Struggling to Get Used to Your CPAP? A Sleep Specialist's Fixes That Actually Work

If your first weeks on CPAP have been a fight — the mask leaks, the pressure feels like too much, your mouth is bone dry by morning — you're not failing at therapy, and you're certainly not alone. A recent Cleveland Clinic guide makes the point bluntly: CPAP shouldn't be a miserable experience, and nearly every common complaint has a fix. The trick is knowing what to adjust before frustration wins and the machine ends up in the cupboard.

What happened

In a guide published on 15 October 2026, Cleveland Clinic sleep medicine specialist Dr Loutfi Aboussouan laid out the troubleshooting that turns a rough start into comfortable, consistent therapy. His headline message: the right mask fit, pressure settings and small adjustments make all the difference — and if you're struggling, your care team genuinely wants to know exactly what's going wrong.

One reassurance stood out, especially for anyone scarred by an old, bulky mask: "it often takes two to three masks before we find the one that's right for you." Finding your fit is normal trial and error, not a sign the therapy won't work — and today's masks are smaller and lighter than the ones many people remember.

"Using CPAP shouldn't be a miserable experience." — Dr Loutfi Aboussouan, Cleveland Clinic

Why it matters

Here's the uncomfortable truth behind the advice: the benefits of CPAP — for your energy, heart, blood pressure and, as recent research suggests, your long-term brain health — only arrive if you actually use it. Early discomfort is the number-one reason people give up. So solving these niggles isn't about convenience; it's what stands between you and every health payoff the therapy offers.

What this means for you — the common problems and their fixes

Drawing on the Cleveland Clinic guide (and long-standing Mayo Clinic advice), here's where to start:

Mask doesn't fit / leaks. Expect to try a couple of styles — nasal, nasal pillows or full-face. Refit it, replace worn cushions, and skip facial creams at bedtime (they make masks slide). A chin strap or CPAP pillow can help if leaks come when you roll over.
Pressure feels too strong. Ask about adjusting the settings, using the ramp feature (it starts low and builds as you fall asleep), sleeping with your head raised, or switching to a different PAP type like APAP or BiPAP.
Dry mouth, nose or throat. Turn up the humidifier (and adjust it by season), add a heated humidifier, and try saline sprays, lozenges or CPAP gel. Heated tubing helps too.
Congestion. A humidifier often helps; your doctor may suggest a nasal steroid. Don't reach for over-the-counter decongestant sprays on your own — they can make CPAP congestion worse.
Skin marks or irritation. Cloth mask liners reduce friction, silicone pads ease pressure on the nose bridge, and keeping gear clean prevents breakouts.
Claustrophobia. Practise wearing just the mask while awake — reading or watching TV — so it feels normal before you sleep in it.
Bloating or gas (aerophagia). Elevating your head, or a pressure/PAP-type change, can reduce swallowed air.

And the golden rule: tell your provider or supplier exactly what's wrong — too much pressure, a leak, the mask slipping off. Most fixes are a small tweak away.

The bottom line

Getting used to CPAP is a process, not a pass/fail test — give it three to four weeks, and treat every annoyance as a solvable setup problem, not a reason to quit. The right mask and settings turn therapy from a nightly battle into something you barely notice. If you're stuck on fit, dryness or leaks, that's squarely what we're here for — the right mask and accessories are usually the whole fix.

Sources

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tips-on-how-to-get-used-to-cpap
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obstructive-sleep-apnea/in-depth/cpap/art-20044164