dreaming here and there....

[lorraineg57]

I noticed that I've had a few dreams in the last week. Prior to that, I dreamt rarely and was actually more likely to dream when first falling asleep. Wondering if this is a good thing?

[ughwhatname]

I've been wondering the same thing. If its true that we dream in REM sleep, then maybe it is a good thing. With an average of 63 events an hour, I suspect I was seriously lacking in REM sleep.

[lorraineg57]

I've been wondering the same thing. If its true that we dream in REM sleep, then maybe it is a good thing. With an average of 63 events an hour, I suspect I was seriously lacking in REM sleep.

Me too. Hopefully, someone will chime in with some input.

[chunkyfrog]

While many people go from no dreams before cpap to many dreams after, it can go either way.
It may mean nothing or it might be a good idea to check your data.

[lorraineg57]

While many people go from no dreams before cpap to many dreams after, it can go either way.
It may mean nothing or it might be a good idea to check your data.

What specifically would we be checking for?

[Wonderbeastlett]

I started cpap in June of this year and although I wasn't dreaming a lot before starting, I started dreaming a lot more after I started therapy. My REM on my results was 0%. So, I figured dreams were a good thing. Now, I am not dreaming as much and I am feeling tired during the day even after sleeping for as long as 10 hours at night. I have been dreaming hardly at all. The difference I've had is setting my pressure up by .5 because I was having sleep paralysis again! That change was made almost 2 months ago. I am not really sure what this means or even what to do about it.
I would say dreaming is a very good thing if you're on treatment. If you are not on treatment and you're having nightmares thats usually a sign of OSA. Your body is not getting the air it needs and it has to wake up so sometimes it uses a nightmare to scare you awake. That was one of my main symptoms.

[chunkyfrog]

My pre-cpap dreams were nightmares--strenuous and exhausting.
If I have the same type of dreams now, it generally means my AHI has jumped.

[archangle]

It's probably a good thing. Many people report having or remembering more dreams as they get used to CPAP.

[lorraineg57]

I started cpap in June of this year and although I wasn't dreaming a lot before starting, I started dreaming a lot more after I started therapy. My REM on my results was 0%. So, I figured dreams were a good thing. Now, I am not dreaming as much and I am feeling tired during the day even after sleeping for as long as 10 hours at night. I have been dreaming hardly at all. The difference I've had is setting my pressure up by .5 because I was having sleep paralysis again! That change was made almost 2 months ago. I am not really sure what this means or even what to do about it.
I would say dreaming is a very good thing if you're on treatment. If you are not on treatment and you're having nightmares thats usually a sign of OSA. Your body is not getting the air it needs and it has to wake up so sometimes it uses a nightmare to scare you awake. That was one of my main symptoms.

Oh my, that sounds like a terrible symptom to have! I'm looking for any ray of sunshine at this point since I'm still waking frequently.

[Pugsy]

I'm still waking frequently.

They say we don't remember our dreams unless we happen to wake up during one.
My OSA happens to be much worse in REM stage sleep (53 AHI) and prior to CPAP therapy I very rarely remembered a dream. I suspect that every time I would get to REM sleep and maybe get a chance to have a dream I would have an apnea and likely have an arousal from that stage of sleep. So didn't get much REM.
After I started cpap therapy I started to remember some dreams like I did a long time ago.
So some dreaming is probably a good thing but if you are waking up a lot to the point that you remember waking up then that likely is impacting how you feel. Dream or not if you wake up often the body doesn't get a chance to use the restorative powers of sleep. We need the normal sleep cycles and fragmented sleep messes with the normal cycles.

[lazer]

I'm not recalling dreaming lately. For the first 3+ months of pap therapy, I dreamed constantly where-as pre-xpap, I never dreamed.

I think lately the stress in my personal life may be a factor. I've been much more agitated daily & nightly and not feeling like I'm getting the same quality of sleep.

Happy Dreaming!

[pigeonam]

I've just recently started on my CPAP (5 days ago!) so I can't really comment on dreaming while on therapy. I became very interested in lucid dreaming this summer and, interestingly, became pretty aware of my dreams despite not being on CPAP therapy and consequently having minimal REM each night. I gathered from the resources on lucid dreaming that we all dream once we are in REM sleep even if we don't remember it; however, I believe the that challenge faced by those of us with SA is of course maintaining REM sleep to begin with. I can only say this through my own logical deduction, but I would assume that if you are dreaming consistently enough to be aware of them that you're entering REM more successfully and for a longer period of time.

[lorraineg57]

I'm still waking frequently.

They say we don't remember our dreams unless we happen to wake up during one. .

Really? I didn't know that!' Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know if I finish dreams or not.

My OSA happens to be much worse in REM stage sleep (53 AHI) and prior to CPAP therapy I very rarely remembered a dream. I suspect that every time I would get to REM sleep and maybe get a chance to have a dream I would have an apnea and likely have an arousal from that stage of sleep. So didn't get much REM.
After I started cpap therapy I started to remember some dreams like I did a long time ago.
So some dreaming is probably a good thing but if you are waking up a lot to the point that you remember waking up then that likely is impacting how you feel. Dream or not if you wake up often the body doesn't get a chance to use the restorative powers of sleep. We need the normal sleep cycles and fragmented sleep messes with the normal cycles.

I wake anywhere from 1 to 4x night. I always remember the awakenings because I'm wide awake when I wake, not waking repositioning and going back to sleep unaware. I get up for 10-15 minutes and go back to sleep.