Let’s say you are a CPAP user who has been using your machine and mask long enough that you are pretty well used to it. Sure, there are a few hiccups and things you wish you could change in the comfort department, but you have resigned yourself to a little discomfort for the sake of the healing effects of your CPAP therapy.

There are accessories available through CPAP Central that would not only make your treatment more efficient, but also increase your level of comfort. Here are a few of them that we offer to help you take your CPAP therapy to the next level:

CPAP Pillow– this specially designed pillow alleviates the problem of having to sleep in certain positions with a normal pillow. The CPAP Pillow has areas cut out of it for a better fit for your mask and hoses that keep them in place, unlike a regular pillow that pushes them off your face.

CPAP Mask Wipes– keeping your mask and other parts clean allows your treatment to be more effective. Your mask attracts oils from your face that can affect the seal, causing air leaks, and your tubing needs to be cleaned regularly to remove any dirt or possible bacteria.

CPAP Cushions and Frames– the right cushion and frame can give you the perfect level of comfort for your CPAP therapy. You can choose from individual cushions and frames or those sold together.

Headgear– finding the right headgear is all about being comfortable with where the straps are on your head. We offer many different types of headgear, and even some with custom designs and colors.

The ideal accessories can help make your “good” experience with CPAP therapy and turn into a great one. Browse our online catalog today and find the right devices for you that will take your sleep comfort to the next level!

If you’re like thousands of other Americans, you may be in the process of shopping for a Valentine’s Day gift for your significant other. But there’s one gift CPAP Central would like to encourage you to give them this holiday season that can’t be bought in stores—a  heart that not only loves them, but functions for a long time!

As we have discussed in a few previous blog posts, obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease are inseparably linked, and OSA can have severe effects on your heart. Since February is American Heart Month, we thought now would be an appropriate time to identify the ways in which sleep apnea can affect your heart and cardiovascular system, and more specifically the connection between OSA and heart attacks.

We know that sleep apnea causes periods of time in which a person literally stops breathing for anywhere between two and 10 seconds normally. This can occur dozens of times during the night. Each time this happens, the carbon dioxide level in the blood rises and the major organs of the body (the heart, brain, etc.) are starved of oxygen-rich blood.

Studies have found that during non-breathing periods, the body’s “fight or flight” mechanism is triggered, causing a decrease in the amount of blood pumped to the heart. This can severely damage the heart, especially over the course of four to five years.

In the worst case, a heart attack can occur during the night. A Mayo Clinic study found these normally occur between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. The study evaluated 92 patients admitted because of heart attacks. Of those admitted between midnight and 6 a.m., 91 percent had obstructive sleep apnea.

While there is a definite link between OSA and heart attacks and cardiovascular disease, you are not helpless if you have been diagnosed with OSA. CPAP therapy has been shown to decrease your risks of severe complications, and can even help your conditions improve.

At CPAP Central, we can help you improve your heart health by providing you with everything you need to combat sleep apnea. See our online catalog for a wide variety of CPAP machines and supplies!

Valentine’s Day is all about love! While most of us think about our sweethearts, CPAP Central encourages you to love your sleep this February by doing the following six things:

1. Cut the tobacco.

We all know that tobacco is bad for our lungs and cardiovascular system, but did you know it’s also bad for your sleep? It can speed up our hearts, making it easier to wind down at night.

2. Cool off the room.

With that nasty polar vortex that hit the country this season, you probably found yourself cranking up the heat. But did you know that could be bad for your sleep? You want the room to be cooler than what is comfortable when you are awake. This induces the body to go into a deeper sleep, like a hibernating bear!

3. Get rid of the glow.

Turn your digital alarm clock around and your cell phone face-down. Even small glowing lights in your room can be bad for your overall sleep!

4. No more blue lights.

While you’re at it, make sure that you cut out all “blue light” for an hour before bed. Those are the lights that come off of laptops, TVs and cell phones. Instead, read or listen to music or podcasts as you fall asleep.

5. Cut the nightcap.

There’s nothing quite like a glass of wine to get you sleepy at night, but alcohol can take a negative toll on your quality of sleep. It will wake you up in the middle of the night after the effects wear off, or can cause you to not fall into as deep of a sleep as you need.

6. Stay CPAP Compliant.

If you have sleep apnea, one of the best ways to love your sleep is to continue using your CPAP equipment regularly! Not only will you wake up refreshed, you will also stave off a whole host of other health problems that come with OSA.

At CPAP Central, we value a good night’s rest. If it’s time to restock your CPAP supplies, you can find everything you need on our online catalog.

Sleep Apnea is a disorder that impacts nearly 30 million Americans every night. The most effective way to treat the disorder is through CPAP therapy, which makes sure air is making its way through your airway so you can breathe properly while you sleep.

