What is normal, and passes
- Red marks in the morning, if they fade within an hour. Longer than that means the mask is too tight or too big.
- A few broken nights, while your body gets used to an object on your face.
- Tiredness that does not vanish immediately: accumulated sleep debt takes weeks to repay.
- Fewer trips to the bathroom at night, often one of the first visible effects of therapy.
Dry mouth, the great classic
Waking up with a mouth like cardboard almost always means air is escaping through your mouth overnight. Two possible answers: humidification, which makes the air less drying, and a chin strap or full face mask, which treat the cause.
Most bedside machines have a built-in humidifier with adjustable levels, and sometimes a heated tube that prevents condensation. A travel machine like the AirMini has no water tub: it uses cartridges that sit in the mask or the connector.
Bloating and air in the stomach
Swallowing air, known as aerophagia, causes bloating and burping in the morning. It is common at the start, often linked to pressure that is not well adjusted, to a mouth falling open, or to sleeping on your back.
Sleeping on your side, with your head slightly raised, often improves things. If it lasts beyond a few days, call: pressure is only adjusted with your provider.
The numbers, and what they do not say
Most machines show a score or an index in the morning, and manufacturer apps turn that into a rating. Useful for tracking usage, much less so for judging your sleep: a good score with persistent tiredness is still a reason to see someone.
What really counts is how you feel over several weeks, and the opinion of the professional who reads your full data.
When to call your provider
- A leak you cannot correct despite adjustments and a change of size.
- Pain or sores where the mask rests.
- Bloating that lasts, or any breathing discomfort.
- Sleepiness that does not improve after four to six weeks of regular use.
And if you nearly gave up
Many patients go through that, and very few talk about it. On this site you can mark your review with 'I almost gave up': that testimony is often what helps someone hold on for one more week.
