loud.

Also, my mom sleeps in a recliner every night. Even with a pressure setting of 10, she was having problems. She now uses 10-15 while sleeping in her recliner.

Speaking of pressure, on my old machine I had a pressure of approximately 7-12 or so. The new Resmed machine have a very wide range. Two sleep techs said stay with the wide range, but I'm not so sure about that. Raising the low range helped me in the past.
Have the rules changed with the Resmed 10 for her?

[Goofproof]

Don't/won't know for sure unless you have a sleep study done sitting up in whatever position you end up wanting to try.
It might reduce the frequency or severity of the apnea events to a level that it isn't that big of a deal and it might not.

I will share this...I will sometimes fall asleep on the couch....sitting totally upright...and I will snore, snort and wake myself up and hubby says he still witnesses my stopping breathing and I still snore so much when I wake up he's laughing his ass off.

Same here. I have been kicked out of movie night sometimes because I fall asleep, fully upright, and snore and snort loudly. I even wake myself up, I am so loud.

Also, my mom sleeps in a recliner every night. Even with a pressure setting of 10, she was having problems. She now uses 10-15 while sleeping in her recliner.

Speaking of pressure, on my old machine I had a pressure of approximately 7-12 or so. The new Resmed machine have a very wide range. Two sleep techs said stay with the wide range, but I'm not so sure about that. Raising the low range helped me in the past.
Have the rules changed with the Resmed 10 for her?

It depends on how the new Sleep Techs like sleeping on your machine, I'd think I myself would be the factor of the pressure I needed. Jim

[DeeCPAP]

Not sure how upright you plan to be. For my apneas to not be a problem, I have to be nearly upright but leaned back just enough that my head won't drop forward. Even then it is not perfect. Leaning back just a bit puts the tongue is a position to relax back into the throat. Since when I sleep sitting up it's in a recliner, I can't side sleep. Not a tradeoff I choose unless I have to due to congestion. If you have any issues with edema in the legs, keep an eye open that it doesn't worsen with upright sleeping. Your profile says you have an auto machine. While it wouldn't be conclusive, you could experiment for a while by setting the range wide open and see if the pressure rises when in the new sleeping position.

Thanks Kteague. Side sleeping is best for me. I always get a happy face because I can stay in one position, but ONLY for naps (because they're short). If I could side-sleep all night I'd be delighted. I even used tennis balls to prevent me from sleeping on my back, but it didn't work. I usually wake up on my back. Prior to using the CPAP I was a stomach sleeper. I miss it!

[DeeCPAP]

Don't/won't know for sure unless you have a sleep study done sitting up in whatever position you end up wanting to try.
It might reduce the frequency or severity of the apnea events to a level that it isn't that big of a deal and it might not.

I will share this...I will sometimes fall asleep on the couch....sitting totally upright...and I will snore, snort and wake myself up and hubby says he still witnesses my stopping breathing and I still snore so much when I wake up he's laughing his ass off.

Same here. I have been kicked out of movie night sometimes because I fall asleep, fully upright, and snore and snort loudly. I even wake myself up, I am so loud.

Also, my mom sleeps in a recliner every night. Even with a pressure setting of 10, she was having problems. She now uses 10-15 while sleeping in her recliner.

Speaking of pressure, on my old machine I had a pressure of approximately 7-12 or so. The new Resmed machine have a very wide range. Two sleep techs said stay with the wide range, but I'm not so sure about that. Raising the low range helped me in the past.
Have the rules changed with the Resmed 10 for her?

It depends on how the new Sleep Techs like sleeping on your machine, I'd think I myself would be the factor of the pressure I needed. Jim

BOTH techs said to keep it with the very wide pressure range. When I balked saying the pressure range was tighter before, they said this machine compensates for it. I DID manage to raise the lower pressure a bit. One tech didn't like that I used the clinical settings. He asked me how I got into it and I told him with help from people on the Net. He didn't look very happy about it, but the low is now 7 (and maybe a fraction). Works much better that way for me.

