Learning To Live With Your Sleep Apnea Machine
Continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP therapy is the commonly prescribed treatment for people with obstructive sleep apnea. This involves the use of a portable machine that provides continuous air pressure, coupled with a hose and a nosepiece. The CPAP is one sleep apnea machine considered as a breakthrough in treating the sleep disorder. However, it also comes with its own frustrating flaws that can sometimes aggravate the already difficult condition of the person with sleep apnea.
How to Turn Your Sleep Apnea Machine into a Useful Sleeping Partner
• Finding the Right Size or Style. Ask help from the specialists about finding the right sleep apnea device that fits your size and needs. Using a different size that does not fit your face can be inconvenient and may not efficiently work well for you. CPAP masks are available in many styles and sizes. There are styles that fully cover the mouth and nose, but some people feel claustrophobic when using them. Another style has nasal pillows under the nose, but they can also be inconvenient to use because the pillows are obstructive. Find the best style that can enable you to move comfortably during sleep and the one that fits well according to your facial features.
• Practice Makes Perfect. Putting something to cover your face during sleep may feel cumbersome. Nevertheless, the necessity of wearing sleep apnea machine makes for the reason why there is the need to get used to wearing the CPAP device. Start by practicing wearing the mask during your conscious state, like when you are watching TV or reading. Later, attach the hose with the air pressure. You will gradually get accustomed to the feel and wearing it during your sleep becomes like second skin.
• Get Lulled by the Noise. Although most CPAP machines are soundless, there comes a time when some noises are produced. Check the origin of the sound or ask help from the CPAP supplier to determine where the noise is coming from. If nothing is defective about the devise, get use to the droning sound until it turns into a hypnotizing tempo that can lull you into a peaceful sleep.
• Know how to adjust the Features to Fit Your Own Facial Features. Misfit masks release air into your eyes and make them become either dry or teary. Adjust the masks into several positions until you get a better fit. Test if there is no more air that directly hits the eyes. If the problem persists, change the mask into a different size. Your face may have shrunken due to weight loss. Try another style that fits according to the contours of your face. Change the style immediately if you develop sores around the nose area.
• Dealing with Dry, Stuffy Nose. The humidifier that comes with the CPAP device may help you deal with your dry, stuffy nose. The doctor may prescribe the use of nasal saline spray before bedtime. For a more serious case, nasal steroid spray is recommended. Always check for leaks in the mask because they are usually the culprit that dries out the nose.
The use of a CPAP machine can significantly reduce the health problems accompanying the sleeping disorder. With its proper use, the quality and quantity of sleep is greatly improved thus making you feel refreshed upon waking up.
Employing something foreign to the body always involves time and patience. There may be some initial frustrations about using a sleep apnea machine, but knowing its importance in treating a serious disorder can easily overcome the difficulties. In time, you can feel the invaluable worth of the CPAP and may even find it hard to live without it.
