Today, the team at CPAP Central is driving awareness towards the issue of snoring, and more specifically, the causes of snoring.  We are passionate about this issue because one of the most common causes is sleep apnea, which if left untreated, will lead to a long list of major health complications.

First thing’s first, snoring occurs when air can’t move freely through your nose or mouth as you sleep.  This often means for some reason, your airway is narrowing or you have an obstruction which vibrates when you try to force airflow.  Now, let’s get to the causes:

1. Sleep Apnea

Snoring is a very common symptom of sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is a serious condition where the tissues of your throat block your airway and actually prevent you from breathing.  Apneas are basically events where you’ve stopped breathing.  This condition is easily treated through CPAP therapy, but if left untreated, will lead to many health conditions highlighted here.

2. Mouth Anatomy

Snoring often occurs when an individual presents a low, thick soft palate or extra tissue surrounding the back of their throat, often found in individuals who are overweight.  This can sometimes be treated by either losing weight or starting CPAP therapy.

3. Deviated Septum

Snoring can also be caused by a deviated nasal septum.  A deviated nasal septum is when the cartilage and bone in the middle of the nasal cavity are dramatically crooked or off-center.

4. Nasal Congestion

If snoring has suddenly occurred, you may be suffering from nasal congestion, but beware because nasal congestion can be a sign of sinus infection.  Snoring should cease as soon as you are over your cold or have treated your sinus infection.

5. Alcohol Consumption

Yes, some people only snore when they drink.  It is a proven fact that alcohol relaxes your throat muscles and prevents your body from fighting airway obstruction.  This also proves that you don’t always get a good night’s sleep after a night of heavy drinking because, while you slept in, you may not have gotten quality sleep.

No matter what the cause of your snoring is, the effect is less sleep, interrupted sleep or low quality sleep.  When you’re not getting the sleep you need, your body wears out.  We want you to live as comfortably as possible, so get to the doctor and find out why you’re snoring.  If a CPAP is what you need, The CPAP Central is here to help!

Its springtime which means most of America is outside celebrating the warmer weather, blooming flowers, longer days and sweet breezes, but for people with allergies, spring means pollen breezes and a raging case of hay fever.  Now, add CPAP therapy and things get interesting.  For people with both Sleep Apnea and seasonal allergies, springtime brings about a trifecta of stuffy days, sleepless nights and impossible CPAP therapy, but it doesn’t have to.  CPAP Central wants to help you survive spring allergies and CPAP therapy with these helpful tips:

1. KEEP ALL CPAP EQUIPMENT CLEAN – Become a neat-freak with your CPAP equipment.
2. FULL FACE IS BEST – Consider using a full face CPAP mask at the time to keep treating your Sleep Apnea through a clogged nose.
3. ADD AUTO-ADJUSTING – Check out auto-adjusting CPAP machines that will adjust pressure according to your “springtime breathing”.
4. HYPOALLERGENIC FILTERS – Look into hypoallergenic filters to keep the air running through your CPAP clean and fresh.
5. CHANGE PILLOWCASES – You should either change and wash your pillowcases more often or consider a hypoallergenic pillow.
6. BE HEALTHY – Healthy habits such as a balanced diet, vitamins, exercise and no smoking help fight allergens.
7. KEEP WINDOWS & DOORS CLOSED – I know it’s tempting to let the spring air in, but with seasonal allergies, you’re much better off keeping it out!
8. TURN INDOOR PLANTS OUT – Indoor plants are a common carrier of mildew and can make allergies worse.
9. DECONGESTANTS – After seeking medical advice, treat symptoms with antihistamines and decongestants.
10. SLEEP POSITION – Try to change add elevation to your sleeping position to encourage more drainage.

These are just a few of the tricks you can try at home to fight off seasonal allergies and make your CPAP therapy go smoother when you’re feeling stuffed up.  We’d love to hear what has worked for you.  Leave a comment on our Facebook page about your favorite tricks!

