Monthly Archives: November 2014

Top 3 CPAP Travel Tips

Traveling with a CPAP machine can be easy with these top 3 tips.

November starts a couple months of increased air travel across the United States. Millions of Americans will be filing onto airplanes to visit family and friends as major holidays are just weeks apart.

If you have sleep apnea and planning on traveling with a CPAP machine, you will need to anticipate some additional steps while checking luggage for air travel. With the hopes of easing some stress and saving time, CPAPCentral.com has the following CPAP travel tips for a smoother travel experience.

CPAP Travel Tip 1: Anticipate Delays with Security.

A CPAP machine will require a thorough scan and examination during the security inspection. CPAPCentral.com highly encourages you to arrive extra early to allow for time spent in the security line and avoid running late for your flight. You can also contact the airline a couple days before your flight to inquire about additional documentation required for traveling with a CPAP machine to save time during security checks.

CPAP Travel Tip 2: If Possible, Carry On Your CPAP Machine.

If your CPAP machine is a smaller model, we highly recommend keeping the CPAP machine in your carry-on luggage. Keeping your CPAP equipment in sight is ideal to ensure nothing is lost during your flight. If your CPAP machine gets lost with your checked luggage, contact the airline.

CPAP Travel Tip 3: Using Your CPAP Machine on a Plane.

Have a long flight scheduled? You are allowed to sleep with your CPAP machine; however you will need to be prepared. In order to operate the CPAP machine, a power adapter is necessary in order to work with the plane’s power outlet.

Avoid air travel headaches this year with these tips from CPAPCentral.com and be sure to inspect your CPAP supplies for damage when you arrive at your destination. We encourage you to plan and pack accordingly with time to spare. Enjoy your winter holidays from CPAPCentral.com!

Sleep Disruptions from Colder Weather Keeping you Awake?

Colder weather can change your sleeping patterns.

CPAPCentral.com hopes you are able to stay warm through this last portion of fall as colder weather rolls in. Have you noticed that colder weather can negatively affect your sleep and breathing, especially if you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine? For most people diagnosed with sleep apnea, cold weather tends to increase the severity of sleep apnea symptoms and cause more sleep disruptions. Let’s take a closer look how the cold can affect your sleep and breathing.

There are a number of things that affect how someone sleeps at night, whether or not they have sleep apnea. A few contributors to uncomfortable sleep are:

Allergies
Too warm or cold
Having a cold or illness
Aching or twitchy muscles

A loved one may hear or see individuals with sleep apnea waking up numerous times during the night gasping for air, snoring or just not getting enough sleep.

Seasons Change: Colder Weather & Sleep Disruption

Did you know people wake up on the average of about 15 times a night in warm months? As the seasons change and cold weather blankets the region, sleep apnea occurrences can increase throughout the night. During winter months, people wake up increased to an average of 18 times a night. This difference between warm summer months and cold winter months may seem minor. However, the cold conditions significantly increase the amount of severe sleep apnea occurrences causing some people to wake up as many as 30 times a night! If the colder weather is causing more sleep disruptions for you, consider talking with your doctor about your sleeping pattern.

If maintaining your breathing is becoming difficult during the night, contact CPAPCentral.com for assistance adjusting your sleep apnea therapy to find a more comfortable therapy level. We are happy to help and answer any questions you may have about sleep therapy, bi-level machines or CPAP equipment! We can also help locate replacement supplies to keep your therapy comfortable. Call CPAPCentral.com with your questions at 877-632-3702.

Critical Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Snoring is not the only sleep apnea symptom!

Sleep apnea may be subtle but it can wreak havoc on your sleep. Sleep apnea can directly affect your quality of sleep, and it is not always connected to snoring! CPAPCentral.com walks you through the most common symptoms of sleep apnea and the recommended steps through diagnosis and treatment.

Do you have these critical sleep apnea symptoms?

Daytime fatigue and sleepiness
Waking up gasping for air or shortness of breath
Attention problems
Loud snoring
Headache in the morning
Awaking with a sore throat or dry mouth
Difficulty staying asleep

Sleep apnea, like most conditions, does not always trigger all the symptoms listed above or may have other effects not listed. For example, not everyone with sleep apnea snores. Most people consider snoring as a harmless sleeping event. Snoring can be an indicator of sleep apnea however snoring is not always involved.

When should I seek medical help if I have sleep apnea symptoms?

CPAPCentral.com knows deciding to seek medical advice from your healthcare provider can be difficult. If you are concerned with your sleep patterns or notice any of the following symptoms, consult your healthcare professional:

Excessive daytime drowsiness that causes you to fall asleep while driving, watching television. or working
Waking up short of breath
Inconsistent breathing patterns while sleeping
Snoring the wakes you during the night or disturbs others

If you or loved one notices any of the symptoms listed above, consult your healthcare professional. In most cases, the doctor may order a sleep test to monitor your sleep patterns. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your next step is to select a CPAP machine and CPAP mask in accordance with your doctor’s recommendations.

Dangers of Driving with Sleep Apnea You Must Know

Driving with sleep apnea can be dangerous.

Driving with sleep apnea, especially untreated sleep apnea could result in falling asleep at the wheel.

Is this a typical morning for you?

You grab your coffee and hit the road for your 20 minute commute. You step into your car still tired even though you went to bed early the night before. After 10 minutes, you are fighting to stay awake.

In one short blink, you could find yourself stuck at the bottom of a ditch. This could be a result of sleep apnea. At one point or another, we may step into our vehicles still extremely tired. If this is a common occurrence, day after day, you need to contact your healthcare professional, as this pattern is extremely dangerous for you and others on the road.

What Makes Driving with Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Sleep apnea affects your sleep and if you are unable to achieve the full night’s rest your body needs, you may remain tired and drowsy the next day. Driving requires us to stay alert and to quickly react to ever-changing conditions and situations. People with untreated obstructive sleep apnea have been shown to have up a seven times increased risk of falling asleep at the wheel.

Some people driving with sleep apnea say they have never fallen asleep at the wheel. However, you do not necessarily have to fall asleep to be involved in a collision. Having difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, heavy eyelids, daydreaming, and wandering or disconnected thoughts are all signs of drowsy driving, and could lead to a dangerous or even fatal accident.

What Should I do to Prevent Driving with Sleep Apnea?

If you are falling asleep during work or feel excessively tired throughout the day, CPAPCentral.com recommends contacting your healthcare professional right away. The dangers of driving with sleep apnea can be reduced with sleep apnea treatment. Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attacks, in addition to increasing your risk of falling asleep behind the wheel.

If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, be sure to select top-quality sleep apnea equipment from CPAPCentral.com and use your CPAP machine every night. If you have any questions about sleep apnea machines or submitting a prescription, call CPAPCentral.com today!