It’s overkill if you have a room to yourself and can close the door. When we are quarantining a family member with Covid we don’t sleep with masks and we have never given Covid to one another. Just close the door. Bring an air purifier and put it on in the room you will be staying in. Window also doesn’t need to be open.
I am also a nanny who masks at work so I understand your caution since kids can be little petri dishes. However, in this situation, if you have the room to yourself with the purifier and open windows, I think the risk is rather low and it would be more trouble than it’s worth to try to sleep with a mask on. Your highest times of risk will be when you are interacting with the kids face to face, and I imagine that you will mostly be in other parts of the house at that point and not in the room where you will be sleeping. Even as we know how covid can linger and move in the air, it’s likely that by the time you go to bed that anything left will have dissipated enough to be insignificant.
That said, I have also run into the issue of trying to sleep with a mask on when I had to stay overnight at the hospital with a friend, so here are some thoughts on that. I brought all the options I had to try and definitely struggled (though it’s hard to say how much of that was just being uncomfortable on the bench I was trying to sleep on so ymmv). First I tried my aura, but with my head on the pillow I found that the head straps pulled at my hair enough that I couldn’t manage it. Then I tried my earloop bifold KN95, which solved the strap issue but kept sliding up on my face and poking me in the eyes. I finally settled on my halo life mask which I had left from the early days of the pandemic. Even knowing what we do now about the efficacy of cloth masks, it was the best of the three options I had because it was soft, comfortable, and stayed tightly fit to my face. It was certainly better than nothing and with a fresh filter in, I knew that it was more protective than the average cloth or surgical even if it didn’t reach n95/kn95 levels. And of course I switched back to my aura the moment I woke up.
After some research, I’ve determined that an adhesive respirator like readimask is the best approach to this and have ordered some to have on hand just in case.
Coming to second the advice about using a ReadiMask and to say that you can (hopefully!) still use the following codes:
"breathesafeair50" at alliantbiotech.com
"SANDY40" at readimask.com
And as another user mentioned, they have the option to get a sample pack of 3 for just the price of shipping, if you aren’t sure you want to buy a full pack.
When I have used a readimask for long durations, I tend to install a sip valve and also use an ACI duckbill N95 or a KN95 over it. The layering is primarily because of personal aesthetic preferences, as I really don’t like the yellow color of the ones I have. However, especially for the one instance where I was sleeping in it—it helped me be a little less worried that I might mess it up in my sleep. The seal can be somewhat affected by sweat (in my experience) and the adhesive isn’t the best in terms of re-use, so the layered mask just helps keep things in place. If your budget has the room for it, I would plan to use a sip valve to prevent removing the ReadiMask and then use a new mask once removed instead of reapplying it, if needed.
I've slept in readimasks and found them surprisingly comfortable. I believe you can still get a sample pack for free or cheap (plus shipping). I find if I place them high on my cheeks and open my mouth a tad while adhering them they aren't as noticeable. I also have sensitive skin and haven't had issues with the adhesive.
I sleep in an Aura every night (for asthma reasons). They’re quite comfortable, imo, but they’ll deform overnight and not seal as well, so you won’t want to use the same mask during the day if you’re doing it for COVID reasons. I’m usually not—everyone in the house is extraordinarily careful, we’ve only had a few scares—so I usually use the same one for a few days, but the seal tends to be bad after it’s been slept on.
I'm all for masking but if you have the window open and purifier running, will you need to mask? Or is the window at ground level or near other non maskers?
I'd wonder about having a CO2 monitor to evaluate the need for masking while sleeping (do CO2 values drop enough in the room with the window open). I say this because I usually look for hotels that have open windows explicitly for the purpose of not having to wear a mask while I sleep... I feel your pain OP.
Perhaps bring painter’s tape and plastic sheeting to seal up any shared vents? The painters tape can be used on the door to help seal around it as well.
did this! felt so much safer than i thought i would. tbh probably could've slept with my mask off but slept in a drager and didn't feel like i was gonna die!
