Sleep apnea and snoring both have separate negative aspects that can have an impact on your life and the lives of those around you. At CPAP Supply Canada, we know how important it is to have a good sleep and feel rested. We specialize in professional, state-of-the-art CPAP equipment, accessories, and more to provide you with all the options so you may consider which one is right for you.

 

Two of the things we offer are education and information about CPAP machines, and we always try to provide our customers with the right knowledge. Our reasons for doing this are because we know that suffering from sleep apnea or dealing with snoring can sometimes lead to harmful and detrimental health conditions, and we want to make sure that you are completely aware of everything you need to do to avoid them — your health is our top priority!

 

Before we show all the CPAP products we offer, we want to give you more information about the conditions that you can treat with our machines, as well as the symptoms, causes, and possible complications, so we can have a basic understanding.

 

Sleep Apnea & Snoring

 

It’s important to know what these conditions entail before you make an educated decision about the problems that you may be having. While there’s no better option than to go to a medical specialist to learn more about what problems you may be having, we want to give you a general rundown of these conditions.

 

What’s Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous sleeping disorder where your breathing pattern is disrupted often while you sleep, sometimes stopping for a few seconds and then restarting. This can happen all throughout your resting time and can have serious repercussions on your health.

 

Some symptoms that may be present for someone who has sleep apnea are:

 

• Loud snoring
• Gasping for air while sleeping
• Dry mouth upon waking up
• Headaches in the morning after waking up
• Insomnia or difficulty staying asleep
• Hypersomnia or feeling sleepy throughout the day
• Moments when you stop breathing during sleep (this is often reported by another person)
• And other side effect problems that are related to lack of sleep or being tired, such as being irritable or having difficulty paying attention

 

Causes for Sleep Apnea

 

There are two main causes of sleep apnea:

 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea — This is the result of your throat muscles relaxing during your sleep. These muscles help keep your airways open so you can breathe normally, and when they relax, they don’t support these airways enough to keep them open, making it more difficult to breathe.

 

Central Sleep Apnea — While central sleep apnea is less common, this is considered when the brain fails to send the signal to your breathing muscles, making you skip breathing cycles. You might be awakened by this and feel short of breath.

 

What Are Some of the Risks Factors and Complications?

Sleep apnea can affect anyone. However, there are some factors that can increase your risk of having or increasing the condition.

 

For obstructive sleep apnea, some of these factors include:

 

• Being overweight
• Having narrow airways
• Being male or older or both
• Family history
• Smoking
• Drinking
• Using sedatives or tranquilizers
• Nasal congestion

 

For central sleep apnea, here are some of the factors that can increase the risk:

 

• Being older
• Being male
• Having had a stroke
• Use of pain medications
• Having heart disorders

 

There are many complications that can derive from having sleep apnea, which is a serious medical condition. Some of these complications can be mitigated or considered lesser, although they can pose bigger problems in the long run.

 

You might experience heavy fatigue during the day, which can make you more irritable and less responsive to things that require you to be sharp and attentive, such as driving or performing a physically heavy job or activity.

 

The lack of oxygen when someone suffers a sleep apnea episode can increase blood pressure as a result of the sudden drops in blood oxygen levels. You can also see an increase in suffering a heart attack, stroke, or atrial fibrillation (abnormal heartbeats). 

 

However, heart-related problems are not the only complications that might result from having sleep apnea. You can develop liver problems and you might have a higher chance of developing Type-2 diabetes, as sleep apnea can increase insulin resistance.

 

If you feel like you are dealing with some of these symptoms and complications, you should contact your doctor and contemplate the idea of getting a CPAP machine to assist your breathing while you sleep and improve your life overall. You can contact us if you have any questions about any of the products we offer or if you want to know if you can use your insurance to pay for the equipment, click the button below!

 

What’s Snoring?

Snoring is not so far from sleep apnea, but it’s not necessarily the same condition. Snoring is usually the harsh sound we make when our throat relaxes, partially obstructing the airways that, in turn, causes the tissue to vibrate as you breathe.

 

Everyone snores from time to time, and it’s common for people to experience when certain conditions are involved. Consuming alcohol, especially before bedtime, can cause snoring because alcohol helps relax the throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.

 

Another thing that can make people snore is their mouth, nasal, and throat anatomy. Having thicker necks or palate tissue can make you more prone to snoring, but it does not necessarily mean that you suffer from sleep apnea.

 

You can also start snoring if you haven’t been getting enough sleep lately, or if the position you sleep in makes your neck bend in certain shapes that result in the obstruction of your airways.

 

Here are some risk factors that can contribute to snoring:

 

• Being overweight
• Drinking too much
• Having nasal problems or congestion
• Being a man
• Narrow airways

 

Complications

 

While some of the complications for snoring can be more of a nuisance than an actual complication, you can develop problems that are related to sleep apnea because of the similarities they share.

