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Feeling Blue? It may be sleep apnea

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Sleep Apnea and your heart

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. 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. 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! 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. If you think you have sleep apnea, seek treatment! Your heart will thank you. Shop Reliable CPAP Machines Sleep Foundation: Sleep apnea and heart disease

History of CPAP

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. 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.   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? 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. 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. 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. Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. Read ResMed’s historical CPAP reference PDF Learn about the history of CPAP therapy on CPAP.com Read how the first CPAP was invented using a vacuum cleaner — EasyBreathe Learn how a tracheotomy is performed on WikiHow

Is it sleep apnea?

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. 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. 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. Here are some factors that may determine whether or not you are at risk for sleep apnea: 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 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. 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. Discover the Smart Nora Snoring Solution Snoring vs. Sleep Apnea — SleepApnea.org Guide

Introducing the Z2: A new travel CPAP unit that will actually wow you.

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. Pack your bags and get ready to get off the grid. The Z2 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. There are many features about this new machine that set it apart from other devices: 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. For more information about this machine and to purchase, visit PapSmart.com Order the Z2 Travel CPAP Machine NOW!

Sleep tips for runners

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. 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. Here are some tips to keep in mind when preparing for your next big marathon: 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. Save Big During the PAPSmart Fall Sale Runner’s World: Tips for improving pre-race sleep

Working CPAP into your life: 10 tips to make it easier

So you’ve just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and you have been told by your doctor that you have to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine in order to treat this condition. This will be a bit of a change for your lifestyle and for your bedtime routine. You may feel embarrassed to have to wear this around your partner and you may feel like you’re that awkward kid with the braces in grade 7. However, the bottom line is this: the machine, as un-glamourous as it may be, could actually help in saving your life, and all in all, it will make your quality of life tremendously better. Here are 10 tips to make the transition easier for integrating the CPAP machine into your sleep routine: Think of it as a gift to your partner, who wants to sleep next to a loud snorer? This will help the snoring significantly. Learn everything you can about the machine so that it seems less intimidating. Choose the mask that’s right for YOU. There are many different types out there; it’s just about finding the right one. Keep the parts of the machine clean so that it works properly. Think about connecting with other sleep apnea sufferers who, like you, have to a CPAP machine each night. See if your doctor knows of any support groups or ways to connect with people going through the same thing as you. Think about making other lifestyle changes to make this easier, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. While it likely won’t cure the sleep apnea, it will make it much easier to deal with. Practice good sleep hygiene: avoid caffeine or large meals before bedtime, stick to a regular routine every night, and use the bed only for sleeping. Try to use earplugs to mask the sound of the machine so the noise doesn’t bother you. Use a humidifier to decrease dryness and skin irritation. Focus on the positive outcome of using the CPAP machine, and avoid thinking about the negative parts that may be prominent at this time. With time, you will get used to this and this will help you in the long run. Shop at Papsmart.com - The #1 Online CPAP Store. HelpGuide: Understanding sleep apnea WebMD: Guide to CPAP machines

sleep-and-coffee

Caffeine and Sleep: How much is Too Much?

Ah coffee, most of us can’t live without it, and others could easily drink it all day every day, no matter what time it is. But as much as you may rely on it heavily, caffeine can be problematic when it comes time to go to sleep. If you think that just one more cup of java is not an issue, think again. Caffeine can be found in many things we consume every day, such as coffee, tea, chocolate and some soft drinks. Everyone tolerates the effects of caffeine differently; some people feel the effects more excessively than others, so it is important that you know what your limit is. Some of the effects that caffeine can have on our bodies include: Increased alertness Headaches Nervousness Dizziness Anxiety Excessive urination Sleep disturbances. Let’s look at that last point a little more in depth. Caffeine indeed does not do good things when you are trying to go to sleep. It can cause insomnia and restlessness, and all in all, a bad night’s sleep making you feel tired and irritable the next morning. Interestingly enough, research from the National Sleep Foundation does admit that there isn’t actually a great need for caffeine in our diets, but at the same time, it doesn’t pose any great risk for our overall health. Many studies over time have proven that caffeine can cause a great dependence in many of us.  And just any addiction, once we try to part ways with it, many of us actually go through withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and muscle pain.   Doctors say that it takes around 6 hours for the effects of just one cup of coffee to wear off. This is why doctors recommend that you avoid caffeine before bedtime, so that it’s easier for you to wind down when it is time to go to sleep. So be sure to put down that coffee and maybe have a glass of water before bed instead. Shop CPAP Supplies and Accessories Sleep Foundation: Caffeine and Sleep

Sleep and Risk of Disease

The relationship between sleep and your overall health is a very important one. It’s one that we all cherish. When things get rocky with that relationship, it begins to affect how you live your daily life, much like any other relationship. Having a bad night’s sleep can put you in a bad mood and it can also cause you to lose focus on many simple daily tasks. Healthwise, however, having consistently bad sleep patterns can put you at risk for more serious health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. According to a study from Harvard University, there are many factors about your overall health that can put you at risk for developing chronic diseases. Just a few of these include: Obesity: insufficient sleep has a very strong link to weight gain. Your body recharges itself as you sleep, so the less sleep you get, the more weight you are likely to gain. Heart disease: studies have found that just one night of bad sleep can elevate your blood pressure the next day. Keep this up night after night and you can find yourself at risk for heart disease and stroke. Mood disorders: most of us tend to find ourselves in a bad mood after we’ve had a night of bad sleep, but keeping this up consistently can lead to more serious mental illness such as depression and anxiety Immune function: when you have a bad cold, your Mom always told you to get some rest right? Well it rings true as sleep when you are sick can do wonders for your body to fight off illnesses Find the right CPAP Machine Today Harvard Healthy Sleep: How sleep affects disease risk

Relaxation strategies for a better night’s sleep

Do you find yourself feeling wound up before you go to sleep, or do you frequently experience bouts with insomnia? You are not alone. In today’s busy, on-the-go world we live it, it’s easy to have a lot on our minds. When you go to sleep, however, it is important to be completely relaxed so that you can have a full, well-rested sleep throughout the night. Aside from sleep hygiene, which refers to creating the perfect sleep environment, how well you sleep at night all depends on you and you alone. If you have too much on your mind and you’re not at all relaxed by the time your head hits the pillow, chances are you won’t be getting a great sleep. Here are some brief exercises from Sleepfoundation.org that will help you to make your body fully relaxed for a better night’s sleep: First of all, lie down and make sure you’re in a position where you feel comfortable. Be aware of any sensation you feel in your body and relax any tension. Focus your mind solely on your body and don’t let your mind wander to anything else. This may take some getting used to but it is important to focus your attention on your body. Next, pay attention to your breathing patterns, take note of where you feel your breathing (in your chest, abdomen etc.) and take slow and full deep breaths. The act of simply breathing deeply can do wonders for relaxing your body as you go to sleep. It is also a great thing to do if you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night. Finally, be sure you’re practicing some good sleep hygiene. Stick to a regular bedtime routine every night and keep your bedroom cool and comfortable. If this all seems like a lot, think about taking a yoga class. They are a great place to practice the art of deep breathing and can help in relaxing your body and keeping your mind free from the stresses of life. Discover the Smart Nora Snoring Solution Sleep Foundation: Relaxation exercises for insomnia Psychology Today: How yoga can help with insomnia

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