CPAP product reviews and other helpful tips for CPAP users!

With the advancement of technology in sleep medicine, patients with Sleep Apnea can now pick up and travel with ease. In the upcoming weeks, travel-specific CPAP machines will take center stage on our blog. We will go through our best selling travel units to help you decide which machine best suits your needs. From a short weekend camping trip to a long overseas flight, we've got you covered! Our first featured machine requires little introduction - the AirMini™ Auto Travel CPAP. 

AirMini™ 

ResMed released the incredible AirMini™ unit in Canada in the spring of 2017. It is the most compact CPAP device ever manufactured and is designed to perform like a traditional bedside device – at a fraction of the size and weight.  This AirMini™ focuses on exclusivity, only compatible with 3 ResMed style masks and 1 dedicated travel tubing. Follow us today as we customize the AirMini™ with some of the many available accessories making this travel companion more luggage-ready!

AirMini™ App

While having the app is not a requirement to operate the AirMini™, the handy AirMini™ app allows for convenient control of your device.  Download the app on iTunes or Google Play to your smart device for instant access. The app allows you to adjust a range of comfort settings and view nightly sleep data informing you how well you slept.

HumidX™ and HumidX™ Plus Moisture Tablets

Besides it's itty-bitty-ness, the AirMini™ (and all other travel CPAPs) differs from it's bigger bedside sister in one other way -  no built-in humidification.  But this machine has a solution: waterless humidification technology which ResMed calls the HumidX™ System. Exclusive to the AirMini™ device, HumidX™ and HumidX™ Plus are heat and moisture exchangers (HME for short) designed to provide comfortable and effective humidification while using therapy. Connect a HumidX™ tablet between your CPAP mask and hose for up to 30 days of moisture. More on how HMEs work in an upcoming blog.

Premium Travel Bag or Hard Case

What good is a travel-sized CPAP without its own luggage? 

The sleek and stylish premium travel bag will keep all your CPAP equipment together in one spot. It features various compartments for the AirMini™, tubing, your CPAP mask and power supply. This bag also has strategically-placed pockets for personal items and a comfortable shoulder strap. The biggest bonus of this travel bag: not only do most airlines allow it as a carry-on, it's also considered fare-exempted luggage!

Want added insurance while on the road? ResMed also offers a durable and water resistant hard case to protect the AirMini™ from spills, bumps, bruises and scratches. 

Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite™ Cordless Backup Battery  

Another popular accessory is the overnight battery; the Medistrom Pilot -24 Lite™ made by Choice One Medical.  This revolutionary pocket-sized backup power supply and portable travel battery for the AirMini™ holds up to 9 hours of juice in just a 2-3 hour charge.   Backup batteries, like this one (which is our favourite for reliability and battery life), add some piece of mind if you're trekking to remote locations (camping, RVing, boating, air travel) or where main power is not available.  Also handy during a blackout.  Recharges with the ResMed AirMini™ AC adapter. 

We can all agree technology has made its way into the world of better sleep. With such amazing new products and accessories, traveling with CPAP therapy is easier than ever.  

Another travel CPAP review next time!  Stay tuned.

Often when we get busy with our lives, our sleep tends to be one of the first thing that suffers. Work, family life and social commitments seems to come first and sleep falls to the wayside. Did you know your sleep health is vital to being healthy and is just as important, if not more than diet and exercise?  When we sleep, our bodies are regenerating, repairing and healing itself. Prolong lack of sleep will spread and erode your health in the form of chronic illness and diseases. The brain alone requires sleep to function properly – to maintain body temperature, our immune system and to keep our hormones balance. If you wake up each morning not feeling refreshed and energized, suffer from morning headaches and a constant state of excessive daytime sleepiness, have difficulty concentrating, you should consider speaking to your physician to see if a sleep test is right for you. If you have the  following symptoms and on top of that are overweight and have heart issues or family history of sleep apnea, consult your doctor immediately about getting a sleep study.

