If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what is the best CPAP mask for side sleepers then I’d recommend the Philips Respironics Nuance Pro Gel as the best one.
Welcome to the Best CPAP Masks for Side Sleepers. You’ve found your perfect CPAP Machine but that’s half the story. The perfect mask will not only allow you to receive the best possible treatment. It will also mean you stand the best chance of feeling totally comfortable in your own bed.
Being comfortable in bed is a very individual thing and your preferred sleeping position could dictate which mask you need to buy. Prefer to sleep on your side? This article will help you find the best CPAP masks for side sleepers.
With the wrong mask, sleeping on your side can not only limit how effective your CPAP treatment is. It could also mean missing out on a whole world of comfort.
The entire purpose of CPAP treatment is to allow you to get a better, more restorative nights sleep and the two most important things to accomplishing that is to effectively eliminate your apneas and be comfortable enough to sleep soundly through the night undisturbed. That is why it is so important to get the best CPAP mask for side sleepers such as yourself.
Here are the CPAP masks we’ll be reviewing:
Contents
The 5 Best CPAP Masks For Side Sleepers
1. Philips Respironics Nuance Gel Nasal Pillow Mask
A nasal pillow mask designed for maximum comfort and freedom, which for a side-sleeper are vital. It stands alone as the only gel pillows platform brought to you by the industry leader in gel cushion technology. It is our first pick on the list for the Best CPAP Masks for side sleepers.
What we like…
- You pick the frame: Fabric or gel frame? You decide. As a slide sleeper, you might lean towards the fabric version but both are incredibly comfortable.
- Lightweight everything: All components of this mask are particularly light and slender, most notably the hose and the frame. Great for a feeling of comfort and gives you the freedom to turn on to your side.
- Great seal: your worry with such a lightweight frame might be ‘do I have to sacrifice a good seal to get good comfort?. No, you don’t. Certainly not with the Respironics Nuance Nasal Pillow Mask. Their gel cushion technology provides a brilliant seal around your airwaves.
- Loud? again, no! For both you and a bed companion, you’ll hear barely anything as your receive your night of sleep apnea treatment. We’re not quite sure how they’ve done that, a lot of nasal pillow masks on the market are prone to be being loud. But not here. So your partner won’t feel like they’re laid next to a scuba-diver all night.
- Look! Thanks to a 100% clear field of vision you won’t feel blocked from the world around you. So as your treatment begins you can wind down by watching TV, reading, being on your phone. Or just having a conversation with your bed partner without feeling like there’s a barrier between you.
What we don’t like…
- Can’t personalize the fit: some patients would prefer the ability to tweak the size and fit to a more accurate degree. However, with the large variety of size options available to you, we don’t believe this will be an issue for the majority of users.
Summary…
An industry leader has put all their expertise into this mask and the result is a market leading CPAP mask. For the side-sleeper, you’ll struggle to find a more comfortable and compatible mask that still offers a brilliant level of treatment.
2. Philips Respironics Comfort Gel Blue Full Face Mask
This also features on our overall list for Best CPAP Masks! And as a full-face mask, you might not expect to see it on our list of Best CPAP Masks for side sleepers. But it’s here, and with good reason. Great user reviews for comfort, fit and flexibility. Plus you still get the optimum performance in treatment that comes will a quality full face mask.
What We Like…
- ComfortGel: the ComfortGel in this mask is a fantastic bit of technology. A different material to other full-face mask cushions, it’s going to feel particularly comfortable each night you slip it on. The ComfortGel clips into the Respironics silicone comfort flap, adding to the experience of a great fitting.
- Silicone flap: a bit more on that silicone flap! It protects the cushions meaning it suffers from less wear and tear over time. However, it also makes for a brilliant seal so that you get the full benefits of your CPAP treatment.
- Hot air definitely rises: this CPAP mask offers advanced diffusion of air, so that makes this mask a) incredibly quiet. And also b) it means it’s not going to be blowing air over you or your partner through the night. Air is directed up and away rather than down on to you. Particularly useful if you are a side-sleeper as it means you can now lay in the direction of your bed companion without them feeling a regular gust of air being blasted all over them.
- Great fit: the swivel base forehead makes for a tailored fit, meaning amazing comfort all night. The CPAP elbow has 360-degrees range of movement so have the freedom to move into whatever position you may feel like, pretty much without restriction. It also has quick release tabs so you can easily disconnect through the night so you can get up and down without needing to disturb you or your partner too much.
What we don’t like…
- More colors? it’s blue and blue only. Some would like to have the option of other colors but as with other masks on this list, when the lights are out who really cares anyway?!
Summary…
A great mask offering the compliance that comes with a full-face mask but the freedom and comfort of nasal and nasal pillow masks. It’s on our list of Best CPAP Masks for side sleepers with good reason; it’s a very good CPAP mask that a side sleeper will be able to use without feeling restricted or uncomfortable.
3. Fisher & Paykel Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask
What we like…
- 360 pivot: the elbow has a full 360-degree range of movement. So you could be a side-sleeper or any kind of sleeper with that kind of freedom. The hose follows a path up over the top of your head too, so as a side sleeper there is no danger of feeling of the hose getting tucked up against your body as you sleep.
- Unique design: the shape and design of this mask feels different and new. The result is a mask that fits the contours of your face. Great for comfort and great for a good seal.
- Silicone pillows: where a nasal pillow mask either makes it or fakes it is with its nasal pillows. And the Opus 360 provides amazing comfort and seal in this department thanks to the brilliant frosted silicone pillows.
- Slimline: this CPAP mask has been watching the carbs for a while. A very slender and lean design makes it a great choice for the side sleeper.
