Best masks for side sleeping?

Hi all,

I've been wearing a Philips DreamWear full-face mask for the past 6 months. In the beginning, it worked brilliantly for me and helped me get my AHI down from ~1.5 to ~0.5 compared to my previous mask (a Philips Amara View).

More recently, I've been waking up with a dull headache every time I sleep on one of my sides. While sleeping on my side still gives me the lowest AHI achievable, the headaches are bothersome enough to cause me to sleep on my back on some nights, which makes my AHI spike to ~2-3.

As for what might be causing the headaches when side sleeping: the DreamWear mask has two harder plastic joints on its sides (one on each side), and after months of testing it is my belief that the pressure points created by these plastic pieces are the source of my headaches when I sleep on my side. Just putting it on before falling asleep and resting my head on its side gives me a bit of pain already. See the photo below:



I am looking for suggestions of potential mask alternatives that may work better for side sleeping and get rid of these annoying pressure points. If you've had a good experience side-sleeping with any other mask, I'm all ears!

Thank you!

How about any mask that doesn't have the plastic joints on the side? There is no mask that is designed for side sleepers..Trial and error. I am primarily a full face mask user that sleeps 90% on his side. I have used Quattro, F20, Simplus, Vitera and the P10. all without the problems you mention.

LSAT wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:51 am

How about any mask that doesn't have the plastic joints on the side? There is no mask that is designed for side sleepers..Trial and error. I am primarily a full face mask user that sleeps 90% on his side. I have used Quattro, F20, Simplus, Vitera and the P10. all without the problems you mention.

Thanks. If I were to try one of these, is there one you would recommend over the others at first?

PorcoRosso wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:57 am

If I were to try one of these, is there one you would recommend over the others at first?

Go to cpap.com. Find the full face mask page. Sort by most popular. Look at the designs and read a few reviews. Don't be scared off by a few grumpy reviews. Look at the total rating.

Good luck!

PorcoRosso wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:29 am

Hi all,

what's that horrible outbreak on your eyes? you should see a doctor immediately!


i like the answers you have so far. but as you know by now, getting THE mask for your needs is a very tricky thing.

that said, i'm in the P10 camp. it works for me because i'm not a restless sleeper. also, i sleep with my beak out beyond the edge of the pillow. that took some training, but it's now just part of my sleep routine.

as CG says, look at the masks at our sponsor-

https://www.cpap.com/category/cpap-masks

and you may want to buy there, too, if you can go out of pocket for your purchase.

labor day twenty percent off. and 30 day return policy, though not sure if that's on all masks or just a few.

good luck!

For anyone wanting to transition away from a full face mask, or wants a mask with very low side effects try the ResMed P10. There just isn't a less intrusive mask available ( maybe the Bleep ). This mask seals very well when sleeping on ones side. Its ability to "flex" and not break seal is very good.

If you like the Dreamwear top tube mount, or want to stay with a full face with a top mount, the Resmed versions of this design have a much softer headgear than the Dreamwear.

PorcoRosso wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:29 am

the DreamWear mask has two harder plastic joints on its sides (one on each side), and after months of testing it is my belief that the pressure points created by these plastic pieces are the source of my headaches when I sleep on my side. Just putting it on before falling asleep and resting my head on its side gives me a bit of pain already. See the photo below:

I have used the DreamWear FFM and slept on my side. Your complaint puzzled me, so I pulled my DreamWear out of the drawer. The plastic side connectors on my mask are very soft. I can't even feel them when lying on my side.

I am skeptical that this is the cause of your headaches. Is your pillow too hard? Is your neck aligned properly? The Dreamwear FFM you are using is a great mask. I hate to see you spending money on new masks when improper sleeping position is the root cause of your headaches. Here are some tips on good sidesleeping.

Lie down on a medium-firm mattress, using one firm pillow underneath your head.
Shift over to your left side first. Your ears should be in line with your shoulders, while your chin is neutral. Avoid tucking your chin into your chest or keeping your head down.
Keep your arms and hands below your face and neck, preferably parallel to the sides.
Put a firm pillow between your knees (especially if you have low back pain). This helps prevent the collapse of hip and knee joints, thereby creating better alignment in your spine.
Slightly lift your knees up toward your chest to reduce pressure on your back.

https://www.healthline.com/health/side-sleeper#how-to

Thanks for your comments, everyone.

