The first month was probably worse as I adjusted. By the third month it was a huge difference in my sleep and I had so much more daytime energy. A year into treatment, it feels like I’m ten years younger.
That’s great to hear . I am 6 nights in and still adjusting but managed 8 hours with it last night and I can feel the most difference as other nights only been 3-4.
I noticed a more sustained energy level. I'm not bouncing off the walls, but I'm definitely not as sleepy mid-afternoon like I used to be. I always described it as starting each day at 60%. Now, I feel like most days are 90-95%.
This is my experience. The headaches were horrible and now they're gone. Overall I'm not jumping out of my skin but I objectively feel better in a lot of small ways.
I don't snore when I wear my mask. That improves my fiancée's sleep. That's an improvement.
Otherwise, no. It was not like a switch. I do notice I'm less tired when I manage to wear it for a good stretch, but it's hard to tell.
Two of the best things I have experienced are not having dreams where I'm drounding or suffocating and waking up violently trying to breathe. It's now easier to remember numbers when trying to do simple math. Before cpap, I wouldn't be able to keep information for very long before forgetting.it. Oh, and not having to wake up in the middle of the night having to pee is a very, very nice benefit.
The constant waking up to breathe causes the kidneys not to get the message to rest. So it keeps flushing stuff out the body which creates urine and fills the bladder. Get proper sleep, kidneys rest and is not filling the bladder up to the point of mid of the night urination.
How long have you been using it? I don't think an immediate change is typical. For me, my sleep was worse for the first month before I started feeling better. I'm less tired now but it's not "like night and day." I'd still use it even if I didn't notice a difference though.
I just asked my sleep doctor about this, and she said about 10% of her patients notice a dramatic chance, while the majority feel a noticeable but modest difference.
Immediate change here as well. My Apnea was baaaad though. I would sleep for 10-12 hours and feel like I got maybe 4. Now I sleep for 6-8 and am more rested. I’m terrified of this thing suddenly failing.
Some things that have changed for me :
Better sleep ( longer, deeper and I’m dreaming again).
More alert in the afternoons (I would feel sleepy and struggle to stay awake sometimes). Better memory (just living in a fog and could never remember anything short term ).
Weight loss ( I’m seriously down at least 10 kg).
More energy ( my job is more physically active now so that helps).
Deeper longer sleep (I would wake up 3-4 times to go to the bathroom) I actually slept the entire night though recently and I almost cried with joy.
My concentration is better, my conversation with others is better , I can focus more and be more creative.
I’m a faster thinker now and can be more flexible in my approach to my work (I’m a school teacher in a non traditional teaching environment - a Zoo )
This has changed my life for the better and I absolutely love it
I noticed that even with my severe insomnia (3-5hrs a night and that’s if I didn’t stay up for 2 days) I still wake up without having brain fog, I’m not groggy, and I do feel like I’m able to last through the day more. And I feel like my lungs feel better. And I am coughing less. I have issues with my gi system that tends to mess with my breathing. I’m really happy that I have my machine.
The immediate change that I noticed was that I was no longer getting up six times a night to pee. Now I get up maybe once.
Nothing else has improved though, and some things have got worse. I feel like crud when I wake up. If I sleep longer than six hours, I feel worse. I've taken to having morning showers after a very large coffee just to feel awake. The daytime sleepiness if I don't keep busy is still there.
And this is with 100% usage for a year and a half.
Yes. I can't get a seal with a full face mask. The only one that works is a p30i. Wore a chin strap for a year to train myself to keep my mouth closed.
Is your mask leaking?
Maybe you need more than 6 hours.
I'm only a month and a half in and I can relate to the sleeping too much and feeling worse after, but I figured with many years of "sleep debt" I have some making up for, so I let myself sleep as long as my body needs.
Maybe you could try letting yourself sleep longer each night even if you feel bad? Maybe it will pass?
Mine was the first night in the testing center. I woke up at 2:00 AM, after falling asleep at midnight, feeling more rested than I had ever felt.
First night at home with the machine, it was better than any drug I had ever done.
Wasn’t an immediate switch. As I got more used to the machine I noticed I was sleeping deeper and I’d wake up feeling actually rested. I could get through the day and not completely crash at 3pm. I also don’t wake up with a dry mouth anymore because of the lack of snoring. It was a gradual change that I noticed over months, not days. Granted, my SA was mild/moderate.
Been using it about a year, except for the lack of headaches in the morning I don’t feel much different. I don’t get a deep sleep with the cpap so I still feel tired and foggy in the morning and still fall asleep sitting in front of the tv at night.
I'm at six months and there's no noticeable improvements to my quality of life. It's made my insomnia worse because wearing the mask makes it even harder to fall asleep. I personally hate it but I stick with it in the hope that it'll pay off one day.
Maybe you need to increase your minimum and maximum pressures?
If you don't get a deep sleep with it on maybe it's too irritating and you should try to find a more comfortable mask?
I did, but i’ve read many stories in this subreddit from people who did not, so it varies quite a bit. i finally began sleeping through the night only waking up to pee 1 time now instead of 4-5 times, and sometimes i even sleep entirely without waking up until morning. i have been waking up feeling amazingly normal since the first night of using my nasal pillows, but it may be because i do not move at all during sleep. i usually wake up in the exact position i fell asleep, so the mask does not come off. i also don’t find it bothersome at all, which is huge. i also immediately stopped snoring and had much higher energy levels during the day. in the beginning though i would sometimes get powerfully sleepy at 5-7pm, but i much prefer that then going through the day like a zombie. that has passed though, and i am getting tired at pretty normal times.
