Better Sleep Coach; Your Help to Better Health through Better Sleep
  • Home
  • Who we are
  • Tips for Better Sleep
  • Tips for Students of Any Age
  • Tips for Making CPAP your Friend
  • Tips for Techs
  • Sleep Quiz
  • Coaching
  • Night shift coaching
  • Products to Help You Sleep Better
  • Blog

CPAP Solutions for the Winter

12/9/2010

4 Comments

 
If you wear a CPAP you might notice that this time of year you have more side effects.  The cold dry weather and the increased time indoors can cause many side effects such a drying of the mouth and nose, congestion, sinus infections, and illness.  It is important that if you are using your CPAP that you are comfortable all year  so you have to consider the time of the year and make the changes you need.

The first problem is the dry air that occurs during the winter.  This is true even if you have a humidifier in the house.  Your humidifier is the best defense for this.  Most humidifiers on CPAP machines have settings of 1 to 5 and are usually set to 1 or 2.  The reason for the low setting is due to water accumulating in the tubing and mask.  This problem can be reduced by making a sleeve for your tube.  A nice piece of flannel and some seam glue is all you need.  You want to turn it up high enough to make your airway comfortable.

One of the side effects of an overly dried airway is congestion.  This is one of the easiest ways to tell if you need to increase the humidifier setting.  If you are experiencing congestion you might also want to use a nasal saline spray before going to bed and then again when you wake up to help rehydrate your airway. 

The other issue that really causes problems during the winter is colds and flu.  Illnesses makes wearing your CPAP challenging.  This is where owning two masks can come in handy.  It helps to have a full face mask if you usually wear a nasal mask or nasal pillows.  It is essential that you keep your mask, tubing and humidifier clean.  Warm damp places are a great place for viruses and bacteria to grow.  The best way to keep your equipment clean is to wash it with soap and water and then you can disinfect it with one part white vinegar and 3 parts water.  Just soak them for 20 minutes then rinse very well so your equipment does not smell like salad dressing then allow your equipment to air dry. 

If you try some of these ideas and they do not help you then go back to your doctor, sleep lab or DME company and ask for some help.  Everyone wants you to succeed with your CPAP and they will be happy to help.

4 Comments

    Archives

    May 2020
    December 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    January 2018
    January 2017
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    August 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    December 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    January 2010

    RSS Feed

    Blog Roll
    Stop Snoring
    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Categories

    All
    Aasm
    Aast
    Add
    Allergies
    Amy Korn Reavis
    Amy Korn-Reavis
    Anxiety
    Apap
    Auto Titrating Cpap
    Balance
    Bedding
    Bipap
    Boards
    Bodymedia Fit
    Books
    Breathing
    Brpt
    Career
    Children
    Cpap
    Cpap Accessories
    Cpap Mask
    Cpap Masks
    Cpap Problems
    Cpap Solutions
    Cpap Therapy
    Daylight Savings Time
    Dental Appliances
    Diabetes
    Dr Steven Park
    Education
    Enurisis
    Exercise
    Fatigue
    Fibromyalgia
    Florida Association Of Sleep Technicians
    Gerd
    Growth
    Habits
    Health
    High Blood Pressure
    Holidays
    Hot Weather
    Insomnia
    Insurance
    Job
    Licensure
    Management
    Monitoring
    Morning Headaches
    Napping
    Nbrc
    New Cpap
    Obesity
    Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    Oral Appliances
    Osa
    Pain
    Pap Nap
    Physicial
    Planning
    Publicity
    Relax
    Relaxation
    Resolutions
    Respiratory Credentials
    Respiratory Therapy
    Shaq
    Sheets
    Short Sleep
    Sleep
    Sleep Apnea
    Sleep Deprivation
    Sleep Disorders
    Sleep Education
    Sleep Hygeine
    Sleep Hygiene
    Sleep Lab
    Sleep Routine
    Sleep Societies
    Sleep Stages
    Sleep Study
    Sleep Technician
    Sleep Test
    Sleep Testing
    Sleep Therapy
    Snoring
    Stress
    Studying
    Summer
    Support
    Support Groups
    Surgery
    Teens
    Tired
    Travel
    Treatment
    Vitamin D
    Weight Loss
    Winter Health
    Women
    Writing

    Amy Korn-Reavis, EzineArticles.com Basic PLUS Author
    Follow this blog
Photo used under Creative Commons from momentcaptured1
  • Home
  • Who we are
  • Tips for Better Sleep
  • Tips for Students of Any Age
  • Tips for Making CPAP your Friend
  • Tips for Techs
  • Sleep Quiz
  • Coaching
  • Night shift coaching
  • Products to Help You Sleep Better
  • Blog