intentionally holding your breath while sleeping?

Just like the subject line reads, what would cause this?

I caught myself doing this last night/early this morning. I was still pretty much asleep, but awake enough to catch myself and make a note to try and remember it. Thinking about it further, I think I have done this before in the past, and this is the first I remembered it enough to ask the question.

I am on cpap, have been for not quite 2 months yet... been playing with chin straps, epr settings, and my rate trying to get the perfect balance. I have been fortunate in the respect that I do not suffer the headaches may others here do, nor do I require naps during the day. I do not have copies of my sleep studies (yet) to see what got me to where I am now... (my next visit to the ENT I will be demanding them).

In any event, and I hope I am explaning this correctly, and can be pointed in the right direction on it. Not sure why I would do this, or the reasoning behind it... I am using my cpap faithfully, started off at 9Cm, now using at 10.4 to try and improve my numbers... I just tabulated my averages since I started recording them (may 23rd). from that date to July 4th, my average leak rate was 0.17, ahi 7.50, ai 2.09 and hi 5.37. I am sure these numbers are skewed at least in part due to holding my breath...

Has anyone else ever done this, or have any idea why a person would? Getting good numbers is all I am shooting for since I do not feel any better since starting on cpap, and catching myself holding my breath just seems odd to me...

I do the same thing!!! I find that I do this while I am awake, too. I'm not sure if it's because I'm concentrating on something or because it's a "natural comfortable feeling" (in the weirdest way) from having OSA. I'm curious to see what others have to say as well.
Cathy

Add me to the list.

I thought I was the only one.

Most times I don't notice I'm doing it until the constant whine from the machine gets my attention (as opposed to the pitch rythmically rising and falling during normal breathing.) I usually wonder if the machine tagged it as an apnea--and vow to check it in the morning--but I always forget.

I am glad to know I am not the only one!

Now for the bigger question... what causes it and how do we stop it?

I don't know about while I'm sleeping, but I have noticed that I hold my breath when I move around in bed while awake. Like LinkC, I keep meaning to remember the time and check the machine to see if it's recording events, but I always forget.... Lately I've been making a conscious effort to breathe when I turn over, etc.

I have also noticed I hold my breath when turning over. I have probably done it forever but I just noticed it with the mask and machine.

After some internet research, I found this article. How many of you are natural mouth breathers? I know I am. I did see that as a commonality among different articles.

http://www.breathing.com/articles/breath-holding.htm

Cathy

Once again, I confess!

guilty

so the question is how do we train ourselves to not hold our breath?

When you hold your breath , do you hold it after you exhale? That is when I find myself doing it. Then I take several large breaths.

for me, I am not sure.... I caught myself this morning, and told myself I need to remember to post this. I remembered it again this morning and seem to recall it has happened on multiple occasions.

I do not know if I do this every night, or at random, however my numbers I suspect would reflect this is my problem.

It is comforting to see a lot of other people share in this same quirky habit, but sadly, how do we overcome it?

It makes me wonder if I really have osa or just a nasty habit of holding my breath?
(don't trash me for that statement, just one of those I cannot help but wondering things)

I find that I do it most often when I sleep on my back, which is the most comfortable position for me.

I have noticed for many years that I have often held my breath while awake. I never mentioned it to anyone either because I assumed everyone did it or that no-one else did. Anyway, I mentioned it to the CPAP co-ordinator at the sleep lab and he said that because those with sleep apnea are so used to holding our breath at night, it has conditioned our bodies to do so during the day as well. If that is the case, I've had sleep apnea since long before I got the diagnosis in May.
RM

buggsy23 wrote:When you hold your breath, do you hold it after you exhale? That is when I find myself doing it. Then I take several large breaths.

I don't do this often, but I have noticed it now and again...always after I exhale, then the large breaths. I just tried inhaling and holding breath..no go, feels too freaky. Oops, just did the breath-holding thing again...weird.

I've wondered if these are akin to having centrals?

I would highly consider it if they happen during your sleep.

I've also wondered why centrals wouldn't be possible during the day, assuming your mind was focused elsewhere. The difference is that you probably detect it sooner and its not disturbing your sleep cycle.