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Cpap and getting better sleep: What's your experience?
Sleep Health | Last Active: Sep 15, 2022 | Replies (356)Comment receiving replies
Have used CPAP therapy for almost 20 years and the most helpful practice I have found is to use a Breathe Right nasal strip every night. Helps considerably in keeping nasal passages open even when slightly congested. I use a nasal (not a pillow) mask and do well as long as I don't mouth breathe. I found that a chin strap helps considerably in reducing leakage.
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Hi Mike @miker8888, That is a great suggestion. I did try the Breathe Right nasal strips but I guess I forgot about them after I started using the CPAP with a full face mask. I have a deviated septum and the sleep medicine doctor didn't think it was causing my obstructive sleep apnea problem. Fast forward a little over 2 years of using the CPAP I finally setup an appointment with an ENT a little over 3 months ago to see what I could have done to fix my constant breathing/congestion problems in the right side of my nose. He thought it was due to rhinitis and prescribed a twice daily nasal rinse followed by a proprietary Mayo Clinic nasal spray. The past 2 months since I've doing the nasal rinse and using the spray I can't believe how much it's helped. My breathing is much better but now I need to find out how long I need to use the medication spray. I'm assuming I will probably keep doing the twice daily nasal rinse.
I have been thinking about trying a nasal mask and have tried several under the nose full face masks but I'm unable to keep them on all night long so switch back to my full face mask when it gets too bad. Do you mind sharing what specific nasal mask you use?