Get Your CPAP Ready For The Winter

The nights are starting to get colder, but this doesn’t mean that your sleep needs to suffer as a result. Sleep apnea symptoms have been known to be much worse in the wintertime, thanks to the cold and dry air that can dry out your mouth and nasal passages, making it more difficult to sleep. If you use a CPAP machine, then now is the time to make sure it is ready for winter use! Here are four things to think about when it comes to getting your CPAP ready for the winter.

Don’t skip humidification: This doesn’t just apply to the humidifier you may use in your bedroom to prevent dry air (though this is beneficial in sleeping better) using a humidifier and/or heater with your CPAP machine will help to prevent your airway from drying out and make for a more comfortable user experience overall.

Make sure the parts are in working order: Take a moment to do a quick inventory of all the parts on your CPAP machine, including the tubing, the mask, humidifier and any filters that may be required. If a part is wearing down or not in good working condition, then this can cause the rest of the CPAP to not work properly. Don’t wait until it’s too late to replace these parts, make sure you get them ahead of time.

Keep the machine clean: Regular cleaning of your CPAP is important at any time of year, but this is especially the case in the wintertime, when your humidifier and/or heater is being used on more of a regular basis and moisture from this builds up.   

Don’t skip the CPAP when you are sick: Colds are no fun, and it may be tempting to skip the CPAP for just a night or two if you are feeling stuffed up but don’t do this! Rest is extremely important for recovery, and skipping the CPAP even for just a night can cause your sleep apnea symptoms to worsen and make for a poor night’s sleep.