Preferred mask for side-sleepers

The biggest adjustment to my cpap machine is having to sleep on my back. I have slept on my side for nearly 70 years and teaching an old dog a new trick like sleeping on my back has not been easy. I find myself eventually turning on my side and that's when the leaks begin. If I have already slept for six or more hours, I usually stop the machine, remove my mask, and go back to sleep. Are there any masks more suited to sleeping on one's side? I would appreciate suggestions or ideas!

I am not sure if there are masks more suted for side sleeping. I sleep on my side just fine, I think it has to do with the way you sleep on your side as much as mask plus there are pillows, that are designed for xpap users, that one can get to help side sleepers.

RogerAN wrote:The biggest adjustment to my cpap machine is having to sleep on my back. I have slept on my side for nearly 70 years and teaching an old dog a new trick like sleeping on my back has not been easy. I find myself eventually turning on my side and that's when the leaks begin. If I have already slept for six or more hours, I usually stop the machine, remove my mask, and go back to sleep. Are there any masks more suited to sleeping on one's side? I would appreciate suggestions or ideas!

What are using now - full face mask? I use a nasal pillows mask (Swift LT) that is very stable on my head and face. I too am a side-sleeper and it does fine and it will do just fine on your back. Can't vouch for stomach as I don't do that. Nasal masks are smaller (then FFM's) and would present fewer leak problems. Just a few ideas.

P.S. Did you just add that mask to your equipment? Could have sworn it wasn't there when I first read your post.

You should NOT sleep on your back--you're likely to have more leaks and apneas in that position.

If you don't need a FF mask because of mouth breathing, the Swift FX or LT are very comfortable for side sleeping because they are soft and light on the face.

I mostly use a Mirage Quattro FF mask these days. I have one of those "orthopedic" tempurpedic pillows with a neck roll on each long side and a sort of "ditch" in the center. I position my head on the end of that pillow, with my forehead supported by the top neck roll and the mask mostly in the "ditch". This reduces the pressure on the mask, but if I spring a leak during the night, I just snuggle my face a little bit into the pillow and that usually stops the leak (if it's enough to wake me in the first place). I also am at the end of the pillow, so part of the mask is just hanging off the edge of the pillow altogether.

I feel a little pressure from the pillow side of the mask pushing against my face when I first get into bed, but by morning I can barely tell it's on.

Some masks just leak more easily than others with any movement.
Have you tried adjusting your mask for fit while on your side?

The nasal pillows have less of a presence on the face and make a good choice for side sleeping. I often end up on my stomach with mine without leak problems. There are also cpap pillows with cut away areas for the mask to rest for side sleepers. This helps avoid pillow pressure causing mask movement.

There is no reason why a person has to sleep on their back if they don't want to. Sometimes it just takes some inventive measures to allow for any mask to have limited pressure or movement when a person is on their side.

I am a side sleeper and as mentioned above use the swift fx mask. I find it comfortable, especially if I sleep at the edge of the pillow with the mask over the edge. Hope you find something that works for you.

If you are a mouth-breather and can't use a nasal interface, you might try a hybrid design (RespCare Hybrid or ResMed Liberty). They have a small footprint compared with a FF mask, and eliminate the need for chinstrap, taping, etc. I side-sleep virtually all the time...and switch back and forth with minimal leaks.

I am a side sleeper (not allowed on my back - per doctor's orders) and use a FFM (F&P 431). I'm fine on my side, but it leaks like crazy on my back. I don't use any special pillows.

I have found that if you use the correct pillow such as a buckwheat or a cpap special pillow everything is okay. I personally like a buckwheat pillow because I can mold it so that my neck doesn't get sore and the mask doesn't leak.

I'm a side sleeper and use the Swift FX with no problems at all.

RogerAN wrote:The biggest adjustment to my cpap machine is having to sleep on my back. I have slept on my side for nearly 70 years and teaching an old dog a new trick like sleeping on my back has not been easy. I find myself eventually turning on my side and that's when the leaks begin. If I have already slept for six or more hours, I usually stop the machine, remove my mask, and go back to sleep. Are there any masks more suited to sleeping on one's side? I would appreciate suggestions or ideas!

When I first went to a sleep doctor in 2002 and told him I could not sleep on my back, he said it was most likely because of my apnea. Side sleepers have fewer apneas than back sleepers.

Now, with CPAP, I find I am able to sleep on my back at times, but I still prefer to sleep on my side. Having tried a nasal mask, as well as the Swift FX and Swift LT, I find Swift LT to be the most stable when rolling over from one side to the other.

Thanks to all for your kind responses and suggestions. My sleep doctor stated very clearly that the "Best sleep position is on your back!" so I have tried to follow his advice. I do have fewer leaks while sleeping on my back. In the first month of cpap therapy, I tried two different full face masks, with less than desirable results. Some have suggested pillows, and I will probably give them a try at some point. Also, several have recommended the Swift FX which may be a feasible option. I'll try to keep you posted. Thanks for your help and your patience.

I sleep about 75% of the time on my side. The Swift II (Two) nasal pillow system works really well for me. I have used it since it came on the market, perhaps 5 years or so, maybe longer. The air tubing enters on the side of the nasal mask as opposed to the center. The tubing can be changed to enter either side by removing a plug and re-inserting it on the other side. Since I sleep on my right side, the air hose enters the left side. I tried the Swift that has th hose enter the middle, FX, I think. There is a piece of protruding plastic that hits my hose and makes it sore, so I went back the the old standby. No leaks.

I was at my DME the other day to pick up my new Mirage FX nasal mask (which I find just fine so far for side sleeping so far - no leaks to speak of).

While I was there, the RT tried to interest me in the Respironics True Blue nasal mask - she said it was for side sleepers; it has an accordion-like cushion that is supposed to self-adjust when you move your head on the pillow when on your side. I can't vouch for the mask but you may want to look into it.

I guess all Doctors are different. When I had my study, my AHI was 55 on my side and 99 on my back so he said stay off my back. So I'm a side sleeper and very rarely on my back. My AHI is usually between 2 and 3.