I am unable to download my numbers to Photobucket, due to a "security issue", but will try again later.

Last night, our smoke alarm went at 1 am, off due to a malfunction, then again an hour later. This got the adrenaline going, and I had difficulty going back to sleep.

When I looked at the numbers this morning, AHI was 9.6. It has consistently been under 5 for the past week. From looking at the the graphs, from 2 to 6 am, I had 15 apneas. From 10 pm to 2 am, only 1. O leaks all night, thanks to using Direct Seals with Comfortlite 2.

I did notice a little congestion this morning, for the 1st time.

My question is--can this kind of rude awakening, or poor sleep due to stress, trigger apneas? Just a bad night?

Yes, stress can make things worse. If it makes you feel any better, maybe bad nights were being dish out last night because mine wasn't so great either.. Adrenaline sort of upsets the whole body balance.

Katie, think of it as just a little bump on the road on your CPAP journey. Pugsy is right. Consider yourself lucky that on "normal" nights, you're getting benefit.

But this is also why we can't just focus on one night's numbers. Cos nights like this will happen. Hang in there, and with your positive attitude, you're doing fine.

Pugsy wrote:Yes, stress can make things worse. If it makes you feel any better, maybe bad nights were being dish out last night because mine wasn't so great either.. Adrenaline sort of upsets the whole body balance.

Sorry you had a bad night too, Pugsy.

Interesting about the adrenaline. I'm not worried, just curious.

GaryG wrote:Katie, think of it as just a little bump on the road on your CPAP journey. Pugsy is right. Consider yourself lucky that on "normal" nights, you're getting benefit.

But this is also why we can't just focus on one night's numbers. Cos nights like this will happen. Hang in there, and with your positive attitude, you're doing fine.

Thanks Gary, yes, just a little bump in the road. I appreciate your encouragement.

Yuppp. That is what we call a "rough night." Happens from time to time--restless sleeping, and a few more events than normal. Probably get them once a month or so. Nothing to be concerned about--just stay with the therapy, and look at the big picture---you're getting better over the long haul.

Katie, "one night does not a trend make". I have to keep repeating that to myself when hubby has a "rough night". And it's usually true unless I go and try to fix something that's not broken. Hang in there, Dori

Autopapdude, thanks for the perspective.

And Dori, for your kindness and wisdom.

I am so grateful for the people at this forum. Wishing you all sweet dreams.

I'm going to throw out another theory for consideration.

But first, the stress explanation is a good one. Sometimes, I have seen my AHI go way high, or occasionally way low (when I couldn't sleep) when I am under stress, which has been a lot, lately.

When I lived in Rochester, NY, Eastman Kodak would occasionally release some chemicals into the air that would set up smoke detectors in neighborhoods around the park (The most industrial part of Kodak Park is very near a residential neighborhood).

What was the nature of your smoke detector malfunction? Is it fine now? Do you live near any industrial facilities? Did you notice any kind of odd smell? The theory here is that whatever was setting your smoke detector off was also affecting you in ways you could not directly feel.

Smoke detectors (at least the residential kind) work by measuring the electrical conductivity of the air. Smoke particles are often heavily ionized, and ionized substances conduct electricity. The increase in conductivity of smoky air is measured by the smoke detector and it sets off an alarm when the conductivity is over a certain level. Other substances can also set off smoke detectors. Any other substance that causes the air to be ionized can set off a smoke detector.

Have you considered or do you know if your number of apneas is affected by your sleeping position? My AHI's go way up some nights or periods of a night if I end up turning to the back of my head or wholly or even partially on my back, vs. sleeping on my side. I"m going to great lengths to figure out a way to prevent this, & I even went so far as to wear a full length backpack filled with foam for a few nights, which was comfortable enough that it didn't interfere with my sleep, & it did prevent me from ending up on my back & so reduced apneas. This positional apnea prevention to me is more effective than raising the pressure, as raising pressure raises my centrals, increases runs, increases leaks & disccomfort from having to have a tighter mask.

The difficult part is that without a witness or video analysis and comparison to O2 levels and PAP data, I don't know how much body or head position really affects my apneas, minute to minute through the night, and so the quality of sleep, & so how to also prevent this from happening. But looking at the software data, and being woken on my back by apneas, I know that it plays a significant part for me. This is a critical piece of my sleep therapy to figure out and if not solve, to reduce the problem.

So who knows, a slight change in your body position, or your head position could have closed your airway more than the pressure could compensate for?

Last night was "normal" again. No smoke alarms going off, and I took a benadry just before bedtime, and no congestion this morning. AHI 5.3, AI .01, HI 5.2.

Interesting theories..

kteague wrote: Just wondering if you were "on alert" and listening for signs of trouble. Hope you're sound asleep now and till morning.

I think you're right. I was listening for that smoke alarm to go off again. And I certainly felt like I didn't sleep the rest of the night.

timbalionguy--thanks for your explanation of smoke detectors. We checked the detector in front hall the morning. The green light was flashing, so we suspected a low battery. My husband got up on a ladder and blew on it, and it stopped flashing. A bug in there? Anyway, it seems to be fine now. It prompted me to download the manual for the detector. This is a new house, and we're still learning about it.

Mtnviewer--yes, I do have more apneas on my back. I sleep on my side, using a papillow, and start sleeping on my right side. I wake up every few hours, adjust mask, etc., then change sides. I always wake up wherever I started. But my head position may have been different--listening for the smoke alarm.

BlackSpinner--it's reassuring to know that we all have bad nights.

Katie...glad your night was better. Wondering about the benedryl though. Some of the posters here say benedryl can make apneas worse. If congestion is a problem, I use the generic version of Zyrtec (called Equate Allergy...cetirizine hydrochloride)...which is not supposed to interfere with apnea issues.

Just a thought!

KatieW said:
last night was "normal" again. No smoke alarms going off, and I took a benadry just before bedtime

SleepyT said:
Wondering about the benedryl though. Some of the posters here say benedryl can make apneas worse.

Call your Doctor about using Benadryl. For me, absolutely not!!! The Benadryl interferes with your brain's ability to arouse you during Apnea. The time in Apnea increases, causing increased damage to your brain and heart from lower oxygen levels.

Ask your Doctor for a safe alternative. Also, we had wiring problems in the attic and the smoke alarm would periodically go off. Just assumed it was a false alarm from low batteries. Do you want to have arousal problems, while having smoldering wires??

Search this site, 'benadryl'. You'll find interesting postings...


Hope it's a long time before a bad nite again...

SG