Best CPAP Masks For Side Sleepers

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, usually called CPAP therapy, is one of the best treatment options for those with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a common disorder marked by repeated disruptions in airflow during sleep.

CPAP users must choose between different mask styles based on their characteristics. The mask is the key to getting a comfortable treatment; here is our list of the best CPAP masks for side sleepers.

Your sleep position is crucial when choosing among the different types of CPAP masks. If you are an active sleeper, there is a greater likelihood of removing or displacing the mask, leading to an interruption of effective treatment. 

Side sleeping can pose a challenge to some individuals when BIPAP or CPAP devices are required; they have greater likelihood of air leakage because of the way the face rests against the pillow.

The good news is that there are plenty of options that accommodate this type of sleeper, such as masks with an appropriate seal. Most doctors recommend the nasal or nasal pillow mask for side sleepers.

Most full face CPAP masks tend to be displaced when you move laterally during night, so they are not recommended unless you require higher pressure settings, breathe through your mouth, experience recurrent nasal congestion, or have a deviated septum.

Let’s take a look at the best masks for CPAP treatment in side sleepers:

The AirFit P10 Nasal Pillow mask offers lightweight support, premium comfort, and a quiet experience beyond the ordinary. This model allows for freedom of movement without compromising the mask's seal.

The integrated, flexible short tube that extends off the mask frame can stretch and bend while maintaining seal and stability. Don't worry, this mask is designed to be comfortable in all sleeping positions without dragging or catching.

This mask has won a world-coveted Red Dot Award for excellent product design, providing gentle stability with minimal facial contact, which is not a surprise considering that it is one of the favorites for most patients.

Its nasal pillow cushion allows for more mobility, and with its slip-on headgear, it’s easy to use and covers very little of your face, giving you a real sense of freedom.

It provides an ultra-quiet experience due to its QuietAir Technology. Definitely this mask is a win-win in every aspect you can consider.

The best full-face mask for side sleepers  is easy to adjust, stays in place, and is a perfect fit. With a lightweight and simple care design, it delivers airflow to both the nose and mouth, ideal for mouth breathers and for deep, high-quality sleep.

Simplus is one of the few full face masks that allows all range of movements, so it's easily adjustable for everyone. Sleep with complete freedom of movement thanks to the Ball-and-Socket Elbow, which naturally rotates and reduces drag from the CPAP breathing tube.

The mask offers a secure fit with The RollFit™ Seal and Integrated Stability Panels, which help hold the mask in place while you sleep. The auto-adjusting component optimizes a practical, comfortable seal that avoids leaks and provides a pleasant fit.

The one-piece seal offers flexibility on the bridge of the nose with an automatic adjustment. This feature minimizes pressure, giving you a more natural feel and preventing facial pressure marks.

ErgoForm™ Headgear provides structure and support for optimal usability and performance. Sleeping habits and constant movement during sleep can add to a lot of nighttime activity. This breathable headgear rests high on the back of the head, allowing for maximum head movement without compromising the fit of the headgear.

Even if full face masks are not usually recommended for side sleepers, this is one exception, ideal for those who are side sleepers, mouth breathers, or with recurrent nasal congestion.

Described as a life-changing CPAP supply for most patients, The Nuance Pro CPAP Mask was designed with a nasal gel pillow to provide a more comfortable and familiar feel, with a secure seal that doesn't irritate your face and nasal area with the ability to fit many different cushion sizes.

The Nuance Pro has a minimalistic design that is perfect for those who have claustrophobia. The lightweight feeling of the mask allows you to get an excellent, comfortable sleep with mask stability thanks to the back strap of the mask headgear.  It comes with either a fabric or silicone frame.

The AirFit N20 Complete Mask System offers the ultimate comfort experience, featuring an adaptive cushion for all faces while giving a better sleep. The AirFit N20's frame curves naturally to provide a custom fit, making minimal skin contact. It’s easy to clean, adjust, and assemble, and it is known to fit a remarkable 99% of people.

