Category Archives: Allergies and Sleep Apnea

Foods to avoid with CPAP

Blog(FoodToAvoidWithCPAP)

It’s the holidays, which means lots of goodies are around the house. But, before you leap out of bed for a midnight snack, CPAP Central wants to warn you that some foods can have a bad impact on your sleep, especially if you are a CPAP or BiPAP user.

Be especially careful of what you eat right before bedtime. Eating spicy foods and rich foods can rev up your metabolism and make your body work harder. It may take your body longer to digest these foods and interfere with your comfort and sleep. Those same spicy and fried foods can also cause indigestion and trigger heartburn or acid reflux, especially when you lay down to sleep. These foods should be consumed in moderation and not in the late evening.

The amount of food you eat can also affect your sleep apnea therapy for many of the same reasons. Even if the dinner you had was not fried or spicy, quantity can hurt you too. That all-you-can-eat buffet may have seemed like a great idea at 6 o’clock, but will seem less great at 10, 11 and 12 o’clock when you can’t sleep.

Watch your liquids, especially the caffeinated and sugary ones. Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water every day is good for the body, but drink them early, stopping no later than dinner time or you’ll be making trips to the bathroom instead of sleeping. Learn your caffeine limits too. For many people, even one cup of coffee after a certain hour of the day can keep them wide awake at bedtime. Caffeine sometimes has a reverse effect on people too. It can still keep you awake, but a little drowsy in the process; your body can’t decide whether to fall asleep or stay up.

CPAP Central offers products from some of the biggest names in sleep apnea equipment. Take a look at our online catalog today!

Summer Allergies and Sleep Apnea

Summer allergies can lead to a number of symptoms, including making sleep apnea worse.

Summer means a lot of different things for everyone. From sunny days, later nights, grilling or camping out, and so much more, there is a lot to love about summer. One of the drawbacks to summer however, is the increase in allergens, which leads to summer allergies. With ragweed and pollen in the air, summer allergies can reduce your ability to breathe effectively.

If you have sleep apnea, it’s important to know how you are affected by summer allergies so that you’re ready to make adjustments to your CPAP therapy. CPAPCentral.com offers you these tips to help you understand how summer allergies impact you and how you can continue your therapy effectively.

Impact on Symptoms

Obstructive sleep apnea has been linked to allergies, and studies have shown symptoms like snoring and difficulty breathing while sleeping are made worse by summer allergies. Additionally, these allergies can cause runny noses, watery eyes, and sore throats, making you feel uncomfortable and making it difficult for you to sleep. This leads to an increased feeling of daytime drowsiness and fatigue. Summer allergy symptoms combined with a potential worsening of your sleep apnea can take a serious toll on your health.

How to Help Yourself

Many symptoms related to summer allergies can be treated with over-the-counter medications. These alleviate symptoms and can help you sleep. To prevent allergen-loaded air from passing through your CPAP machine every night, remember to clean your CPAP machine every day. Make sure your air filters are changed regularly and that you wipe your machine with a damp cloth, and wash your humidifier chamber, mask, and tubing every day. Products like cleaning wipes, tube cleanings systems, and the SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer are a great way to start a daily routine of keeping your CPAP supplies clean.

You can also make sure your CPAP therapy is as effective as possible by making sure your equipment is up-to-date. CPAPCentral.com has all the CPAP machines, CPAP masks, and other CPAP supplies to make sure you’re able to sleep comfortably.

Sleeping With Seasonal Allergies

There are several steps you can take to make sure spring allergies don’t affect your sleep therapy.

It’s springtime! And while we are all happy to see warmer weather, sunshine and blooming flowers, there are some aspects of spring that make it tougher to enjoy a deep breath of that warm, fresh air. We’re talking about spring allergies, one of the few drawbacks that come with the spring season.

Millions of individuals deal with the effects of spring allergies. This means stuffy noses, sneezing, sore throats, and puffy eyes. When you combine that with a sleep disorder like sleep apnea, it can make springtime sleep a challenge. CPAPCentral.com has some tips that help you manage spring allergies and sleep apnea, and we hope they’re helpful for you!

What To Do With Your CPAP Machine

There are several adjustments that you can make to your CPAP therapy that can help control the effects of spring allergies. First, make sure your CPAP machine is clean. Products like the SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer give your mask, tubing and humidifier a through daily cleaning, preventing buildup of mildew and pollen. You can also switch to a full face mask that allows you to breathe air through your mouth at the prescribed pressure. You may need a prescription for a full face mask, so check with your physician if you think this option might improve your sleep therapy experience.

Improve Your Home and Sleeping Environment

While we typically think of seasonal allergies affecting us when we’re outside, there are several things in your home that contribute to your allergies as well. Many of us keep plants in our homes, but once the weather warms, it’s probably a good time to take those plants outside. House plants serve as a great spot for mold and mildew to hang out, which makes your allergies worse. We also need to make sure outside air doesn’t get in. While it may nice to have a cool breeze blowing through an open window during the spring, leaving windows and doors open invites pollen indoors, making it easier for your allergies to flare up.

You should be enjoying the spring weather, but make sure you know how seasonal allergies impact you. CPAPCentral.com is here to offer you the cleaning supplies you need to make sure seasonal allergies don’t reduce the effectiveness of your sleep therapy.