Iowa Sleep Blog

Making CPAP a Habit, Study Findings

Monday, June 17, 2013

Researchers at Penn State

have found that consistent bedtime routines definitely help with adherence of prescribed OSA treatments.

In this study, CPAP adherence is defined as an individual using the treatment for at least four hours each night.  The researchers found that if a patient’s bedtime was consistent within 45minutes, they were significantly more likely to use the CPAP machine for at least four hours each night.

-Individuals that did not have a consistent bedtime, by varying the time by an hour and five minutes or more, were less likely to adhere to the treatment.

-Individuals that varied their bedtime by more that 75 minutes or more were 3.2 time more likely to use CPAP less than four hours per night after one month of treatment. 

 - Researchers also stated that for every 30 minute increase in bedtime variability, the odds of someone adhering to CPAP treatment were 1.8 times greater. 

Amy M. Sawyer, one of the researchers from Penn State, stated “unlike many other treatments, CPAP treatment adds new complexity to a person’s daily routine.”  Ms Sawyer believes that using a CPAP is a learned behavior that needs to become habit.  The Penn State researchers indicate that their next steps will be figuring out ways to help individuals incorporate the CPAP use into their daily routine.

This study can be viewed in its entirety when the Penn State Researchers report their results at the Sleep 2013 meeting of Professional Sleep Societies.

This study was found in <News Medical> published June 6, 2013.