If you know about sleep apnea, you likely know all about its symptoms. You know about the snoring, the waking up and feeling shortness of breath, the daytime drowsiness and the inability to focus. But there are several symptoms that you may not know about, and many of them can impact your heart.

Building Up Pressure

Sleep apnea, especially obstructive sleep apnea, can increase your risk for high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Because sleep apnea deprives you of oxygen why you sleep, it causes your blood vessels to work harder to deliver oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. When left untreated, this condition impacts you even when you’re not trying to sleep.

Making Conditions Worse

If you have a form of sleep apnea, it could make an underlying heart condition worse and lead to further complications. Sleep apnea increases your risk for a stroke, even if you don’t have high blood pressure and can also increase your risk for an abnormal heart rhythm. Without treatment, sleep apnea can also lead to congestive heart failure, a potentially fatal condition.

Treating The Issue

While the list of impacts sleep apnea can have on your heart and your body is a long one, the good news is the condition is also very treatable. The most effective form of treatment for sleep apnea is with CPAP therapy, which uses air pressure to help you breathe while you sleep.

CPAP Central is here to help you treat your sleep apnea. We have several CPAP machines and CPAP masks that are designed to be easy to use so you can treat your case of sleep apnea effectively. Contact CPAP Central to consult with one of our experts and get your treatment started.

In honor of Cinco De Mayo, 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 negative health conditions.

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.  CPAP Central wants 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, CPAP Central is here to help!

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!

Did you know there are currently over 10 million cases of undiagnosed sleep apnea in the United States?  If these 10 million Americans suffering from sleep apnea go on untreated, they are facing a huge list of additional diagnoses including heart attack, stroke, obesity, diabetes and heart failure.  This is why CPAP Central wants you to screen yourself and then visit a sleep lab to find out how to treat your sleep apnea RIGHT NOW!

Here are three quick and easy ways to screen yourself for sleep apnea at home:

1 – The Epworth Sleepiness Scale

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was developed in 1990 by Dr. Murray Johns.  It typically takes less than 3 minutes to complete, and evaluates your daytime sleepiness in order to determine how likely you are to have a sleep disorder.  Take the Epworth Sleepiness Scale now.

2 – The STOP BANG Questionnaire

STOP BANG stands for Snoring, Tiredness during the daytime, Observed apnea, Pressure (high blood pressure), Body mass index, Age, Neck circumference and Gender.  The questionnaire evaluates whether you have an obstruction in your airway that might be contributing to obstructive sleep apnea. Take the Stop Bang Test.

3 – The Appnea App by Zeeba Sleep Center

The Appnea App by Zeeba Sleep Center is available in both Google Play and iTunes App store as AppNea.  This new app offers a questionnaire and a recording sleep feature which evaluates your sleep recording for sleep apnea risks.  Get AppNea at Google Play.

After trying out these three at-home screenings, be sure to follow their advice and seek consultation from your family doctor or a local sleep specialist.  If you discover that you are indeed suffering from sleep apnea, visit CPAPCentral.com for the best deals on all your PAP supplies!

In the past, we’ve informed you of the potential risks of ignoring sleep apnea and letting the condition go untreated. Among those risks are an increased risk of heart disease, liver disease and increased daytime fatigue.

For today’s post, CPAP Central would like to go into greater detail about another health problem associated with sleep apnea, and that is the issue of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

High blood pressure, which occurs when the linings of your blood vessels become clogged with materials like fat, can lead to a long list of other issues. With less room in the blood vessels and the same amount of blood pumping, it means your heart is having to work harder to get the blood to the rest of your body. This can lead to a stroke or a heart attack.

Sleep apnea is most common among people that are overweight or obese. Those same people are the most at risk for developing hypertension. Several studies have indicated that people with sleep apnea are more likely to develop hypertension. Studies have also shown CPAP therapy can have a positive effect on hypertension and lower your blood pressure.

Because of the health risks associated with undiagnosed sleep apnea, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms that accompany the disorder. If you wake up feeling short of breath, if you often wake up with a dry mouth or you’ve been told you snore, especially if the snoring is accompanied by gasping or pauses in breathing, it’s time to contact your doctor.

If your doctor does diagnose you with sleep apnea, CPAP Central has the supplies to help start you on your CPAP therapy. We have full lines of CPAP machines, masks and accessories to help you sleep better and start to battle the other health effects associated with sleep apnea. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

What are the next steps after being diagnosed with sleep apnea?  Getting a CPAP is the obvious answer, but what about diet and lifestyle changes that could improve your sleep apnea symptoms?  CPAP Central has a few suggestions when it comes to sleep apnea treatment that you can do in addition to CPAP use.

CPAP Use

Read carefully – THE CPAP DOESN’T WORK IF YOU DON’T WEAR IT.  This is the first and most important sleep apnea treatment statement of this article.  Far too often, individuals suffering from sleep apnea opt to wear their CPAP maybe once a week or wear it for only part of the night. If this sounds like you, we recommend trying different CPAP masks to see which fits your face and sleep style best.  For assistance or CPAP mask recommendations, contact CPAP Central today! Our online chat is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.

Stop Smoking

Besides the increased risk for many other health conditions, smoking actually makes the swelling in your airway worse thus making your sleep apnea symptoms even worse.  CPAP Central recommends that you stop smoking as soon as possible.

Limit Alcohol Consumption

While the occasional drink is fine, too much drinking leads to decreased muscle tone in the back of the throat.  This dramatically interferes with breathing and will aggravate your sleep apnea symptoms.

Lose Weight

Obesity is one of the most common contributing factors to sleep apnea, and can nearly eliminate sleep apnea symptoms if substantial weight loss is achieved.  Not all individuals with sleep apnea are overweight, but large percentages are.  Whether you are overweight or not, having an unhealthy diet also contributes to sleep apnea, so try to stick to a healthy diet either way.  CPAP Central encourages you to lose even a modest amount of weight or maintain a healthy diet to improve sleep apnea symptoms.

In addition to using your CPAP regularly, the healthy lifestyle described above will bring great value to your overall health.  If you have any questions about CPAP supplies or how to treat your sleep apnea, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today!