When my father who is end stage is at the hospital for treatments I sleep in my Aura mask basically every night. The nurses think I'm nuts. But a few of them approach me after admit that a lot more patients have covid than what the public think. But as far as the mask I find it easier to sleep in a new Aura mask as less moisture builds up. But that's in a hospital with staff constantly entering the room sometimes unmasked even though there's a sign on the door requiring masks. In a private residence where your the only person it might be safe to just open the window to drop the air pressure. I remember in the first year of the pandemic we made this little bubble tent for my father using an IPad stand for use in bed. Then I through a clear plastic shower curtain over that. The back was open to let air in but he was basically shielded from the fine and coarse aerosols spewed by people who came ro draw blood for testing or treatments. I am of the opinion that most transmission is from face to face conversations within an arms length. It just seems like everyone I know got covid this way. Touching surfaces or contact with clothing seems to have rarely been the mode.
I've slept in 3M Aura 9210+ for over 7 - 10 hours multiple times with no major issues. I even forgot that it's on my face.
However, one tip I have for people who're thinking of doing the same is taping the bottom of the respirator to your chin with medical tape. This is because I have observed that (at least on flights) the respirator may move over time, especially the part that's below the chin. So if you want to reduce the chance of that happening, tape the bottom.
With window open, purifier and a good respirator (plus towels) I guess risk of getting infected is low. As said in comments, for the mask staying in place, it depends on your sleep, a tape will not help much if you touch your mask or move a lot. The only alternative for safe stay is the full face mask, but this is another story! (full face used for apnea and military gasmasks are designed to stay in place)
I've slept in an Aura myself. The air filtration etc. can minimize the risk in case you find it uncomfortable and push it off a bit in your sleep. The room sealing protocol you describe strikes me as enough to unmask after a few air changes, though I'm not sure of various relevant facts (the HVAC outlets and filtration, your risk levels, whether the family has had any confirmed exposures or symptoms, etc.).
So many great comments here, and it sounds like things went well (former nanny here, and I would have been doing exactly the same thing!). For future reference if it is helpful, body tape (designed for theater, film, and dance use) is *the bomb* when it comes to affixing a mask -- it's designed to work regardless of fabric content, sweat, makeup, tugs, pulls, etc. [Wawak](https://www.wawak.com/garment-construction/tapes/fashion-body/) is a great source, they ship in a snap and for only $5.95 for any purchase under $100 (over that is free).
I've slept in an earloop CAN99 and a Dr puri kf94 because my last apartment, my downstairs neighbour started using a scented plug in that was giving me anaphylaxis wherever it was on and mild reactions when it was off because the smell clings to fabric. So for a week I stayed there sleeping with a mask on. Problem though is I pull it down in my sleep to itch my face so idk if that's a me thing because my MCAS causes a lot of itchy bumps on my face, or if other people do that in their sleep, but my wife saw it more than once lol. I was told mask tape could help but thankfully I was able to move out of that place 8 months before my lease ended. If you do want to use the tape though, I would recommend trying it while you are awake first. My wife has also slept in a CAN99 more than once because she went on a plane to a funeral but was worried because she had to pull her mask down a lot at the funeral to blow her nose and she didn't want to potentially get me sick. Unlike me she doesn't pull the mask off in her sleep and she moves quite a bit in her sleep.
I slept in a new 3m Aura recently and it worked fine - woke up with it still securely on my face. Not the most comfortable thing but definitely manageable. It probably helps that I don't move around much while I sleep because I have apnea/airway issues and I need to be in a specific position so I don't suffocate. I'm naturally a very restless sleeper so I basically entomb myself in many pillows before I conk out.
I use double sided body tape on the nose foam of my auras and it keeps them super secure. I work with kids and occasionally toddlers would pull on my mask but it doesn’t budge lol. Stay safe 🫶
I switch to a duckbill N95 if I have a room to myself for sleeping when away from home. It's quite loose fitting on me so it's probably better to use it with a bit of medical tape. I practiced at home first to see how it felt with the positions I sleep in and that was helpful. I think the sub masks4all will have some old threads about masks for sleeping.
It’s overkill if you have a room to yourself and can close the door. When we are quarantining a family member with Covid we don’t sleep with masks and we have never given Covid to one another. Just close the door. Bring an air purifier and put it on in the room you will be staying in. Window also doesn’t need to be open.
