When you say "reload the file for editing" do you mean re-opening the SONAR project, or opening the .WAV file in another editor?
If it's all SONAR, take note of where the track and Master bus meters are peaking, numerically, in the first measure or two before save/close/re-open. If the meters read the same after re-opening, then something is messing with the output level of your interface when SONAR is closed. This is quite possible if it's the onboard PC sound system; less likely if it's a dedicated audio interface using ASIO drivers.