Sleep apnea is an issue that affects all ages. People typically associate the condition with older generations. However, teenage kids are also at risk. Obesity is a major contributor to sleep apnea. Therefore, the rise in teen obesity means a rise in teen sleep apnea. How Are Sleep Apnea and Teen Obesity Connected? Sleep apnea and obesity can be symptoms […]
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a consequence of untreated sleep apnea. Blood pressure is an important aspect of the cardiovascular system. If that pressure is too high it can lead to numerous complications that are both scary and life threatening. CPAP therapy is a proven method of treating sleep apnea. Therefore, in a way CPAP is responsible for lowering […]
ResMed is arguably the face of CPAP. This article explains how they came to be the powerhouse they are today. Timeline 2,000+ years ago: First records of sleep apnea symptoms 1836: Charles Dickens inspires first term for sleep apnea, “Pickwickian syndrome” 1877: London Physician gives first known detailed description of OSA 1965: First “apnea” recorded using a polysomnograph […]
This article teaches you the issues that alcohol presents to people with obstructive sleep apnea. You’ll go over what alcohol does to your body. Then, you will review some factors that relate to sleep apnea. Alcohol is seen as an “initiation” of sorts in our present culture. The majority of high school students just CANNOT WAIT to turn 21. Drinking […]
The short answer, Yes, your child can have pediatric OSA. Sleep apnea can affect young people of any age, ethnicity, and genetic makeup. This article will go over some risk factors and consequences. as well as treatment options for you and your child. Precautions must be taken, but your child could grow out of any Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) issues. SDB’s can […]
Did you know that truck drivers, and other commercial drivers, are a risk on US roadways when they do not adhere to obstructive sleep apnea treatment? This article discusses DOT regulations, how sleep apnea affects drivers and driving, some risk factors, and symptoms. Lastly, you can review some F.A.Q.’s. “An American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) survey of more than 800 […]
Did you know that your body does a lot more than simply relax during sleep? Well, some of your body’s most productive work is done while you’re sleeping! What is Sleep? Sleeping is your body’s way of recuperating the energy used each day by your mental and physical activity. Neurotransmitters signal parts of the your brain that its time to […]
PTSD and sleep apnea are linked according to a study done that involved military veterans. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder affects hundreds of thousands of people across the nation. Those people, consequently, find it difficult living a normal life. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder A traumatic life experience, or witnessing a traumatic event can lead to ongoing effects. As a result, PTSD sets in. […]
Recent studies have shown that sleep apnea can lead to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Sleep apnea is a beast all its own, but Alzheimer’s disease is a burden you most likely have a greater understanding of. It is a brutal disease that you would not wish upon anyone… What is Alzheimer’s? Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that […]
My how the year is flying by! Halloween is right around the corner; Thanksgiving and Christmas are looming. The fall season brings about hoodies & sweatpants, bonfires & s’mores, and hayrides & cider… Consequently, the summer/fall changeover also brings stuffed noses, congestion, sinus problems, and over-agitated sleep apnea symptoms! Obstructive sleep apnea is a beast of a condition, […]
The color pink has become a beacon of hope among women, activists, and supporters around the country, especially during the month of October. The tenth month of the year, of course, is breast cancer awareness month. In recognition, I am going to highlight all of the “For Her” products that we offer. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month… CPAP/BiPAP […]
Obstructive sleep apnea has many terrible side effects, one being brain damage. No, not the brain damage you’re thinking of…(the vegetative, unable to take care of yourself, type) More like damage to grey and white matter that cause impairments to cognition, mood, and daytime alertness. CPAP therapy has shown to reverse the damage done to the grey and white matter […]
A recent study claims if you have both Type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea, you’re at a high risk of developing an eye disease that causes blindness. The disease, diabetic retinopathy, is a common condition among type 1 & 2 diabetes patients. Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes is a problem with your body that causes blood sugar levels to rise […]
SoClean or VirtuCLEAN CPAP Sanitizer Imagine…You get in your pajamas, ready for a good night sleep. It’s been a long, exhausting day and you want nothing more than to crawl into bed, put on your CPAP mask, and start counting the sheep. Sounds fantastic doesn’t it? Now, imagine that same scenario, but with some bacteria, mold and germs that are […]
How Apnea Played a Role in Leia’s Death Carrie Fisher, known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise, made the news this week when it was released that sleep apnea played a role in her untimely death. Throughout the years working as a sleep technologist I can attest to the long running Darth Vader jokes from patients when I […]