 

Complications can include:

 

• Sleepiness during the day
• Difficulty concentrating
• Higher risk of high blood pressure, heart conditions, and stroke
• Frustration and anger

 

The person who directly deals with snoring or sleep apnea is, without a doubt, the main sufferer but not the only one. It is often heard that the partners can develop some problems due to having a spouse or partner with these conditions. Here are some of the problems that it can cause to your partner:

 

• Lack of sleep
• Frustration
• Fatigue
• Relationship strain

 

It is imperative to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others, and purchasing a CPAP machine to deal with snoring and sleep apnea can be one of those solutions that deal with both at the same time!

 

How does a CPAP Machine Work?

 

A CPAP machine, also known as a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, is an air compressor that generates a continuous airflow to be used by someone dealing with snoring or sleep apnea. These machines have air filters to ensure that no contaminants or particles are transferred to the user. The pressurized air goes through a flexible tube into a mask that the user wears while they sleep to provide a steady stream of air to avoid the collapse of airways allowing the user to sleep comfortably without oxygen deprivation.

 

CPAP machines have multiple components that are common in all the different models. Here are some of the main components:

 

• The main unit that houses the air compressor and filters, plus all the computing components
• A comfortable mask that allows you to wear the device throughout your sleep without annoyance
• A flexible tube that connects the main unit to the mask
• Headgear frame which has adjustable straps to customize the device to fit your head

 

There are different types of CPAP machines on the market, and all of them have a slightly different purpose while trying to assist you with the same problems. Some of the machines we sell at CPAP Supply Canada are:

 

• Auto Adjusting Machines
• Bilevel or BiPAP Machines
• Regular CPAP Machines
• Travel CPAP Machines

 

CPAP Machine Masks

 

Just like there are different CPAP machines, there are also different masks that can accommodate your sleeping patterns, your position while you rest, and what kind of sleep apnea disorder you may have. Here are the main three types of masks:

 

Nasal Pillow

These CPAP masks have cushions that cover your nostrils and can come with prongs that fit into your nostrils. The way that these masks are designed allow the user to wear glasses easily since there are fewer straps and cross-section across the face. This type of mask is also helpful for those who have plenty of facial hair and have difficulty fitting other types of masks to their face.

 

Nasal Masks

The nasal CPAP masks are masks that cover the entire nose area. These masks are commonly used by people who tend to move a lot in their sleep, since they hold the nose area instead of going inside your nostrils.

 

Full Masks

Full CPAP masks come with a triangle-shaped respirator that covers your nose and mouth. These types of masks may be prescribed to someone who often breathes through their mouth when they sleep or have a blockage in their nose.

 

Pros and Cons of Using CPAP Machines

 

There is no doubt that sleep apnea and snoring can be harmful conditions and can lead to more serious health problems if left unchecked. While most of the pros about using a CPAP machine greatly outweigh the cons, there are still some things that can be considered a problem or at least a nuisance for those wearing them on a daily basis.

 

Pros

 

• Help you deal with sleep apnea and snoring which can pose a bigger threat on your health
• Can diminish the health risks involved with respiratory conditions, such as blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems
• By helping you sleep better, it can reduce your sleepiness or drowsiness during the times you are awake
• It may reduce cholesterol levels and blood glucose
• And many other benefits that can improve your life and the lives of those around you

 

Cons

 

• While adjusting to the machine, you may feel discomfort
• You can experience dry mouth
• Skin irritation where the mask touches your face
• Nasal congestion

 

When dealing with the health problems that sleep apnea and snoring can cause, these cons can be overlooked. Our business is based on transparency and honesty, so you should know all the good and the bad about using a CPAP machine. If you want more information about using a CPAP machine, mask fits, or any other questions you may have about the conditions our products can help you treat, don’t hesitate to contact us!

 

Other CPAP Products

 

We want to make CPAP Supply Canada your only stop for any CPAP machines, masks, and anything related to the devices so you don’t have to scour the internet for parts and pieces that you may need depending on what your doctor prescribed you.

 

Here are some of the other products we offer:

 

• Anti-snore or chinstraps
• CPAP machine filters
• Humidifier chambers
• Batteries for your portable CPAP machine
• Tubing and hosing
• Cleaning devices and supplies for your CPAP machine
• And more!

 

Don’t let sleep apnea and chronic snoring ruin your sleep or create health problems. At CPAP Supply Canada, we are your one-stop-shop for all your CPAP needs. We offer a wide variety of CPAP machines, accessories, masks, and more to ensure you have all you need to start improving your health and your sleep. Check out our shop today or contact us for more information!