Pinch Me, I Have Sleep Apnea: St. Patrick’s Day CPAP Survival Guide

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestmail

st-patty-(3)-top

$T2eC16hHJG8FGrys7K7+BSOE-0QJn!~~60_59

Enjoy a Pint but not a Gallon

Over 5.5 million pints of Guinness are drunk every day around the world and of course sales spike on St. Patrick’s day. The classic slogan is “Guinness is good for you,” but we all know there can be too much of a good thing. In fact, alcohol can actually worsen the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea – mostly because it further relaxes the back of your throat. Enjoy a pint or two, but then you might want to transition into a teetotaler . Second only to Guinness is a nice cup of Irish tea. The average Irish person drinks 4-6 cups a day so what better way to celebrate the Irish. Start with your pint and end with a “cuppa tae.”

372809

Set Up Early so You Can Get to Sleep

Getting you CPAP set and getting into bed can be a time consuming process. So get your CPAP ready before the festivities begin. Make sure everything is clean and connected and poised for action. Then when you are full of corned beef, cabbage, boiled potatoes and soda bread you can just flop into bed for a good night’s sleep. If you want to make cleaning your CPAP a breeze, check out the SoClean 2. It is the CPAP equivalent to a pot of gold.

 

morning-sun-ireland_35187_990x742Don’t Give Up on CPAP

Did you know that 34.7 million people in the US claim Irish ancestry? That is over SEVEN times the population of Ireland. If you have Irish ancestry, you are not alone. Similarly, if you use a CPAP you are in good company. Over 10 million people have a CPAP. The bad news is 80% of patients don’t use it enough to keep them safe. When you get discouraged, look to your CPAP compatriots for inspiration. CPAP changes lives. You just need to find the settings and supplies that work for you!

 

brooklyn-st-patricks-paradeMaintain Your Marching Stamina

Are you participating in a parade? The last thing you want is to start to fade before you reach the end of the route. Sleep apnea is linked to poor aerobic fitness and when you don’t use your CPAP it makes it hard to get your exercise. Make sure you use your CPAP the night before the parade even if you are only walking in a short one. Like the parade in Dripsey, Ireland that spanned a scant 25 yards between the town’s two pubs.