Sleep Apnea Linked To Shoulder Pain Apnea and Aches Could my sleep apnea be the cause of my shoulder pain? Anyone who has crossed over to the 40 years and older club will tell you that you start feeling your age. Recently I began experiencing pain in my elbow caused by tendinitis or otherwise called “tennis elbow”. I thought nothing of […]
Stern Show “Wack” Packer Needs CPAP Hey Now. While listening to some Sternthology on the Howard Stern show a few weeks ago I came across one of the shows that highlighted the first time the “Wack Packer” Bigfoot was introduced to the show. He was on a panel of people that were being interviewed for consideration of becoming a member […]
Home Sleep Study Cost and Options It’s that time of year again when people with health insurance will notice their deductible is about to roll over. Insurance is one of those words that feel like a safety blanket to protect you against high out of pocket cost for unexpected tests or treatment but in a lot of cases you are […]
Apnea Disorder Sleep Apnea is a serious medical condition that affects up to 18 million people in the United States. Up to 4% of Americans have an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes a number of health problems such as stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other serious issues. If left untreated, sleep apnea can increase a person’s […]
Do you suffer from sleep apnea? If so, you’re not alone. Around 18 million Americans are estimated to have this condition, which causes you to stop breathing for anywhere from a few seconds to even a minute. Left untreated and undiagnosed, it can be dangerous and increase the risk of heart disease by three times and a stroke by four […]
12 Times CPAP Made A Guest Appearance in Television A lazy Sunday afternoon playing Words with Friends or some other addicting phone app when one of my kids screams out “CPAP”. I pull my nose out of my iphone and with a confused look to see my 9 year old pointing at the television where an episode of iCarly is […]
Snoring Mouth Guards or CPAP? When did the phrase “As Seen on TV” become the gold standard barometer of a quality product? I just heard a commercial on satellite radio with a bold message to “get rid of your CPAP and fix your snoring and sleep apnea with a mouth guard”. If you are willing to believe this I have a […]
The Best CPAP Mask for Your Nose It can be very frustrating trying out different CPAP masks every night just trying to find the best CPAP mask for you. There are so many different types it can lead some people to just give up on CPAP therapy completely. While every other CPAP user that you know may tell you their […]
Simple Hacks to Improve CPAP Comfort One night in the sleep lab while preparing the hook-up (sleep technician talk for applying electrodes and sensors) I witnessed something I had never seen in my 8 years as a sleep medicine professional. Before I tell you what it is I would like to give you a little bit of background on this […]
How Much Sleep Debt Do You Owe? You may have a credit score above 700 but that doesn’t mean that a debt collector is not calling to you every day in the form of daytime sleepiness, fatigue and irritability. The creditor in this scenario is a little company called “Your Mind and Body”. How much of a sleep debt are […]
I had to fight nausea a few times when I was handed a excessively dirty CPAP mask. We have seen our fair share of stomach churning dirty CPAP masks come into our store over the years. I often ask myself how or why someone would continue to use such a dirty piece of equipment, especially something that comes in contact with their […]
A look at the lighter side of sleep apnea therapy and treatment! 1. Your friends and family will make every sci-fi character reference that comes to mind when they see you with your mask on. Darth Vader has been the longest comparison but Bane has been the most popular in recent years. Let’s also not forget the elephant trunk reference […]
ResMed AirSense 10 Series Review The new AirSense reminds me of a story. A few years ago I was at a sleep conference in Minneapolis talking to Fisher and Paykel representatives over dinner and drinks about their new technology, SenseAwake. After hearing the sales pitch about this new algorithm my immediate interpretation of their description of this technology was to refer […]
Ever Wonder Why Doctors Take Vacation in July? I saw a major trend every year during the summer months at the sleep disorders center I worked for as a Director of Lab Operations. Referrals were down and patient schedulers’ were feverishly making phone calls to patients to try to get them in for follow up appointments and re-evaluations. Ever go […]
Sleep is more than just time to rest after a busy day. It is, in fact, when your body has a chance to regenerate and heal, and it is a necessity for the overall health of your body. While we drift off into dreamland, important healing processes are taking place inside us. What happens while you sleep? Sleep is a […]
Depression with CPAP Therapy Many people experience depression and the feelings of sadness and hopelessness it brings. The chemical imbalances that cause depression can result in a loss of interest in things that you use to enjoy, days full of fatigue, and sleepless nights. Depression can affect every aspect of your life if left untreated and depression with CPAP can be […]
