Written by Rob and Bridget Bimbler, The Bimblers, Luxury Accessible Travel Blog, April 2022
The best piece of medical equipment I use is a CPAP pillow.
The reason it’s so important is that it helps me get a good night’s sleep, and without a good night’s sleep, I am incapable of doing anything else.
What is a CPAP Machine?
CPAP stand for continuos positive air pressere.
Essentially, the machine forces pressurised air through a mask to keep your airways open when you sleep.
They are commonly used to treat moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep.
The most common type is called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).
I also have Central Sleep Apnoea.
It is not as common as OSA. Instead of the airway becoming blocked, the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control centre.
https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/adults/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnoea/
What is a CPAP Pillow?
CPAP masks dig into your face when you sleep on your side.
Using a specifically designed pillow eases the pressure on your face, and it does this by way of cutouts to accommodate your mask.
Disclaimer
The Bimblers 2022
I use an Advance Memory Foam CPAP Pillow from Putnams, and the pillow was supplied for my opinion. As always, all opinions are my own.
The Benefits of Using a CPAP Pillow for Sleep Apnoea.
I was diagnosed with Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnoea in 2018. Since then, I’ve used a machine when I sleep.
It took me a while to sleep with a machine and a full-faced mask.
The machine is not a problem, but the mask is uncomfortable.
Imagine sleeping with your face squashed, and every time you move, you end up with a big piece of plastic digging into your face or a jet of air in your eye.
I am a side sleeper, and my mask constantly pushes my skin up, resulting in unsightly fluid bags under my eyes.