My sleep apnea friend: The Resmed S8 Elite

Well, I can assure you one thing, the Resmed S8 Elite wasn't my friend for about a few months for sure. Man I even hated it, my nose was sore, I was sneezing all day, every morning a dry mouth, but I got used to it.

I'm using the basic CPAP machine, so I don't have a Humidifier, in combination with a Swift II Mask, which is very comfortable because it isn't a full face mask. The Resmed s8 Elite is one of the smallest CPAP machines on the market today. This comes in handy if you travel a lot. To set it up, you connect the power cable, the 2 meter long air tubing, connect the mask to the other end of the tubing and you are done.

Also cleaning is very simple. Every 6 months I change the filter in the back of the machine. Every week I take a shower with the air tubing. That works way better than cleaning the 2 meter tubing in a wash-stand, your bathroom won't be a swimming-pool after the cleaning ;-)

Cleaning the Swift II mask is a daily task. You can disassamble the mask completely. It contains 6 parts. I use some hand-soap to wash all the parts in the morning, place it on a towel and in the evening before going to bed I quickly assamble the dry mask and done.

Overall I'm very happy with the Resmed S8 Elite. Ok, that you need to use it might not be great, but one thing I now for sure is that I'm waking up in the morning much more refreshed as ever before!

5 Self-Help Sleep Apnea Treatment Tips

You might already wonder if there isn't anything you can do to reduce some Sleep Apnea Symptoms? But ofcourse you can! Here are 5 tips which might be usefull for you!

1. Lose Weight! Yes, it's that simple! Even if you loose 10% of your overweight, this can reduce Sleep Apnea dramatically!
2. Go to bed on regular times! Take control of your sleeping times. Let your body get enough sleep on standard times and you will reduce Sleep Apnea!
3. Try to sleep on your side. Theres a trick you can use to take control of that. Get a tennisball and bind it on your back as simple as that sounds, it works!
   
4. Don't use alcohol, quit smoking and stop using sleeping pills!
5. Buy a didgeridoo! Really, no joke! Some Swiss medical scientists found out that it helped by reducing collapsibility of the upper airways.

Do you have more tips to support a Sleep Apnea Treatment?

What I did to get a Sleep Apnea Treatment

So how did I get a Sleep Apnea Treatment? Well, since Sleep Apnea is getting more known in the medical area, I was lucky that my doctor already knew something about it. She actually recognized some of the Sleep Apnea Symptoms I was suffering from, and she told me to visit a lung doctor who specialized in Sleep Apnea.

He conformed the symptoms, and let me do some more tests. He wanted some blood samples, messured my lung condition and weight. (Most people suffering from Sleep Apnea are overweighted). Then he told me about some treatments:

• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
• Dental appliances or jaw adjustment devices
• Surgery
• Oxygen administration

The most common Sleep Apnea Treatment is still using a CPAP. This device blows continuously pressurized air trough a mask that you wear over your nose or face. This is a long-term treatment, which I got now.

The dental appliances or jaw adjustment devices opens your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. Some fit inside your mouth, while others fit around your head and chin.

Surgery increases the size of your airway by surgically removing tissues. My lung doctor isn't very happy to offer that because of the pain it causes and the results over time where minimal.

Oxygen administration is rarely used, you get oxygen trough your nose by using small sprongs.

My tip for you if you think you have Sleep Apnea: Try to find a lung doctor who is specialised in Sleep Apnea! He can and will offer you the best Sleep Apnea Treatment there is!