CPAP product reviews and other helpful tips for CPAP users!

If you’ve been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, you should either be seeking treatment or on CPAP therapy already. Let me paint you an all too common scenario - you’ve got your machine and mask purchased and after a couple of weeks on therapy, you stop using it. You see it on your bedside table every day but ignore it. Days turn to weeks and weeks turn into months. Sounds familiar? This scenario happens too often.

What happens if you leave your Apnea untreated?

Surprisingly, a couple of nights off your CPAP is actually okay. The benefits of consistent use persist for a couple of days. For example, if you’re travelling or have a cold and took a couple of nights off, you’ll be happy to know that there is still residual benefit when you are not using it for a few days. Continued therapy reduces swelling of soft tissues during sleep making it easier for you to breathe when you are taking a break. However, danger lurks when it’s left long term.

Some would argue you won't die from Sleep Apnea, but like smoking or AIDS - people won't die from it, but likely from the complications that come from smoking or AIDS. Keep reading to find the effects, risks and possible consequences are if you don’t use your CPAP as directed.

Return of common symptoms

Not using your therapy means the return of the classic symptoms  - constant fatigue, low energy, headaches and lethargy. It's only a matter of time these dreaded symptoms will creep back into your day to day life.  It will affect the way you carry out work and social activities and limit your capabilities and negatively impacting your overall quality of life.  

Risk of sudden death

Untreated Sleep Apnea will increase the risk of sudden death or sudden cardiac arrest and the consequences are not reversible. The sudden death is caused by abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmia which are erratic and disorganized impulses from the heart's ventricles. This means the heart is unable to pump blood and death can occur. 

Risk of premature death

Those who leave their OSA untreated for 10 years or 30 years will lead to shorter lives. Lack of treatment means you'll face more than 3 times the risk of premature death.

Risk of stroke

The low levels of oxygen available to the body and brain and the high blood pressure of the heart working harder put you at 2-3 times higher risk for having a stroke. 

There are endless reasons why doctors prescribe CPAP - they know what they're talking about and it works. No matter how uncomfortable it is, give it a second, third or fourth try. The take-home message here is that untreated OSA produces long term, cumulative exposure to advert effects that is harmful to your health and may cause death.

There are heaping benefits of being on therapy and it shouldn't be ignored. Speak to your health professional for more information or guidance to get the proper care you need to adhere to CPAP therapy.

There is not a day that goes by where a colleague, a friend or family member don't complain they’re either exhausted, lacking sleep or too tired to function. I too am guilty of that! Unfortunately, most Canadian run on low-to-empty; and need to pump the brakes on this bad habit we call routine. To lead a healthier you this 2019, we need to satisfy 3 fundamentals - nutrition, physical activity and sleep. These 3 key factors along with weight and stress management all make up a healthy way to start the new year and lay an excellent groundwork for the rest of the year. Continue reading to learn why sleep should be the first area you concentrate on.

Quality and regularity 

To improve your sleep, focus on regularity and quality of sleep.  Most adults need at least 7 hours of nightly sleep to function and be productive while others need up to 9. Whatever your magic number is, set a regular bedtime that is early enough for you to achieve those hours and commit to them on a nightly basis and wake up at the same time every day.

While the number of hours is important, so is the quality. What you eat and your sleep environment can diminish your sleep quality. Avoid heavy, hard to digest foods and sugary drinks (including alcohol) in the evening. Remove or limit common sleep distractions like TVs, devices, bright and even hot sleeping environment.  

Sleep and your body 

Healthy sleep keeps your body running like a well-oiled machine. Proper sleep aids the body to maintain healthy body weight, contributes a strong immune system to fight disease and infections such as colds or Type 2 diabetes. Sleep also promotes cellular repair, increases physical performance, reaction time and personal safety keeping you alert to react to your surroundings.

Sleep and your mental wellbeing

Those who prioritize sleep health can make better decisions, are more resilient to emotional rollercoasters, mood swings and have better coping mechanisms. Those lacking quality sleep are prone to feelings of anxiety and depression.  

If you’re not convinced by now, proper sleep also keeps your mind as sharp as nails. Sleep increases communication and fosters creativity at work and at school leading to academic and professional success. Long term sleep deprivation on the other hand results in forgetfulness, increased errors and overall poor performance.  

If you require professional help to increase your sleep health, speak to your physician. They may have solutions to help pinpoint ongoing problems that prevent you from sleeping well.

Make healthy sleep one of your top priorities for 2019!