1.  Maintain regularity - wake up and go to bed at the same time everyday.
2. Create a dark sleeping atmosphere to encourage the release of melatonin before bed.
3. Create a cool sleeping environment (18 degrees celsius) to initiate good sleep.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.
5. Do not stay in bed awake. Watch Matthew Walker, one of our favourite professor of neuroscience and psychology speak about these sleeping tips.

At CPAPmachines.ca, the number one asked question we’re is: would we recommend the AirSense 10 Auto or DreamStation Auto? Which one is better? Which CPAP machine is right for me?

Both machines sit at the top of our best seller’s list month after month. Today we will discuss some of the similarities and differences of both machines to hopefully help you decide which CPAP machine is right for you.

About The Manufacturers

AirSense 10 Auto is made by ResMed, a well-established brand primarily manufacturing equipment for respiratory conditions like sleep apnea. ResMed has manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Australia, France, and the United States.  

Philips Respironics makes the DreamStation Auto. They are an American company, and also a leading manufacturer of an array of respiratory equipment including ventilators and now, household appliances.

Product Warranty

Our machines offer a 3-year manufacturer warranty for both brands.  It is important to note, the 3-year warranty is exclusive to CPAPmachines.ca and is not the default manufacturer warranty. ResMed gets a notable mention as they offer an extended 2-warranty for a total of 5 years for a nominal fee.  

Product Features and Design

The AirSense 10 Auto and DreamStation Auto are both quiet and loaded with comparable features and technology. Both models have their power buttons on top, round dials on the front and LCD colour screens to display compliance info (AHI, leak rate, average usage, hours, usage data etc). They also both come with installed SD cards, accommodate heated and standard hoses, are easy to clean, and offer apps for online support and tracking of sleep data. Both machines are compatible to most styles of CPAP masks.  

The obvious difference between the two models are the design and profile of each machine. The AirSense 10 Auto comes in black or an off-white with floral design “For Her” version. It encompasses a sleek, tall and slender profile, whereas the DreamStation Auto only comes in glossy white and has a shorter, wider profile.  

The humidification of the DreamStation Auto can be detached simply by disconnecting it from the main unit. This option is an important feature for those who travel frequently. This process is less convenient for the AirSense 10 Auto as the humidification is built-in. If you wish to disconnect the humidification from the main unit, you’ll need to purchase a side cover for it. 

Another difference is that the DreamStation Auto offers a ‘ramp’ button on top of the unit next to the start button and AirSense 10 Auto does not. This ‘ramp’ button on top can easily be turned on/off accidentally, where you need to enable/disable the function through the menu on the AirSense 10 Auto. 

In terms of included carrying solutions, The AirSense 10 Auto comes with a durable, well-constructed travel bag while the DreamStation Auto has a flimsier, lighter travel bag.

Our Verdict

Both brands offer very reliable CPAP therapy and both brands have their own loyal customers and following. It truly comes down to personal preference - what you like to see on your night stand, the style and small feature differences of each unit. 

Hopefully after reading this, you can decide for yourself which CPAP machine will be right for you. Both machines will manage your Sleep Apnea and significantly improve your sleep health if used correctly.

Shop for both the AirSense 10 Auto and DreamStation Auto on CPAPMachines.ca today. We offer the lowest prices on CPAP Machines in Canada and free shipping across the country.

From the CPAPmachines.ca clinical team.

By Arthur Allen, WebMD Feature Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS

Clues You Might Have Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Do you wake up in the morning with a headache, feeling just as tired as when you went to sleep? Has your spouse moved to the room next door, exhausted by listening to you snore, gasp, and choke every night?

If so, you may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) -- a condition where the upper passages of your airway close off, interrupting your breathing and depriving you of oxygen until you wake up and start breathing again. Sleep apnea affects more than 18 million American adults.

How can you tell if you have sleep apnea? The only real way is to have a sleep study, a test that records what happens while you sleep. But there are some common signs of sleep apnea, experts say.

The three main warning signs of obstructive sleep apnea are:

• Loud, persistent snoring
• Pauses in breathing, accompanied with gasping episodes when sleeping
• Excessive sleepiness during waking hours

• Should everyone who snores see a sleep specialist? No, say the experts. “Most people who snore don’t have obstructive sleep apnea, but most people who have apnea snore,” says Robert L. Owens, MD, of the Sleep Disorders Research Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. If you have chronic snoring that is loud enough to wake a bed partner, talk to your doctor.

  Like snoring, the most definitive sign of sleep apnea -- waking up to breathe -- is often witnessed by a bed partner. People with sleep apnea frequently wake up for a few seconds to gasp for air. This can happen hundreds of times a night in people with severe sleep apnea, Owens says.

  “If someone witnesses you waking up repeatedly at night, it’s very suggestive of obstructive sleep apnea,” he tells WebMD. “Increasingly, I get wives who come in with little movies on their cell phones that show what their husband looks like at night. That’s very convincing.”

  If you don’t have a bed partner to catch your gasping or snoring on camera, the only signs of sleep apnea you may notice are morning headaches or extreme sleepiness during the day, says Lisa Shives, MD, medical director of Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Ill.

  Sleep specialists use the Epsworth Sleepiness Scale to measure daytime sleepiness. People with extreme sleep apnea are likely to doze off in the middle of meals or conversations, Shives tells WebMD. Moderate daytime sleepiness, such as the desire to take an afternoon nap, doesn’t necessarily mean you have obstructive sleep apnea.

If you wake up with a very dry mouth and gummy front teeth, it may also be a sign of sleep apnea, Shives says. “My little phrase is, ‘It’s very hard to gasp through your nose.’ People who have obstructive sleep apnea tend to sleep with their mouths open.”