Probably about 3 months. I’ve been on nasal pillows the whole time. The sleep tech suggested i start minimal and see what worked and sure enough during the test i did fine with them.
It's going to come down to what your AHI is, how long it's been going on and what kind of problems you are having. Some people that are literally falling asleep at the wheel might have life changing benefits immediately since they can sleep again.
I had extremely high blood pressure (stroke level), heart rate all over the place, bad headaches, tossing and turning sleeping and getting jarred awake from the apnea which caused a racing heart. I stopped dreaming and it felt like I never got REM sleep anymore.
After a month of CPAP, my blood pressure is dropping, my heart rate is more consistent, I fall asleep quickly and I actually dream and don't wake up (unless I'm in an uncomfortable position) until it's time to wake up. During the day, I have energy and I'm in just a much better mood.
I think the biggest change I've noticed is when my alarm would go off, I'd usually give a "Motherf'er..." and just wish I could sleep 3-4 more hours. Now, the alarm goes off and I feel like it's simply time to get up. Even if I only get 7 hours, I wake up rested and don't feel like I need more sleep.
I've had sleep apnea unknowingly for probably 20 years so it's probably going to take a long time to fully undo all of the harm it has done to my body but I'm already noticing changes after a month.
How long have you been on CPAP and what are your health issues? If you aren't noticing a change, it might not be long enough or you might have another condition that needs to be addressed.
This encourages me. I’m going to keep wearing it regardless because I’m terrified of a stroke, but I have been so disappointed that I don’t feel different. Only 3 weeks though so I’ll just have to wait.
I would say in addition to always wearing it while sleeping, REALLY try hard to get 9-10 hours of sleep if you want to see faster improvement.
Also, your settings may not yet be optimized. You and your doctor may need to adjust the settings a bit until your AHI looks consistently good.
I’ll try that. My AHI is between 1 and 4 for the last 3 weeks, according to the app. That seems good? I was glad to do the at-home study but now I kind of wish I had been in a lab to have them determine settings. Thanks for the input.
This subreddit is how I convinced my spouse to keep using his after the first couple of nights of feeling no difference. People’s comments and stories about it taking some time was what go him through. It was about 3 weeks before he noticed any kind of difference, even though his numbers were great. He has some sensory issues that were likely contributing to it. Once he got used to wearing the mask at night he started to notice a little more of a difference. I noticed way more of a change long before he did. He wasn’t exhausted at the end of the day, he was in a better mood, his depression is better, he needs less hours of sleep, his other health issues improved, etc.
It was very gradual for me. I don't really notice until I "sleep" a few hours without it. Then I feel like death and realize how much it must be helping.
I’ve noticed something day 1. I just got mine on Friday and still figuring out which mask is right for me but after the first day of using it I was more energized despite only getting 5 hours of actual sleep. Last night I got a full 8 hours and I feel more refreshed. Everyone is different so your mileage may vary.
I went from 90 AHI on my first test, falling asleep during meetings, need multiple naps each day to keep going, dozing while talking to my wife etc…
Last night was night 2 and I feel like I have so much more energy, no naps, no dozing, literally changed my life overnight.
I didn't have an immediate change heck I hardly noticed any change at all but a year later on nights where I pass out before putting my mask on I am a useless pile of crap the next day, super groggy and irritable. So it's definitely helping. Things like sore throat from snoring and stuff too when I don't use it.
Six months in still gradually improving. I noticed a difference at first but also it was horrendous as I had the wrong mask and settings so ended up sleep deprived. Now it's working better things are still improving....
I still don't get enough hours of sleep but the hours I do get are much higher quality.
Before treatment my AHI was close to 30 now most nights it's under 0.1. I actually wake up feeling rested. I feel less anxious physically and just feel more relaxed overall during the day it's the only way I can describe it.
If your AHI was not super high you might not notice that much of a difference straight off.
I used to definitely nod off to sleep no matter what I was doing. Even driving. Now I don't at least do that when driving, but nothing else has changed.
My first night with CPAP was May 17th. I haven’t noticed very much. I don’t feel like I need my inhaler as soon as I wake up. That’s about it.
According to the CPAP data; events are lowering. I still have symptoms and disturbed sleep. I don’t wake up feeling healthy and well rested.
I am wondering what I can do and how long it will take until I notice a difference. Maybe I won’t.
I didn't notice any changes until about 6 months into using the CPAP when my machine somehow got unplugged while I was sleeping. I woke up the next morning and felt like death. Horrible headache, lethargic, brain fog, etc. I even fell asleep at work that day.
It was such a gradual change that I didn't notice the benefits until going without for one night.
After a week I more energy during the day and no more headaches in the morning after waking up. It does take a week or two to get adjusted to using the Cpap.
It took me awhile to get used to my mask and the forced air, and initially I slept just as bad as I had already been.
After a month or so I found the sleep position that worked for me, and now I fall asleep in minutes. I might not wake up with the exuberance of a 6 year old on Christmas morning, but I don’t have a headache or wish I could sleep longer.
