How to Read Your CPAP Data: Understanding AHI, Leak Rate, and myAir Scores
How to Read CPAP Data on myAir: AHI, Leak Rate, and Your Nightly Score Explained
Decode your nightly numbers like a clinician, spot the trap a high score can hide, and know exactly what to do when the data says your therapy is not working.
How to Read CPAP Data on myAir: The Three Numbers That Matter
Learning how to read CPAP data on myAir means understanding three core readings: your AHI, your mask leak rate, and your overall nightly score. Each tells a different part of the story, and your daily score on the screen can look great while your actual therapy quietly underperforms. This guide reads your numbers the way a European sleep physician would, with EU units and clinical thresholds. If you also want to decode the raw report from your original sleep test, our guide on how to read your sleep study results pairs perfectly with this one.
AHI stands for Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index, the average number of breathing pauses per hour of sleep. Leak rate measures the air escaping around your mask in litres per minute. The myAir score then rolls these up into a single 0-100 number. For a deeper look at the index itself, what your AHI score actually means goes further on how the number is built.
- Three readings drive everything: AHI, leak rate, and the myAir score.
- The headline score can hide poor therapy, so always read the components beneath it.
- This guide uses EU units (L/min) and clinical thresholds, not US framing.
Why Reading Your Own CPAP Data Matters in Europe
Reading your own data matters because sleep apnoea is far more common in Europe than older estimates suggested, and many patients drift away from treatment. The HypnoLaus study in Lausanne, Switzerland, found that moderate-to-severe sleep-disordered breathing affected 23.4% of women and 49.7% of men (Heinzer et al., The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 2015). Globally, an estimated 936 million adults aged 30-69 have OSA (Benjafield et al., The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 2019).
Diagnosis is only the start. Real-world adherence in Europe is fragile. Around 66% of UK OSA patients were classed as non-adherent to CPAP in one 2019 analysis, where adherence meant at least four hours per night on 70% or more of nights (European Respiratory Journal, 2020). In France, long-term non-adherence reaches roughly 43% three years after starting therapy (PLOS One, 2017).
That is exactly why your nightly numbers matter. The myAir app exists to keep you engaged. One retrospective study of over 128,000 connected patients found that using myAir produced an absolute 16.9% improvement in patients hitting adherence targets within 90 days, versus remote monitoring alone (ResMed/PwC, 2017). Numbers you understand are numbers you act on.
- Sleep apnoea affects up to half of European men in some cohorts (HypnoLaus, 2015).
- Up to 66% of UK patients and 43% of French patients drift off CPAP over time.
- Patients who track their data with myAir hit adherence targets more often.
AHI: Your Most Important Therapy Number
AHI is the single most important measure of whether your CPAP is actually controlling your apnoea. It counts apnoeas (breathing stops of 10 seconds or more) and hypopnoeas (partial collapses with reduced airflow) per hour of sleep. On therapy, this figure is your residual AHI, meaning the events that still slip through despite the pressure.
What counts as a good residual AHI?
A residual AHI under 5 is considered controlled therapy. Many clinicians prefer to see it under 2 for optimal control. If your number sits above 5 most nights, your therapy is not fully doing its job, even if you wear the mask faithfully.
| Residual AHI (events/hour) | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | Optimal control | Keep your current setup |
| 2 to 5 | Well controlled | Good, monitor trend |
| 5 to 15 | Mild residual events | Check leak and pressure; tell your physician |
| Over 15 | Therapy not controlling OSA | Contact your sleep physician promptly |
- Aim for a residual AHI under 5, ideally under 2.
- A persistently high AHI with good usage usually signals leak or pressure problems.
- Unexplained high AHI is a reason to call your pneumologue, not just adjust the app.
Leak Rate: The Quiet Saboteur
Leak rate is the volume of air escaping your mask system, measured in litres per minute (L/min). Some leak is intentional and built into the mask to vent exhaled carbon dioxide. The number you care about is unintentional leak, the air sneaking out from a poor seal.
On ResMed devices, an unintentional leak above roughly 24 L/min is flagged as clinically significant (ResMed myAir documentation, 2024). High leak does two damaging things: it can stop the machine delivering your prescribed pressure, and it inflates your residual AHI because the device can no longer detect or treat events reliably.
| Leak level | Approx. range | Likely effect |
|---|---|---|
| Good seal | Below ~24 L/min | Pressure delivered as prescribed |
| Borderline | Around 24 L/min | Possible under-treatment on some nights |
| High leak | Well above 24 L/min | Therapy compromised; AHI may rise |
Common causes of high leak
1Wrong mask size or type
A cushion that does not fit your face shape leaks no matter how tight you pull the straps.
2Worn cushions
Silicone degrades. Most cushions need replacing every few months to keep their seal.
3Mouth leak
If you use a nasal mask but breathe through your mouth, air escapes. A chinstrap or full-face mask may help.
- Unintentional leak above ~24 L/min is clinically significant on ResMed devices.
- High leak both lowers delivered pressure and inflates your AHI.
- Fix the mask fit first; persistent leak deserves a clinical review.
