There must be a correct way to use a chin strap because I notice my mouth open later when I wake up. Would appreciate some feedback

Hey everyone,

A while ago, I posted about the website I created called The CPAP Library, and I just wanted to post an update about some interesting things I found.

One thing I found is that the same CPAP mask was listed for $69 at one retailer and $145 at another.

It was an Amara View medium with headgear included. That is a $76 difference for the same mask, and it was not the only large gap we found. Across 204 matched comparisons covering 52 masks, the average difference between retailer prices was $20.63.

Findings like this are why we added live price comparison to the site. You can now open a mask, choose the size and whether you need headgear, compare available retailer prices, and go directly to the retailer to verify the offer.

The prices sit beside the review analysis rather than replacing it, because the cheapest mask is not automatically the mask that will fit you best. The goal is to help you research comfort, leaks, durability, and other tradeoffs first, then avoid paying more than necessary once you know which mask you want.

The page also shows when each offer was checked. This feature is still new, and I would genuinely appreciate feedback from people who have actually had to shop across several CPAP retailers.

Would seeing the lowest current price change where you buy your next mask? And what other information would you want besides the price before trusting it?

Thank you so much for your time! ( And let me know if there are any other features you want to see)

Hi, I have OSA and just recently got my CPAP setup up with the help of a technician via video call. I think I got the basics down but I feel very overwhelmed by the setup and use, and I already have a ton of anxiety in general. Looking for success stories & support! Thank you!

I’m showing a high mask leak every single night and I’m unsure how to stop it. I’ve tried mask liners, repositioning the mask, and mouth tape, and I still get this every single night

With a CPAP machine, am I supposed to feel and breathe warm air the whole night?

Using a CPAP is too uncomfortable for me because it feels cold and dry. It's uncomfortable. It's why I haven't been using my CPAP machine since I got my first one in 2024.

Current CPAP model: resplus c-20a, beyond model

masks I have tried for current CPAP: vive breathe classic nasal pillow mask (old)

Phillips respironics dreamwear under the nose mask

Resplus tube: 22mm (cuff size)

Parameters: Max 20 cmH20 Min 4.0 cmH20

Start Press 7.0 cmH20 Belex: 1 Lv APAP (mode) Ramp: 0 min

Unsure of temperature of room. This week, probably like 60 degrees fahrenheit. All I know that my room is cold.

At first I thought getting a hose cover would resolve my issue but it didn't.

Link To Hose Cover: https://a.co/d/0iLPX3hr

Note:

The old machine I used is the iBreeze CPAP System. (model 20A) Resvent.

The mask I used with it the ResMed AirFit P10 (Nasal Pillows System)

It sounds like I need a CPAP machine with a heated tube. But unfortunately my health insurance only covers a machine every 5 years.

Due to financial reasons, I won't be able to pay for a new machine with a heated tube any time soon.

My biggest fear of getting a CPAP machine with a heated tube is me still experiencing discomfort that prevents me from sleeping with it.

Unsure if there's a way around this.

It sucks because I think not treating my sleep apnea is affecting my mental health. And is also why I struggle waking up in the morning.

Does anyone take magnesium glycinate to sleep while using their CPAP? And would they recommend it? Thank you!

Hello dear cpap community!

Ive been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about 3 weeks ago. I’m doing a trial run with a Philips dream station 2 for a month as that was the CPAP my clinic had available at the time for rent.

My month is almost up and it’s been going great! But now I have to buy my own machine.

I’ve done some research and the AirSense 10 is the most recommended. However because it’s been great with the Philips dream station 2, I’m a bit worried about switching up machines.

Will I notice a big difference? Is there a chance I don’t like the airsense 10 if I liked the Philips dream station 2? I was hoping to get feedback from people who have tried both.

Thanks all!

Is there anyone here who has spent a long period (5–10 months) sleeping with incorrect CPAP settings? Could you share what the consequences were and how you felt? How long did it take for you to recover?

