4 Tips for using your CPAP machine with spring allergies

,

Spring has sprung and so has allergy season in Montreal, making it a challenge for CPAP users who also struggle with a stuffy nose and sneezing fits…

Read more
/by

Hot tips for summertime sleeping

, ,

These top tips can help you get a good night’s sleep every night this summer so that you can have the energy to enjoy the season to the fullest

Read more
/by

Should I use CPAP when I have a cold?

, ,

Cold and flu season is upon us and when you use CPAP treatment, a cold makes things a little tougher. Learn how to beat congestion while treating sleep apnea.

Read more
/by

Would you feel better with a full face CPAP mask?

, , ,

Being advised to switch to a full face mask isn’t a sentence – in fact it can be incredibly liberating!

Don’t think it means you’re in for some bulky WWII-looking thing; full face masks today are comfortable and easy to wear, and for lots of people they work better than their more compact cousins.

Why short change your therapy if a full face mask will help you sleep and feel even better? Here are some reasons a bigger mask might be a fit for you…

You’re a mouth-breather

Don’t be insulted – we’re not name calling! But do you wake up with cottonmouth all the time? If so, it means you’re breathing through your mouth while you sleep and you definitely need a full face mask.

If you use a small nasal or nasal pillow mask but your mouth tends to fall open at night, the pressurized air will escape noisily from your mouth. Not only is that loud and disruptive, it renders your CPAP therapy way less effective.

man sleeping with his mouth open

It’s more humid outside than in

Does your pillow double as a drool-catcher? Come on, you know who you are! If this applies to you, even some of the time, you’re probably experiencing occasional dryness as well, either in your mouth or your nasal cavities.

But I have a humidifier you say? Well, humidifiers help a lot, but if your mouth is open with a nasal mask they don’t work nearly as well – the moist air comes in through your nose but blows right back out through your mouth, making the whole system less efficient.

Don’t be afraid to try a full face mask and enjoy the maximum benefit of your CPAP; your body (and your pillowcase) will thank you!

dry desert with dead trees

You’re under a lot of pressure

We’re not talking about stress, although a good night’s sleep with CPAP therapy can help with that too.

No, what we’re talking about is your pressure settings. If your respirologist says your therapy calls for a higher pressure, say a setting of higher than about 15cmH2O, a lightweight or nasal pillow mask might not cut it. A leaky seal at higher pressures is a common nuisance that’ll leave you steaming.

While a lighter mask may not seal under pressure, a full face mask will stay comfortably put no matter how high the pressure gets.

pressure gauge

You’re all stuffed up

Everyone gets congested from colds or allergies sometimes, some of us a lot of the time. When stuffiness strikes, breathing through your nose is like eating mashed potatoes with a straw, and your nasal mask quickly gets tossed.

Enter the full face mask! When the mask covers your nose and mouth, you get to breathe easier no matter how clogged your schnoz.

Full face masks are so effective at aiding sleep when you’re congested that a lot of patients keep one around as a ‘plan B’ when their nose gets too stuffed for their smaller mask to work. Why not? It isn’t like flu season or allergy season will stop coming, so if you know you’re going to be struck again, you might as well be prepared so you can get better sleep year round.

Whether full time or just when you need it, a full face mask is nothing to be shy about – it can make all the difference in your CPAP therapy. Talk to us today to see if a full face mask might be the right fit for you.

woman with allergies

The best fit for you

At Apnea Health, we’re all about making sure that your sleep therapy works for you. We carry many options for full face masks, so you can rest easy knowing you’ll find just the right fit.

man adjusting his full face mask

ResMed AirFit F20

  • Our best selling model, the F20 features a new InfinitySeal silicone cushion that moves with you and makes fitting easy
    It has easy-to-use magnetic clips for quick fitting
  • It has a comfortable, flexible fabric-lined frame
  • Available in a ‘for Her’ version tailored for a woman’s features
airfit f20

Shop the AitFit F20

 

ResMed AirTouch F20

  • Like the popular silicone version, but featuring an UltraSoft memory foam cushion that’s light and breathable
  • It has a new QuietAir diffuser that makes it quieter and gentler
  • It’s easy to maintain and clean and easy to replace
airtouch f20

Shop AirTouch F20

F&P Vitera

  • Features VentiCool breathable fabric headgear that allows 21 times more airflow to keep you cool and comfortable
  • The RollFit XT seal stays in place while you move and reduces pressure on the bridge of your nose
  • The dynamic stability bar keeps your mask secure all night
vitera ffm

Shop Vitera

ResMed AirFit F30

  • With its ultra-compact under-the-nose design, this mask leaves the bridge of your nose comfortable and mark free
  • Quiet diffused venting keeps noise to a minimum
  • It has easy-to-use magnetic clips for quick fitting
  • The F30’s clear field of vision makes it easy to read in bed, even with glasses on
F30 full face mask

Shop AirFit N30

Respironics DreamWear

  • The DreamWear’s unique design puts the hose above your head for total freedom of movement – no more nose hose!
  • Its soft silicone frame makes for a comfortable fit
  • The under-the-nose design means no red marks on the bridge of your nose, and a clear and open field of view
dreamwear

Shop Dreamwear

/by

Do you really need a humidifier with your CPAP?

, , ,

Every CPAP user in Quebec has to deal with it: the need for humidity in our climate.

Even if you’re already using a humidifier, you might have been asking yourself some common questions – like why is a CPAP humidifier important anyway? Does distilled water really make a difference? How do I deal when I travel?

Well, once again Apnea Health has your answers.

