Continuous positive airway pressure. In those four words is held the meaning of life for many people around the globe who suffer from sleep apnea and other illnesses that interrupt regular breathing during sleep time. Thousands die each year from sleep disorders where improper breathing leads directly to death.

Thankfully, there have been many strides made to advance the technology that will make sleeping not only possible but something to look forward to. Continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP as it is widely known can be maintained through the use of a number of different types of machines that you can find on the market these days.

Roughly 18 million Americans suffer from some form of discomfort that sleep apnea causes. The good news is that many of these troubles can be alleviated by the use of a simple sleep apnea machine. You can find a quality sleep apnea machine online for a very affordable price and in addition to the machine itself you can find CPAP replacement parts that could be vital in addressing your sleep concerns.

The reason that CPAP replacement parts can become an issue is that as with any machine, part or all of it will break down over time. It is good to understand what parts of the machine could break down first and have some CPAP replacement parts on hand in case it does.

Imagine you have a quality machine and it serves you needs quite well for a lengthy period of time. Suddenly and without warning, your machine has a part that has gone bad and keeps the machine from functioning properly. If you need to wait for a replacement part to get to you, you might be trying to sleep without the machine for several days or even weeks. Why would you want to put your health on the line like that?

People who have sleep apnea and allow it to go untreated will have a risk of stroke that is four times greater than those who have not been diagnosed with the disorder. In addition, those same people who are four times more likely to have a strike are also three times more likely to have heart disease. The heart does not function properly when someone is having difficulty with sleep apnea issues. When you have a CPAP machine that can regulate your breathing when you sleep, this takes the pressure off of your heart and helps your body function the way it is supposed to while you are sleeping, giving you the chance to restore and rest.

Obtaining a CPAP machine if you have been diagnosed with a sleep apnea condition can return your life to you in ways you never thought possible. At the same time, having a few spare CPAP replacement parts is always a good idea to ensure you maintain that healthy sleep.

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Sleep apnea is a big problem for many people. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition where people stop breathing multiple times while they are sleeping. By depriving the brain of oxygen during the night, a host of medical problems can develop. Sufferers of sleep apnea who do not receive treatment are at least three times more likely to develop heart disease than people who do not have it. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the gold standard in treatment for sleep apnea. Many people have trouble with this system and as a consequence there are a lot of options. From CPAP nasal pillow masks to other kinds of CPAP masks, there are ways to make this system more comfortable.

1. Get the right size. One of the main problems that people have using a CPAP machine is that they get CPAP nasal pillow masks that just do not fit correctly. It is important to find the machine that works best for your specific needs and that fits your face. There are masks that cover the entire face or you can opt for CPAP nasal pillow masks that are paced under the nose and cover much less of the face. What kind of mask or pillow you get is all up to you. The key here is to find one that is comfortable and that fits your face. If you get one that does not meet this criteria, you will not use it and you will not get the benefits from the CPAP machine.
2. Work at getting used to your CPAP device. It can take a lot of time and some effort to get used CPAP nasal pillow masks. There are ways to make that process go easier and smoother. One thing some people do is they wear their full face CPAP masks or their nasal pillow masks while they are awake. They do this without attaching the mask to the machine and just wear it to get used to having something on their face. This can be done while watching television. After you have gotten yourself used to wearing the mask without the pressure, you can start getting used to the device while the pressure is on. After you are ok wearing the mask with pressure while you are awake, you can start trying it when you are asleep. This is important because many people remove their nasal pillow masks or full face masks when they are asleep because they are not used to having something on their face. This negates any benefit of the CPAP machine.
3. Work on getting used to the pressure system. It can be a challenge to get used to something forcing air into the body. There are often mechanisms on the CPAP machines that allow users to gradually get used to the pressure system from the mask. They have what is called a ramp up feature. This lets patients begin with a lower pressure setting and the machine will increase the pressure gradually and automatically as you are falling asleep. Your sleep doctor will have prescribed a certain setting for your machine with the pressure setting that is right for you and your situation. If you still have problem with the pressure, you may want to talk to your physician about a different kind of machine. Some will start ramping up the pressure after you have fallen asleep. There are different types of machines that are available for sufferers of sleep apnea. A bi-level airway pressure machine is similar to the CPAP but has different ways and mechanisms to control the pressure of the air being delivered.
4. Avoid having a stuffy or dry nose. This is a common complaint among users of CPAP machines. The good news is that it is easily corrected with the addition of a humidified to the unit. You can adjust the humidity level to what you need. If that remains an issue, you can add a saline nasal spray. This can make a big difference in how comfortable the nasal pillow masks and full face masks feel.

Using a CPAP machine is important for anyone with sleep apnea. These tips can help make the experience comfortable.

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Sleep apnea is a potentially serious, but fairly common sleep condition in which the affected person’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly in their sleep, due to obstruction, failed brain messages, or a combination of both. The condition affects about 18 million Americans and is usually treated with the addition of a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and is used to keep the patient’s airways open. When left untreated, it can be extremely dangerous and potentially life threatening. Here are some things you probably didn’t know about sleep apnea:

• About one in 50 people are living with an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. These people most likely differ from loud snoring, extreme tiredness (hypersomnia) or difficulty sleeping (insomnia), and morning symptoms such as dry mouth or morning headaches.
• The condition affects double the amount of men that it does women, especially obese men. But this statistic falls apart with age. Post-menopausal women are nearly just as likely to be affected by the condition.
• About half of people prescribed CPAP machines stop using them within three weeks, and most people who say that they do use them do not wear their CPAP masks enough to be effective. It’s recommended that patients use their CPAP machines for at least four hours every night for 30 consecutive days.
• Heart disease is three times more common in people with untreated sleep apnea, and about 38,000 deaths occur every year due to cardiovascular issues at least partly caused by sleep apnea.
• Traditional CPAP masks wrap around the entire head, but a less-bulky version, known as nasal pillows, are also available. Despite it’s lighter, less obtrusive qualities, patients’ preference lean just slightly toward the traditional masks at 50%, while 45% prefer nasal pillow masks, and 5% have no preference.
• People with asthma are 40% more likely to develop sleep apnea due to preexisting breathing problems.
• Over the course of one knight, someone with a case of obstructive sleep apnea may experience an apnea 60 times per hour.

If you or someone you know suffers from loud snoring, continued fatigue, headaches, dry mouth, shortness of breath, or other difficulties breathing or sleeping, they may be suffering from this condition. Make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible for a diagnosis and treatment.

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