On many nights, new CPAP users begin their night with a good effort by using their CPAP. Sometimes, however, compliance is not continued throughout the night. The inability to use CPAP for the entire night is a great disservice to your health. The greater part of REM sleep, the most restful part of sleep, is toward the end of the night between the hours of 4 to 6 am. REM sleep is often referred to as “Dream Sleep” and is essential to getting a restful night’s sleep.
There are 5 stages of sleep beginning with stage 1 and ending with stage 5. Stage 1 lasts approximately 1-7 minutes at the onset of sleep. It is a transitional stage between wakefulness and sleep. Stage 2 takes up the largest portion of your Sleep time. While it is a bit deeper than stage 1, it is still considered to be a light shallow stage of sleep. Stages 3 and 4 are deeper slow wave sleep. Stage 3 is more of a transitional stage to 4 some where between 2 and 4. REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) or Dream Sleep is Stage 5 Sleep. During this stage, muscles are completely relaxed and slack. The most significant Obstructive Sleep Apnea events occur while on your back and in REM sleep due...