Best type of mask for sleeping

[cpapnewb]

Hi. I tried a search but as you might expect searching for "sleeping mask" on a cpap site gets quite a few hits.

I'm new to this. I got my machine about 2 weeks ago. I don't particularly have any issues with it. I sleep pretty good. It doesn't bother me usually. My AHI is down to about 3.5 on most nights. However, I prefer to sleep on my stomach and right now I have to sleep on my back. If I sleep on either side, I get a lot of leaks (including this annoying cold shot right to the eye). I actually woke up one night on my stomach and the face mask was mushed into my face which was kind of painful.

Any ideas? I am using the nasal mask now. That's the only one I ever used. It's the same type that I used in both sleep studies.

Thanks.

P.S. I entered my equipment but for some reason it's not showing the machine type. I'm using the PR System One Cflex+.

[chunkyfrog]

We all have our favorites.
As you may have read, the best one for you is the one that is the best fit for you.
Every mask has good and bad qualities.
If you want a quick look, click on our mask selections at the bottom of most of our posts.

[cpapnewb]

Thanks. That's a good idea.

I went to CPAP.com and just discovered cpap pillows. That may be what I need. Anyone ever use them? I'll go do a search.

[LSAT]

Hi. I tried a search but as you might expect searching for "sleeping mask" on a cpap site gets quite a few hits.

I'm new to this. I got my machine about 2 weeks ago. I don't particularly have any issues with it. I sleep pretty good. It doesn't bother me usually. My AHI is down to about 3.5 on most nights. However, I prefer to sleep on my stomach and right now I have to sleep on my back. If I sleep on either side, I get a lot of leaks (including this annoying cold shot right to the eye). I actually woke up one night on my stomach and the face mask was mushed into my face which was kind of painful.

Any ideas? I am using the nasal mask now. That's the only one I ever used. It's the same type that I used in both sleep studies.

Thanks.

P.S. I entered my equipment but for some reason it's not showing the machine type. I'm using the PR System One Cflex+.

All masks are for sleeping....you don't need a mask when you are awake.

[SleepingUgly]

I went to CPAP.com and just discovered cpap pillows. That may be what I need. Anyone ever use them? I'll go do a search.

Yeah, a lot of us use pillows. On cpap.com you can search by type of mask and see how well it's rated. I liked the Activa-LT pretty well and it's billed as one for active sleepers.

[msla]

I use the OPUS 360. I roll from side to side and my average leak for a year is 0.59. I go almost all the way over onto my stomach.

[hopingitworks]

I used to sleep on my stomach until shoulder issues forced me to sleep on my back (I am waiting for shoulder surgeries to correct the problems). Supine sleeping increased my apneas. And I always hated sleeping supine but had no other choice because of the shoulders.

I then started cpap therapy with nasal pillows. They work OK for me (I still have some issues) when sleeping supine, or for those brief periods where I can sleep on my side without getting pain in my shoulders. As much as I would like to, I can't imagine being able to go back to my previously comfortable sleeping position with the nasal pillows, or any other mask for that matter.

I have rigged up an overhead hose holding system which does allow me to sleep supine, and turn on my side, without leaks (if I keep the headgear on all night ).

To me, prone sleeping and using xpap, isn't a possible combination.

Glad to hear that your therapy is otherwise successful.

[archangle]

Masks are one of the things that is and individual choice like the right shoe to wear. Some people like hiking boots, some like flip flops. Even among the same general type, one particular brand and model will fit and work better for one person and worse for others.

The only general rule I would give is to avoid FFMs (Full Face Masks) unless you can't breathe through the nose, or your can't stop air leaking from your mouth with other types of mask. You can't drink water, take a pill or eat, etc. It's also harder to stop leaks around the edge because it has to fit over a larger area of your mouth. It may press back on your jaw and make your apnea worse for some people.

However, a FFM is the right choice for many people.

[kteague]

I am not a stomach sleeper, but do fine with nasal pillows style masks on my side, sometimes very close to being on my stomach. I have two friends who are stomach sleepers - one uses a full face mask and the other a nasal mask. They've just figured out how to make it work. The nasal pillows might make things easier for you, but it may be that a little experimentation with your bed pillow could make a difference. There's been discussion on here before about the falcon position, which is still stomach sleeping but not fully prone. If getting another mask is no issue for you, go for it. But if it is, stomach sleeping may not be hopeless with your current mask.

[Sheriff Buford]

You might also consider a cpap pillow. Look at our host sight for the different types. I use the Contour pillow. It has "cut-outs" so when you do sleep on your side, there is no interference. It is a memory foam pillow, so its rather flat and hard. There are "fluffy" pillows if you like that type. I'm not much for fluff, but some folks are.

