We all look forward to going to sleep every night, but have you ever wondered what exactly goes on in your body when you head to bed? Here are some interesting facts about sleep to daydream about.

Most of the time, you aren’t sleeping deeply
You go through different sleep cycles from the minute your head hits the pillow. When you first doze off, you are in a light sleep mode, then go deeper into non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. The deepest of NREM sleep happens when we are dreaming and creates especially vivid dreams. However, the entire seven-cycle sleep process only takes between 90 and 120 minutes, and then it starts all over again.

Your brain takes out the garbage of the day
Even though your brain is busy while you sleep, it uses your sleep time to refresh itself. Many scientists believe that when a person dreams, the brain is processing the information from the previous day and filtering it out, which is why we dream in order to distract ourselves from everything that is going on. Not only that, but your brain is busy cementing new memories when you are sleeping, which may be the reason why we dream about recent things that have happened in our lives.

You cannot move
Surprisingly enough, when you are in the deepest stages of REM sleep, you are paralyzed and cannot move a muscle, besides your eyes. This is the body’s defense mechanism against acting out your weirdest dreams and can last for up to 20 minutes.

Your sleep can betray you
Sleep apnea, which is when a person stops breathing during the night, can be especially dangerous. In fact, during the average night’s sleep, those with obstructive sleep apnea may experience up to 60 apneas per hour. Once tested with a home sleep test, one of the most effective treatments is to sleep with a nasal CPAP mask that uses pressurized air to open up your airways so you can breathe normally. CPAP machines are prescribed by your doctor and must be worn every day.

Who knew sleeping could be so interesting? Here is some food for thought the next time your head hits the pillow!

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Sleep apnea is a big problem for many people. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition where people stop breathing multiple times while they are sleeping. By depriving the brain of oxygen during the night, a host of medical problems can develop. Sufferers of sleep apnea who do not receive treatment are at least three times more likely to develop heart disease than people who do not have it. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the gold standard in treatment for sleep apnea. Many people have trouble with this system and as a consequence there are a lot of options. From CPAP nasal pillow masks to other kinds of CPAP masks, there are ways to make this system more comfortable.

1. Get the right size. One of the main problems that people have using a CPAP machine is that they get CPAP nasal pillow masks that just do not fit correctly. It is important to find the machine that works best for your specific needs and that fits your face. There are masks that cover the entire face or you can opt for CPAP nasal pillow masks that are paced under the nose and cover much less of the face. What kind of mask or pillow you get is all up to you. The key here is to find one that is comfortable and that fits your face. If you get one that does not meet this criteria, you will not use it and you will not get the benefits from the CPAP machine.
2. Work at getting used to your CPAP device. It can take a lot of time and some effort to get used CPAP nasal pillow masks. There are ways to make that process go easier and smoother. One thing some people do is they wear their full face CPAP masks or their nasal pillow masks while they are awake. They do this without attaching the mask to the machine and just wear it to get used to having something on their face. This can be done while watching television. After you have gotten yourself used to wearing the mask without the pressure, you can start getting used to the device while the pressure is on. After you are ok wearing the mask with pressure while you are awake, you can start trying it when you are asleep. This is important because many people remove their nasal pillow masks or full face masks when they are asleep because they are not used to having something on their face. This negates any benefit of the CPAP machine.
3. Work on getting used to the pressure system. It can be a challenge to get used to something forcing air into the body. There are often mechanisms on the CPAP machines that allow users to gradually get used to the pressure system from the mask. They have what is called a ramp up feature. This lets patients begin with a lower pressure setting and the machine will increase the pressure gradually and automatically as you are falling asleep. Your sleep doctor will have prescribed a certain setting for your machine with the pressure setting that is right for you and your situation. If you still have problem with the pressure, you may want to talk to your physician about a different kind of machine. Some will start ramping up the pressure after you have fallen asleep. There are different types of machines that are available for sufferers of sleep apnea. A bi-level airway pressure machine is similar to the CPAP but has different ways and mechanisms to control the pressure of the air being delivered.
4. Avoid having a stuffy or dry nose. This is a common complaint among users of CPAP machines. The good news is that it is easily corrected with the addition of a humidified to the unit. You can adjust the humidity level to what you need. If that remains an issue, you can add a saline nasal spray. This can make a big difference in how comfortable the nasal pillow masks and full face masks feel.

Using a CPAP machine is important for anyone with sleep apnea. These tips can help make the experience comfortable.

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Regular maintenance, such as cleaning a CPAP machine, and cleaning all filters keeps your machine running at its best, but what happens when your machine runs correctly and you still experience problems. In order to gain full CPAP machine effectiveness, users must use the machine every night while they sleep. Follow these tips to help with three common problems CPAP machine users experience when using their machine.

Dry and Stuffed up Nose

If you constantly suffer from a dry nose, or a nose that constantly feels stuffed up then see about using CPAP machines with a heated humidifier on it. These heated humidifiers allow you to adjust the humidification on the device. Patients over 60 are five times more likely, compared to younger users, to require a heated humidifier. Nasal saline spray used just before bedtime and before you put the machine on your face helps as well. Ensure that your mask fits well and snug, because any leaks can lead to this issue. If after the above tips don’t help and the problem persists then talk with your doctor. They can prescribe a nasal steroid to help with dryness.

Dry Mouth

Another common problem experienced by those who use CPAP machines, is a dry mouth. Those who breath through their mouth at night may experience even worse symptoms when using CPAP machines. Try using a chinstrap when using your machine to help you keep your mouth closed while sleeping. If this option does not work then a full face mask might work better.

Difficulty Wearing the Mask

If you have trouble wearing the mask while you are sleeping, there are a couple of things that you can do to help make it more comfortable and help you to adjust. Try wearing the mask for a short period of time while you are awake. Slowly begin wearing the mask longer and longer, such as while you are watching television. Once you become accustomed to wearing the mask, start wearing it during waking hours with the air pressure on. Once you become accustomed to wearing the mask with the air on while you are awake begin to wear it while you are asleep. It can take several weeks to get used to wearing the mask, but getting used to it is the first step.

Approximately 80% of patients who are currently using a CPAP machine do not use it often enough to keep them safe while sleeping. According to studies, approximately half of the patients who are prescribed a CPAP machine quit using the machine altogether within one week to three weeks. Follow the above tips to overcome common CPAP machine problems so that using your machine is more comfortable and that the machine does the job.