Recently mouth is opening during sleep
I've used nasal pillows successfully for years but recently I'm waking up several times during sleep because my mouth opens. Nothing has changed in equipment or sleeping arrangements, my nasal passages are dry and I can breath through my nostrils easily. Nothing has changed except I have lost some weight intentionally. Anybody know what might be happening why all of a sudden my mouth is opening during sleep?
07-04-2019, 08:00 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-04-2019, 08:01 PM by sheepless.)
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
can't say, but I can tell you that I tend to get more lip leaks and a dry mouth in longer sessions (my sleep is fragmented), meaning, I think, rolling onto my back in deeper sleep. I wear a soft cervical collar to minimize leaks, which it does quite well, usually, but is less effective when pressure is higher or I sleep supine.
depending on how much weight you've lost, you may require less pressure, but it's not immediately clear to me how or why weight loss would result in mouth leaks. it may suggest a way to mitigate the problem though if you can get away with lower pressure without getting more events.
post some oscar charts to see what else is happening when the leaks occur, for more-informed responses.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
It happens. I don't think CPAP gives you any benifit when your mouth is open.
You can fix it with tape, a chin strap or a cervical collar. Ebay has some good chin straps for about $10. I found that it was a little too worm, so I use the collar. It works well.
07-04-2019, 08:39 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-04-2019, 08:44 PM by Big Guy.)
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
(07-04-2019, 08:34 PM)RNeil Wrote: It happens. I don't think CPAP gives you any benifit when your mouth is open.
You can fix it with tape, a chin strap or a cervical collar. Ebay has some good chin straps for about $10. I found that it was a little too worm, so I use the collar. It works well.
Man.....I hope that it does. I'm a mouth-breather! If it doesn't, all this has been for nothing.
If I have to end up breathing via my nose, I'm outta here. 
Someone please tell me otherwise.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
This happened to me after about 12-18 months of CPAP therapy. I believe it was because I wasn't cleaning my mask (the P10), so the vents weren't venting too well thus my body was trying to get better air by causing my mouth to open.
I only mention this in case maybe you're complacent in cleaning your mask like I was.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
There is a form of mouth breathing that is called expiratory mouth breathing where you inhale thru the nose. That is not as bad but you would have some crazy looking charts.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
There is a form of mouth breathing that is called expiratory mouth breathing where you inhale thru the nose. That is not as bad but you would have some crazy looking charts.
Review the Mask Primer for management of mouth breathing.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
(07-04-2019, 07:44 PM)thisazlife Wrote: I've used nasal pillows successfully for years but recently I'm waking up several times during sleep because my mouth opens. Nothing has changed in equipment or sleeping arrangements, my nasal passages are dry and I can breath through my nostrils easily. Nothing has changed except I have lost some weight intentionally. Anybody know what might be happening why all of a sudden my mouth is opening during sleep?
Hmmm...you've lost weight. It depends on where you've lost it. Is this surface spare tire stuff, pear-shaped midriff...? Or are we talking about visceral fat that is deep inside the body, mostly in the abdomen?
If you generally look thinner, and if you happen to have noted a measured change in neck circumference, it is possible the loss has resulted in your chin sagging more than it was able to before.
Also, the quality of your sleep may be improving and you are more relaxed, resulting in loss of tone in places not formerly experienced during sleep. Maybe your facial features have also shrunk a bit with the weight loss and your lips don't quite meet in sleep like they used to? I'm obviously fishing in deep waters here.
FWIW, I had blow-by from Day One. I have had to tape my lips sealed using medical tape right from the get-go. Any time I forget and begin to sleep without taping, I'm soon reminded. Like pretty much instantly!
If the thought of resorting to tape is appalling, maybe try a soft foam cervical collar first; that may work for you quite nicely. Or, the tongue-suck technique that some people say they have taught themselves to maintain while they sleep.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
When I said that you don't get any benefit from CPAP with your mouth open, I was thinking of a nasal or pillow mask. When I first started CPAP, I had a nasal mask. The air would go in my nose and out my mouth. I would wake up with a bone dry mouth. My mouth was at atmospheric pressure, as was the area that was supposed be at positive air pressure. I studied fluid flow in engineering school, but my doctor did not understand that. He thought that I just needed to turn up the humidity. But they got their commission.
If you are a mouth breather, you need a full face mask.
RE: Recently mouth is opening during sleep
(07-05-2019, 07:52 PM)RNeil Wrote: When I said that you don't get any benefit from CPAP with your mouth open, I was thinking of a nasal or pillow mask. When I first started CPAP, I had a nasal mask. The air would go in my nose and out my mouth. I would wake up with a bone dry mouth. My mouth was at atmospheric pressure, as was the area that was supposed be at positive air pressure. I studied fluid flow in engineering school, but my doctor did not understand that. He thought that I just needed to turn up the humidity. But they got their commission.
If you are a mouth breather, you need a full face mask.
Indeed! 
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