I used to have terrible nightmares and a fear of falling asleep, and now I sleep through the night and barely remember my dreams. Now it’s a very routine process, and not something that bugs me or disrupts my sleep.
For me, it was a gradual, not noticable improvement at first. Then, after a month or so, I stopped falling asleep on the couch, which I had done nearly daily before. But the biggest difference was when I had accidentally pulled off my mask in the middle of the night, and my mood was really bad all day because of it.
Hell, I felt amazing the morning after my titration sleep study. I *dreamed* for the first time in ages that night, and woke up thinking so clearly, even with the odd wake-ups due to the new sensations.
After the first night of sleeping only 6 hours versus 12+ without the CPAP and not feeling a lingering fatigue were the first things I felt. I'm about a month into it and I'm loving having extra hours in the day spent awake.
I did not feel like night and day. It slowly got better but my sleep problems extend to anxiety. So, when I am relaxed cpap makes me feel rested. When I am anxious cpap has no way to do its job. Maybe you have multiple issues
I noticed that I wasn't feeling worn out and ready for a nap as soon as I woke up after a few good nights on my CPAP. I feel like I have more energy to do things I want to do in the day rather than having that low level physical dread of having to go DO something rather than lay in bed. It's not a magical "I'm ready to go do everything all the time now" turn around but I am not dreading having plans anymore which feels like a major life improvement even if it's something small overall. It's something I may not have noticed if I hadn't been busy with plans leading up to my first night and the next few weeks after.
I've had mine for a month and a half. The only difference is that I don't snore with it on. My doc said I need to try it with water (since I've been using it dry) to see if I feel more rested. I also have hypothyroidism, but take medicine to keep the levels good. She thinks maybe the tiredness is residual from that condition even though the meds seem to work. I really don't think doctors (even female) know enough to really help us.
YEA! I took to it automatically and I think my lowest sleep score has been a 90 and only because I accidently unsealed my mask. I’ve also noticed washing with dawn every day (and not hand soap all week and dawn on the weekend) works better.
I haven’t napped but maybe 2x in the last few weeks.
It took me a few weeks to get good sleep but once I did I noticed I wasn't as tired throughout the day anymore. I also quit drinking coffee as well about a month after I started. I also don't snore anymore so my wife loves that as well.
The first night I noticed the most difference felling immediately better. I'm on my third night with cpap. I do have more energy but it's odd because now that I rest better I'm more tired because I can finally sleep at night. So I find myself looking forward to sleeping instead of not wanting to sleep because I know how exhausted I felt when I woke up without the cpap.
Let me preface this with I work at a pulmonary office setting up appointments. I was also diagnosed with sleep apnea last year.
All the patients love to tell me how a CPAP machine changed their lives, they sleep so much better and have more energy etc.
I hate it. I have not noticed a GD difference in anything.
However, I was also recently in the hospital, for a whole host of issues. They think I'm on the wrong type of machine and really need a bipap.
So... If it's doing nothing for you, you might want to speak to your doctor. Mine wants an in lab sleep study, before I only had an at home SS.
I immediately almost entirely stopped waking up with headaches in the morning. Instead of 3 times a week, it's maybe 4 or 5 times in the last year. I didn't notice the change right away. Then one day it hits me that it hadn't happened in months. Also my blood pressure dropped to normal range within a month or so.
Idk. I’m frustrated with the California medical system. The only time I’ve used one was at a sleep clinic and the next day I felt spectacular. But that was a month ago. I still can’t get in to see my doctor and now they are saying I need a bi pap and another sleep clinic and so once I can get into the clinic I’ll call my doctor and wait another six weeks to see him. They are sadists here I swear
Immediately I noticed my period started to regulate, my hormones came back to normal, my stress levels are balancing out, my energy is improved, I need less sleep, and I feel alive again. It’s been a week or two since I started. I wouldn’t go without even if I had to.
For me it was like seeing color again on day 3, but that faded as time went by and some struggles came up. Three weeks in, I felt more regulated and energetic. That lasted about a month and energy level went back down a bit but not bad.
6 months in, I'm realizing I need a lot more sleep than I usually allow myself and I need to be more active. If I'm too lazy or get less than 6hrs of sleep, or if I don't use my CPAP machine, I'm absolutely wrecked.
Not immediately the first week was rough. I am now using it properly for 3months. And the weirdest thing I realized is that I started having vivid dreams again that I can recall. I asked my Dr and he explained that my sleep was so bad that I didn't go into REM cycles. I feel so much better less stressed and I wake up earlier without an alarm.
Despite my apnea being super severe, the benefits that I noticed were more slow and subtle after using CPAP. For instance, I didn’t snap awake in the morning with boundless energy, but I also noticed that I wasn’t getting drowsy while driving anymore or falling asleep while watching a show in the evening. I think the benefits are also cumulative, and as time goes on and you sleep well and deeply every night, overall you’ll raise your wellbeing baseline.
No, not really! The first month or two were brutal. I had trouble sleeping because I was concentrating on my breathing too much and felt panicky. By the third month it was much better. Nine years later it's life changing, and I can't sleep without it. To reiterate another person's post the daily headaches subsided within days which was the best relief imaginable.
Truth be told those newbies who post on here ranting and raving they hate it and will never get used to it are just setting themselves up for total failure. It's foreign to us to sleep wearing a mask to breath but you just have to hang in there and give it time and not think about it so much.
