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Leaks while Side Sleeping
#1
Leaks while Side Sleeping
A recurring problem I have with masks is my pillow or mattress pushing against it, resulting in a leak. The obvious solution would be to tighten the straps, but I find myself needing to tighten them as much as possible to make them leak-proof, and I'm afraid it's to the extent that it might be pulling my jaw back. I've had much less success with nasal pillows, as the straps pull my nasal pillows out of place when the side of my face rubs against my pillow or mattress. With both mask types I've tried all the different sizes already. 

Is there any solution to this besides one of those side sleeper pillows designed for pap users? I'm going to try one of those nasal masks that go over the nose to see if that makes a difference, as I can tighten them as much as I'd like without impacting the airway. Its smaller design, relative to full face masks, might also give my head more room to rotate without making contact with whatever my head is resting against.
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#2
RE: Leaks while Side Sleeping
Side sleeping can be a bit tricky regardless of mask type.

What I've found to work the best is to sleep with your head at the end of your pillow so that the mask hangs off the side of the pillow.

We Cpap users have to find a way to adapt to sleeping a little differently than what we're used to. I often sleep on my side with my head tilting slightly up toward the ceiling which seems to work well for me.

Over tightening you mask could cause leaks and be uncomfortable.
OpalRose
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#3
RE: Leaks while Side Sleeping
I started using a Pillow Cube (spendy little bugger) and successfully sleep on my side with Bleep DreamPorts (can sleep in any position with those…even on my stomach), Evora nasal and N30i because my head placement is as mentioned above by Opal Rose.
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#4
RE: Leaks while Side Sleeping
N20 user here.  It was tough at first, but I persisted and taught myself to sleep on either side.  TMMV (it's Thy Method May Vary...  Big Grin), but I don't particularly enjoy my arm sleeping as much as I'm trying to, so I bend my arms, bend my wrists, and place either hand on the opposite side of my jaws. Both elbows are in front of my chest, so there's less chance of lying on the arm and cutting off its circulation. This may sound odd, but the arm under my jaw supports my jaw and keeps me from explosive cheempunk cheeks just as I am sinking into blissful sleep.

I don't think anybody using PAP therapy with a mask of any kind should have the straps reefed pretty much as tightly as they'll go without cutting of circulation themselves, or forcing the lower mandible back and stretching ligaments.  Can you say TMJ?  My mask is quite loose.  I can almost lift it clear of my rather large proboscis with the stretching the strapping allows.  You will probably have taken much/all of the stretch out of yours if you have them as tight as I think you do.

The point is, we all leak.  If it interferes with either your sleep or your successful treatment, then it's too much.  If you know the numbers each morning are good, then maybe you need to tweak something so that it doesn't annoy you....or get a new/nuther mask.
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#5
RE: Leaks while Side Sleeping
I use a nasal mask and also sleep on my side. My method is with my pillow and similar to OpalRose.
I use a foam pillow with the chunks you can add or remove. I keep it loose and bunch it up under my cheek and hang my mask over the end.
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#6
RE: Leaks while Side Sleeping
OpalRose is right on. Sleep with your head on the end of the pillow, so that the nose hangs off the end. Also AFAIK having the straps too tight is a common problem causing leaks because the silicone seal gets deformed by the straps being so tight.
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