Two Phase Sleep Pattern

@jpaul your two phase sleep sounds very sinilar to mine. I have a problem sleeping for a different reason, incontinence. Some mornings I get up intending to go my health cliub but by the time I have my breakfast I hit a wall and can’t go - I’m afraid I will fal asleep in the pool ☹️ Some mornings I am able to fight through it but either way I need a nap afterwards. On the days that I get to the pool I am more energized afterwards, after my nap, so I really do try to get there.
JK

Hi, @jpaul. Please let me add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I thought you might like to meet some of the other Connect members here on this site who have talked about OSA. @hosta, @bcgal, @sandyh, @msrooster, @trippangie17, @margareto, @nawrot, @djpjmj, @bevtar98, @jimhd, @steve1948, @sanibelsandy, @maureercria and @dawn_giacabazi.

I also thought they'd be interested in your approach.

How did you learn about/come up with the idea to do the 2-phase sleep pattern?

Hi @jpaul, I too have trouble staying asleep. I was diagnosed with OSA. After the third sleep lab,was diagnosed with both OSA and central apnea. I was having so many apneas every night and was constantly fighting the masks all night long. Now after the fourth sleep lab the doctor has said that the bipap can sometimes make the centeral apneas worse. Now I am oxygen only at night. I too sleep about 2-3 hrs get up for a bathroom break and try to go back to sleep. I have other issues also. I am lucky if I get 4-5 hrs sleep a night. I have only been on the oxygen for about 2 weeks. Now that there is no record of my sleep pattern, I am wondering if the oxygen is taking care of the problem? Our son died of sleep apnea. I can't help by wonder if this is helping. I am still so tired, but can't sleep more that a couple hours at one time. Maybe someone can answer my question. Thanks for your idea on 2 phase sleep pattern. You mentioned a Tracker?? What is this? & where can I get it?

@jpaul and @hosta -- reminded of you today and wondering how the sleep is going?

@jpaul -- are you continuing with the 2-phase sleep pattern?

@hosta -- are you finding you are getting any more than 4-5 hours of sleep recently? Devastating that you son died of sleep apnea. I'm very sorry for that loss.

I am no longer on the CPAP. I have been on 2.5 oxygen at night only for several months. I still do not sleep well at night, maybe 4-5 hours per night. I have Central Apnea. I really don't know if it is helping the apnea because there is no report. I wish someone could tell me how oxygen helps central apnea or if it does! Can't get answers. I am still so tired, but they don't seem to worried about it because I am almost 82. If anyone can help answer some questions I would appreciate it. Tell me more about this tracker and two phase business.

@jpaul, So, do you have any apneas during either phase of your sleep? Is it more common in the first few hours or the latter? You are spot on with your statement about the divided night being the norm in the 1800's. I read there were several reasons. Laborers were worked so hard, for so long during the day that they were too tired to do anything but sleep when they arrived home, so the first sleep stage was usually as soon as they got home. Diaries from that period detail what they did while awake (eat, visit with neighbors, have sex now that they had energy, other general household chores). Another benefit to this schedule was that when they cooked on their wood stove, it would be cooler than when they initially arrived home. They would then return to sleep until the sun rose, because the mills opened back up with light. Anyway, forgive the rambling, but I am interested in your pattern of apneas as I have slept with a CPAP for at least 15 years and it has become pretty routine to me. Please keep us updated.
Good luck, Gary

Thanks for your update, @hosta. Sorry to hear you are still not sleeping well at night. That would be frustrating, indeed.

Here is some Mayo Clinic information on central apnea that may be interesting to you:
https://mayocl.in/2GLSG4B.
I'd like to introduce you to a few members who have mentioned central apnea, like @kiwi, @lelhajj @yusofa and @trippangie17. @johnbishop @sandytoes14 and @darlia may also have some insights for you.

I'm sorry to hear you don't feel your provider is too worried about your being tired and not sleeping well since you are 82. That would be hard to take.

Did your doctor mention anything about the purpose of the oxygen for your central apnea?

@jpaul, I really hate to admit it but I didn't know what Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was until I looked it up. Yet as I read through your first post that started the discussion I realized I fit into a few of your descriptions. I wake several times a night due to having to make a bathroom trip. I also mostly sleep on my right side because the left side makes parts of me numb/tingly. I also have feet and leg issues with small fiber peripheral neuropathy and lymphedema so my feet feel cold most of the time which I think leads to tossing and turning. I'm sure you have done a lot of research but I ran into a site that has what I think a lot of good information on OSA and offers some help understanding the different treatments.

-- http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/sleep-apnea/

Hope this helps.

John

@hosta I'm afraid I cannot offer any insight to you about central apnea. My problem is insomnia and then when I do fall asleep without taking Trazodone as prescribed, I suffer from night terrors. @lisalucier

Thank you for the link on Central Sleep Apnea. As I read through it, I noticed that I fit the bill.

I fall asleep, but wake up sometimes within an hour or so and can't go back to sleep for 2-3 hours, then sleep again for a short time. My sleep is so broken up.

All I know is that the doctor said that oxygen helps central apnea. ???????