Why is a humidifier important? One word: comfort.

By using a heated humidifier, you reduce your chances of waking up with dry mouth in the morning, and being bothered by nasal congestion at night. While in the southern US it’s common to buy just the compressor without a humidifier, here in our Canadian climate, the extra humidity is a must. Because of that, humidifiers are usually included with CPAP machines sold here, so make sure you don’t miss out on their benefits!

Here’s what’s happening with your CPAP. In simple terms, your CPAP draws the ambient air from the room, filters out impurities, then passes it through the tube into your lungs at just the right pressure. It’s like a vacuum in reverse – just less noisy. Now imagine how you’d feel if it were blowing cold, dry air at you all night – ouch!

That’s where heated humidifiers and tubes come in

By using your humidifier, you’ll experience less dryness in your nose, sinuses and lungs. You can also reduce the risk of nasal congestion, inflammation, infections, and nosebleeds.1

As for a heated tube, well, that can help too. With standard tubing you can run into condensation problems – especially if the temperature in your room is on the cooler side. Humidity produced by your CPAP can wind up condensing in the tube if it’s cold, and get stuck there instead of making it to your nose where you want it. You may have noticed some “rainout” in your tube in the morning – which means you’re not getting the benefit of the humidifier and will probably still be stuck with some of the symptoms above.

Resmed ClimateLine Heated Tube for S9 Series

The water level in my humidifier hasn’t budged. Why?

Don’t panic! Your CPAP is working properly.

As we said before, the CPAP takes the air from your bedroom and sends it into your tube. An amazing thing with these machines is they constantly measure the humidity of the air they draw – if it already meets the comfort level you chose for your CPAP, the machine will leave the water tank alone and blow the air as is.

So, depending on the weather, the season, and personal preference, your CPAP’s thirst for distilled water will be different. Most of our patients need less distilled water in the summer, and ramp up in the winter when the air gets drier. Even in summer though, we recommend leaving a little water in your humidifier each night to prevent it from running dry and potentially damaging the heating element over time.

If it feels like your CPAP is causing dryness in your nose, sinuses or lungs, please let us know. We’re all about your sleep comfort. Just give us a call, or drop by anytime we’re open, and one of our respiratory therapists will be happy to help!

What’s with the fancy distilled water?

Lots of patients ask why they can’t just use tap water with their CPAP. After all, we’ve got some of the best tap water in the world – and it’s free – so why not use it?

The reason is there are still microorganisms and minerals in the water from your tap. According to Brandon Peters (2019), a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist:

“Boiling water will kill microbes, but it will not remove minerals or chemical contaminants. These minerals that make water ‘hard’ include calcium, magnesium, iron, and others—if they are present in the water put in the humidifier’s water chamber, over time scale will develop that discolors the container and could damage the machine. Filtered water may remove some of the minerals but may not remove living organisms or other chemicals. Bottled water that has been distilled is certainly the safest option.’’2

Using distilled water reduces mineral deposits in your water chamber

The odd splash of tap water won’t hurt the tank, but long term, mineral build-up from using hard water will damage the plastic and shorten its life. That’s why most CPAP manufacturers recommend distilled water.

water pouring

What about when I travel?

Travelling’s awesome. It means getting exposed to new cultures, architecture, food, and lifestyles. But it also means getting exposed to some fun new microbes your body isn’t used to. Even if the water’s safe to drink, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to put it in your CPAP. Peters mentions that “tap water within Neti pots in Louisiana has led to a few reports of harmful parasite infections affecting the brain. This condition can be fatal and treatment may be ineffective.’’1

All right, that sounds scary, and he goes on to say that “the same risk has not been demonstrated with the use of CPAP,” but think about it – everything in your water chamber gets vapourized and inhaled to your nose, sinuses and lungs. Do you really want to take the risk?

We recommend that you take the time to go buy a bottle of distilled water when you arrive at your destination. Call it a tourist experience – why not? So you get to go check out a grocery store in a new country. Hey, you can even pick up a little of what the locals eat at the same time… you might find it an interesting switch from what’s on the “tourist menu” at the restaurants!

the dreamstation is a great travel buddy

What NOT to do with your water chamber

If you keep in mind that everything that goes in your water chamber can go into your lungs, you should be ok. Wash it every day with mild soap and regular water, rinse carefully, then let it air dry. That’s enough to get rid of any bacteria before you fill it back up with distilled water.

Don’t get any silly ideas about putting alcohol, bleach or ammonia in there, or any perfumes or essential oils to make the air smell pretty – your lungs won’t thank you! Use nothing but soap and water for cleaning, and distilled water for therapy, and everything should be fine.

no bleach

Upgrade to a CPAP with advanced humidification

Resmed Airsense for Him

Learn more about the Airsense

sleepstyle-cpap

Learn more about SleepStyle

Care for Life at Apnea Health

Don’t forget, the Apnea Health team wants to give you the best CPAP care you can get.

All of our patients are made part of our Care for Life Program, so whether it’s helping you tweak the level of humidity in your CPAP, answering any questions you might have, our respirologists and sleep experts are here for you!

let us help you with insurance claims

  1. https://www.sleepapnea.org/treat/cpap-therapy/what-you-should-know-about-cpap-humidification/
  2. Peters, B. (2019). Do You Have to Use Only Distilled Water in the CPAP Humidifier?. [online] Verywell health. Available at: https://www.verywellhealth.com/do-you-need-distilled-water-for-the-cpap-humidifier-3015017 [Accessed 5 Oct. 2019].
/by