CPAP Central wants to help you commit to your CPAP Therapy so you can get high-quality sleep every. Follow some of these helpful tips, including:

1. Don’t Give Up Too Soon: It takes time to adjust to CPAP therapy. If you’re not seeing results right away, don’t stop the therapy. It can be a bit shocking to adjust to sleeping with a mask on your face while air is blowing into your mouth or nose. Give yourself to get used to the therapy.
2. Keep in Touch With Your Doctor: While you are adjusting to your CPAP therapy, you may have a lot of questions about the new treatment. Don’t assume you know the answer or stop your treatment because you’re unsure of something. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor questions, that’s what they are there for.
3. Use Your CPAP Machine Every Night: Your CPAP therapy is going to work best when you stick to your therapy every night. Not only will your sleep apnea be treated, but you will also adjust to the therapy much easier if you sleep with using your machine every night.
4. Find the Right Mask: There are three main types of CPAP masks: full face masks, nasal masks and nasal pillows. Each mask has its own benefits and is better for certain users. You may have to try different masks to make sure you find the one that suits you best.

Making sure your CPAP therapy is effective takes a nightly commitment and a willingness to make adjustments. CPAP Central wants you to be successful in your treatment, and has the supplies and CPAP machines to make you successful.

The holidays may be over, but there are still a few months of winter to deal with. That means a few months of dealing with colder, drier air that dries out your skin, nose and the air you breathe. The winter also is a time when your respiratory system can be impacted by illnesses like colds and the flu.

CPAP Central wants to make sure that you are prepared for how your CPAP therapy can be affected by illnesses like the cold, because these conditions may make it harder to comply with your treatment.

Stopping Your CPAP Therapy

If your CPAP therapy is making you uncomfortable while you deal with a cold or the flu, try to continue treatment if possible. If you stop using your CPAP machine, it’s going to be more difficult to get back into your nightly routine. If you have to stop your therapy, start again as soon as your symptoms allow you to.

Remedies To Help You Deal With Symptoms During CPAP Therapy

Colds give you an uncomfortable feeling. Your nose is stuffed and you have to breathe through your mouth, but then your mouth gets dry and breathing almost feels unnatural. Here are some things you can try to continue your CPAP therapy during a cold.

• Use a Nasal Spray: Spraying your nose with a saline spray can help clear out your sinuses so that you can breathe through your nose.
• Take a Decongestant: This solution requires careful timing. You need to take the decongestant early enough in the evening so that it can take effect by the time you go to bed.
• Use a Full Face mask for CPAP Therapy: Many CPAP users have full face masks anyway, but if you have a cold they can be extra useful. A full face mask allows the air to pass through your mouth so that your CPAP therapy can continue to be effective.

CPAP Central is here to help you with all your CPAP supply needs, and can provide you with anything from a new mask to a new machine. Contact us so we can help you find the supplies to make your therapy as effective as possible.

The holiday season is over and a new year has begun. It’s a time for optimism where anything seems possible. But there’s still a few months left of winter, which means a few more months of drier, colder air passing into your airway every night when you use you CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea.

Colder air does more than dry out your skin and chap your lips, it dries out your airway when air passes through from your PAP device. And while the winter will linger for a few more months, CPAP Central has some tips that can help reduce the impact of the drier air on your CPAP Therapy.

Add Humidity to Your CPAP Therapy

One of the easiest ways to enhance your CPAP therapy is by adding some humidity. CPAP machines can be fitted with humidifiers. These humidifiers add moisture to the air that passes through your airway during your CPAP therapy and helps keep your airway from drying out during the night. If you’ve been waking up with a dry mouth or throat, a humidifier could help relieve the dryness and help you sleep better.

Use a Full Face CPAP Mask for CPAP Therapy

You should be using a full face mask if you breathe through your mouth when you sleep, but this is especially important during the winter months. If you use a nasal mask and breathe through your mouth, your throat will not only be dry, but your CPAP therapy isn’t being as effective as it could be. A full face mask will ensure that you are actually breathing in the air from your PAP machine.

CPAP Central is here to fit you with all of your CPAP supply needs, including a new machine with a humidifier or a full face mask to help you deal with the drier winter air.

With a new year comes a time for renewed optimism. During this time of year, it seems as if everyone is focusing on ways to improve themselves with a New Year’s resolution. One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is some variation of pledging to live healthier by losing weight. For some, it’s a promise to eat less, for others it’s to exercise more.

No matter how a person wants to do it, losing weight brings a full complement of health benefits, including reducing the risk for sleep apnea. CPAP Central wants you to be aware of the dangers that come with obesity and how they can increase your risk for sleep apnea.

Obesity is a Leading Risk Factor for Sleep Apnea

More than half of Americans are considered overweight or obese, and one of the most common forms of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which causes the muscles of the throat to relax and block the airway when a person is asleep. One of the top risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea is obesity, and losing weight through diet and exercise can reduce your risk.

The Catch 22 of Obesity and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to lose sleep, which means you have less energy during the day when you’re awake. If you have less energy, you’re not as likely to want to work out. Exercise is an essential element to losing weight. Without exercise, it becomes less likely that a person will lose weight, which will only increase their risk for dealing with sleep apnea. Getting into a regular routine can help you find structure so that you’re ready to sleep every night and exercise during the day.

