Getting the most from your therapy
While some people adjust immediately to sleeping with positive airway pressure (PAP), some find the change difficult. Your PAP therapy can be comfortable and effective. These tips might help:
- Consider the goal of your PAP therapy. It's simple. You want to stop the effects of your sleep apnea and allow yourself to get healthy sleep
- Use your equipment whenever you sleep, day or night. Generally speaking, the
more you use PAP therapy, the more you will achieve in managing your sleep
apnea
- Make sure that your mask is comfortable and there are no leaks between your face and the mask. Your therapist can help you pick the best mask for your individual case. And, if the first mask doesn’t work for you, your therapist can show you alternatives
- Make sure that you regularly clean your mask - every day. More about Mask FAQs. This should make your system work properly with a good, comfortable seal between the face and the mask. If the mask cushon is not cleaned regularly, this seal is reduced and your therapy won't work as well... and may even be noisy
- Many patients find that using heated humidification with their PAP equipment makes their therapy more comfortable. Ask your therapist about the benefits of humidification, particularly if your mouth feels dry during the night, you experience nasal congestion, or you breath through your mouth while your sleep
Please contact your health professional for further advice.