SH leak data and patterns?

[Miss Emerita]

First, let me thank everyone who posts to this board. I'm 4 months in, and I don't think I'd have made it this far without the information and support I've found here.

I've only just noticed that all my leak data on Sleepyhead are multiples of 1.2 L/min. Is that a general SH feature?

I'm also curious what's going on with the frequent, and sometimes prolonged,1.2L/min. leaks that I've started seeing the past few nights. Am I somehow shifting my nasal pillows around? Or am I having a lot of small mouth leaks? (I tape my lips but leave gaps in the corners of my mouth to avoid the Chipmunk Monster.) Any guesses about why the small leaks have started to appear just recently? Finally, any good guesses about the larger leaks -- mouth or pillows?

Many thanks!

[palerider]

It might be a bug, but the overall rates aren't worth being concerned about.

[Miss Emerita]

Palerider, thank you for this fast and reassuring reply.

I don’t have restful sleep, so I’m always on the lookout for factors that could be waking me up or otherwise messing with my sleep architecture.

The larger leaks do wake me up, at least briefly, and possibly the very small ones knock me out of deeper sleep into shallower sleep. Or not. I’m trying to figure out whether there’s something here I could be doing better so I can sleep better. And the answer may be “Who knows!”

[Pugsy]

I have seen that pattern (or similar) in the past and other nights it doesn't do that.
I never could figure out what triggered that pattern. I ended up shrugging my shoulders and moving on.
It might be a bug in the software or something but whatever it is...your leaks are so minimal it wouldn't really matter except you say leaks disturb sleep.

I wonder if they are mask movement leaks caused by stretched out headgear. When is the last time you got new headgear?
Anytime I see persistent leaks nightly...almost always related to headgear needing to be shrunk again or even replaced.

[Miss Emerita]

Thanks, Pugsy! I must have been channeling you, because when I first noticed this pattern I switched out my old headgear and pillows for new ones. And now I think I will take your other advice and move on!

[BlueDragon]

I'm also curious what's going on with the frequent, and sometimes prolonged,1.2L/min. leaks that I've started seeing the past few nights. Am I somehow shifting my nasal pillows around? Or am I having a lot of small mouth leaks? (I tape my lips but leave gaps in the corners of my mouth to avoid the Chipmunk Monster.) Any guesses about why the small leaks have started to appear just recently? Finally, any good guesses about the larger leaks -- mouth or pillows?

I've seen that too. As Pugsy suggests, a stretched out headgear on a P10 can result in a slightly looser fit with small leaks. Also, I've seen a very small leak in a hose (either the main hose or the short hose if you have one) cause a leak chart like that.

[Miss Emerita]

Interesting! I will investigate. Many thanks.

[zonker]

Thanks, Pugsy! I must have been channeling you, because when I first noticed this pattern I switched out my old headgear and pillows for new ones. And now I think I will take your other advice and move on!

did you know you can wash the straps and dry them and they will shrink back up a bit?

[Miss Emerita]

Thanks, Zonker! Yes, that’s one of the great tips I got from this site. When the headgear isn’t possibly kaput, that’s exactly what I do. It does indeed retighten the straps, just as you say.

[palerider]

Thanks, Zonker! Yes, that’s one of the great tips I got from this site. When the headgear isn’t possibly kaput, that’s exactly what I do. It does indeed retighten the straps, just as you say.

I'd suggest washing them regularly, every week or two at least.

I have a couple spares, I take one off, toss it into the wash, and put on a spare, then when the one comes out of the dryer, it gets dropped back in with the spares.

[zonker]

Thanks, Zonker! Yes, that’s one of the great tips I got from this site. When the headgear isn’t possibly kaput, that’s exactly what I do. It does indeed retighten the straps, just as you say.

I'd suggest washing them regularly, every week or two at least.

I have a couple spares, I take one off, toss it into the wash, and put on a spare, then when the one comes out of the dryer, it gets dropped back in with the spares.

that's a good tip. i'm usually not aware of them loosening up until they have become waaay too loose.

i regularly wash the scuncis and such. maybe i should take the extra step and put strap in on the regular.

[zonker]

Thanks, Zonker! Yes, that’s one of the great tips I got from this site. When the headgear isn’t possibly kaput, that’s exactly what I do. It does indeed retighten the straps, just as you say.

and it's just perfect for a cheap son of a gun like me.