Also, because I got a new computer, I'm afraid to download SleepyHead. It's supposed to be a brand name computer, but it's been giving me hell.

[Goofproof]

You should have told the Tech, his boss gave you the secret handshake. As far as computers, if they won't do what you need what good are they. I used to build my own, now I'm forced to use laptops, but I make sure they will handle what I throw at them. Jim

[DeeCPAP]

You should have told the Tech, his boss gave you the secret handshake. As far as computers, if they won't do what you need what good are they. I used to build my own, now I'm forced to use laptops, but I make sure they will handle what I throw at them. Jim

(this is computer tech talk in response to Goofproof's comment)
Thanks, Goofproof, but I bought a Dell laptop and their tech support. The computer was buggy and they were unable to fix it for a year and a half via remote log on. I could use the computer, but it wouldn't reboot properly. They sent me a replacement computer and that, too, had the same problem so I'm stuck. Turned out it was Windows 10 so I don't dare add too much software.

In the 90's, I built my own XP desktop computer. Worked like a dream for many years. The problem with the new computer was Windows 10. Dell techs were unable to fix it. Their solutions to problems, all too often, is to reinstall everything. The Microsoft company finally fixed the problem, so now that it's working I'm afraid adding software will cause problems again. I really miss XP soooo much. Years ago computers were better and so was the Net -- no viruses, scammers or crooks who steal identities, etc.

As for the secret handshake, the CPAP tech didn't have a sense of humor, so I was stuck having to be serious. MAJOR Bummer. As time passes and we're even more dependent on high tech, the worst things get. Gimme the old days! Arrgh!

[SewTired]

If you have mild apnea, give it a try. Before getting the adjustable bed, spend less by getting a 'wedge' and trying that out. Or sleeping in a recliner.

Raising the head of the bed worked ok for my late BIL. Not 100%, but his snoring stopped. It's worth giving a try with the understanding that failure is likely. My Mom (84) has mild apnea, but sleeping on her side helps, but does not eliminate. However, because of her neck problems, doc didn't recommend a cpap. Now that she racks up some pillows behind her back, she no longer rolls on her back, so that works for her. Rarely snores now and doesn't otherwise stop breathing.

The problem nobody mentions with adjustable bed frames is that sleeping upright can cause additional pressure on vertebrae. If you already have back/neck problems, it can make it worse just due to gravity. You don't typically get the same level of problem with a recliner because most people ALSO raise their legs, so the angle is different. Neither my Mom nor I can sleep in recliners, so it kindof sucks.

[ChicagoGranny]

If I could side-sleep all night I'd be delighted.

For side sleeping, do you place a pillow between your knees?

[stevej1234]

I now have an adjustable motorized bed, and I think I feel better raised up because of my GERD, but I hate the bend it produces because of back pain ( I have back issues ).

Raising the head of the bed with risers is easy, but 4" risers only get about 5 degrees incline. Are we not supposed to aim for 30 to 45 degrees? Is there any large triangular bed frame out there that can raise the whole thing up? Then I would only need a way to avoid sliding off.

As an alternative, can anyone sleep on a chair fully upright, or is that simply too much weight for the spine to bear all night every night? If it were possible, one could conceivably hold their head up using a cervical traction kit or one of those wheel chair head supports that straps over the forehead. Soft padding for comfort can be added of course.

[ChicagoGranny]

Raising the head of the bed with risers is easy, but 4" risers only get about 5 degrees incline. Are we not supposed to aim for 30 to 45 degrees?

Do what helps YOU. Four-inch risers do great for my hubby, but that may not be the case for others.

Do you use CPAP? How long have you been using it? How effective (AHI) is it? Are you aware obstructive apneas often cause reflux?

In addition to incline sleeping, have you evaluated the possible causes and multiple treatments? ---> https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20361940