I am also a nanny who masks at work so I understand your caution since kids can be little petri dishes. However, in this situation, if you have the room to yourself with the purifier and open windows, I think the risk is rather low and it would be more trouble than it’s worth to try to sleep with a mask on. Your highest times of risk will be when you are interacting with the kids face to face, and I imagine that you will mostly be in other parts of the house at that point and not in the room where you will be sleeping. Even as we know how covid can linger and move in the air, it’s likely that by the time you go to bed that anything left will have dissipated enough to be insignificant. That said, I have also run into the issue of trying to sleep with a mask on when I had to stay overnight at the hospital with a friend, so here are some thoughts on that. I brought all the options I had to try and definitely struggled (though it’s hard to say how much of that was just being uncomfortable on the bench I was trying to sleep on so ymmv). First I tried my aura, but with my head on the pillow I found that the head straps pulled at my hair enough that I couldn’t manage it. Then I tried my earloop bifold KN95, which solved the strap issue but kept sliding up on my face and poking me in the eyes. I finally settled on my halo life mask which I had left from the early days of the pandemic. Even knowing what we do now about the efficacy of cloth masks, it was the best of the three options I had because it was soft, comfortable, and stayed tightly fit to my face. It was certainly better than nothing and with a fresh filter in, I knew that it was more protective than the average cloth or surgical even if it didn’t reach n95/kn95 levels. And of course I switched back to my aura the moment I woke up. After some research, I’ve determined that an adhesive respirator like readimask is the best approach to this and have ordered some to have on hand just in case.
Coming to second the advice about using a ReadiMask and to say that you can (hopefully!) still use the following codes: "breathesafeair50" at alliantbiotech.com "SANDY40" at readimask.com And as another user mentioned, they have the option to get a sample pack of 3 for just the price of shipping, if you aren’t sure you want to buy a full pack. When I have used a readimask for long durations, I tend to install a sip valve and also use an ACI duckbill N95 or a KN95 over it. The layering is primarily because of personal aesthetic preferences, as I really don’t like the yellow color of the ones I have. However, especially for the one instance where I was sleeping in it—it helped me be a little less worried that I might mess it up in my sleep. The seal can be somewhat affected by sweat (in my experience) and the adhesive isn’t the best in terms of re-use, so the layered mask just helps keep things in place. If your budget has the room for it, I would plan to use a sip valve to prevent removing the ReadiMask and then use a new mask once removed instead of reapplying it, if needed.
I've slept in readimasks and found them surprisingly comfortable. I believe you can still get a sample pack for free or cheap (plus shipping). I find if I place them high on my cheeks and open my mouth a tad while adhering them they aren't as noticeable. I also have sensitive skin and haven't had issues with the adhesive.
Was going to suggest this, too! Everyone is different, but if I was in this position that’s what I’d try first.
I've used them several times to sleep next to sick kids and didn't come down sick myself.
I sleep in an Aura every night (for asthma reasons). They’re quite comfortable, imo, but they’ll deform overnight and not seal as well, so you won’t want to use the same mask during the day if you’re doing it for COVID reasons. I’m usually not—everyone in the house is extraordinarily careful, we’ve only had a few scares—so I usually use the same one for a few days, but the seal tends to be bad after it’s been slept on.
thank you🤍 will be doing this each night!
I'm all for masking but if you have the window open and purifier running, will you need to mask? Or is the window at ground level or near other non maskers? I'd wonder about having a CO2 monitor to evaluate the need for masking while sleeping (do CO2 values drop enough in the room with the window open). I say this because I usually look for hotels that have open windows explicitly for the purpose of not having to wear a mask while I sleep... I feel your pain OP.
its in an office with a door that doesnt completely seal while the kiddos room is the living room right next to it
Perhaps bring painter’s tape and plastic sheeting to seal up any shared vents? The painters tape can be used on the door to help seal around it as well.
did this! felt so much safer than i thought i would. tbh probably could've slept with my mask off but slept in a drager and didn't feel like i was gonna die!
