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CPAP masks that fit your lifestyle
wp:paragraph So you’re just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and you’ve been told that using a CPAP machine will be essential for your treatment. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Needless to say, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed, and uneasy about these changes in your life that you are about to make. That is completely understandable, who wouldn’t be? Probably what may freak you out the most is the idea of having to wear a big mask over your face all night, and having your partner never look at you the same way again. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph However, what is important to remember, is that the positive aspects of a CPAP machine outweigh the negative aspects by far. Imagine how nice it would be to wake up feeling refreshed, and to spend your day being productive, as opposed to only thinking about hitting the pillow at the end of the day. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Since you will be face-to-face (literally) with the CPAP mask, it is important to find the one that you feel the most comfortable with. There are three different types of CPAP masks that are sold on the Pap Smart website: /wp:paragraph wp:list Nasal masks: these masks only cover your nose, but have straps around the sides to keep it in place (great for people who move around a lot in their sleep!) There is a soft piece around the mask to help keep it sealed. Full face masks: these masks cover most of your face (mouth and nose) also held in place with side straps. This is a good choice for people who are “mouth-breathers” and have difficulty breathing through their just their nose, especially as you are sleeping. Nasal pillow masks have a cushion that goes under your nose like a “pillow”. As opposed to the larger masks that cover your face, these masks just have side straps that keep the mask in place. This is a good choice for people who may feel claustrophobic with a full face mask or who prefer a full field or vision for reading or watching TV. /wp:list wp:paragraph Visit our website at papsmart.com and find the mask that is right for you. /wp:paragraph
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OSA and CSA: do you know the difference?
wp:paragraph We all know by now that the general definition of sleep apnea is when you stop breathing while you sleep. But did you know that sleep apnea actually comes in two different forms? /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph The two main types of sleep apnea are called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). While they are both forms of sleep apnea, the cause for the pause in breathing is actually different, and they each have different characteristics associated with them. /wp:paragraph wp:list Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the most common form of sleep apnea, occurs when your airway gets blocked, either completely or partially, causing you to stop breathing. When breathing resumes, there is often a loud gasp or snort, which can interfere with a deep sleep. It is often overweight, middle-aged men who get sleep apnea, especially this type. The CPAP machine, in addition to other lifestyle changes, is the best form of treatment for OSA. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) occurs when your brain doesn’t send the proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing. This is different from OSA as there is not a blockage in the airway, but a neurological issue that causes you to stop breathing in your sleep. CSA is often brought on by other medical conditions and it is less common than OSA. /wp:list wp:paragraph The main difference is that with OSA, the effort is made to try and inhale as you stop breathing, yet no air can get into the lungs. With CSA, no effort is made at all by the body to restart your breathing. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Experts also acknowledge that it is not uncommon to have both forms of sleep apnea. So this is why it is important to seek help from your doctor if you think you have either form of sleep apnea. /wp:paragraph
Learn moreEvolution of Snoring Treatments
wp:paragraph Snoring, or “sleep disordered breathing,” can be quite a nuisance to many people. Many couples end up sleeping in separate rooms, or even splitting up as a result of loud snoring. But the good news is that there are many ways, nowadays, to treat nighttime snoring. Flash back to 30 years ago, and the treatment for snoring was, well, not much at all. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"id":3595,"sizeSlug":"large"} /wp:image wp:paragraph It’s important to remember that just because you snore at night doesn’t mean that you are always going to be a snorer. There are ways to treat it. Medical research has also come a long way in figuring out what causes snoring in the first place. People often assume that they have sleep apnea if they snore, but this is not always the case. Other factors, such as stress, drugs, alcohol or even a common cold can cause you to sound like a bulldozer at night. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph The most common sleep apnea treatment, CPAP, first came into effect in the 1980’s. This is what a lot of snoring problems end up coming back to. The treatment for sleep apnea is generally a CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure mask. This helps to open your airway and keep you breathing all night when you sleep. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph If your doctor has done the tests and has rules out sleep apnea, they may recommend other treatments to prevent the snoring. Needless to say, if your snoring is caused by a lifestyle factor, then eliminating or changing that factor would be the ideal prevention. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph If your snoring is something that is recurring, then it’s time to see a doctor and see if anything can be done for you. And be glad that there are ways to solve this! Treating your snoring problem can help you live a happy and productive life and save your relationship too! /wp:paragraph
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Feeling Blue? It may be sleep apnea
