WORKS WITH

Nasal CPAP masks

A nasal CPAP mask covers the nose only, with a cushion that sits over it or a cradle that rests under it. It is the middle ground between pillows and a full face mask: more stable than pillows, less bulk than full face. Apnealytics tracks every nasal mask in its catalog and shows you, per mask, how well it sealed, what your AHI was and how long you kept it on.

Create your free account Check compatibility

AirFit N30i, AirTouch N30i and DreamWear nasal masks on a teal blob

Who a nasal mask suits

Nose breathers. If you breathe through your nose asleep, a nasal mask delivers pressure with the least hardware.
Side and stomach sleepers. Cradle-style nasal masks with the tube at the top of the head (N30i, DreamWear) leave the sides of the face free.
People at moderate pressures. Nasal masks seal well up to the mid-teens of cmH₂O for most faces; at higher pressures some people find them harder to keep sealed.
People who felt claustrophobic in a full face mask. A nasal cushion covers far less.

It suits fewer people who breathe through the mouth. If you wake with a dry mouth and your leak P95 climbs after a couple of hours, your mouth may be opening, and a chin strap or full face mask is the usual next conversation with your supplier.

Three nasal masks side by side: over-nose cushion, under-nose cradle, top-of-head tube

Typical leak signature

In Apnealytics a well-fitted nasal mask shows a low, flat leak line for most of the night with a modest leak P95. The signature to watch for is a step upward after sleep onset or in the second half of the night: that is the shape of mouth leak, not a cushion problem. Position-related leak shows up as short spikes aligned with movement, visible in the Pro waveform viewer when you zoom in. A slowly rising baseline over weeks, with no change in habits, is a worn cushion.

Night leak trace with a step upward after sleep onset, P95 line and 24 L/min threshold

Fit tips

Fit it lying down, with the machine on
Masks seal differently once pressure is applied and your head is on the pillow.
Loosen, then tighten
Overtightening deforms the cushion and leaks more. Start loose and tighten only until the seal holds.
Check the size
Nasal cushions come in small, medium, large and sometimes wide. A size guide from the manufacturer is more reliable than guessing.
Mind the bridge
If the top of the cushion leaks into your eyes, the mask is too big or sitting too high. Cradle designs avoid the bridge entirely.
Set the mask type on the machine to Nasal
It changes how leak is reported.
Replace the cushion on schedule
Set a reminder in Gear.

Popular nasal masks in the catalog

ResMed AirFit N20 (over-nose cushion, front tube)
ResMed AirFit N30i (under-nose cradle, top-of-head tube)
ResMed AirFit N30 (under-nose cradle, front tube)
Philips Respironics DreamWear Nasal (under-nose cradle, top-of-head tube)
Fisher & Paykel Evora (compact nasal, under-nose)
Fisher & Paykel Eson 2 (over-nose cushion)

All are in the Apnealytics catalog with photos, sizes and part lists. They fit any machine with a standard 22 mm tube connection. Mask listings describe the mask only; they say nothing about whether your machine's data is supported.

What Mask Analytics shows

Attach your nasal mask in Gear with a start date and Apnealytics compares it against every other mask you have used:

Seal from leak P95 across the mask's nights
AHI average across those nights, so a mask that lets your mouth open shows its cost
Usage average hours, which is where comfort shows
Nights and span, so you know how much evidence sits behind each figure

If you move from an N20 to an N30i, the "What changed?" panel marks the switch, and Trends shows leak P95 and AHI on either side of it. See mask fit and leak for the product tour.

Mask Analytics card for AirFit N30i: seal 91, AHI 2.6, usage 7h04, 84 nights

FAQ

Questions people ask

Help center →

What is the difference between a nasal mask and nasal pillows?

A nasal mask seals around or under the nose with a cushion or cradle; nasal pillows seal at the nostrils themselves. Nasal masks are a little more stable and tolerate higher pressures; pillows have the least contact. Mask Analytics lets you compare one of each on seal, AHI and usage.

Why does my nasal mask leak more in the second half of the night?

That pattern usually means your mouth is opening as you reach deeper sleep, not that the cushion has failed. Leak P95 rises and AHI often rises with it. Options to discuss with your supplier include a chin strap or a full face mask. The Pro waveform viewer shows exactly when the leak begins.

Which nasal mask is best for side sleepers?

Cradle-style masks with the tube at the top of the head, such as the AirFit N30i and DreamWear Nasal, keep the sides of the face clear. Whether one seals better on your face is personal; Mask Analytics shows you the answer from your own nights.

Does the mask type setting on my machine matter?

Yes. ResMed machines ask for Pillows, Nasal or Full Face because each has a different expected vent flow, and the leak figure is calculated after subtracting it. The wrong setting makes leak look better or worse than it is. Set it to Nasal for a nasal mask.

How do I know when to replace my nasal cushion?

Follow the manufacturer's or your supplier's interval and set it as a reminder in Gear. In your data, a slowly rising leak P95 over several weeks with no other change is the usual sign of a cushion that has softened or lost its shape.