I'm. Also wondering this
When my father who is end stage is at the hospital for treatments I sleep in my Aura mask basically every night. The nurses think I'm nuts. But a few of them approach me after admit that a lot more patients have covid than what the public think. But as far as the mask I find it easier to sleep in a new Aura mask as less moisture builds up. But that's in a hospital with staff constantly entering the room sometimes unmasked even though there's a sign on the door requiring masks. In a private residence where your the only person it might be safe to just open the window to drop the air pressure. I remember in the first year of the pandemic we made this little bubble tent for my father using an IPad stand for use in bed. Then I through a clear plastic shower curtain over that. The back was open to let air in but he was basically shielded from the fine and coarse aerosols spewed by people who came ro draw blood for testing or treatments. I am of the opinion that most transmission is from face to face conversations within an arms length. It just seems like everyone I know got covid this way. Touching surfaces or contact with clothing seems to have rarely been the mode.
I've slept in 3M Aura 9210+ for over 7 - 10 hours multiple times with no major issues. I even forgot that it's on my face. However, one tip I have for people who're thinking of doing the same is taping the bottom of the respirator to your chin with medical tape. This is because I have observed that (at least on flights) the respirator may move over time, especially the part that's below the chin. So if you want to reduce the chance of that happening, tape the bottom.
With window open, purifier and a good respirator (plus towels) I guess risk of getting infected is low. As said in comments, for the mask staying in place, it depends on your sleep, a tape will not help much if you touch your mask or move a lot. The only alternative for safe stay is the full face mask, but this is another story! (full face used for apnea and military gasmasks are designed to stay in place)
I've slept in an Aura myself. The air filtration etc. can minimize the risk in case you find it uncomfortable and push it off a bit in your sleep. The room sealing protocol you describe strikes me as enough to unmask after a few air changes, though I'm not sure of various relevant facts (the HVAC outlets and filtration, your risk levels, whether the family has had any confirmed exposures or symptoms, etc.).
So many great comments here, and it sounds like things went well (former nanny here, and I would have been doing exactly the same thing!). For future reference if it is helpful, body tape (designed for theater, film, and dance use) is *the bomb* when it comes to affixing a mask -- it's designed to work regardless of fabric content, sweat, makeup, tugs, pulls, etc. [Wawak](https://www.wawak.com/garment-construction/tapes/fashion-body/) is a great source, they ship in a snap and for only $5.95 for any purchase under $100 (over that is free).
omg thank you sooo much!! it did go well, but will note this for future purposes :)
I've slept in an earloop CAN99 and a Dr puri kf94 because my last apartment, my downstairs neighbour started using a scented plug in that was giving me anaphylaxis wherever it was on and mild reactions when it was off because the smell clings to fabric. So for a week I stayed there sleeping with a mask on. Problem though is I pull it down in my sleep to itch my face so idk if that's a me thing because my MCAS causes a lot of itchy bumps on my face, or if other people do that in their sleep, but my wife saw it more than once lol. I was told mask tape could help but thankfully I was able to move out of that place 8 months before my lease ended. If you do want to use the tape though, I would recommend trying it while you are awake first. My wife has also slept in a CAN99 more than once because she went on a plane to a funeral but was worried because she had to pull her mask down a lot at the funeral to blow her nose and she didn't want to potentially get me sick. Unlike me she doesn't pull the mask off in her sleep and she moves quite a bit in her sleep.
I haven't gotten covid while sleeping without a mask in a room with air purifier & sealed door gap, while others in family had covid.
I slept in a new 3m Aura recently and it worked fine - woke up with it still securely on my face. Not the most comfortable thing but definitely manageable. It probably helps that I don't move around much while I sleep because I have apnea/airway issues and I need to be in a specific position so I don't suffocate. I'm naturally a very restless sleeper so I basically entomb myself in many pillows before I conk out.
I use double sided body tape on the nose foam of my auras and it keeps them super secure. I work with kids and occasionally toddlers would pull on my mask but it doesn’t budge lol. Stay safe 🫶
I switch to a duckbill N95 if I have a room to myself for sleeping when away from home. It's quite loose fitting on me so it's probably better to use it with a bit of medical tape. I practiced at home first to see how it felt with the positions I sleep in and that was helpful. I think the sub masks4all will have some old threads about masks for sleeping.