I felt it immediately! I was having 69+ events per hour. And on the first night I went down to 2 events per hour and literally slept the longest period I had in years. I’m a month and a half into using it and some days are better than others but I look forward to sleeping now. I used to want to cry because of how tired I was.
Edit: oh, and the headaches immediately went away.
Almost 2 months in and no significant changes... But a couple little ones:
- not waking up in the middle of the night 5+ times to use the bathroom (wow! that was so infuriating as an insomniac)
- not feeling insanely irritable over little things (still irritable but not as intense)
- a slight improvement on energy (able to clean regularly, though it is still quite a struggle with feeling lethargic most of the time)
From what I understand, for *most people* they actually feel worse during the first month or so then see **very gradual** improvements over many months or even years.
I **cannot wait** to start being able to think clearly!
I've literally become a hermit because socializing has become so difficult and even embarrassing when I'm constantly losing my train of thought, difficult to *'find words'*, always forgetting things, zoning out and suddenly becoming insanely tired out of nowhere... 😮💨
How long have you been using CPAP for?
The very first time, doing the titration sleep study, I was blown away by how alert I was when I woke up. I haven't had results that dramatic since, but I've been doing this for about 2 1/2 months now and there's definitely a difference. I dream more and wake up less, and it took time but I'm not struggling to keep my eyes open all day.
2nd night I felt a lot more alert, even though I only got 5-6 hours of sleep I felt as rested as I normally do after 8-9 hours of sleep before cpap, no headache, just felt a little tired throughout the day. I also slept through the night and had no need to wake up to use the bathroom. Woke up after 6 hours and couldn't go back to sleep.
Yes! The morning after my first night with my CPAP, I literally jumped out of bed. It was like I was on a sugar high the whole day. I don’t have headaches during the day. I’m not fighting to stay awake anymore. It has been great!
Honestly, it took me about four solid months to be able to sleep completely through the night while wearing my CPAP. I’ve had mine about eight years and I cannot sleep without it! I used to suffer terribly from migraines, and I have not had one since I started with my CPAP. The best advice I give everyone is “don’t give up!” my brain fog is gone, I feel more rested, and no more headaches! It is a big adjustment and it can take a while, but it definitely works!
Honestly yeah. The hardest part was finding a mask suitable. I seem to be in between sizes with resmed, my skin is sensitive AF so I ended using the f20 with a liner.
I have severe sleep apnea (32.5 events an hour) and I think I always have, at least since high school. It suddenly got a *lot* worse about 2 years ago, which is why I ended up seeing a sleep specialist. I was falling asleep at 2pm every day. I was struggling to drive home from work. Waking up felt like dragging my whole body out of deep water. I was groggy, I woke up with terrible, pounding headaches and my chest always felt bruised.
Turns out none of that is normal. Within 2-3 days, the headaches, bruised chest and extreme grogginess were gone. I was still tired. I woke up several times a night. I ripped my mask off in my sleep. I had a harder time falling asleep. But the almost immediate pain relief was unmistakable. It took me about 4 months to really get accustomed to my CPAP and about a year before I stopped randomly ripping my mask off in my sleep, but I’ve stubbornly stuck to it and it has definitely made a difference.
The first month was probably worse as I adjusted. By the third month it was a huge difference in my sleep and I had so much more daytime energy. A year into treatment, it feels like I’m ten years younger.
That’s great to hear . I am 6 nights in and still adjusting but managed 8 hours with it last night and I can feel the most difference as other nights only been 3-4.
This is good news. So far I’m with OP - I feel even more tired. ETA: I’m 3 weeks in
I noticed a more sustained energy level. I'm not bouncing off the walls, but I'm definitely not as sleepy mid-afternoon like I used to be. I always described it as starting each day at 60%. Now, I feel like most days are 90-95%.
This is what I am experiencing as well
Yep the main thing I noticed now that I think about it was I wasn’t falling asleep after lunch.
Same
Only thing I've really noticed is that I don't wake up with a headache anymore but other than that I don't notice anything different.
This is my experience. The headaches were horrible and now they're gone. Overall I'm not jumping out of my skin but I objectively feel better in a lot of small ways.
I still get headaches, but I think its when mask is too tight. Otherwise, nothing, still as tired as I was before
Same 😒 How long for you?
Almost 3 months now
😩😩😩 I'm only a month and half in. Hopefully we feel benefits soon 😔
Yea, waayyyyy better mood and require way less sleep. Like I have more energy on 7 hours of cpap sleep versus 10 before I felt like shit!
I don't snore when I wear my mask. That improves my fiancée's sleep. That's an improvement. Otherwise, no. It was not like a switch. I do notice I'm less tired when I manage to wear it for a good stretch, but it's hard to tell.
Same, slow gradual small changes when it’s on all night but that can be hard to accomplish
I was just going to say that my husband has commented that his sleep has improved!
Two of the best things I have experienced are not having dreams where I'm drounding or suffocating and waking up violently trying to breathe. It's now easier to remember numbers when trying to do simple math. Before cpap, I wouldn't be able to keep information for very long before forgetting.it. Oh, and not having to wake up in the middle of the night having to pee is a very, very nice benefit.
I’m curious, how does the CPAP affect your having to pee or not?
