Summer is the perfect time to go on vacation; from beach trips and hiking to pool days and long bike rides, there are endless possibilities as to how you can fully enjoy the sun and warm weather.
But what if you want to go camping or on another spontaneous overnight trip? How can you effectively manage your sleep apnea while traveling? Thankfully, technology has made this easier. One of the first hiccups that might come to mind regarding camping with sleep apnea is the possible lack of electricity—a valid concern, to be sure.
How You Camp with a CPAP or AutoPap
Most parks in the United States now have some form of electricity available for their guests, so check ahead before you camp to see the situation regarding the availability of electricity around your campsite.
Camping in a tent instead? No worries - there are portable options for power, such as a converter. Some CPAP machines can also plug into the energy from a car battery if you really want to rough it out in the wild. But what if you don’t want to lug around your entire CPAP setup?
ApneaMed can help with those travel situations with an AutoPAP machine. You can set up this machine in your hotel, tent, or even camper, and it detects vibrations within the air (such as from snoring and apneas). Once the AutoPAP senses these disturbances, it can then change the air pressure in the room, noting when the vibrations have stopped. This is helpful since you can be sleeping in different positions and places when you’re participating in summer travel!
Even wrapped up in a sleeping bag or stretched out on a blowup mattress, the AutoPAP can sense the vibrations in the air and then make changes as necessary to decrease any disturbance in sleep.
The AutoPAP also has a built-in humidifier, which can be helpful in locations where the air might be a bit drier than you’re used to - and which can then make your airway drier. The increased amount of air from the AutoPAP can also dry out your airway, so the humidifier is perfect for maintaining a healthy respiratory tract.
Are You a Truck Driver?
Are you a truck driver and need the printouts from your CPAP machine for compliance? No problem while you’re on vacation; the AutoPAP has a chip inside of it, allowing you to be still able to travel with friends and family and stay on track with your DOT paperwork.
Tips to Make Vacations Easier
Whether you decide to take your CPAP machine along on vacation, or your AutoPAP, you need to remember to keep them clean. Having a storage area just for your mask, hose, and machine of choice can help keep items together and reduce the risk of getting lost or dirty with other travel items.
If you notice that taking along your machine, mask, and hose are a lot for consecutive trips, consider a nasal mask. While this will still help you breathe more easily at night, it can also help save space.
Speak with your PCP if you think a nasal mask (versus the full face mask) might be better on those days or weeks that you’re traveling throughout the summer, and let ApneaMed provide you with the equipment to make your summer travel plans happen. Get out and go with no worries!