When you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the next step in your treatment will be to get set up with a PAP device (the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment). There are different types of PAP machines, each with slightly different functionalities. Let’s dive into the types of machines available and how they treat sleep apnea.
If you’ve talked with your health care provider about sleep problems like snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness, you may have been referred for a polysomnogram, or an overnight sleep study. Curious about what to expect when you undergo one of these tests? We’ve gathered answers to some of the most frequently asked questions to put your mind at ease.
We’ve updated this year’s list of the best CPAP machines with feedback from our clinicians and real user reviews. You’ll find some brand new winners and some all-time favorites. Whether you’ve just been diagnosed with sleep apnea, or you’re looking to upgrade your old CPAP, these machines combine the effective therapy doctors recommend with the user-friendly features that patients love.
But how do you tell the must-haves from the mistakes? Below our recommendations we’ll explain how to choose the right CPAP machine– from the types of CPAP machines you’ll encounter to the features to look out for– so you can decide on the perfect machine for yourself!
We get it, CPAP equipment expenses can add up, and it's tempting to try to save money by ordering products on Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Craigslist. While it may seem like a harmless way to reduce some of the financial load associated with CPAP therapy, it may end up costing you more money in the end, not to mention there are serious health risks involved.
Once your head hits the pillow the rest might feel like a mystery until you wake up the next morning. You may wake feeling well rested or like you hardly closed your eyes at all, as you’re left wondering how you really slept. Many modern CPAP machines now include sleep tracking functions, but that only helps if you've already been diagnosed with sleep apnea. However, wearables such as Fitbit or the Apple Watch may be able to clue you in on your sleep quality and even track sleep apnea.
Ask around about people’s favorite CPAP machine and you’re bound to run into folks who swear by an APAP instead. They’ll tell you it’s life-changing. They’ll tell you they couldn’t stand regular CPAP. They may even claim an APAP device means you don’t need to see a doctor for sleep apnea. (Spoiler alert: Yes, you do.)
Yet the regular old CPAP still remains the most commonly prescribed treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). What gives? If APAPs are so popular, why do they still make CPAPs? Well, it turns out there are some very good reasons for both. Today, we’ll take a look at the difference between APAP vs CPAP, and which is better for you.
Even though tap water straight from the sink is more convenient for many CPAP users to access, CPAP manufacturers and clinicians recommend that patients only use distilled water in their humidifier chambers - and for good reason!
Most people are familiar with an overnight sleep study, commonly used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep disorders. Less well-known is a CPAP titration study. Though there are similarities between the two sleep tests, they have different purposes. Let’s take a deeper look at how a titration study works and how it’s used during the course of sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment.
With holiday travel around the corner, CPAP users are gearing up to take their sleep apnea therapy on the road. Travel can be a tricky time for people with sleep apnea; new surroundings make it harder to get to sleep, even without a sleep disorder. Then there’s finding a reliable, portable CPAP machine. What options are available? Do I need a new mask? What features do I need to make cpap therapy convenient and comfortable while I’m on the go?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be a difficult condition to manage on your own. Thankfully, internet forums and support groups can help you find a community of other people living with the condition. You can use these groups to connect, ask questions, and share your experience at any time of day or night. They are free and easy to join. In nearly all cases, you can simply create an account to chat about sleep apnea with people who understand sleep apnea.
