Uninterrupted Sleep

Sleep Apnea Machine

If sleep apnea is diagnosed, one of the first lines of therapy involves the use of a Sleep Apnea Machine or CPAP machine which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device.  Most people are diagnosed with this condition, known as sleep apnea, by sleeping at a sleep center that can monitor your brainwaves, excursions of breath and your oxygenation level at night while you sleep.  Sleep Apnea Machines or CPAP machine is a breathing machine for sleep apnea. It pushes air continuously through a mask-like device that you wear during your sleep. The continuous positive pressure keeps the airway open during each breath so that you don’t snore and get enough air the entire night long. People with Sleep Apnea devices and who have relatively poor sleep will notice an increase in daytime wakefulness when using the device on a relatively consistent basis.

What makes for a good Sleep Apnea machine?

  • Noise

    One of the main things you want to think of when selecting a CPAP machine is whether the machine is quiet enough. Some CPAP machines are very noisy and the noise can interfere with your sleep. When choosing your CPAP machine, turn it on to see if it has a quiet motor that won’t interfere with your sleep.

  • Humidifying Capacity

    Make sure that the Sleep Apnea machine you choose has a humidifying capacity. It means that you have a reservoir inside the machine to hold water. The water reservoir adds humidity to the air you breathe so you don’t get dry mouth and nose mucosa from breathing very dry air.

  • Airflow

    The CPAP machine should allow for changes in airflow. Some people need a lot of force in order to get the air past the upper airway obstruction, while others need very little. The machine should have a knob that turns the air pressure up or down as needed.

  • Compatible Masks

    Your CPAP machine should come with a variety of compatible masks to choose from. Everyone has their own idea as to what is comfortable so choosing the right device and mask combination can be difficult.

  • Oxygen Port

    The CPAP machine you choose should allow for an oxygen port in case you need supplemental oxygen when you sleep.   Sometimes just getting a smooth flow of air isn’t enough and oxygen will need to be added to the device you are using.

  • Algorithmic Sensing

    Ideally, the device you choose should have algorithmic sensing so that it allows you to exhale your full breath without having to fight against the high pressure of the machine.

Best Sleep Apnea machine

You may have to shop around or talk to the sleep specialist you are working with in order get a Sleep Apnea machine that best fits your needs. Here are some of the best CPAP machine choices out there:

  • ResMed S9 AutoSet

    Resmed S9 Autoset is a small cpap machine that is known for being compact and especially comfortable. It can detect just the right amount of pressure to deliver a pressure that is based on your depth of inspiration. It can even detect when your nose is stuffy from a cold and will adjust accordingly. It is a “smart machine” in that it changes its output differently when you switch to a different mask. The idea behind using this device is that it is very advanced and has the technology to properly deliver the right amount of air at the right rate.

  • ResMed’s AirSense

    This CPAP machine has an internal modem that helps calculate your airway needs with the capability of sending that information on to your healthcare provider wirelessly so that adjustments can be made electronically from a distance, rather than going back to the sleep study center to see if the machine is working. When the CPAP machine is properly set remotely, you can get a better night’s sleep in the comfort of your own home. The machine can detect if you are deteriorating from a breathing standpoint and will help you adjust accordingly. The data collected is collected and shared in real time so, as soon as an adjustment is necessary, the people monitoring your sleep will call you up and walk you through the changes that need to take place for adequate breathing.

  • Z1 CPAP machine

    Z1 cpap is an ideal machine for traveling as it is currently the lightest and the smallest CPAP machine available. It is a highly complex machine that offers the Z-breathe algorithm so that you don’t have to fight the machine when you are exhaling. It operates using battery power or electricity so you can use whenever you are faced with a no-electricity situation, such as when camping. The entire device weighs only ten ounces.

Some tips to pay attention to…

Your Sleep Apnea device should be small and yet packed with extras. The most comfortable CPAP machine is one in with an algorithmic breathing pattern that matches your own breathing pattern, allow for air to escape from your lungs when it is time to exhale. You need to find a machine that is compatible with a variety of masks as the fit and comfortableness of the mask is about the biggest factor when it comes to using a CPAP machine. The technology is out there for quality machines that can “sense” how much oxygen or air to deliver and can back off when you are in the expiratory phase of breathing. Some devices are much more expensive than others but if your insurance covers for it at all, it pays to try and get the most “intuitive” CPAP machine you can get.