Its InfinitySeal silicone is a lightweight, soft, and flexible nasal pillow that improves comfort and fit while reducing leakage and adapting to all facial features and sleeping positions.

The headgear is soft, plush, and can easily be removed from the mask through magnetic clips. If you use the Resmed AirMini Device, you may need the AirMini - N20 Connector. This connector is a unique part that replaces the existing elbow on AirFit N20 or AirTouch N20 Nasal Masks when connecting the N20 to ResMed's AirMini CPAP Tubing.

The tube connection replaces the elbow initially supplied with the N20 mask, thus making the mask compatible with the AirMini CPAP and AirMini's HumidX HME Humidifiers. This connector will not work with any other mask or machine.

The Fisher & Paykel Brevida Nasal Pillow Mask is a minimalistic choice for a night of better, deeper sleep. It features the AirPillow™ seal that extends from the tip of the nose to the cheek, resting just above the upper lip, securing the fit and comfort with minimal contact.

Say goodbye to those pesky leaks with the AirPillow™ seal.  The 360° Swivel Elbow gives you a flexible tube connection to your main breathing tube so you can toss and turn freely without getting tangled or experiencing air leaks.

Wisp delivers a minimally invasive design that offers a superior mask fit, combining comfort and performance. This nasal cushion comes in two different frame styles. Select Clear Silicone Frame for a more traditional feel or Fabric Frame for a softer touch. The Wisp comes packaged with three cushions so that you can find your best fit and seal.

The ResMed AirFit P30i Standard Starter Pack is designed to keep tubing out of your way, allowing you to sleep in any position and get close to your bed partner. The discreet, minimalist design inserts a convenient top of the head tube design, a pillow cushion with an integrated QuietAir vent, and a self-adjusting SpringFit frame for a stable fit.

AirFit P30i was designed with a top-of-head connection that keeps air tubing out of your way and the streamlined style of a nasal pillow cushion; you can move around freely, watch TV, or even wear glasses while wearing your mask.

The nasal pillows cushion also rests securely in your nose, which helps keep the mask in place as you switch sleep positions.

The Rio II Nasal Pillow System Mask is based on simplicity and comfort, providing exceptional freedom of movement with minimal contact with the face.

Weighing only 2.3 ounces, the Rio II Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask is one of the lightest CPAP masks in the market, with a minimal design that creates a seamless CPAP experience and provides a low-profile.

The minimal design allows the mask to be flexible and compact, making it ideal for travel. It is a portable and user-friendly option that fits easily inside any travel bag, so you can keep up with your treatment anywhere.

This DreamWear Mask is a reimagined new take on CPAP masks with minimal contact design and under-the-nose cushion for ultimate comfort with no red marks on your skin or irritation. The unique frame is made of tube-like material that allows CPAP air to flow through to reach the nasal cushion.

The beauty of this innovative design is that it allows you to sleep in any position. If one side of the frame gets blocked, the CPAP airflow can go through the other side of the frame without issue. The elbow and hose connection, located on top of the frame, results in a tube that lies above the head and out of the way, giving you uninterrupted freedom of movement during the night.

This revolutionary design is a great choice for active sleepers and those who feel claustrophobic with traditional CPAP masks.

The head-mounted hose connection and the 360-degree swivel keeps this part away from the face for added comfort and mobility. It allows you to change sleeping positions more easily, being a great option for those who are side, back, or even stomach sleepers.

This new design will help keep the hose from shifting and leaking for effective therapy and ultimate comfort.

The Bleep Eclipse CPAP Mask Interface is the only clinically proven mask solution that eliminates leaks, hair pulling, excessive noise, and facial marks, offering freedom of movement during sleep.

With a minimal-contact headgear-free design held in place using Bleep Eclipse Halos adhesive covers that attach to the nostrils, it provides a more comfortable and less invasive experience for the user.

The Bleep Eclipse CPAP Mask Interface utilizes Magnetic Port Technology™ for seamless connection and is compatible with a wide range of CPAP machines.

The Starter Kit Includes: 1) Bleep Eclipse Magnetic Frame and Tube 2)  Boxes of Eclipse Halos (64 Halos Total - 30 Day Supply).

