Can the machine really sense or is it the program

Yeah, so I have resmed airsense 10 auto......I use a nasal pillow mask, which I like and don't have any leakage issues with that.......tested with mild apnea....was given the suggested range of 5 to 12.........In my journey I have gotten to where I set the min at 8 and max at 12....I also have been using epr at 1......and it seems to work okay at these settings, as far as compliance, just not feeling the benefits...But whats interesting to me is the machines auto sense range......I find it hard to believe that the machine can sense much change in breathing, when basically, you are separated from the machine by about 7 feet of plastic tubing, and you have such a force of air being blown into you, it just seems like its not very plausible that the machine could sense much.......So then it leads me to think, is the machines program more whats making changes thru the night, vs sensing changes in breathing.......I say this because I notice that when I start the machine, after laying there relaxed, good gentle breathing, the machine will go up about 1 point in pressure......I don't understand why this would be, when i'm awake and nothing has changed in those 5 to 10 min of breathing, etc........

I hope this isn't to silly of a question guys......just trying to understand how the machine really works......because I think it makes a big difference on how you set your therapy to maximize a successful outcome....

The machine cannot tell if you are awake or asleep. It just tracks the breathing changes.

Your breathing patterns are different when you're asleep, and that's what the machine senses.

Thank you for the replies.....that makes sense......However, just having a hard time believing that the machine can really detect much change in breathing, when we are breathing so lightly already, and again, having to reach 7 ft to the machine to reach that change. notification.....More so on exhale.....Now I can see if you breathe in harder, the force of that breath, increasing positive force, then yes machine can tell something......

It's not about individual breaths, but patterns over time.

The machine can sense the change in resistance when you breathe in and out even with the 7 feet of hose. It can also distinguish between not breathing with an open airway and not breathing with an obstructed airway. I'm sure that the machine's ability to do this is a combination of pressure sensors in the machine and the machine's firmware.

The machine's sensors are a lot more sensitive and accurate than you give them credit for being.
All their claims are backed up with years of research and development and experimentation.
They do have the limitation of not being able to determine sleep status (wake vs asleep) but in terms of air flow measured they are very sensitive and accurate backed up with years of experience and testing.

That "blast" of air is not nearly as strong as your perception.
Once you get used to it, it will seem like a gentle breeze.
Our GOOD machines have sensors that can detect subtle changes in air movement,
and the on-board computers can calculate what they need---but not your sleep stage.
Other devices (sold separately) can estimate sleep stages.

Got it guys...thank you for the kind responses.....

It's my understanding that the sensors are fact gatherers about the different aspects of air flow, and the presets and parameters of the programming determine what to tell the machine to do about that information. I'm impressed with the sensors. I can't even tell when my pressure changes. I just imagined a bunch of cpapers playing a party game of "Guess the Pressure". Almost sounds fun.