@CG, I agree that the joint material is not hard per se, but I would say it definitely feels harder than the rest of the tubing. I had no trouble sleeping on my side with this mask for the first month or so, and then suddenly started getting headaches when sleeping on my right side. I started sleeping exclusively on my left side after that and the headaches went away for some time, but now seem to also pop up occasionally when I sleep on my left side. Sleeping on my back is the only position I found that does not give me any headache, which is unfortunate as this gives me a very high AHI. When I initially lay my head down to sleep on my side, I do feel some pressure from the plastic joint piece, therefore my hypothesis that the cumulative effect of that pressure point is giving me a headache during the night.

I have tried wearing a soft neck brace and have also gone through quite a few different pillows. Nothing made the headache go away. The mask may very well end up not being the culprit, but I think it would still be good to test this hypothesis if only to rule it out.

I've seen two general practitioners for the headache and I'm seeing a neurologist next week. So far no one knows for sure what may be causing it, but they also don't think it's anything serious, which is reassuring.

Have you looked at tips on how to sleep on one's side? The spine in the neck area should be in line with the spine in the upper back. The chin should neither be tucked down or tipped up. The pillow height should also be such that the spine is aligned.

Many headaches originate in the neck.

Good luck.

I agree with Real Shelby that the Resmed Airfit mask is much more comfortable than the Dreamwear version. I started out with the Dreamwear, but did way better when I switched to the Resmed. I didn't have headaches with either, so I don't know if this switch would solve that problem. I just found that the Resmed was more comfortable and fit me better. If you do get one, consider the size small, even if you don't have a small face. Lots of folks find the small one just fits better.

As a side-sleeper, I have had very good luck with the Circadiance Sleepweaver Elan nasal mask. The headgear is soft and the masks are like a fabric that "gives" and can deform quite a bit before breaking the seal against your skin and leaking. For instance, I can press my fingertip into the mask all the way to my nose without causing a leak. It can tolerate more pillow pressure before leaking than the plastic frame/silicone masks I've tried. Circadiance makes nasal and full-face masks, but I have only tried the nasal flavor. Here's a link:

https://www.cpap.com/productSearch#::CIRCADIANCE::::

But bear in mind that we are talking about CPAP masks and that comes with a huge caveat: What works a treat for me may not work as well, or at all, for you.

Mask fit, feel and sealing can vary from face to face. Ultimately, you just have to try on a few to find the one that works the best. So make sure you go with a vendor that allows you to return a mask for a refund or a credit.

Good Luck!
-JD

JayDee wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:10 pm

I have had very good luck with the Circadiance Sleepweaver Elan nasal mask.

He's now using a FFM. Switching to a nasal mask adds a big unknown. Or, maybe it's a known. During lab titration, it might have been that he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 04, 2020 6:17 am

JayDee wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:10 pm

I have had very good luck with the Circadiance Sleepweaver Elan nasal mask.

He's now using a FFM. Switching to a nasal mask adds a big unknown. Or, maybe it's a known. During lab titration, it might have been that he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

I was thinking the Circadiance full-face mask, made with the same material as the nasal mask, might be worth some consideration for him (as a side-sleeper) to try out. I was just relating my experience with the mask material (albeit, in nasal form) being more forgiving for me regarding leaks than the silicone masks I've tried.
-JD

I have used every model of the Circadiance Sleepweaver masks including the full face over the past decade. I found the full face much more prone to leaks. I have retired it. I currently use the Sleepweaver 3D Which has a harder frame than the Elan but has a 360 swivel elbow which I like. The elan has a fixed position elbow.
I also like the Dream Wisp with the hose connection at the top of the head.

I admit I am still searching for my perfect mask, although I keep coming back to Sleepweaver.

bwexler wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 04, 2020 3:18 pm

I admit I am still searching for my perfect mask, although I keep coming back to Sleepweaver.

My Elan mask elbow swivels -- usually swiveling to where I don't want it... As far as searching for "The One", I've resolved myself that the search will be never ending. I thought I had found my "forever" mask a couple of times now, until something else caught my eye. So, I'll forever keep looking because I don't know what they will come up with next year.

-JD