Do you suffer from sleep apnea? Don’t lose sleep and turn to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. These are essential medical devices for the treatment of sleep apnea, a condition characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. The best treatment for sleep apnea is to use CPAP machines which can improve cognition, lower high blood pressure and minimize the risk of stroke in addition to improving sleep quality.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts regularly. These pauses can last from a few seconds to several minutes and occur several times during the night. You might have sleep apnea if you snore loudly and still feel exhausted after a full night’s sleep. The two basic forms of sleep apnea are:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): This is the most common type of disease. This happens when the muscles in the back of the throat relax too much, completely or partially blocking the upper airway. This blockage can cause snoring, choking, or difficulty breathing while you sleep.
Central sleep apnea (CSA): This is a less common condition in which your brain poorly diverts impulses intended for the breathing muscles. It’s not often linked to snoring, unlike OSA.
What causes sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. These muscles support the tonsils, soft palate, uvula, tongue, side walls of the throat, and the triangular piece of tissue that hangs from the soft palate.
When you relax your muscles, your airways narrow or close when you inhale. You don’t get enough air, which can cause the oxygen level in your blood to drop. Your brain detects that you are having trouble breathing and quickly wakes you up to allow you to reopen your airways. Usually this revelation is so fleeting that we don’t remember it.
You may choke, sniffle or gasp. Throughout the night, this sequence may repeat 5 to 30 times or more every hour. It is therefore difficult to enter the phases of deep and restorative sleep.
Also read: Is it sleep apnea or insomnia? Know the difference
What is a CPAP machine?
One of the most doctor-recommended and affordable treatments for obstructive sleep apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
CPAP machines come in two varieties: manual and automatic. While automatic CPAP machines automatically change pressure in response to changing needs throughout the night, manual CPAP machines deliver air at a constant pressure throughout the night.
Top 5 CPAP or Sleep Apnea Machines in India
When it comes to comfort and restful sleep, choosing the ideal CPAP or sleep apnea machine can be difficult. Here we have featured some of the best sleep apnea device brands available in India.
1. Resmed Airsense 10 auto adjustment
One of the best devices for sleep apnea in India is the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset as it has unbeatable cutting-edge technology. This automatic CPAP device has two operating modes: autoset and CPAP. Additionally, the company also offers a two-year tenure. The mask must be purchased individually. Resmed Airsense includes Expiratory Pressure Relief (EPR), which makes it easier to exhale against pressure. Intelligent event detection with climate management, auto ramp, simple humidification settings and ambient light display with quick access to sleep data are some of the machine’s additional key features.
2. Philips Dreamstation Automatic CPAP
If you trust famous brands, Philips Dreamstation CPAP is perfect for you. The machine sends you daily feedback reports, which you can access through the DreamMapper app. The machine has an EPR and an Auto ramp. It weighs approximately 1.33 kg and has a noise level of 26.1 dB. Featuring multiple humidification settings and a preheat function, its heated humidifier is removable. The machine is compatible with the heating tube.
3. OXY-MED BPAP device with CPAP
OXY-MED machine has gained immense popularity in the Indian market. Its comfort and longevity are attributed to the German Turbine and the Swiss sensor. The unique detachable design of this sleep apnea device provides customers with the utmost ease and makes it an ideal travel choice. The user experience is further enhanced with a removable heated humidifier, which also eliminates the need to remove the chamber to refill. This design choice improves usability. The machine has all the premium features including CSA detection, preheat, leak compensation (up to 60ml/min), auto on/off ramp time and pressure relief up to 3cm H20 .
4. BPL Medical Technologies Automatic CPAP Machine
The BPL Harmony CPAP machine features a simple operation screen and a unique body design. The machine weighs 1.55 kg and has a noise level of 28 dBA. The device has all the necessary settings, including a preheat mode that allows you to warm up the humidifier before using it. The absence of a heating tube means that the machine does not have air conditioning. However, the humidification levels can still be maintained between 0 and 8. It can be included in a list of the best CPAP or sleep apnea machines because of features such as altitude and auto-humidification levels automatic.
5. BMC GII Automatic CPAP Machine
BMC GII Auto CPAP machine is one of the budget-friendly machines. Some of the main key features of this machine are auto on/off, EPR, and 60 minute ramp time. Additionally, the BMC GII Auto CPAP also offers a QR code scanning feature for the iCode app to get sleep data. However, features such as altitude compensation and leakage compensation are not available. When combined with the humidifier, the device weighs approximately 2.5 kg. It is a bit noisy due to its noise level of 30 dB.
How to choose a CPAP machine for sleep apnea?
Before you decide to go for a particular model, you should consider the factors listed below:
As we rise, the air becomes thinner. Because a CPAP machine does not have sufficient ambient air, the patient will receive air at a lower pressure than specified. If you travel frequently or live in a high altitude area, be sure to get a high altitude CPAP machine.
On some machines, purchasing a humidifier is an option, but it may not be available at all on others. Before purchasing the machine, you should ensure that the supplier has the desired accessories.
Continuous air pressure entering a patient’s mouth or nostrils can make breathing difficult. A ramp time option on some CPAP machines can help you resolve this issue.
(Disclaimer: At Health Shots, we are constantly working to clear up the clutter for our readers. All products listed are carefully selected by the editorial team, but use your discretion and expert advice before using. Their Prices and availability may differ from those at the time of publication. If you purchase something using these links in the story, we may earn a commission.)