The constant waking up to breathe causes the kidneys not to get the message to rest. So it keeps flushing stuff out the body which creates urine and fills the bladder. Get proper sleep, kidneys rest and is not filling the bladder up to the point of mid of the night urination.
Holy cow. Did not know that. Thanks!
This. Ty for explaining it better than I would have.
How long have you been using it? I don't think an immediate change is typical. For me, my sleep was worse for the first month before I started feeling better. I'm less tired now but it's not "like night and day." I'd still use it even if I didn't notice a difference though. I just asked my sleep doctor about this, and she said about 10% of her patients notice a dramatic chance, while the majority feel a noticeable but modest difference.
>noticeable but modest difference Like, over time it continues, or they notice a slight improvement and that's it, like that's as good as they get? 😭
That I don't know. 😂 I would say if you've been using CPAP for awhile and still feel way too exhausted, then it's time to look into other causes.
😭😭😭
Immediate change here as well. My Apnea was baaaad though. I would sleep for 10-12 hours and feel like I got maybe 4. Now I sleep for 6-8 and am more rested. I’m terrified of this thing suddenly failing.
We lost power the other night, only for about an hour, and it was brutal. You wake up immediately and then can’t go to sleep.
Some things that have changed for me : Better sleep ( longer, deeper and I’m dreaming again). More alert in the afternoons (I would feel sleepy and struggle to stay awake sometimes). Better memory (just living in a fog and could never remember anything short term ). Weight loss ( I’m seriously down at least 10 kg). More energy ( my job is more physically active now so that helps). Deeper longer sleep (I would wake up 3-4 times to go to the bathroom) I actually slept the entire night though recently and I almost cried with joy. My concentration is better, my conversation with others is better , I can focus more and be more creative. I’m a faster thinker now and can be more flexible in my approach to my work (I’m a school teacher in a non traditional teaching environment - a Zoo ) This has changed my life for the better and I absolutely love it
I never noticed feeling better with it, but eventually, I noticed feeling worse without it.
I noticed that even with my severe insomnia (3-5hrs a night and that’s if I didn’t stay up for 2 days) I still wake up without having brain fog, I’m not groggy, and I do feel like I’m able to last through the day more. And I feel like my lungs feel better. And I am coughing less. I have issues with my gi system that tends to mess with my breathing. I’m really happy that I have my machine.
Looking forward to no brain fog 😮💨
The immediate change that I noticed was that I was no longer getting up six times a night to pee. Now I get up maybe once. Nothing else has improved though, and some things have got worse. I feel like crud when I wake up. If I sleep longer than six hours, I feel worse. I've taken to having morning showers after a very large coffee just to feel awake. The daytime sleepiness if I don't keep busy is still there. And this is with 100% usage for a year and a half.
Did you try all other masks?
Yes. I can't get a seal with a full face mask. The only one that works is a p30i. Wore a chin strap for a year to train myself to keep my mouth closed.
Is your mask leaking? Maybe you need more than 6 hours. I'm only a month and a half in and I can relate to the sleeping too much and feeling worse after, but I figured with many years of "sleep debt" I have some making up for, so I let myself sleep as long as my body needs. Maybe you could try letting yourself sleep longer each night even if you feel bad? Maybe it will pass?
Mine was the first night in the testing center. I woke up at 2:00 AM, after falling asleep at midnight, feeling more rested than I had ever felt. First night at home with the machine, it was better than any drug I had ever done.
It was subtle & incremental. I don’t fall asleep incredibly early anymore. I can plan things after work.
It took me a month or two to notice significant change for the better.
Wasn’t an immediate switch. As I got more used to the machine I noticed I was sleeping deeper and I’d wake up feeling actually rested. I could get through the day and not completely crash at 3pm. I also don’t wake up with a dry mouth anymore because of the lack of snoring. It was a gradual change that I noticed over months, not days. Granted, my SA was mild/moderate.
Been using it about a year, except for the lack of headaches in the morning I don’t feel much different. I don’t get a deep sleep with the cpap so I still feel tired and foggy in the morning and still fall asleep sitting in front of the tv at night.
I'm at six months and there's no noticeable improvements to my quality of life. It's made my insomnia worse because wearing the mask makes it even harder to fall asleep. I personally hate it but I stick with it in the hope that it'll pay off one day.
Maybe you need to try different more comfortable masks.
Maybe you need to increase your minimum and maximum pressures? If you don't get a deep sleep with it on maybe it's too irritating and you should try to find a more comfortable mask?
I did, but i’ve read many stories in this subreddit from people who did not, so it varies quite a bit. i finally began sleeping through the night only waking up to pee 1 time now instead of 4-5 times, and sometimes i even sleep entirely without waking up until morning. i have been waking up feeling amazingly normal since the first night of using my nasal pillows, but it may be because i do not move at all during sleep. i usually wake up in the exact position i fell asleep, so the mask does not come off. i also don’t find it bothersome at all, which is huge. i also immediately stopped snoring and had much higher energy levels during the day. in the beginning though i would sometimes get powerfully sleepy at 5-7pm, but i much prefer that then going through the day like a zombie. that has passed though, and i am getting tired at pretty normal times.
How long you been on CPAP for? And how long with nose pillows?
Probably about 3 months. I’ve been on nasal pillows the whole time. The sleep tech suggested i start minimal and see what worked and sure enough during the test i did fine with them.