Sheriff

[Tino2You]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Since you have only been on CPAP for two weeks, you should still be in the 30 day return windows most DMEs use for masks. As has been said by others in the posts so far, the mask that feels right on you will feel awful on someone else... guaranteed!

I use a Swift FX. I sleep on my back, side and sometimes on my stomach. The mask has very minimal head gear so it does slip from time to time, usually when I am flipping over. I have now become accustomed to resetting it at my nostrils without thin king about it.

So call your DME and tell them you "are having problems with your mask and you would like to try something different, like a nasal pillow".

I am not familiar with the systems. Does this machine provide data? If so, you may want to start looking at your leak rate and see how to minimize that to bring your AHIs down a bit.

take care,
-tinoPR

[cpapnewb]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Since you have only been on CPAP for two weeks, you should still be in the 30 day return windows most DMEs use for masks. As has been said by others in the posts so far, the mask that feels right on you will feel awful on someone else... guaranteed!

I use a Swift FX. I sleep on my back, side and sometimes on my stomach. The mask has very minimal head gear so it does slip from time to time, usually when I am flipping over. I have now become accustomed to resetting it at my nostrils without thin king about it.

So call your DME and tell them you "are having problems with your mask and you would like to try something different, like a nasal pillow".

I am not familiar with the systems. Does this machine provide data? If so, you may want to start looking at your leak rate and see how to minimize that to bring your AHIs down a bit.

take care,
-tinoPR

I think I'll call and see if I can try the nasal pillow. The system does have good data. I found the software and have been looking at it. Do leaks increase the AHI? On nights when I do end up on my side or stomach, I tend to get a lot of leaks and my AHI goes up. I had never correlated the two. I thought for some reason sleeping on my stomach just game me more apnea events.

[Tino2You]

Do leaks increase the AHI? On nights when I do end up on my side or stomach, I tend to get a lot of leaks and my AHI goes up.

Most definitely. The pressure keeps the airway open to combat the obstructive apneas. Less pressure means the airway can potentially close or restrict. Also makes the machine work harder to maintain pressure and may miss some events. My own personal philosophy, and I am very sure others will disagree, is that my sleep quality is most important. I will live with some leaks on my graphs as long as my AHIs remain below 3. So I wear my headgear quite loose (I use a Swift FX) and occasionally during the night I will roll over and automatically now, pull the nasal pillow away from my nose and let it re-seat itself.

Find something comfortable that works and wear it is the key.
-tino

[Pugsy]

The equipment selection links seem to be broken for a couple of machines that have been discontinued. All of the equipment profile choices are tied to a product that cpap.com either sells or has sold in the past.
The PR System One Pro CPAP with CFlex is one that appears to be broken and that is why it won't show up despite your selection of it in the equipment tab.
You can simply add it in the comments section so people can see it. See my comments section for example.

Large leaks can allow some apneas to materialize because the pressure isn't quite sufficient to ward them off.
Just how much leak are you seeing?

Do try a nasal pillow mask and see if it lets you sleep in the position you want without leaking. I end up on my stomach often without any issues with my Swift FX.

Normally it is supine sleeping that tends to increase events or create a need for more pressure to deal with events when supine sleeping. If you are seeing more events in the wee hours of the morning it might also be REM stage sleep related. It is common to have more REM stages and they last longer in the wee hours of the morning. So if your AHI goes up and you happen to have more events during REM stage sleep what you are seeing as an increase might be related to sleep stages also.

If your leak numbers are elevated when you see the increase in events but aren't hugely elevated (like more than 75 L/Min) it may be that REM stage sleep or supine sleeping is a possible contributor.

[Machtsnix]

I had read a little about CPAP machines, and always thought I would never be able to sleep with one, since I am a little claustrophobic. Surprisingly, it only took me a few minutes to get accustomed, and I was able to start sleeping comfortably right away.

I had been using a Dreamhelmet (a combination sleep mask sound-muffling pillow) for years, to sleep at night and for napping during the day. I always found it hard to sleep without the Dreamhelmet, and was afraid I would not be able to use it with the CPAP mask.

So, after using the CPAP machine for a short while, I tried wearing the Dreamhelmet over the CPAP mask, covering up the straps – voila, it worked like a charm! I found that the Dreamhelmet actually helps keep the straps in place when I change positions, so now I can sleep all night in comfort, not being bothered by sound, light, or changing positions. The CPAP combined with the Dreamhelmet are the perfect sleeping combo for me. It even cuts down a bit on the sound made by the CPAP blower itself, which after a while can begin to sound like a wind tunnel. Dreamhelmets are only sold online.