sleep

Tips to Remember When Traveling with a CPAP Machine

Carl Griffin Health ,
bed and sleep

If you suffer sleep apnea and your doctor has recommended the use of a CPAP machine, every time you go for a trip, make sure the machine is in your packing list. You should note that taking a cpap machine on vacation requires prior planning. Consider the tips below as you plan for your next trip.

Pack the CPAP cleaning materials

When you go for a trip, you should ensure the machine is just as clean as it was in your home. This is critical to prevent exposure to pathogens that can cause infections in your body. If you want to clean your CPAP easily while traveling, use portable cleaning devices that have been made specifically for travel.

Plan how to get through airport security

sleep apneaIt’s essential to know that the Department of Transportation only permits travelers to have a single bag and one personal item as they board planes. The requirement doesn’t cover medical devices such as CPAP. Thus, you may need to get a letter from your doctor that indicates you have to use the machine even while traveling. Alternatively, get a printout of consumer protection guidelines from the Transportation Aviation that governs security requirements for people with disabilities.

Plan in advance

If you will use your CPAP in the plane, it’s essential to make prior arrangements with your airline. Check if the airline permits passengers to use these devices while onboard. You may need to get authorization from the airline’s medical services department. Additionally, you should engage the airline authorities to book a seat next to a plug to charge the CPAP machine; otherwise, make sure you have rechargeable batteries.

Upgrade your CPAP machine

If you are a frequent traveler, it’s crucial to purchase a CPAP machine specially designed for travel. This is an excellent way of making your trips and vacations enjoyable. Choose a portable, light, and easy to clean CPAP machine. If your budget can’t can for a new machine, you can opt to rent a travel CPAP machine. For example, you can rent AirMini, which is one of the smallest machines in the market.

Portable batteries

As you pack your CPAP machine for travel, you also need to pack rechargeable batteries. They will come in handy to save the situation in case of a power outage or if you’re in a place where you can’t access power. These portable batteries are ideal for camping and international travel. Fortunately, these batteries and CPAP machines for travel are getting lighter and smaller by the day, thus making them convenient for travelers.

A Closer Looks at The Benefits of Weighted Blankets

Carl Griffin Therapy , ,
person sleeping

To a restless sleeper, bedtime can be a real struggle. Most of them often face the challenge of falling asleep easy or sleeping for long times. Some people resort to using things like meditation apps or noise machines, only to realize that choosing the right blanket could be the trick to enjoying a more restful night.

bedroom

Instead of sleeping with multiple blankets, most people would prefer using weighted blankets. Weighted blankets, as their name suggests, tend to be relatively more substantial than ordinary sheets. A key attraction to using weighted blankets is that they are not super hit. That said, here are some benefits accrued to using weighted blankets.

They Help Break Anxiety

Weighted blankets tend to press the body against the mattress when asleep. This has been proven to be beneficial in many ways as different studies confirm that it reduces night-time levels of cortisol. This stress hormone is produced when one is anxious and its production while at sleep could mean the inability to fall asleep.

Helps With Other Sleep Disorders

Besides anxiety, weighted blankets can help in coping with a whole list of other disorders. The use of these special blankets has been of great benefits to individuals struggling with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorders, bipolar disorders, and they could also be of great help to children struggling with autism.

Non-Medicinal

Another benefit of using weighted blankets is the fact they help you cope with some medical conditions, which would have otherwise required medical intervention. For people who are not willing to take psychiatric medications, weighted blankets are a better option.

Improve Your Sleep Quality

weighted blankedMost people have struggled with insomnia at some point. Also, one might be able to fall asleep only to wake up feeling extremely tired or drained. A weighted blanket can help you solve such sleeping issues, which has everything to do with the fact that weighted blankets reduce sleep movements. Thus, using a weighted blankets helps you settle down and sleep, and you are also sure of feeling refreshed in the morning.

If you are shopping for a weighted blanket, you might have realized that the options out there are vast and they can be somehow heavy on your wallet too. With the benefits of using a weighted blanket highlighted before, getting a unit is necessary especially when mapping a self-care routine.