More Noises at Night

The last three weeks have been rough for my sleep. I've been dealing with a variety of CPAP therapy-related issues, including dry nose, acne, worsening headaches, and dental problems. To top it all off, I've been hearing a loud popping noise and I can't figure out where it's coming from.

It’s hard enough falling asleep with a mask strapped to your face. The addition of another obstacle by the constant popping noise was disturbing enough that, for the first time in a while, I was still awake at 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning. I tossed and turned, trying to figure out what was causing the noise and how to make it stop.

What problems did I consider?

Moisture

In the past, I've dealt with occurrences of rainout, when water gets in the tube of my CPAP. Rainout usually happened in the middle of the night, and back then, I knew that moisture was causing the popping noise.

At first, I thought the noise was coming from the mask or hose because they were still slightly wet from being cleaned. I tried drying them out with a towel and holding the hose over the sink, but the noise didn't go away. I eventually turned on ocean sounds to drown it out and fell asleep after more restless tossing and turning.

The next night, the mask and hose were definitely dry, but the noise was still there. The popping, clicking noise began as soon as the machine started and the auto ramp kicked on.

Old supplies

Next, I replaced the headgear, tube and mask, thinking that something worn out was causing this noise. After switching out everything, I put the mask back on ... but the noise was back, clicking and popping away.

Breathing patterns

I did notice that when I first got in bed I was breathing harder than I normally do. That made me wonder if maybe I was breathing too hard and closing a flap in the mask. So I tried to relax, slowing my breathing and inhaling through my nose, but still the noise persisted.

Air pressure

I was getting desperate. I had a severe migraine, and I was exhausted from not getting a good night's sleep. So I talked to my husband, who suggested that it might be a CPAP pressure issue. He found some information online that suggested not having enough air pressure can cause the mask to close and make a popping noise.

That was a lightbulb moment! I only heard the noise when I was first trying to fall asleep. I had recently gotten a new CPAP machine that was set to automatically ramp up the pressure gradually over time. When I checked the machine settings, it gave me the option to do a mask fit test and that turned off the ramp for the night. Finally, I had my first quiet night in weeks.

What was the solution?

The next night, I turned off the ramp again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Sure enough, the noise was gone. Starting off with higher air pressure instead of a slow increase made it a little harder to fall asleep, but it was worth it to be able to sleep peacefully.

I’m still not sure why this noise started after having the machine for months, but I'm glad I finally found a solution. I hope this helps someone else who is experiencing the same problem.