CPAP machines may not immediately feel comfortable for all users. Individuals should work with their providers to increase comfort and compliance, try different mask types or sizes and use add-on features like a humidifier chamber or different pressure settings.
Several new devices have been developed to treat obstructive sleep apnea without the need for CPAP. While these therapies are not recommended as first-line treatments, they offer promise to those who don’t find relief with standard approaches.
John Logan Brown says: November 29, 2018 at nove:51 pm I love my CPAP. Embrace it as your best friend. I have used that mentality from the beginning. Positive thoughts while ignoring the inconvenience. I adopted this approach after hearing a few of my friends (before my diagnosis) who said that they were put on CPAP and couldn’t get used to it and discontinued it’s use. Please everybody consider the CPAP as a friend who is going to save your life. My sleep study showed that I experienced about cem interruptions an hour and that my oxygen level was at 64.
“Our approach typically involves providing education and training on exercises aimed at improving posture and airway control.
Sleep apnea can’t be cured, but treatments can help improve sleep by reducing the number of breathing interruptions.
The brain senses a drop in the oxygen levels and arouses or wakes the sleeper, causing the airway to open. People with sleep apnea often awake with a gasp or snort, with the pattern occurring 5-30 times an hour all night long.
Full face masks – these are useful for people who only breathe through their mouth or whose breathing regularly alternates between their nose and their mouth.
One way to get the most out of your therapy is to set goals for yourself. To start, aim to wear your mask for a certain amount of hours, incrementally increasing the length of time it’s worn each night.
Cost and insurance coverage can also be key to determining if a treatment is right for you. CPAP machines can cost several thousand dollars, as can surgeries or oral appliances. Contact your insurance provider to see what therapies and treatments your plan covers.
Generally, Inspire will not limit normal daily activities. However, you should ask your Inspire therapy-trained doctor about any activities that are particularly strenuous, like weight lifting, here or those that use a large or unpredictable range of motion in your upper body and/or arms, such as working as a firefighter.
Some of the most important things you can do to ensure successful CPAP treatment is being consistent, building a good support system, and ensuring you like and trust your physician or sleep specialist.
How can I reduce severe sleep apnea symptoms naturally without CPAP? Exercising, losing weight, not smoking, and avoiding or drinking less alcohol can all greatly reduce sleep apnea events.
The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers.
Each type of sleep product is tested using a unique set of performance criteria. We also assign ratings based on feedback from testers who fall into specific categories based on weight and sleep position (i.e. side sleepers who weigh 130 to 230 pounds).