• Do you wake up with a stuffy nose, sore eyes, a dry mouth or throat?
  • Are you still tired after a night using your CPAP machine?

 

These problems could be caused by unintentional air leaks. More than 40% of all CPAP users experience problems because of air leaks1.

 

 

So what causes leaks?

 

  • Mask not sealing properly
  • Mask doesn't fit your face correctly
  • You breathe through your mouth (often while using a nasal mask)

 

The Mouth Leak Cycle

Why are mouth breathing and nasal congestion related?

Mouth breathing and nasal congestion go hand in hand, each making the other worse.

As you breathe through your mouth, the airflow dries out your mucous (internal nasal passage) membranes. The membranes become inflamed, leading to increased mucous production, resulting in congestion of the nose. This means you breathe through your mouth even more. You wake up with symptoms such as a sore throat,a dry mouth and a blocked nose

 

Does mouth breathing happen all the time when you sleep?
Unfortunately mouth breathing can be intermittent, therefore it is not always obvious, even to an observant partner. You will need to pay close attention to the symptoms to decide whether this is a problem for you. It also pays to keep an eye on the leak indicator on your CPAP flow generator if it has one.

 

Can mouth breathing affect your quality of sleep?

Yes.

Mouth breathing also has a negative effect on the quality of your sleep. It is associated with frequent waking during the light stages of sleep, which prevents you from progressing to deeper sleep. It also leads to reduced ventilation2,3.

 

 

What type of CPAP equipment can help?

1. Full Face Mask - these have been radically redesigned and improved over recent years to provide maximum comfort and seal.

A full face mask can completely eliminate the problem of mouth leaks

There is a range of masks that can reduce leak and improve comfort. Your supplier can help you resolve these problems.

Masks FAQs

2. Newer positive pressure devices - automatically measure and compensate for unintentional leaks. This ensures the correct pressure is always maintained.

3. Heated humidifiers - greatly reduce the effects of mouth leak and nasal congestion.

 

References
1. Richards et al. American Journal of Respiratory Citical Care Medicine, Vol 154, 1996
2. Teschler et al. European Respiratory Journal, Vol 14, 1999
3. Meyer et al. Sleep Vol 20, 1997

If you have a specific, individual health concern—especially one related to your treatment—please discuss it directly with your health professional.
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