29 Jun Never Let Sleep Apnea Absolutely Destroy Your Love For Camping
Summer is the season where Canadians pack up their cars, stock up on bug spray and head to a campsite to get some fresh air and commune with nature. If you are worried that your sleep apnea will get in the way of your outdoor adventure, here is how you can continue your treatment and sleep soundly in the woods.
Prepare Your CPAP Devices:
The first thing you should you do is make sure you have convenient CPAP devices that you can travel with — you can get the best CPAP supplies in Toronto and other Ontario locations before your next trip in the great outdoors. Choose portable CPAP therapy treatments like the Philips Respironics Dreamstation Go, Transcend II Travel CPAP Machine, the HDM Z1 CPAP Machine or the ResMed AirMini. These devices are smaller and lightweight so that you can easily put them in a backpack and set them up in your tent-space.
You should also get a convenient battery pack from the CPAP store to power your machine during the trip since your campsite is likely not located near any electrical outlets. Get one with plenty of storage like the ResMed Power Station II Battery Pack, which can power your device for twenty-four hours before needing to be recharged — this would be a perfect fit for a weekend get-away in the woods.
Remember that when you go camping with CPAP machines that dust particles, pollen and other allergens can get inside of the filters, so you should clean them once you get home. The sponge filter can be washed with some mild soap and warm water and then dried before being placed back inside the machine. If you go on camping trips often, you can simply buy a separate filter to swap out whenever you decide to head to the great outdoors.
Plan Your Camping Space:
One way to sleep better while camping is to strategically choose the spot where your tent is resting — the ground needs to be flat, soft and free of annoyances like rocks, pinecones and twigs. You don’t want to discover these distracting problems in the middle of the night when it’s too dark to move the tent. You can also cushion your tent floor by bringing an inflatable air mattress, sleeping mat or memory foam roll-out to put under your sleeping bag. It’s important to check if your air mattress has any holes in it, so give it a test-run before you go camping to avoid waking up on the cold ground.
Stay Warm:
Even when you are camping out in the middle of the summer, temperatures at night can dip dramatically. Pack a sleeping bag designed for the particular season and climate, so that you aren’t shivering until daybreak. If you are still upset about the cold when you get there, you can try a clever trick to make your tent comfortable by heating up some water, safely transferring it to a hot water bottle and then placing it at the bottom of your sleeping bag when you plan on turning in. As an added precaution, a pair of thick wool socks and flannel pajamas will go a long way no matter how cold it is.
Studies have shown that spending time outdoors can be great for your health, especially when it comes to your sleep patterns. Going camping can correct your internal clock and increase your melatonin, which makes it easier to get a good night’s rest. So, you shouldn’t be discouraged to grab your sleeping bag and pitch a tent this summer — in fact, you should be excited to plan your next trip for the sake of your sleep apnea.