High Respiratory rate = Better sleep?

So I have been on my CPAP for about 3.5 months now, 2.5 of which I have been at my prescribed pressure. I was prescribed a pressure of 16, however I had to scale it up due to the difficulty of adjusting. I have spent quite a bit of time in Sleepyhead, and tried to log the days when I felt noticeably better than normal. One thing I quickly realized is it has been a higher respiratory rate, not a lower AHI, that has been an indicator (or so it seems) for a better nights sleep. I also seems like the respiratory rate in graph one represents me transitioning through the various sleep stages (See here: http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_11/ ... p_cyc.html), while the one two it almost appears I didn't transition much at all. I have attached 3 graphs below, which are as follows:
1. High respiratory rate (95% = ~31), felt like a champ when I woke up.
2. Low respiratory rate (95% = ~20). Day after screenshot one, woke up and felt a bit tired. Had to fight taking a nap during the day.
3. Another example of a low respiratory rate, accompanied by a low AHI. Felt like crap (still better than before CPAP).

One thing I have noticed is if I eat extremely clean (fruit, vegetables, nuts, lean meat, and water only), I achieve consistently high respiratory rates. After about 3 or 4 days in a row, my mood is noticeably better (it still way better overall since starting the CPAP), and I feel like I can remember things that previously seemed to have slipped away.

I understand respiratory rates fluctuate and are different for everyone. That being said, I am curious if others are fluctuating as much as mine, and if that seems to correlate to how 'quality' sleep and subsequently better feeling the following day. Additionally, does anyone have any thoughts on how to maintain a high respiratory rate, outside of eating like a rabbit (which has been the only successful thing for me)?

I attribute the high, ragged respiration rate to REM sleep, and the slower, steadier breathing to NREM sleep. When I'm awake, the rate drops further. Both NREM and REM are part of the normal cycle, but I can imagine that getting a higher proportion of REM would be more restful in the long run.

The 95% resp rate is not as representative as the median, but there is a reduced respiratory rate from graph 1 to graph 3, and an inverse relationship to tidal volume. You breath deeper, when you breath slower. Whatever works is fine, but I don't know how you'd influence your respiration rate or volumes with the machine you use in CPAP mode, and EPR is constant. Looks like overall good therapy with normal fluctuation, I probably wouldn't worry about it.

What does your overview graph look like? All three of those graphs show generally faster respiration rates than I am used to seeing. Here's mine:


You need all of your sleep stages -- too little rem sleep is bad, but so is too much.

I always thought the lower the respiratory rate, the better (i.e. "healthier"), but that was just an assumption that may very well be wrong.

Is one better than the other?

CapnLoki wrote:I attribute the high, ragged respiration rate to REM sleep, and the slower, steadier breathing to NREM sleep. When I'm awake, the rate drops further. Both NREM and REM are part of the normal cycle, but I can imagine that getting a higher proportion of REM would be more restful in the long run.

Thanks. This is my thought as well, however I am unsure if I should be aiming for a consistent respiratory rate, consistently high respiratory rate, or neither.

Sleeprider wrote:The 95% resp rate is not as representative as the median, but there is a reduced respiratory rate from graph 1 to graph 3, and an inverse relationship to tidal volume. You breath deeper, when you breath slower. Whatever works is fine, but I don't know how you'd influence your respiration rate or volumes with the machine you use in CPAP mode, and EPR is constant. Looks like overall good therapy with normal fluctuation, I probably wouldn't worry about it.

Thank you for the response. Do you find that yours fluctuates day to day? I am hoping this is just part of getting used to therapy.

cathyf wrote:What does your overview graph look like? All three of those graphs show generally faster respiration rates than I am used to seeing. Here's mine:


You need all of your sleep stages -- too little rem sleep is bad, but so is too much.

Your graph looks much more consistent than mine.

novatom wrote:I always thought the lower the respiratory rate, the better (i.e. "healthier"), but that was just an assumption that may very well be wrong.

Is one better than the other?

You might be right, and I wonder if I worked out for a few months I would see the respiratory rate drop and steady out. I wonder if my body is extremely inefficient

nutricula wrote:

cathyf wrote:What does your overview graph look like? All three of those graphs show generally faster respiration rates than I am used to seeing. Here's mine:


You need all of your sleep stages -- too little rem sleep is bad, but so is too much.

Your graph looks much more consistent than mine.

Another odd thing is that I consistently hit the max (50).