The myAir Score: How the 0-100 Points Are Calculated
The myAir score is a 0-100 number that bundles four behaviours into one figure, and most of it rewards how long you wear the mask. A score of 70 or above is generally considered good. Understanding the point allocation is the key to reading your data honestly.
| Category | Max points | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Usage hours | Up to 70 | Hours worn per night |
| Mask seal | Up to 20 | How well leak stayed controlled |
| Events per hour (AHI) | Remaining points | Residual apnoeas and hypopnoeas |
| Mask on/off events | Remaining points | How often you removed the mask |
Per ResMed's scoring documentation (2024), usage can supply up to 70 of the 100 points, mask seal up to 20, with the remainder split between events per hour and mask on/off. This is the detail many retailer blogs gloss over, and it reveals an important trap.
- Usage alone supplies up to 70 of the 100 myAir points.
- A high score can mask a poor AHI or high leak.
- Judge therapy on AHI and leak, not just the headline number.
How to Review Your Data the Right Way
Reviewing your data well means reading the components in order, not glancing at the score and closing the app. Follow this simple routine each morning or weekly.
1Check usage first
Did you reach at least four hours? Short nights drag the score down even when therapy is fine.
2Read your AHI against baseline
Compare tonight's AHI to your typical range. A sudden jump matters more than one number in isolation.
3Inspect the leak figure
If leak is high, fix the seal before blaming pressure. Leak often explains a rising AHI.
4Look at trends, not single nights
Scores swing night to night for normal reasons: a cold, alcohol, a blocked nose, a slipped mask. Weekly patterns are what count.
- Read usage, then AHI, then leak, in that order.
- Trends over a week tell you more than any single night.
- Bring persistent problems to your sleep physician.
When Your Data Shows CPAP Is Not Working for You
Sometimes the data tells an uncomfortable truth: CPAP is not working for you. Maybe leak stays high every night, usage keeps falling, or you have quietly abandoned the mask. You would be far from alone, given that up to 66% of UK and 43% of French patients become non-adherent over time.
First, the honest rule: if your myAir shows controlled therapy, a residual AHI under 5, low leak, and solid usage, keep your CPAP. It is working, and no alternative beats well-tolerated CPAP for moderate-to-severe OSA. Do not abandon effective treatment over a number you dislike.
If you are at the milder end and cannot tolerate CPAP
But if your data confirms chronic intolerance, and your diagnosis is snoring or mild-to-moderate OSA, you have a regulated EU option. The Back2Sleep nasal stent is a soft silicone intranasal device, CE-certified as a Class I medical device. It mechanically holds the nasal airway open during sleep, with no electricity, no noise, and no tubing.
| Feature | CPAP | Back2Sleep nasal stent |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Mild to severe OSA | Snoring and mild-to-moderate OSA |
| Prescription | Usually required | None needed |
| Nightly app score | Yes (myAir) | No score; comfort-based |
| Power and noise | Mains powered, low hum | None |
| Starter cost | Device plus consumables | Starter kit around EUR 39, 4 sizes |
- If your data shows controlled therapy, keep your CPAP.
- For intolerant patients with snoring or mild-to-moderate OSA, the Back2Sleep stent is a legitimate, low-cost EU alternative.
- It is not a CPAP replacement for moderate-to-severe OSA; keep your physician involved.
What Back2Sleep Users Say
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good AHI score on a CPAP machine?
A good residual AHI on CPAP is under 5 events per hour, which clinicians consider controlled therapy. Many aim for under 2 for optimal control. If your AHI stays above 5 most nights despite regular use, check your mask leak and pressure, then discuss the readings with your sleep physician.
What does the myAir score mean and what is a good score?
The myAir score is a 0-100 number summarising four habits: usage hours, mask seal, events per hour, and mask on/off. A score of 70 or above is generally considered good. Because usage supplies most points, always read your AHI and leak separately to confirm therapy quality.
What is a normal CPAP leak rate in litres per minute?
A controlled leak keeps unintentional escape below about 24 litres per minute on ResMed devices, the threshold flagged as clinically significant. Some leak is intentional, venting carbon dioxide. High unintentional leak lowers delivered pressure and can inflate your AHI, so a good mask seal is essential for effective therapy.
Why is my AHI high even though I use my CPAP every night?
A high AHI despite nightly use usually points to mask leak, a pressure setting that is too low, or central events the device cannot prevent. High leak stops the machine delivering full pressure. Check your seal first, then ask your sleep physician to review your settings and data.
Why does my myAir score change so much from night to night?
Scores swing for ordinary reasons: a cold, nasal congestion, alcohol, a shorter night, or a mask that slipped. One low night rarely matters. Focus on weekly trends rather than single nights, and only act when a pattern of high leak or rising AHI persists across several days.
What should I do if my CPAP data shows therapy is not working?
If leak stays high, usage keeps falling, and your AHI remains uncontrolled, raise it with your sleep physician promptly. For patients with snoring or mild-to-moderate OSA who cannot tolerate CPAP, a CE-certified nasal stent like Back2Sleep is a regulated EU alternative. It does not replace CPAP for severe cases.
Ready for quieter nights? Discover the Back2Sleep starter kit and find the right fit for you.
Not sure if you are at risk? Take our sleep risk screening to find out in just a few minutes.
Want to learn how it works? Explore the Back2Sleep nasal stent designed for comfortable, effective relief.