Sleep apnea is a common disorder that plagues more than 18 million Americans every year. This condition causes the back of the throat to collapse during sleep, which constricts the airflow that delivers life-giving oxygen to vital organs such as the heart and the brain. If the airflow is restricted often enough, the blood-oxygen levels in the body decrease to […]
My Name is Jason and I Snore…Loudly Many of us are all too familiar with being banished to the couch or spare bedroom because of our embarrassing little problem; heavy snoring. Maybe some of you are the butt of your golfing buddies’ jokes about that upcoming trip where one poor soul gets the short end of the straw to share […]
7 Common CPAP Problems Users Face In 2004 I was working CPAP consultations at our sleep lab when a little old couple walked in for their follow up appointment. I immediately remembered them from their nights at the sleep lab because they reminded me of my grandparents and the way “Mrs. Smith” took care of “Mr. Smith”. It had been […]
Best and Top Rated CPAP Masks on the Market. Jason Smith, RPSGT 6/17/2013 Halfway through 2013 we take a look at current CPAP products that are considered to be top rated. A big question has always been how do we determine what is top rated. Do we sleep with every mask that’s out there? Not quite, but Mark comes pretty […]
Home sleep apnea testing market continues to grow as more and more insurance companies decline reimbursement for in-lab diagnostic polysomnograms. This is not recent news and it doesn’t take much more than common sense to know that the average person that thinks they may have sleep apnea or been told they have sleep apnea is looking for the most cost […]
I have found myself writing a lot of blogs that cater to people that have already been diagnosed and treated for sleep apnea which really isn’t fair to the greater percentage of the population that are unaware they even have sleep apnea (80-85% still remain undiagnosed). For most people it’s not too hard to identify that they suffer from sleep […]
CPAP Mask Reviews: Compare and Shop In the early 1900s during the automotive boom there were literally hundreds of different automobile manufacturers and models of cars. You wouldn’t know that today and it’s hard to rattle off more than a dozen because many of these car companies went under or were absorbed by other manufacturers and their models released into […]
Need More Sleep? #JustLetMeSleepALittleLonger I do not want to work out this morning. Period. End of Story. I want to pull the covers back over my head, reset my alarm clock for one more hour of precious sleep. Within 30 seconds I can come up with 14 excuses as to why I don’t need to, why I shouldn’t, and why […]
It says C-P-A-P, not C-R-A-P. Do you call it “soda” or do you call it “pop”; or maybe you call it “soda pop”? Whatever you call it, it’s always weird or awkward to hear it called by something else yet you know what that person is referring to when they say it. We encounter this everyday at 1800CPAP.com when customers […]
Cuts to CPAP Reimbursement and CPAP Replacement Schedule Hold on to your hats; it’s an election year and the hot topic is still healthcare reform and reimbursement cuts. So what does this mean to the average CPAP user? Considering most commercial insurance providers typically follow Medicare standards, the complete landscape of how often you get new CPAP supplies and the […]
I see a lot of diagnostic sleep tests come across my desk and it’s not uncommon to see Mr. John Doe have an AHI (apnea hypopnea index) on average of 30. What does that mean, AHI = 30? Many people get that number confused with the amount of times during the night that they quit breathing but, and this is […]
We are seeing an amazing increase in self pay home sleep apnea testing from people that work in the transportation industry and it’s not surprising as to why. The hot topic of conversation in the industry has been a law to mandate sleep apnea testing, CPAP therapy if the test was positive and compliance reporting for truckers that have elevated […]
Myths About CPAP and Sleep Apnea I can set my watch everyday by the 9 am phone calls or emails about the same CPAP questions that come up and though some are very entertaining (insert hour long phone call from the man claiming to be a NASA scientist), most can be easily answered in this blog. Every so often we like […]
CPAP & Red Wine: Hangover Cure Recent studies have suggested that consuming red wine may significantly benefit your health; and millions everywhere parlayed this data into “Sure I’ll have another glass; it’s doctor recommended”. One sentence into this blog you may be wondering how drinking red wine remotely relates to CPAP and sleep apnea. Great question, but this blog is […]
Sleep Apnea and Death I would like to start off by saying I am a huge fan of Discovery channel hit series Deadliest Catch and the personalities of the cast and crew that have entertained us for years. There are not many jobs out there where millions of people enjoy watching you simply do your job and work. I doubt I would be able […]
Are Auto CPAP Machines Better Than Fixed Pressure CPAP? There has been an on-going debate in the field of sleep medicine about Auto CPAP machines being used to establish CPAP pressures versus a patient coming back in to the sleep lab for a CPAP titration. Which of these protocols are better? What is the cost analysis of these two processes? […]
