CPAP is a very effective therapy for sleep apnea , but it does have limitations. One of the biggest limitations is that it depends on power to run. That’s why it’s not always good for camping trips, and it can be a real drag when a big snowstorm knocks out the power for a night or two.
But here are few potential solutions to make sure you continue sleep apnea treatment in the event of a power failure.
Backup Generator
We know, this might sound a little extreme at first, but if you’ve ever had to go without your CPAP for a few days, you’ll realize that it’s not that far off. Really, though, as a realistic option for ensuring power to your CPAP, this isn’t really justifiable for most people, unless you live in an area where power outages are common and you need a backup anyway.
Battery Backup
A battery backup is the next best thing to a backup generator. The batteries are charged and ready to go–all you have to do is hook it up to your CPAP.
There are some limitations, though. Using a full size CPAP can drain your battery’s power quickly, especially if the batteries have gotten depleted sitting around without use.
Solar Power
One good way to ensure your CPAP backup batteries always have power is to hook them up to a solar power charger. This will keep your batteries at maximum charge so they’re ready whenever you need them.
Disadvantages are that this is a little expensive just to make sure you have charged batteries, and, of course, it won’t run your CPAP at night.
Travel CPAP
Travel CPAP machines are smaller and lower-powered versions of your normal CPAP machine. Because they use less power, they can last longer on battery backup, sometimes even 8 hours, though the battery life depends on the model and your pressure settings.
Oral Appliances
But if you want a convenient, comfortable, and effective alternative for when the power goes off, an oral appliance is probably your best choice. An oral appliance doesn’t need batteries at all, which means that you don’t have to worry about batteries dying on you in the middle of the night, or worry about what you’re going to do if a power outage stretches into a second night.
For travel or for emergencies, nothing beats an oral appliance as a CPAP backup. And here’s a little secret: many people who try it as a backup find that it works so well and so comfortably, they never want to go back to their machine.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of oral appliances for sleep apnea, please call (402) 493-4175 for an appointment with an Omaha sleep dentist at the Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center.