wp:paragraph It’s no secret that living with undiagnosed sleep apnea can be, well, depressing. But did you know that studies have shown a link between both obstructive sleep apnea and major depressive disorder? /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph For all you sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea, if you find yourself feeling down in the dumps and not yourself during the day, there is a good chance that you may have depression. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Believe it or not, depression and sleep apnea actually have a very close relationship. We all know by now that sleep apnea can make a person stop breathing for short periods of time in their sleep. This causes them to feel tired and exhausted the next morning, which can trigger some symptoms of depression. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph A study done from 2005 to 2008 in the U.S. by Anne Wheaton, PhD, has indicated that the more a person stops breathing in their sleep, the more likely they are to show symptoms of major depressive disorder. And according to an article from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, people who suffer from depression also tend to suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The estimated ratio is approximately 5 to 1 for those with depression who also have sleep apnea, as oppose to those who don’t. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph While that last statistic may sound alarmingly high, it does not mean that you are doomed for life. Simply seeking medical treatment before it gets worse can help a lot. While research has not yet indicated that treating for depression will help you sleep better, a good start would be to treat the sleep apnea so that you sleep better at night and can have a happier and more productive day. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph This is why it is important to seek medical treatment if you exhibit symptoms of depression or sleep apnea (or both). As overwhelming as it may be now, treating sleep apnea is something that could also save your life in the long run. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. /wp:paragraph wp:core-embed/wordpress {"url":"http://curemysleepapnea.com/depression-obstructive-sleep-apnea/","type":"wp-embed","providerNameSlug":"sleep-apnea-treatment-centers-of-america","className":""} http://curemysleepapnea.com/depression-obstructive-sleep-apnea/ /wp:core-embed/wordpress wp:paragraph http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/news/20120330/sleep-apnea-linked-depression /wp:paragraph
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Sleep Apnea and your heart
wp:paragraph By now, you know that sleep apnea can have some negative effects on your body if it is left untreated. One of those effects has to do with one of the most important organs in your body: your heart. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph According to an interview with Dr. Virend K Somers with the National Sleep Foundation, the connection between sleep apnea and heart disease is evolving very rapidly. This means that many people with heart disease, high blood pressure or other similar cardiovascular issues often have sleep apnea as well. Left untreated, this could cause a massive heart attack at any time, causing even worse problems for your body. It could even kill you. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Although it may sound scary, the good news is that once you treat the sleep apnea, it will significantly improve the heart risk and improve your quality of life. That’s serious motivation to seek treatment if you think you have sleep apnea! /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph More specifically, the CPAP machine can help quite a bit with improving any pre-existing cardiovascular problems you may have. For example, obstructive sleep apnea tends to raise your blood pressure if you already have another heart condition to deal with. But the CPAP machine can actually help to lower your blood pressure at night, in addition, it can also work or lowering your blood pressure throughout the day. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph If you think you have sleep apnea, seek treatment! Your heart will thank you. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph http://sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/sleep-apnea-and-heart-disease /wp:paragraph
Learn moreHistory of CPAP
wp:paragraph Can you believe that the CPAP machine is 34 years old? When you look at the original, it’s probably hard to believe that technology has come such a long way. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Let’s go all the way back to 1970. Around that time, sleep was not as commonly studied medically as it is today, despite being one of the most important human functions. What we know today as sleep apnea, was known at the time as Pickwickian syndrome (named after a character from Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers who is obese and tends to fall asleep standing up). The only known symptoms for that condition at that time was snoring, and chocking and gasping in your sleep. This was all a big mystery in the medical profession, and not much was known about it. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"id":3584,"sizeSlug":"large"} /wp:image wp:paragraph If you had sleep apnea at this period of time, your only hope was for a tracheotomy. In other words, doctors would cut a hole in your trachea and insert a breathing tube to help you sleep better at night. Sounds painful, right? /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph This would all soon change, thanks to an Australian doctor named Colin Sullivan. He had spent many years studying sleep medicine in depth and essentially, changing the way that we look at sleep problems. In 1980, he invented a machine that would end up saving many lives from sleep apnea. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph This was called the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (or CPAP for short). It is a machine and mask that is worn by people with sleep apnea to help them breathe at night. He invented it by connecting a number of different hoses to a vacuum cleaner and glued it to the snout of a dog. When he saw his first human patient, a construction worker with severe OSA, the results of the mask spoke for itself as the man said he hadn’t felt so well rested in ages. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Although it took some time to be accepted in the medical market, the CPAP machine has come a long way, and still continues to save the lives of many people who suffer from sleep apnea. If you are a proud user of this device, you have an Aussie doctor and a vacuum cleaner to thank. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph http://www.resmed.com/ch/assets/documents/resmedica/resmedica14.pdf /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph http://www.cpap.com/blog/the-history-of-cpap-therapy/ /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph http://www.easybreathe.com/blog/cpap-history-aussie-doctor-vacuum-cleaner/ /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Image source: http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-a-Tracheotomy /wp:paragraph
Learn moreIs it sleep apnea?