What is a sleep study? A sleep study is an overnight sleep study at a sleep clinic or a take home device that electronically records the body's activity during sleep. A report is generated on your brain activity, eye movements, heart patterns, oxygen and carbon dioxide blood levels, major muscle movements as well as breathing and snoring activity. This test can detect common sleep disorders and treatment are available.

If left untreated, sleep disorders can result in a growing number of other health issues:

• High BP
• Depression
• GERD
• Diabetes
• Frequent urination at night
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - Sleep apnea is very common in people with MS for another reason. MS attacks myelin -- the coating that surrounds and protects nerve cells. It leaves behind scars called lesions in your brain and spinal cord. Damage from MS can make it harder for your brain to control your breathing while you sleep.
• Chronic Pain

It is imperative to start a discussion with your physician if any of the signs and symptoms apply to you. Eating well and exercise won’t matter if your sleep health is deteriorating.

CPAP Sanitizer & Cleaner Machine Review: The Lumin™

Today we will be reviewing the Lumin™ CPAP cleaner & sanitizer, providing our pros and cons of this unit from our own experiences, including feedback from our clients across North America. 

Earlier this year, we started carrying a relatively new sanitizing device called the Lumin™ (made by 3B Medical) as an alternative to the very popular SoClean 2 CPAP sanitizing device. The Lumin™ is a sanitizer for everyday household objects like toothbrushes, baby bottles, smartphones, dentures etc... but is also marketed as a CPAP equipment cleaner.   

According to the manufacturer, the Lumin™ CPAP Cleaner & Personal Sanitizer is a waterless sanitizing device that operates by emitting a high energy light within a narrow spectrum referred to as UV-C. They claim this UV light will disinfect up to 99% of detrimental bacteria, pathogens and fungi that can cause infection and illness on items placed inside the chamber.

Simply place household items you wish to sanitize into the chamber, close it and press start and the special UV bulb does all the dirty work.  The manufacturer describes this method as the safest disinfection option on the market. 

Lumin CPAP Cleaner Review: Here’s What We Think 

What Are The Pros Of The Lumin™? 

• It's a quick 5-minute cycle to kill most bacteria and mould on a surface: It takes the same amount of time to brush your teeth in the morning so you can easily sanitize items while you get ready for work or while you are giving your children breakfast. 
• Minimal set-up: It took a couple of minutes from taking it out of the box to our very first sanitizing cycle. The instructions are easy to follow and self-explanatory. 
• Versatile device: You can clean and sanitize almost anything you have around the house - sunglasses, headphones, baby bottles, cell phones etc. 
• It is competitively priced compared to the SoClean 2: Besides the bulb, there are no replacement parts, such as filters and adapters.
• No lasting smell: There is no odour associated with the usage of the Lumin™. 

 What Are The Cons Of This CPAP Cleaning Machine? 

• Cleaning is limited: The Lumin™ CPAP Cleaner and Personal Sanitizer cannot disinfect the inside of your CPAP machine because the UV light cannot reach the inside.  You can use the device to sanitize your mask, standard hose and water chamber.
• The drawer opening to the chamber is not very big: There are limits to what you can and cannot fit into the chamber. This can be frustrating for some users.
• Metallic lining can cause scratches: We found that, if you're not careful, you can scratch yourself or your stuff on the drawer's metallic lining.  As long as you're not rushing, this shouldn't be an issue.

Our Honest Verdict: What We Really Think Of The Lumin™ CPAP Cleaner & Personal Sanitizing Device 

Overall, we think the Lumin™ is a great cleaning product for CPAP equipment but is it right for you? Well, that depends.

In our opinion, if you have little children or elderly family members who are susceptible to getting sick, it is a handy device to have in the house to keep bacteria at bay.  The Lumin™ will help keep you healthy and keep your mask from smelling like an old running shoe. But if you're looking to disinfect your CPAP machine inside and out -- motor and all -- you might want to consider an alternative like the SoClean 2.