Wildfire season brings more than just flames—it also introduces harmful smoke and poor air quality that can disrupt your CPAP therapy. For CPAP users, protecting your equipment and ensuring continuous, clean airflow is crucial during this time. In this post, we’ll explore ways to safeguard your CPAP therapy from the effects of wildfire season and keep your sleep on track.
Wildfire Risks for CPAP Users
Wildfire smoke is a harmful mixture of gases, particles, and pollutants. The tiny particles in wildfire smoke, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5), can easily enter homes and buildings and travel deep into the lungs, potentially even entering the bloodstream.¹ This can exacerbate respiratory issues and interfere with the effectiveness of CPAP treatment.
Wildfires can also cause unexpected power outages, creating additional challenges for CPAP users who rely on their devices for sleep therapy. To ensure optimal sleep, CPAP users need to take extra precautions during wildfire season.
Steps to Secure Your Sleep During Wildfire Season
1. Use Air Filters to Block Particulate Matter
If you live in or near an area with wildfire activity, consider upgrading to a CPAP machine with advanced filtration features. The ResMed AirSense 11, for example, offers improved air filtration, ensuring that the air you breathe while using CPAP is cleaner and safer, even during wildfire season. It features:
- SmartStart: Starts automatically at a low pressure as soon as you put on your mask
- AutoRamp: Starts your therapy at a low pressure, and then ramps it up once you’re asleep
- EPR (expiratory pressure relief): The pressure is reduced as you exhale to make breathing easy
- SmartStart: Starts automatically at a low pressure as soon as you put on your mask
- AutoRamp: Starts your therapy at a low pressure, and then ramps it up once you’re asleep
- EPR (expiratory pressure relief): The pressure is reduced as you exhale to make breathing easy
Get your new AirSense 11 for just $399 down! Buy now, pay later. Click below to learn more:
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2. Prepare an Emergency CPAP Travel Kit
Home CPAP devices often need extra parts and can weigh you down, but travel CPAPs are lightweight and easy to take with you in an emergency. ResMed’s AirMini is the world’s smallest CPAP, and comes with everything needed to use it. It also has all the advanced features of an Auto CPAP:
- Smallest CPAP ever: The AirMini is the size of a soda can and weighs less than a pound.
- Auto-titration: The AirMini automatically adjusts the pressure to your needs breath-by-breath.
- Advanced comfort features: With AutoRamp, Expiratory Pressure Relief and SmartStart, the AirMini has all the features of a home unit.
- Smallest CPAP ever: The AirMini is the size of a soda can and weighs less than a pound.
- Auto-titration: The AirMini automatically adjusts the pressure to your needs breath-by-breath.
- Advanced comfort features: With AutoRamp, Expiratory Pressure Relief and SmartStart, the AirMini has all the features of a home unit.
Pay just $399 down today and get your AirMini shipped out right away!
3. Regularly Clean Your CPAP to Stay Healthy
Keeping your CPAP equipment clean is essential, particularly from wildfire smoke pollution. Regularly clean and replace your CPAP filters, masks, and tubing to ensure they remain effective in filtering out pollutants. A device like the Lumin can simplify your cleaning routine by sanitizing your CPAP components without water or harsh chemicals. It features:
- Simple and Quick: Lumin kills 99% of bacteria in a one-touch 5 minute cycle
- UV Technology: specialized UV-C light source targets harmful bacteria, viruses, mold, and fungus
- Complete compatibility: No adapter needed
- Simple and Quick: Lumin kills 99% of bacteria in a one-touch 5 minute cycle
- UV Technology: specialized UV-C light source is targeted to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, mold, and fungus
- Complete compatibility: Lumin fits all major mask types and humidifier chambers
Save $70 when you buy the Lumin today!
4. Invest in Portable Power Solutions
CPAPs need a lot of energy to run through the night, and normally that’s from a standard wall outlet. But if your power goes out or you need to use your CPAP on the go, you’ll need another power source. The Zopec Explore Mini Battery can provide you with all the power you need through the night, with helpful qualities such as:
- Compact: Sleek design that weighs only 1 lb, optimizing portability without compromising power
- Compatible: Use the Zopec with any CPAP or BiPAP
- Versatile: Enjoy seamless compatibility with a wide range of devices, effortlessly adapting to different voltage requirements
- Compact: Sleek design that weighs only 1 lb, optimizing portability without compromising power
- Compatible: Use the Zopec with any CPAP or BiPAP
- Versatile: Enjoy seamless compatibility with a wide range of devices, effortlessly adapting to different voltage requirements
Save $40 when you buy the Zopec Explore Mini Battery today!
5. Use an Air Purifier in Your Room
Using an air purifier in your bedroom can significantly improve air quality, especially while using CPAP therapy. To maximize effectiveness, place the purifier near your bed and set it to a higher setting during wildfire season. Ensure the purifier has a HEPA filter, which can capture fine particulate matter.
Air purifiers like the PuroAir are designed to:
- Filter up to 99% of smoke, pollen, dust and odors
- Automatically adjust based on air quality
- Promote better sleep by reducing respiratory discomfort
- Filter up to 99% of smoke, pollen, dust and odors
- Automatically adjust based on air quality
- Promote better sleep by reducing respiratory discomfort
Sources:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Why wildfire smoke is a health concern. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/why-wildfire-smoke-health-concern