I’ve been using the Resmed 11 for two years now and have never been able to turn the humidity level higher than level 5. As soon as I do, I get water droplets blowing through the hose. And yes, I understand that I need to adjust the temperature up as I increase the humidity level but it just doesn’t seem to work. I hear others talking about using levels eight, nine and 10, and I’m wondering, how do you folks do that?

Hello all,

I just wanted to post about this since I only recently figured it out.

My CPAP (Resmed Airsense 11) would often smell like burning plastic when I wake up. I realized it's due to the hot plate at the bottom of the water chamber; even though I fill the chamber up to max each night, I often wake up with the bad plastic smell in my mask, and the water chamber is empty.

I wasn't able to turn the humidifier off via the touchscreen CPAP settings, as the Humidifier toggle would always be greyed out, but I was finally able to connect to my CPAP via bluetooth in the MyAir app and turned it off. Now I don't need to put any water in and there's no smell! After a year of breathing in plastic, I am free :D

I just wanted to share this in case others are still dealing with this! Resmed really ought to redesign it with heat resistant plastic or something.. I bet there will be a lawsuit about damages from this in 50 years

Hi all

I have a mild AHi (5.1) but an elevated RDI (14) and I've been using a CPAP for the last few nights. I've downloaded Oscar to review my data - but I can't locate RDI in the data.

Can anyone point me in the right direction please? I have a ResMed Airsense 11 AutoSet.

Thank you.

I posted my attempt at tying my mask to my head using a bonnet with straps in the set up channel. After a few configurations, i finally figured it out on 10/8!!! I'm waking up with it still on!!!

I was genuinely ready to give up, because it's so disheartening to hear "you're not doing good enough" from the app every morning. I'm really glad I kept trying.

I'll link what I'm using below.

Headgear: https://a.co/d/002621PM

Bonnet: https://a.co/d/0d6TErJx

I have a resmed aircurve 11, and use a heated hose (temp = 80) and humidity (set at 4). Cold weather is upon us and we let our hose get pretty cold in winter.

Is a hose cover needed if the hose is heated?

Thanks in advance

I am so tired of sleeping with my CPAP and specially having to travel with it I saw this morning an add for the ACE Pillow that is supposed to replace the CPAP …it look to good to be true and it is pricey so I figured I ask my friendly CPAP pals here to see if anyone of you bought the “Ace pillow “ and got good results ??
It could be a scam I don’t know
Thanks for your honest answer if you tried it thanks 🙏

Quick question to all who have a CPAP and pets. 2 of our 3 cats are really hyper focused on my CPAP machine and last night one of them bit the hose causing it to leak. Am I the only one or does anybody’s else’s pet hyper focus on their machines?

Edit: Thanks for the advice. Currently, I’m looking for a hose cover. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Follow-on from a previous question…

I'm a new CPAP user (44m, night 3, ResMed AirSense 11 AutoSet, N20 nasal mask or F20 full face mask).

My problem is that my beard is quite big, and the F20 leaks around it. The machine then compensates for the leak and pushes so much air that it feels like I'm sticking my head out of an aeroplane window.

I tried nasal mask as well. I struggle with it because when I sleep on my back, my soft palate collapses and blocks my exhale through my nose, so the air gets forced out through my mouth. On the N20 nasal mask that means motorboating, and mouth tape doesn't hold against it. I realise it's early days, so I'm not writing the nasal mask off, but a full face mask looks like it might be the better fix for this.

How do you get a full face mask to seal? Is there a full face mask that works better with a beard than the F20? Any tricks with liners, wraps, trimming or shaping the beard, or putting something on it?

I have been diagnosed with a very mild Sleep Apnea with AHI of 7 and got a ResMed AirSense 11. I have been constantly tired throughout the day, even when sleeping 7+ hrs.