Sleeplay has an entire collection of CPAP masks for side sleepers.

CPAP masks are a key item from your CPAP equipment, since it is the only piece that will be in direct contact with your face during the entire night. Even if side sleeping leads to a few challenges, most scientists and mask designers have found solutions through different mask designs.

Each one of the previously mentioned masks are completely suitable for side sleepers. Some additional items like chin strap, special pillows with adequate cutouts, and memory foam for CPAP users can improve the experience and make it easier to be compliant to treatment. If you want to know more about the items that can make it easier to use a CPAP machine, you should definitely check our blog.

As we just mentioned, side sleepers should carefully consider which type of CPAP mask is best for their sleep style. They generally prefer compact, flexible masks, which allow movement and less contact with the face. Nasal and nasal pillow masks are the best options.

Even though full face masks are not the best option, there are some special editions, such as The Simplus - Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear that is highly recommended for these patients.

Choosing the right CPAP mask is challenging; it depends on integrating your different characteristics:

•  ●If you are a side sleeper + mouth breather, you will require an adequate full face mask, just like The Simplus.
•  ●If you are a side sleeper + long facial hair,  there are better options than the entire face and nasal masks, while nasal pillow masks can work perfectly fine.
•  ●If you are a side sleeper + require high air pressure settings, you will require an adequate full face mask just like The Simplus or a nasal type of mask. Nasal pillows are not recommended in these cases.

There are different factors you should definitely consider when choosing a mask.

Sleep specialists are healthcare physicians that have trained during many years to offer outstanding solutions for sleep apnea patients.

They usually perform a deep medical interrogation during the first consultation and integrate those personal details with your sleep test results to decide what treatment is the best for you (CPAP vs BIPAP).  In the same way, they can determine which mask could be the best for your case.

Each type of mask fits differently, and its comfort and security will largely depend on your sleep position and face shape. In the Sleeplay website you can check all the specifications of our masks.

Side sleepers typically do best with minimal designs like nasal pillows, because less mask surface area means lower friction and pressure between the face and pillow.

Sleep apnea sufferers abandon CPAP therapy because they find the masks too uncomfortable. Side sleepers often complain that the full-face masks are too bulky. It is important to find cushions that fit securely and give you consistency of treatment.

Parts vary based on the model type, but CPAP masks commonly include cushions, headgear, tubing, clips, mask frames, and soft cloths. You can check this in the details and specifications on our website.

Masks do not have the same longevity as CPAP machines, but proper care of the components will prolong their life and effectiveness. Many doctors recommend changing them every 3–6 months.

Prices may vary depending on the model or even the brand of the mask, usually Full Face Masks tend to be more expensive than nasal models. This is why some people decide their mask based on their budget (those who tolerate different types of masks without major problems).

The average warranty for a CPAP mask is 90 days, which covers potential manufacturing defects. At Sleeplay, we offer a 30-Day Mask Exchange for any reason because we understand that finding the perfect mask is not easy; you will only be required to return it in perfect condition.

There can be many different reasons for that; the most common cause is an incorrect mask size (too large); in those cases, the seal won’t be adequate, and with a simple movement during night, the air will start leaking. If the mask is quite small, probably the air won’t leak, but you can get red marks in the face due to high pressure.

Yes, mainly if you use the previously mentioned masks for active and side sleepers.

You can tie back their hair or use a head covering with the CPAP mask.

CPAP masks are often covered by insurance because they are classified as durable medical equipment. If you are not sure where to start when it comes to insurance reimbursement we’ve made the process simple through this page.

Yes, you need one since The FDA considers the CPAP masks a Class II medical device, so its purchase requires a prescription.

Upgrade your sleep today with the perfect CPAP mask for side sleepers! Visit our online store at Sleeplay and explore a wide range of masks designed for your comfort.

Don't forget our Mask Exchange Program. If your chosen mask isn't the right fit, we'll issue the total mask price in a gift card, ensuring you find the ideal mask for a restful night's sleep. Shop now and experience the difference at Sleeplay!