Sleep apnea is a potentially serious condition that causes breathing to stop and start several times during sleep. People with the condition snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night of sleep.

The main types of sleep apnea are:

• Obstructive sleep apnea. Also known as OSA, this more common form of sleep apnea occurs when throat narrowing blocks the flow of air into the lungs.
• Central sleep apnea. Also known as CSA, this type of sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that manage breathing.
• Treatment-emergent central apnea syndrome, also known as complex sleep apnea. This form of sleep apnea happens when OSA — diagnosed with a sleep study — converts to CSA when receiving sleep apnea therapy.

Sleep apnea treatment can ease symptoms and might help prevent complications, such as heart problems.

Symptoms

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea overlap. Sometimes it's hard to know which type you have. The most common symptoms include:

• Loud snoring.
• Episodes in which breathing stops during sleep, which would be reported by another person.
• Gasping for air during sleep.
• Awakening with a dry mouth.
• Morning headaches.
• Trouble staying asleep, known as insomnia.
• Excessive daytime sleepiness, known as hypersomnia.
• Trouble paying attention while awake.
• Irritability.

What are the complications of sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea may cause several different complications, many of which are severe or life-threatening. These include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness or “microsleeps” where you fall asleep for very brief periods during the day (dangerous while driving or operating machinery)
• Arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation or left atrial appendage)
• High blood pressure
• Heart damage and heart failure
• Sudden cardiac death

Positive airway pressure (PAP)

A PAP machine is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. There are different types of PAP machines. Talk to your provider about which type is most appropriate for you.

• A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine provides constant air pressure through your mouth and/or nose to keep your airways open and help you breathe during sleep.
• A bilevel PAP (BPAP) machine is like a CPAP machine, but it delivers different pressure based on whether you are inhaling or exhaling.
• An auto-adjusting PAP (APAP) machine automatically adjusts the air pressure you receive during sleep.

PAP machines often work best when they are paired with healthy lifestyle changes.

Side effects may include congestion, dry eyes or mouth, nosebleeds, or a runny nose. If you experience stomach discomfort or bloating, you should stop using your PAP machine and contact your healthcare provider.

Living With Sleep Apnea has information about what to do if you have problems or side effects from your PAP device.

Daily:

• How to Clean CPAP Humidifier Water Chambers (Daily):

  • Empty all distilled water from your humidifier water chamber and refill with fresh distilled water before your next use.

Weekly:

• How to CPAP Machines:

  • Unplug your PAP device before cleaning.

  • Use a clean, damp cloth to remove any dust from the outside and inside your PAP machine.

  • Dry thoroughly with a clean towel.

  • Ensure your sleep therapy device is completely dry before plugging back in.

• How to Clean CPAP Humidifier Water Chambers (Weekly):

  • Wash your CPAP machine's humidifier's water chamber with hot water and a mild soap and allow to air dry.

  • Your humidifier water chamber can also be sanitized by using a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm water and allowing it to sit for 20 minutes before thoroughly rinsing.

• How to Clean CPAP Hoses:

  • Wash with mild soap and warm water. Be sure to clean the inside of the tubing by submerging it under water. Then rinse and hang to dry.

• How to Clean Washable CPAP Filters:

  • Make sure any CPAP air filter you are cleaning is reusable and washable, as opposed to a disposable, non-reusable air filter.

  • Reusable air filters should be washed at least once a week, depending on how much pollen, dander, and dust they've collected. Regularly cleaning prevents unwanted, harmful particles from entering your CPAP machine.

  • To clean, rinse the filters under warm water, squeezing out excess water, then dry with a clean towel. Let your filters air dry completely before putting them back in your CPAP.

*Avoid using strong detergents or soaps, especially those that contain harsh chemicals, perfumes, dyes, moisturizers, or alcohol.

You can find more useful information regarding CPAP cleaning with this blog:

The Best Ways to Clean Your CPAP

Many of your favorite CPAP masks can be purchased without a prescription thanks to our convenient non-RX CPAP mask kits! However, we do carry a wide range of fully assembled CPAP masks with headgear (including Fit Packs and Starter Packs) which do require a current prescription from a licensed healthcare provider (such as your Sleep Specialist), as do any masks purchased through insurance.
Please note: CPAPsupplies.com is a cash-pay online retailer and we do not work with insurance in any capacity. Reimbursement is not guaranteed, and insurance billing codes cannot be provided. We can only supply an itemized receipt for your records).

If you need help obtaining or updating your prescription, we can help! Simply email us at info@cpapsupplies.com with your request.

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