- Air won’t trouble you: the advanced air diffusion means that exhaled air is directed up and away from you and your bed partner. Particularly useful if you are a side-sleeper because you can now face them in bed without them feeling like they’re sleeping next to an A/C unit.
- No top-lip troubles: the nasal pillows sit off the lip, which not all nasal pillow masks do. This makes it more comfortable and also allows the side sleeper to sleep on their side without their top lip being pulled or tugged.
What we don’t like…
- Vain people don’t rate it: if you are looking for the best looking CPAP mask on the market, this may not be the one for you. There are some slightly more stylish ones out there. However, as we often say, who sees you anyway when the lights are off?
Summary…
A well designed mask means brilliant comfort for the side sleeper. A great seal and a really useful 360 range of movement – very deserving of its place on our list for Best CPAP Masks for side sleepers.
4. Philips Respironics Wisp Nasal Mask
A contender for the most minimalist CPAP Mask on the market, the Wisp Nasal Mask is the first nasal mask on the list for Best CPAP Masks for side-sleepers. Small, lightweight and incredibly comfortable.
What we like…
- Minimal mask, maximum treatment: there aren’t many other masks on the market that can offer the same level of treatment whilst offering such a simple, lightweight, minimal design. Perfect for the side-sleeper or anyone that doesn’t want to make any significant sacrifices in comfort.
- Pick your frame: you have the option of one of two frames. A lightweight clear plastic version, or a fabric option. Again, for the side-sleeper, the fabric option is a Godsend! Also if you have ever suffered from skin irritation from using a CPAP mask, the fabric is a great option for you.
- So easy to use: this is one of the most hassle-free and simple designs we have encountered. Therefore you won’t feel like you’re sitting an IQ test before you go to sleep each night. It also makes it incredibly easy to get up and down in the night.
- Unobstructed vision: the Wisp Nasal offers unrestricted vision. So you can keep reading, watching TV, playing on your phone or whatever you fancy doing that requires a good field of vision!
What we don’t like…
- Size tweaking: if we had to find a fault, it would be that it may benefit from slightly more accurate changing of the fit. The sizes are a bit general. But having said that, you do get three different cushion sizes as part of the mask, so you are free to choose the best for you. So any concerns about the quality of seal should no longer be an issue for you.
Summary…
Yet another great CPAP mask from Phillips Respironics. Certainly our recommended option for a nasal mask to aid a side-sleeper. Great comfort and a great performance – well deserving of its place on our list of the Best CPAP Masks for side sleepers!
5. Sleepweaver 3D Nasal Mask
What we like…
- Silky soft: OK maybe not silk but certainly cotton. The flexible, elasticated fabric material strap means an amazing level of comfort and freedom. A lot of rigid masks will limit in what positions you can rest in your head, but this mask will allow you to lay in any way you choose (or end up!). The fabric strap also prevents skin irritation and red marks on your face.
- 360 tubing: great for anyone, let alone the side sleeper. The tube has a full 360 degrees of range and movement, so you can position it in anywhere. Combine that with the fabric strap and you have yourself a CPAP mask capable of following you around into any sleeping position you might choose.
- $: we love the price of this mask. Retailing at a lot less than some of its rivals, you are looking at a bargain here!
- Easy fit: and incredibly easy mask to fit and put on.
- Quiet: you might expect that because it’s not top of the range, you may have to put up with a bit of extra noise as you sleep. But not the case. A really very quiet mask for both you and your bed partner.
- Good seal: because of its design and build, you may have concerns about the seal. But users have actually reported having no significant problems allowing you to receive an effective night of treatment.
What we don’t like…
- Cheap? this CPAP mask does look a little less fancy than some of its top of the range cousins. But if you are interested in being able to sleep at night rather than looking good at night, that really shouldn’t be an issue for you!
Summary…
The Sleepweaver 3D nasal mask shows you don’t necessarily have to splash the cash to get a great night of sleep apnea treatment, whilst getting a great night of sleep. Claims to allow you to sleep in almost any position, so if you are restless it won’t be because of your CPAP Mask.
Choosing A CPAP Masks For Side Sleepers – What To Consider
There a couple of things to consider when choosing a CPAP mask for side sleepers:
- The Incredible Bulk: perhaps obvious, but worth noting. If you like to sleep on your side, the less bulky the better. You can get some very discreet and comfortable full-face masks but if you know you’re predominantly a side-sleeper they may not be the best option.
- Comfort and flex: some masks rate very highly in comfort, regardless what position you sleep in. But if you are a side sleeper, this is going to be more important than ever. Some CPAP masks are particularly lightweight, slender and flexible giving you as the side sleeper the best chance of an undisturbed night of sleep.
- Shape: If you’re laid on your side, the ear area takes a lot of pressure. So you are going to be looking for a mask that has a lot less going on around the side of the head. The less structure of the mask you are pressed up against, the more chance you have of forgetting the mask is there!
So what has made it on to our list for the Best CPAP Masks for Side Sleepers? You’d imagine that all of the above means it’s going to be a list of only nasal masks and nasal pillow masks. But that’s not the case. Great news if you had any concerns about compliance; as a side sleeper you won’t need to sacrifice the effectiveness of your treatment in exchange for comfort.
Best CPAP Pillow For Side sleepers
I had no idea as to the amount of comfort and increase quality of sleep I would experience by getting the right pillow. This pillow was specially designed for CPAP patients and allows you to sleep on either side comfortably. There are actually gaps on the sides of the pillow for the mask which alleviates mask pressure. This allows you to sleep more comfortably and prevent mask leaks which can hinder the effectiveness of your CPAP treatment.
I highly recommend you consider using the best CPAP pillow for side sleepers as I found it almost just as important as using the right mask.
Check out the current price and customer reviews of the CPAP pillow on Amazon.com