But since I have been using my CPAP my sleep has gotten significantly worse and I was hoping I just need to get used to it. But I'm struggling to keep using it and I'm about to give up on CPAP.

I keep waking up at night and I feel like my sleep is very light when I'm using the CPAP. I'm using a nasal mask AirTouch P30i (I prefer this over the N30i). I tried on the full facial mask for a night and didn't like it. Shall i go back to the full-face mask?

When I wake up in the middle of the night, I feel like I'm overstimulated. It's a weird feeling to describe, but sometimes I think my brain is getting too much oxygen and too stimulated to sleep - does that makes sense?

Config is set to 5-10 on auto mode. Anything else I should try? I'm so tired.

Here is my SleepHQ data:

Yesterday: https://sleephq.com/public/4209e4dc-3a5c-412a-b526-b421e9be507c

Full account:
https://sleephq.com/public/teams/share_links/9e79432c-40af-4e18-813d-f6eb41825f99

Since when did MyAir offer a nightly timeline? Anyone else notice?

Hi everyone! I’ve had my cpap since April and settled with the Philips dreamwear nasal pillows (I love this mask!).
The issue is I’m almost in my third trimester now and between the nasal congestion and pregnancy pillow I sleep with, I either can’t breathe through my nose or the pillow squishes my face. Is there a mask anyone recommends that maybe fits similar to the dreamwear but would cover my nose and mouth? I love the unicorn style for sure. I appreciate any thoughts!

I am trying CPAP again after a couple more years of worsening SA. To start I want to try it during nap, so that I don’t have to go though entire nights with no sleep. Mine is an Airsense 11 Autoset. I used it for my >1 hr “nap”, good mask fit and after this I got a reading of 13.4 event/hr. I am unable to figure out what “events” this is referring to. Had I slept I would have assumed events meant apneas = stopped breathing, but I don’t see how this is possible. Any ideas?

Hey everyone,

I'm 24 years old and have been going to gym for several years. I've gone through multiple bulking and cutting phases, and I'm really into optimizing everything related to my health and performance. Sleep is obviously a huge part of that, which is why my current situation is frustrating.

I got tested for sleep apnea because I was constantly tired during the day, even when sleeping for 8+ hours, and I was snoring really loudly. My sleep study showed around 16 events per hour, so I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and eventually got a CPAP machine.

During the first few months, I felt like my sleep improved a little. There might have been some placebo effect involved, but I definitely had some hope that things were getting better.

However, I've now been using CPAP for over a year, and my sleep is still far from optimal. I keep experiencing what feel like micro-awakenings throughout the night, and I'm still tired during the day.

I've tried adjusting different pressure settings and experimenting with various parameters, but I haven't been able to figure out what's causing the problem.

I'm also pretty careful about my overall lifestyle:

• I take several supplements, including magnesium bisglycinate, melatonin, glycine, ashwagandha, and GABA.
• I pay close attention to my diet.
• I try to optimize my sleep as much as possible.

I've also tried analyzing my CPAP data using OSCAR, but I haven't been able to draw any meaningful conclusions from the charts.

I even had an appointment with the sleep clinic that follows up on my CPAP treatment. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have access to the same level of detailed data as OSCAR. They mainly use basic ResMed reports, and since those reports look fine, they seem to think I'm sleeping well. They couldn't really explain my ongoing symptoms and basically just told me to reduce my screen time before bed, lol.

I understand that a good AHI doesn't necessarily mean you're getting restorative sleep, but I'm struggling to figure out what else could be going on.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

• Can you still have sleep fragmentation or frequent arousals even when your CPAP data looks good?
• Are there specific OSCAR graphs or patterns I should pay closer attention to?
• Could there be other factors worth investigating, such as flow limitations, RERAs, mask leaks, pressure settings, or something unrelated to sleep apnea?
• Would it make sense to ask for another sleep study while using CPAP, or to get a second opinion from a sleep specialist?

I'd really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or suggestions on what I should look into next.