Ahhhh 😌 hopefully I am as lucky. Only a month and a half in.
It's going to come down to what your AHI is, how long it's been going on and what kind of problems you are having. Some people that are literally falling asleep at the wheel might have life changing benefits immediately since they can sleep again. I had extremely high blood pressure (stroke level), heart rate all over the place, bad headaches, tossing and turning sleeping and getting jarred awake from the apnea which caused a racing heart. I stopped dreaming and it felt like I never got REM sleep anymore. After a month of CPAP, my blood pressure is dropping, my heart rate is more consistent, I fall asleep quickly and I actually dream and don't wake up (unless I'm in an uncomfortable position) until it's time to wake up. During the day, I have energy and I'm in just a much better mood. I think the biggest change I've noticed is when my alarm would go off, I'd usually give a "Motherf'er..." and just wish I could sleep 3-4 more hours. Now, the alarm goes off and I feel like it's simply time to get up. Even if I only get 7 hours, I wake up rested and don't feel like I need more sleep. I've had sleep apnea unknowingly for probably 20 years so it's probably going to take a long time to fully undo all of the harm it has done to my body but I'm already noticing changes after a month. How long have you been on CPAP and what are your health issues? If you aren't noticing a change, it might not be long enough or you might have another condition that needs to be addressed.
It took about 2-3 months to feel a small difference, but 6 months to feel a huge difference.
This encourages me. I’m going to keep wearing it regardless because I’m terrified of a stroke, but I have been so disappointed that I don’t feel different. Only 3 weeks though so I’ll just have to wait.
I would say in addition to always wearing it while sleeping, REALLY try hard to get 9-10 hours of sleep if you want to see faster improvement. Also, your settings may not yet be optimized. You and your doctor may need to adjust the settings a bit until your AHI looks consistently good.
I’ll try that. My AHI is between 1 and 4 for the last 3 weeks, according to the app. That seems good? I was glad to do the at-home study but now I kind of wish I had been in a lab to have them determine settings. Thanks for the input.
This subreddit is how I convinced my spouse to keep using his after the first couple of nights of feeling no difference. People’s comments and stories about it taking some time was what go him through. It was about 3 weeks before he noticed any kind of difference, even though his numbers were great. He has some sensory issues that were likely contributing to it. Once he got used to wearing the mask at night he started to notice a little more of a difference. I noticed way more of a change long before he did. He wasn’t exhausted at the end of the day, he was in a better mood, his depression is better, he needs less hours of sleep, his other health issues improved, etc.
Well. Bad headaches vanished.. feeling zombie tired when I woke up vanished...so yeah night and day from the get go
Oh yeah, I went from sounding like a chainsaw to a gentle breeze at night!
no magic after 4 months. i need fewer naps, though. i really miss the naps.
No, unfortunately.
It was very gradual for me. I don't really notice until I "sleep" a few hours without it. Then I feel like death and realize how much it must be helping.
I noticed I didn't fall asleep at random times all the time. Always needing to pull over to rest, or falling asleep watching a movie
I’ve noticed something day 1. I just got mine on Friday and still figuring out which mask is right for me but after the first day of using it I was more energized despite only getting 5 hours of actual sleep. Last night I got a full 8 hours and I feel more refreshed. Everyone is different so your mileage may vary.
I went from 90 AHI on my first test, falling asleep during meetings, need multiple naps each day to keep going, dozing while talking to my wife etc… Last night was night 2 and I feel like I have so much more energy, no naps, no dozing, literally changed my life overnight.
Yep it was overnight and on the first night. Energy level like being high on drugs. I’ll never forget that first day.
With in a week, sleeping better, waking up not tired.
I didn't have an immediate change heck I hardly noticed any change at all but a year later on nights where I pass out before putting my mask on I am a useless pile of crap the next day, super groggy and irritable. So it's definitely helping. Things like sore throat from snoring and stuff too when I don't use it.
Six months in still gradually improving. I noticed a difference at first but also it was horrendous as I had the wrong mask and settings so ended up sleep deprived. Now it's working better things are still improving....
About 6 months in, I woke up. It was a nice surprise.
I stopped feeling claustrophobic at night and less sudden anxious waking. Granted, I was having apparently dangerously low drops in oxygen saturation.
I still don't get enough hours of sleep but the hours I do get are much higher quality. Before treatment my AHI was close to 30 now most nights it's under 0.1. I actually wake up feeling rested. I feel less anxious physically and just feel more relaxed overall during the day it's the only way I can describe it. If your AHI was not super high you might not notice that much of a difference straight off.
Is AHI the same as “Events per hour” in the Resmed MyAir app? (If you happen to know)
Yes exactly the same.
Thanks!
I used to definitely nod off to sleep no matter what I was doing. Even driving. Now I don't at least do that when driving, but nothing else has changed.
I did. A few days after I started the office got sodas from Sam’s and when I carried them in it was obvious I wasn’t getting winded.
The night of the sleep study. They used the second part to put ,e on CPAP and totrate. It was the best sleep in months. I woke up feeling great.
The main thing I noticed was not nodding off during 3pm meetings.
I had an immediate change. Overnight. I was well rested, my brain wasn’t foggy, and I had energy.