 

Living with sleep apnea can be complicated and unhealthy if you don’t have the right information.  After working with many individuals suffering from sleep apnea, the experts at CPAP Central have come up with our top five tips for living safely with sleep apnea:

1. Go to the doctor. We all know those family members who shake the house with their snoring yet refuse to discuss snoring with their doctor or get a sleep test done. Maybe you are that family member! It’s true; you might not have sleep apnea.  However, if you do have sleep apnea and leave it untreated, you will run into a large list of additional health issues down the road.

 

Your doctor will be able to advise you on where to get a sleep test done.  Once you have your sleep test, you will be able to determine the severity of your sleep apnea.

 

2. Find the best CPAP mask for you. When it comes to CPAP masks, there are three main designs available: the full face mask, the nasal mask, and the nasal pillow.  Try out several types and see which CPAP mask is most comfortable for you to use while sleeping.

 

3. Take care of yourself. For those who suffer from sleep apnea, exercise can go a long way.  Exercise will not only help you sleep at night, but it can also decrease the severity of your sleep apnea.  In many cases, extra weight around the neck can cause or worsen sleep apnea.

 

4. Keep your CPAP supplies in working order. Like all healthcare products, CPAP machines, CPAP masks, CPAP filters, etc. don’t last forever.  Keep your CPAP supplies clean and in working order.  When they are worn out, replace them.

 

 

5. CPAP accessories can make a big difference. While accessories are typically looked at as a luxury, certain CPAP accessories are starting to become more of a necessity for effective CPAP therapy.  Heated humidifiers and tubing, for example, both deliver the perfect amount of moisture and keep your nasal passages healthy.

 

CPAP Central is here to answer any questions you may have about your CPAP equipment.  Reach out to us on live chat through our website to talk with our home healthcare experts today!

Did you play an April Fools’ joke this year or have one played on you? While these can be fun, we’re here to tell you that untreated sleep apnea is no joke.

Right now, there are approximately 10 million Americans with undiagnosed sleep apnea.  We hope that by writing, sharing and encouraging all our readers to share this article, we are saving at least a handful of those individuals from major health complications caused by sleep apnea.

Do I have Sleep Apnea?

The most common risk factor of sleep apnea is snoring.  However, you can snore and not have sleep apnea or you can have sleep apnea and not snore so this symptom can be misleading.  Other common risk factors include sex, weight and age.  For example, men are three times more likely to have sleep apnea than women, adults over 60 are a higher risk and overweight adults with a neck circumference of over 43 centimeters are very likely to have sleep apnea.

Signs of Sleep Apnea:

 

• Very loud snoring
• Breathing cessation (gasping)
• Abrupt awakenings
• Morning headache
• Insomnia
• Attention problems

 

 

Is untreated Sleep Apnea affecting my health?

Oh, yes!  An overwhelming response in Sleep Apnea studies conducted in the past 10 years reveals a close association between Sleep Apnea and an increased rate of cardiac events or cardiovascular mortality.  If that doesn’t scare you, here is a long list of other health conditions individuals will suffer from if they leave their Sleep Apnea untreated.

Health Conditions Associated with Untreated Sleep Apnea:

 

• Headaches
• Falling asleep during the day
• Excessive tiredness
• Weight gain
• Anxiety
• Memory problems
• Impotence
• Low libido
• Cardiac arrest
• Cardiovascular disease
• Atrial fibrillation
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• And much more!

 

 

If you or someone you know is may have Sleep Apnea, call your doctor and get a prescription for a sleep test right away.  Treating Sleep Apnea is so much easier than you think and you’ll feel the physical changes as soon as a week after starting treatment!

The team at CPAP Central truly hopes you don’t have Sleep Apnea, but if you do, feel free to contact our CPAP experts about which CPAP supplies would work best with your sleep style and make treatment comfortable and effective!