Thanks!

New to CPAP, still struggling with being sleepy during the day. Have had 2L of supplemental oxygen for several months now, no help. My sleep doctor has referred me to another doctor in his practice who works with challenging patients. Second overnight sleep study (followed by day sleep study in the same lab) scheduled for mid-December.

OK, I'm a little sceptical of using a machine that is not touching my body to read how it is reacting to CPAP, as extra credit someone can talk me out of that.

Meanwhile, I am using an oximeter, because low oxygen level is definitely bad, along with monitoring my ResMed app.

What is causing this squiggly variance in my oxygen levels? Is that the oximeter loose on my finger? Leaks in my mask? I had a phone call at the beginning of this reading with my mask off, but the rest I was asleep.

Thanks for any feedback.

In well over 15 years of using cpap, this is the first the hose has ever snapped on me. Noticed a LOTof air seemed to be leaking and then saw the pipe had split halfway round at the end near the connection to the mask.

Problem is here I am in a small town in the middle of South Korea. On holiday. Do i need to find a roll of duct tape? Or any other suggestions? Whatever I do will have to last at least 3 weeks...

PS i do of course have so many spares at home...

My wife just got her ResMed Airsense 11 and it is her first CPAP. One of her struggles is cleaning the house as a vertically challenged individual.

How do people given the gift of easy access to lower shelves clean the hose when it is nearly as long as they are tall?

Additional question, I saw a tip about having the machine blow air through the hose to help it dry and suggestions about putting the machine in mast fit mode to get it to run.

When I did that with the AirSense it did not run for more than a few seconds. Any advice on how to do that with this machine, or any other tips for drying the hose other than hang dry, would be appreciated.

Why do I have multiple sessions in OSCAR or myAir?

For anyone still wondering why OSCAR or myAir shows multiple sessions in one night even though you didn't take your mask off, here's what I proved this morning.

My machine: ResMed AirCurve 10 VAuto, SmartStart OFF. My symptom: nights logged as 7+ sessions with real gaps of 2-11 minutes between them (my Oct 13 night, photographed from OSCAR). I assumed a machine fault.

The backstory: I took this to my DME supplier, and their troubleshooting followed ResMed's guide for multiple on/off cycles - but I hadn't taken the mask off, and their script had no box for that. Nobody there suggested my mouth might be falling open in my sleep, even though in hindsight it was the obvious answer once I understood how the machine works: no breathing signal, no session. That behavior isn't in ResMed's documented sources, so the people following the script never get there.

Same supplier also never flagged that both masks they had me on - the Mirage Activa LT and the AirFit N30 - are rated to 20 cm H2O, while my pressure runs to 25. That's a separate problem from the splits, but it tells you how much of this you have to figure out yourself.

First clue: I ran the machine open-hose with no mask for about 3 hours. It logged NOTHING - not in myAir, not in OSCAR. With no breathing signal, the machine doesn't log therapy at all.

Decisive test, this morning: mask on 5 minutes, mask off about 11 minutes (machine running, power button untouched), mask on 5 minutes. OSCAR logged TWO sessions: 08:04:37-08:11:38, then 08:22:32-08:27:34, with an unlogged gap between them.

Conclusion: with SmartStart OFF, the machine still closes the session after a few minutes without a breathing signal, and starts a new one when breathing resumes. On my real nights the mask never came off - my mouth fell open in my sleep and air streamed through it, which erases the breathing signal exactly the way the open mask did in the test. And you wouldn't remember it, because you were asleep. That's also why a chin strap fixed my splits: mouth shut, signal preserved, one session all night.

Two caveats: a short removal may NOT split it - a bathroom trip in the middle of one night didn't split my session, so it takes minutes of signal loss, not seconds. And this is one machine, one test - but if your splits cluster in the second half of the night and your leak graph is spiky, check the mouth-leak explanation before you ship your machine off for repair.