wp:paragraph When you hear from your partner that you have a snoring problem, it’s easy to think the worst. I have sleep apnea, I’ll have to wear that big ugly mask, my partner will never sleep with me again etc. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph However, snoring is just one symptom of sleep apnea, and just because you are a snorer does not automatically mean that you have sleep apnea. Close to 90 million Americans have night time snoring, but sleep apnea actually only affects about half of those people, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"id":3580,"sizeSlug":"large"} /wp:image wp:paragraph If you want the snoring to stop for the sake of both you and your partner, it is important to have an idea of whether your noise at night is just noise, or if it is something more serious. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Here are some factors that may determine whether or not you are at risk for sleep apnea: /wp:paragraph wp:list If you are choking or gasping for air in your sleep If you wake up feeling tired, and feel tired throughout the day If you feel restlessness at night If you are obese, middle-aged and/or male /wp:list wp:paragraph Whether or not you exert any of these symptoms, it does not hurt to make an appointment with your doctor. If you are not a likely candidate for sleep apnea, your doctor can help you to figure out if there is anything that can be done to curb your snoring at night, even if it’s just for the sake of your partner’s sanity. Even a lifestyle change like losing a little weight can go a long way. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph If you are a likely candidate for sleep apnea, don’t fret. It is not the end of the world if you do have this condition. There are many options for treatment available that can give you an infinitely better quality of life and leave you feeling more rested and energised throughout the day. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph http://www.sleepapnea.org/is-it-snoring-or-sleep-apnea.html /wp:paragraph
Learn moreIntroducing the Z1: A new travel CPAP unit that will actually wow you.
wp:paragraph As great as your CPAP machine may be for when you sleep, it’s no secret that most machines are rather large and not the best travel partners. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Pack your bags and get ready to get off the grid. The Z1 Unplugged is a brand-new, smaller CPAP machine that is smaller, quieter and comes with everything you need for a perfect night’s sleep. For those that love to travel, this is already approved for air travel and it not big or clunky in any way. Just bring along your CPAP mask to go with it and you’re all set to get away. It also has a backlit, LCD display so you can still see how you’re sleeping, even when it’s dark. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"id":3577,"sizeSlug":"large"} /wp:image wp:paragraph There are many features about this new machine that set it apart from other devices: /wp:paragraph wp:list It is very quiet: when in use, it makes only 26 decibles of sound, which makes it one of the quietest CPAP machines on the market Battery powered: the machine can operate for one full night without a cord, using a system called the PowerShell, which is an integrated battery that gives you a night of uninterrupted sleep. Extremely light: this is considered the lightest CPAP machine out there, weighing in at only 10 ounces. This makes it a fantastic machine for everyday use and is perfect for travelling. Data capable: the machine records all events and can track your sleep progress, even when you’re on the road. /wp:list wp:paragraph For more information about this machine and to purchase, visit PapSmart.com /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph Order the Z1 Travel CPAP Machine NOW! /wp:paragraph
Learn moreSleep tips for runners
wp:paragraph For all you runners out there, the night before a marathon run can feel like the night before Christmas. On the one night where getting enough sleep is crucial to your performance the next day, it’s easy to forgo sleeping in favor of tossing and turning and lying awake in anticipation. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph This is no time to skimp out on the shut-eye. Tired and groggy are two things you do NOT want to feel on the day of a big race that you’ve spent countless weeks training for. Sleeping right is just as important as eating right and it is very important that you make sleep a priority, especially the week before the race. Don’t feel bad if you have to pass on some other commitments in order to get the proper 8 hours per night that you need. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"id":3574,"sizeSlug":"large"} /wp:image wp:paragraph Here are some tips to keep in mind when preparing for your next big marathon: /wp:paragraph wp:list Make sure your room is the perfect sleeping environment: keep the room cool and dark and keep your electronic devices out of the room Before you go to sleep, take 5 minutes to yourself and relax. Get yourself into a position that is comfortable for you and focus on your deep breathing. Take this time to mentally compose yourself and push away any negative thoughts that are dragging you down before the race. Get organized. The week before the race, plan out exactly what you’re going to wear and exactly what you’re going to eat so you won’t have to think of it the morning of. Take it a step further by making yourself a to-do list so that you don’t forget anything. Don’t stress! While being a little bit nervous is not a bad thing at all, stressing about a race too much can impede on your final race time. Stay calm and relaxed and just imagine the pride you’ll feel once it’s all over with. /wp:list wp:paragraph Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph http://www.runnersworld.com/health/eight-tips-for-improving-pre-race-sleep?cid=NL_TrainingExtra_1836764_09092014_EightTipsforImprovingPreRaceSleep /wp:paragraph
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