Someone make the dreams stop

[shardy53]

I have been on CPAP for about a month and I still feel somewhat tired during the day but I wonder if this could be because of all the crazy dreams that I have. I don't remember the exact nature of the dreams but I know that they are not very pleasant or relaxing. I feel like I dream constantly during the night. Is this normal for CPAP users?

Styeve

[Guest]

For me before I went on cpap I was having no rem sleep at all. Once I started the dreams started again. Dreaming is a natural thing and a good thing. In my experience, hanging in there with all the craziness of cpap has been a total god send.

[tutuu]

I don't know why some poster come out and write anything they wish without any good knowledge. Here, it may be you are not tolerating cpap. cpap tend to send wrong messages to the brain sometimes. this is one of the side effects of cpap. this is not shown to all users but some have experienced, like lots of erections, crazy disturbed sleep with racing dreams.
this racing dreams could be due to noise that pounds your head 9 hours constantly and try to put of with it. or just breathing against gust inside your nose and brain. for new users: please understand that cpap is not without sound of a "freight train" on your head.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor please take the information at your own risk and will.

[Guest]

it could also be "rem rebound." which can happen when you start sleeping after not really sleeping. i'd say a call into your doctor is in order, to make sure. but if it's rem rebound, the dreams will calm down after you start normalizing...

[shardy53]

Tutuu,

I don't notice any noise in my head from the CPAP. I go right to sleep. My only problems are the crazy dreams.

Steve

[tutuu]

Shardy,
noise is always there. simple theory is when there is vibration (air) there got to be noise.
there are varieties of noise like white noise etc which doesn't sound that sharp... so constant, I repeat CONSTANT bombardment of that less noticeable noise on one's temple is no joke and no laughing matter.

Again, what I am saying is "repeated force" non stop force from a machine that was designed(the technology) for emergency room response only(ie. came from the idea of technolog-base only to be used for CPR style machine for diaphargm failures). This when used for long use, we obviously can see some not favorable outcomes.

[rested gal]

Steve, I'm not a doctor, but it's possible that the pressure is not correct for you. You may still be having apneas during REM when most dreaming happens (and when most hypopneas and apneas happen, too.) If an apnea is waking you up out of REM, waking you up sufficiently to remember the dream, that's not a good sign, imho. The only exception would be possibly remembering the last dream if you are in the more prolonged REM period near morning and are awakened in the morning during that dream.

As for crazy content of remembered dreams, I don't know if that's really much indication of anything. But the fact that you are remembering lots of dreams makes me think your treatment is not optimized yet....possibly not a high enough pressure. While dreaming is definitely a good thing, I believe that it's a good sign to not remember even having dreamed at all. Dreaming, but not remembering that you've dreamed, would be an indication to me that the treatment is working well....that you slept peacefully through each REM period with no wakeups. Just my two cents kind of opinion.

Perhaps you could get your doctor to let you have a trial period on an autopap instead of the straight cpap I'm guessing you have. A trial just to see if the single pressure you were prescribed from one night in a sleep clinic is really right for you all night long, night after night at home.

Even if the machine and pressure are right for you, there could also be other reasons why you're waking up enough to remember dreams - perhaps the mask is uncomfortable or leaky (waking you from time to time) or perhaps you leak treatment air out your mouth. Check on all the comfort issues you can think of which might be interfering with your sleep and waking you in the midst of dreams.

[Guest]

[tutuu]

I am not distorting. Turn on cpap and try closing your ears with your earplugs and try to sleep, see what happens. You will notice all sorts of noise. Try that tonight, close your ears.

slow but repeated, slow but repeated is considered very strong in a long run.
in ancient time some tortures were done slow, simple but consistently, like dropping drops of water in the middle of your forehead. Have you ever heard of that?


Disclaimer: Not a doctor here. I recommend to talk to your doctor first and then follow his directions. I am just a regular poster and no need to 100% follow what I say. Use your common sense.

[lovemypap]

I agree with Guest. Cpap is not a ventalator. My pressure is 20 and after ten years on the pap I am still waiting for any bad side effects. When I first started it seemed like I had dreams all night long. Doc said they were REM rebound and would stop once my body adjusted to a "normal" nights sleep. Don't let anyone tell you cpap will cause problems. You will notice that those who say cpap causes this and that never post any links to support their claims.

Stick with the pap and you will be surprised how good your waking hours can be.

I am not a doctor either, just a patient with air blowing into me for over ten years with only good things to say about the pap.

[Less Sleepy]

I also had an REM rebound. I was fortunate in that my dreams while, very long, vivid, and with complex story lines, were delightful. One involved a black spider the size of a dinner plate. It had yellow markings and I thought it was absolutely beautiful . . . . but then, I teach science, including biology, so I'm probably the exception when it comes to creepy crawlies. My dreams are much less vivid now, and most of the time I wake in the morning aware that I had dreams, but with no specific memories of them.

I had gone so long with no REM sleep at all, that I was inclined to celebrate the dreams as progress toward better health.

By the way, I have a student who is so interested in spiders that I wouldn't be surprised if he went on to major in biology and get a PhD specializing in arachnids!!

[Guest]

I love the subtle hum of my autoset spirit. (Now if someone could produce a mask that isn't a complete P.O.S.!) I combine earplugs with the use of my CPAP. The reason I started doing it was so that my ears wouldn't pop when I yawned. The overall effect is a soothing detatchment from reality, very conducive for a good night's sleep. I can still hear my alarm clock in the morning.
Have you tried earplugs, tutu?
I also had wild dreams when I first got on CPAP. I ws actually grateful, because before I got hooked up, I rarely remembered my dreams.

[tutuu]

I have tried earplugs. It makes the sound louder because it confines your sound drum to the travel through the tissues only no thourgh the air. and we all know from high school science that sound travels faster in solid than air. i,e. the sound from all over gets more pronounced and get louder.
it is upto you to choose whatever you like but clogging ear makes nose pressure go to elsewhere where it is not suppose to go?(!) I wonder.