Does it matter if your machine is level with you or lower?

Hi,

This is kind of a weird question and tried to search to see if anyone had asked this.

I was wondering if it matters if your CPAP machine is level with you and your bed approximately or if you can have the machine lower like on a lower shelf or the floor.

I have a night stand by my bed that is pretty level with my bed, but it also has a lower shelf. Currently I have it on the lower shelf. I didn't know if that makes a difference at all with the air and/or humidifier.

Thanks in advance for your answers. I have had my machine a week and just trying to still figure everything out from mask fit, trying to keep my mouth from opening at night, and the best machine settings for me.

From what I've seen, it should be lower than you are so that if humidity builds up in the hose it has a chance to run back down to the machine instead of into your face

The lower than your mattress thing is mainly for letting gravity help with any condensation you might get in the hose. Lets the water run back into the water chamber....supposedly.
If you aren't having any condensation issues then it really doesn't matter and even if you are having condensation issues there are some other ways to deal with it.
To be honest...I haven't had much luck with gravity doing such a good job with getting the water out of the hose. Not long ago I slept with the window open and it got really cool in the bedroom and I forgot to increase the hose air temp and I got quite a bit of condensation in the hose and I woke up from all the racket the water in the hose makes. So I tried holding the hose totally vertical in an effort to get the water out of the hose and it just wasn't enough to get rid of the racket. With the way these hoses now attach to the humidifier they can't drain nearly as good as they used to could with older models.

I suggest trying something else and not rely on machine placement as much of an aid if condensation happens.
If you don't have any condensation issues then don't worry about it.
You can even put it higher if you wish...just make sure it doesn't/can't fall off and knock you in the head.

Musicachic wrote:Hi,

This is kind of a weird question and tried to search to see if anyone had asked this.

I was wondering if it matters if your CPAP machine is level with you and your bed approximately or if you can have the machine lower like on a lower shelf or the floor.

I have a night stand by my bed that is pretty level with my bed, but it also has a lower shelf. Currently I have it on the lower shelf. I didn't know if that makes a difference at all with the air and/or humidifier.

Thanks in advance for your answers. I have had my machine a week and just trying to still figure everything out from mask fit, trying to keep my mouth from opening at night, and the best machine settings for me.

Does not make a bit of difference with your CPAP pressure.

With CPAP humidifier, placing your machine lower may actually be better since most condensation (ie. rainout) within the hose will flow back into the humidifier rather than your nose/face.

Cool. I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything on the up and up. Good to know it is good to have it lower with the humidity since that is what I am already doing. I just need to continue to bend my butt over to get down to it and refill it will water at night.

Musicachic wrote:Cool. I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything on the up and up. Good to know it is good to have it lower with the humidity since that is what I am already doing. I just need to continue to bend my butt over to get down to it and refill it will water at night.

If you are having to refill your humidifier in the middle of the night, you may have mask or mouth leaks that need your attention for fixing.

From my experience I believe what matters most is that the highest point in the hose's path is higher than the outlet of the machine. This is predicated on the hose being heated at a temperature higher than the ambient temperature of the room or its being cuddled up in a hose cozy. Water has a hard time climbing hills unless it fills its conduit; if the hose is warmer than the room it should never have the opportunity to condense - if it does condense, it is better that there is a hill to climb between the machine and you (preferably closer to you than the machine).

DreamStalker wrote:

Musicachic wrote:Cool. I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything on the up and up. Good to know it is good to have it lower with the humidity since that is what I am already doing. I just need to continue to bend my butt over to get down to it and refill it will water at night.

If you are having to refill your humidifier in the middle of the night, you may have mask or mouth leaks that need your attention for fixing.

Yeah there is none of that. I was just saying at the beginning of every night I fill it. That would be super dramatic otherwise and mean I was Swamp Thing.

Our machines sit lower than our mattress. When I fill them at night, I simply take the water reservoir out of the machine, place it on the top of the night stand and fill it. I then simply place it back in the machine. I normally fill them at night, but on occasion, my wife fills them if I don't do it early enough since she usually goes to be before I do.

Musicachic wrote:Musicachic

The machines are quiet. Placed below the level of the mattress top, they are even quieter.

Granny +100
If machine noise bothers you, lower the machine.
Sound gets muffled when it goes around a soft corner.