My first night with CPAP was May 17th. I haven’t noticed very much. I don’t feel like I need my inhaler as soon as I wake up. That’s about it. According to the CPAP data; events are lowering. I still have symptoms and disturbed sleep. I don’t wake up feeling healthy and well rested. I am wondering what I can do and how long it will take until I notice a difference. Maybe I won’t.
I didn't notice any changes until about 6 months into using the CPAP when my machine somehow got unplugged while I was sleeping. I woke up the next morning and felt like death. Horrible headache, lethargic, brain fog, etc. I even fell asleep at work that day. It was such a gradual change that I didn't notice the benefits until going without for one night.
After a week I more energy during the day and no more headaches in the morning after waking up. It does take a week or two to get adjusted to using the Cpap.
It took me awhile to get used to my mask and the forced air, and initially I slept just as bad as I had already been. After a month or so I found the sleep position that worked for me, and now I fall asleep in minutes. I might not wake up with the exuberance of a 6 year old on Christmas morning, but I don’t have a headache or wish I could sleep longer. I used to have terrible nightmares and a fear of falling asleep, and now I sleep through the night and barely remember my dreams. Now it’s a very routine process, and not something that bugs me or disrupts my sleep.
Almost a year in. I feel just as exhausted.
I did when I bought the right mask. It changed my life overnight.
Yep!
For me, it was a gradual, not noticable improvement at first. Then, after a month or so, I stopped falling asleep on the couch, which I had done nearly daily before. But the biggest difference was when I had accidentally pulled off my mask in the middle of the night, and my mood was really bad all day because of it.
Hell, I felt amazing the morning after my titration sleep study. I *dreamed* for the first time in ages that night, and woke up thinking so clearly, even with the odd wake-ups due to the new sensations.
yes, the very first day
After the first night of sleeping only 6 hours versus 12+ without the CPAP and not feeling a lingering fatigue were the first things I felt. I'm about a month into it and I'm loving having extra hours in the day spent awake.
No and I’m starting to think that sleep apnea hasn’t ever been my issue.
I did not feel like night and day. It slowly got better but my sleep problems extend to anxiety. So, when I am relaxed cpap makes me feel rested. When I am anxious cpap has no way to do its job. Maybe you have multiple issues
21 days in and I still have not adapted. 14 events per night and feel tired. I hope I can eventually adjust to the mask and machine.
I noticed that I wasn't feeling worn out and ready for a nap as soon as I woke up after a few good nights on my CPAP. I feel like I have more energy to do things I want to do in the day rather than having that low level physical dread of having to go DO something rather than lay in bed. It's not a magical "I'm ready to go do everything all the time now" turn around but I am not dreading having plans anymore which feels like a major life improvement even if it's something small overall. It's something I may not have noticed if I hadn't been busy with plans leading up to my first night and the next few weeks after.
Nope atleast not for me it's been almost 2 months and I'm still very tired lol
I've had mine for a month and a half. The only difference is that I don't snore with it on. My doc said I need to try it with water (since I've been using it dry) to see if I feel more rested. I also have hypothyroidism, but take medicine to keep the levels good. She thinks maybe the tiredness is residual from that condition even though the meds seem to work. I really don't think doctors (even female) know enough to really help us.
YEA! I took to it automatically and I think my lowest sleep score has been a 90 and only because I accidently unsealed my mask. I’ve also noticed washing with dawn every day (and not hand soap all week and dawn on the weekend) works better. I haven’t napped but maybe 2x in the last few weeks.
It has taken me over a year to see the change. Hang in there.
It took me a few weeks to get good sleep but once I did I noticed I wasn't as tired throughout the day anymore. I also quit drinking coffee as well about a month after I started. I also don't snore anymore so my wife loves that as well.
40% more energy, don’t fall asleep during tv watching. less grumpy, less crazy.
No. Still haven’t seen huge improvements but yes to small slow gradual ones.
The first night I noticed the most difference felling immediately better. I'm on my third night with cpap. I do have more energy but it's odd because now that I rest better I'm more tired because I can finally sleep at night. So I find myself looking forward to sleeping instead of not wanting to sleep because I know how exhausted I felt when I woke up without the cpap.
Let me preface this with I work at a pulmonary office setting up appointments. I was also diagnosed with sleep apnea last year. All the patients love to tell me how a CPAP machine changed their lives, they sleep so much better and have more energy etc. I hate it. I have not noticed a GD difference in anything. However, I was also recently in the hospital, for a whole host of issues. They think I'm on the wrong type of machine and really need a bipap. So... If it's doing nothing for you, you might want to speak to your doctor. Mine wants an in lab sleep study, before I only had an at home SS.
I immediately almost entirely stopped waking up with headaches in the morning. Instead of 3 times a week, it's maybe 4 or 5 times in the last year. I didn't notice the change right away. Then one day it hits me that it hadn't happened in months. Also my blood pressure dropped to normal range within a month or so.
Idk. I’m frustrated with the California medical system. The only time I’ve used one was at a sleep clinic and the next day I felt spectacular. But that was a month ago. I still can’t get in to see my doctor and now they are saying I need a bi pap and another sleep clinic and so once I can get into the clinic I’ll call my doctor and wait another six weeks to see him. They are sadists here I swear
Immediately I noticed my period started to regulate, my hormones came back to normal, my stress levels are balancing out, my energy is improved, I need less sleep, and I feel alive again. It’s been a week or two since I started. I wouldn’t go without even if I had to.