If you do have sleep apnea, CPAP Central can make sure your get the CPAP machines and supplies you need to sleep better at night and give yourself more energy. Get in touch with us to speak with one of our experts to find out how your CPAP treatment can begin today.

As you find yourself caught up in the mad dash of holiday shopping, baking and traveling, somewhere in the back of your mind, you may find yourself worrying about one thing: those New Year’s Resolutions.

It’s not quite time to start making them yet, but it’s coming up fast. Only 8 percent of people who make them end up meeting their goals. Maybe you’ve been one of the lucky ones in the past, but more than likely, you’re one of the 92 percent who aren’t able to follow all the way through.

Many people make the resolution to lose weight, eat healthier and exercise more. We applaud all that, and want to help you stick to those goals as much as possible.  This year, CPAP Central would like you to commit to better sleep by doing the following things:

Hygiene

In an earlier blog this month, we addressed what good sleep hygiene is. This term has little to do with cleanliness and more to do with good habits that can enable you to get the most out of your shut-eye. If you aren’t yet following these tips, now would be a good time to start!

Stop Smoking

While smoking brings with it a slew of other health problems, interfering with your sleep is one of them. Tobacco products can speed up your heart rate, making it harder to wind down at the end of the day. Commit to stop smoking with tools that can be found on the Smokefree.gov website.

Stay CPAP Compliant

Many people struggle when they first start their sleep apnea therapy. If this is you, CPAP Central is here to help! We can connect you with the right equipment to help you succeed. We’re available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST on our live chat, and can walk you through purchasing the right items.

At CPAP Central, we love helping people sleep better! What are your tips to getting a better night’s rest?

Forget counting sheep—if you’re not following a good nighttime regiment, then you’re not going to wake up feeling rested. Sleep experts call this sleep hygiene. While the name may conjure up images of going to bed after getting a good scrub in the shower, it actually refers to a series of recommended habits to ensure you’re getting the most out of your nightly rest. Below are some of the top practices to follow for good sleep hygiene:

Turn off the screens

We know, there’s the last minute text to send, the email you need to check, the online shopping to do, the show to catch up on… but what all these screens are doing is telling your subconscious brain that there’s still light out, and therefore it is still daytime. And since it’s still daytime, your subconscious brain thinks you should still be awake, so your body releases the chemicals it needs to stave off sleep. Stop looking at screens an hour before you go to bed.

Watch what you consume

While you might enjoy the sleepy feeling that a glass of wine gives you before you drift off, it might actually be keeping you up! Alcohol prevents your body from going into a deep sleep, therefore keeping you from feeling restful when you wake up. It can also cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to go back to sleep. Caffeine is just as bad, if not worse. For optimal sleep, stop drinking caffeine around 6 hours before you go to bed and stop drinking alcohol 2 hours before bed.

Go to bed at the same time every night

With some work schedules this can be almost impossible, but this really is the ideal way to get the most amount of sleep. Your body will naturally default to getting sleepy and waking at the same time and has to adjust every time you change this. Even staying up late on a Friday night can throw off your rhythms.

Create the ideal environment

This means having a completely dark room. Heavy, light-blocking curtains can help with this. If you have a digital clock, make sure you turn it so that it doesn’t face you. Keep the room temperature to about 65 degrees. Studies have shown people sleep better in a cooler environment.

If you are still having trouble sleeping after following these steps, it may be time to have a sleep study performed—chances are, you may even have a medical condition that keeps you from getting enough rest at night, such as sleep apnea. We carry a wide variety of items to help mitigate sleep apnea, including CPAP machines.

It’s that time of year again! Your plane tickets are bought, you’ve been approved for time off from work and you’re putting together a list of everything you’ll need when you go to visit relatives this holiday season.

There’s just one problem… last year, your spouse didn’t get to pack as much as they would like because their carry-on was cluttered with their CPAP equipment. From hoses and masks to the bulky machine itself, it just turned into a mess.

Luckily, this time of year is also a gift-buying one, and when it comes to CPAP therapy, big things really do come in small packages! CPAP Central has the perfect solutions to your traveling woes—the Airmini and the Dreamstation Go:

Airmini.

The Airmini by Resmed is your perfect traveling companion. Weighing less than a pound, this travel PAP machine can fit in the palm of your hand. It features a waterless humidifier that allows your loved one to experience comfortable sleep apnea therapy without the added bulk.

The Airmini can be controlled via an app, and has mask setup packs that can make the transition to this machine seamless.

Dreamstation Go.

The Dreamstation Go is the younger sibling of the Dreamstation by Respironics. With the Dreamstation already being one of our top sellers, we know that your loved one will enjoy the travel version of this CPAP machine!

Featuring a built-in power supply and an optional battery, this CPAP machine is truly portable enough to use on even long flights! It uses Bluetooth to track and monitor your loved one’s results, and the DreamMapper App to track progress.

CPAP Central wants to make sure you get your loved one the best possible gift to help with their CPAP therapy. Contact us to learn how we can help make your CPAP therapy gift into a reality today.