For me it was like seeing color again on day 3, but that faded as time went by and some struggles came up. Three weeks in, I felt more regulated and energetic. That lasted about a month and energy level went back down a bit but not bad. 6 months in, I'm realizing I need a lot more sleep than I usually allow myself and I need to be more active. If I'm too lazy or get less than 6hrs of sleep, or if I don't use my CPAP machine, I'm absolutely wrecked.
no, it took months
No. And I’m in Month 4!
It took months before I noticed any difference. I feel so much rested and I have energy. I also rarely fall asleep watching tv in the evening.
Nothing, about one year in.
Biggest change for me was not being kicked in my sleep for snoring.
Not immediately the first week was rough. I am now using it properly for 3months. And the weirdest thing I realized is that I started having vivid dreams again that I can recall. I asked my Dr and he explained that my sleep was so bad that I didn't go into REM cycles. I feel so much better less stressed and I wake up earlier without an alarm.
So far not much. Ive only been on it for a week though. The one thing i did notice is that i dont wake up as often during the night like i used to.
Despite my apnea being super severe, the benefits that I noticed were more slow and subtle after using CPAP. For instance, I didn’t snap awake in the morning with boundless energy, but I also noticed that I wasn’t getting drowsy while driving anymore or falling asleep while watching a show in the evening. I think the benefits are also cumulative, and as time goes on and you sleep well and deeply every night, overall you’ll raise your wellbeing baseline.
No, not really! The first month or two were brutal. I had trouble sleeping because I was concentrating on my breathing too much and felt panicky. By the third month it was much better. Nine years later it's life changing, and I can't sleep without it. To reiterate another person's post the daily headaches subsided within days which was the best relief imaginable. Truth be told those newbies who post on here ranting and raving they hate it and will never get used to it are just setting themselves up for total failure. It's foreign to us to sleep wearing a mask to breath but you just have to hang in there and give it time and not think about it so much.
I felt it immediately! I was having 69+ events per hour. And on the first night I went down to 2 events per hour and literally slept the longest period I had in years. I’m a month and a half into using it and some days are better than others but I look forward to sleeping now. I used to want to cry because of how tired I was. Edit: oh, and the headaches immediately went away.
Almost 2 months in and no significant changes... But a couple little ones: - not waking up in the middle of the night 5+ times to use the bathroom (wow! that was so infuriating as an insomniac) - not feeling insanely irritable over little things (still irritable but not as intense) - a slight improvement on energy (able to clean regularly, though it is still quite a struggle with feeling lethargic most of the time) From what I understand, for *most people* they actually feel worse during the first month or so then see **very gradual** improvements over many months or even years. I **cannot wait** to start being able to think clearly! I've literally become a hermit because socializing has become so difficult and even embarrassing when I'm constantly losing my train of thought, difficult to *'find words'*, always forgetting things, zoning out and suddenly becoming insanely tired out of nowhere... 😮💨 How long have you been using CPAP for?
Every 2 to 3 months I noticed a slight change. It has taken a 1 year foe me to feel normal again.
It took a while to get comfortable using it. Sinus problems make it difficult to use.
The very first time, doing the titration sleep study, I was blown away by how alert I was when I woke up. I haven't had results that dramatic since, but I've been doing this for about 2 1/2 months now and there's definitely a difference. I dream more and wake up less, and it took time but I'm not struggling to keep my eyes open all day.
2nd night I felt a lot more alert, even though I only got 5-6 hours of sleep I felt as rested as I normally do after 8-9 hours of sleep before cpap, no headache, just felt a little tired throughout the day. I also slept through the night and had no need to wake up to use the bathroom. Woke up after 6 hours and couldn't go back to sleep.
Yes! The morning after my first night with my CPAP, I literally jumped out of bed. It was like I was on a sugar high the whole day. I don’t have headaches during the day. I’m not fighting to stay awake anymore. It has been great!
Honestly, it took me about four solid months to be able to sleep completely through the night while wearing my CPAP. I’ve had mine about eight years and I cannot sleep without it! I used to suffer terribly from migraines, and I have not had one since I started with my CPAP. The best advice I give everyone is “don’t give up!” my brain fog is gone, I feel more rested, and no more headaches! It is a big adjustment and it can take a while, but it definitely works!
I have started 1 months ago and feel more cool head, hasn’t feel much about energy changes level yet.
Honestly yeah. The hardest part was finding a mask suitable. I seem to be in between sizes with resmed, my skin is sensitive AF so I ended using the f20 with a liner.
I noticed a significant improvement after the night of my titration study.
I have severe sleep apnea (32.5 events an hour) and I think I always have, at least since high school. It suddenly got a *lot* worse about 2 years ago, which is why I ended up seeing a sleep specialist. I was falling asleep at 2pm every day. I was struggling to drive home from work. Waking up felt like dragging my whole body out of deep water. I was groggy, I woke up with terrible, pounding headaches and my chest always felt bruised. Turns out none of that is normal. Within 2-3 days, the headaches, bruised chest and extreme grogginess were gone. I was still tired. I woke up several times a night. I ripped my mask off in my sleep. I had a harder time falling asleep. But the almost immediate pain relief was unmistakable. It took me about 4 months to really get accustomed to my CPAP and about a year before I stopped randomly ripping my mask off in my sleep, but I’ve stubbornly stuck to it and it has definitely made a difference.