What is Sleep Apnea?
CPAP Therapy is the Gold Standard for treating Sleep Apnea.
Untreated, Sleep Apnea makes you 2-4x as likely to be involved in a car accident, 3.7x as likely to suffer a stroke, and 50% more likely to suffer psychological distress. Roughly 25% of Canadian adults suffer from some form of Sleep Apnea, and yet only 20% of sufferers have been diagnosed. So what’s happening with this common but under-recognized condition?
While awake, our throat muscles act to keep our airway open, making breathing easy and natural. During sleep, our muscles – including those in our throat – relax. In some people, this causes the airway to narrow or close, obstructing air flow. When this happens, our heart rate and blood pressure increase, blood oxygen levels drop, adrenaline surges, and our brain wakes us up to kick-start breathing again. In severe cases, this cycle can happen over 30 times per hour, putting significant strain on our cardiovascular system and preventing the deep, restorative sleep we need to function the next day.
How does CPAP Therapy treat Sleep Apnea?
The gold standard for treating Sleep Apnea is PAP Therapy (Positive Airway Pressure). With PAP, a small bedside device delivers positive airway pressure through a mask that you wear while you sleep. The air pressure acts as a splint to keep your airway open, preventing the collapse of the airway and allowing for full and normal breathing during sleep.
Depending on the severity of your Sleep Apnea, you may stop breathing anywhere from 5 to 90 times or more PER HOUR on average throughout the course of the night (this is called Apnea Hypopnea Index, or AHI). With PAP Therapy, we aim to get your AHI below 1…giving you a deeper, longer, and more restful sleep.
What Benefits will I see with Compliant CPAP Therapy?
With compliant CPAP Therapy, you’ll see the alleviation of many (or all) of the symptoms of Sleep Apnea, including:
- Reduced Headaches
- Reduced Daytime Sleepiness (fewer naps!)
- Reduced Snoring
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Improved Alertness and Energy
- Improved memory and concentration
“Am I going to look like Darth Vadar?!”
“Am I going to look like Darth Vader?!” This is a common concern we hear from new CPAP users. Many people have the image of wearing these large face-covering masks with loud breathing machines beside their bed.
Fear not! In 2025 we have CPAP Machines that are just slightly larger than your iPhone, and masks that sit comfortably under your nose. Some of the newer technological advances in CPAP Therapy include:
- Travel CPAP Machines. The AirMini from ResMed weighs in at just 0.66 LBS (300 grams) and measures 5.4” x 3.3” x 2.1”. Bluetooth capabilities provide you with a sleep report on your cell phone every morning, keeping you in touch with your therapy.
- Wireless reporting. New CPAP machines include a wireless cellular modem built into the device. This modem allows your therapy provider to wirelessly view your Sleep Therapy data real-time, to help address any issues with mask fit or Apnea events.
- CPAP Cleaners / Sanitizers. These devices make daily CPAP cleaning easy, killing 99.9% of bacteria throughout your CPAP system, prolonging equipment life and ensuring safe and effective therapy.
- Lighter, smaller masks. CPAP masks come in a huge number of varieties, ensuring a fit for everyone. Top-of-head connection, hollow frames, and under-the-nose cushions are just some of the newer developments in mask design, making CPAP therapy more comfortable and less invasive
Tips for CPAP Compliance
CPAP works – but only if you use it. That’s where we come in. If you are having difficulty adjusting to or regularly using your CPAP Machine, come and speak with us. Common compliance issues occur due to:
- Dirty supplies. Maintaining clean equipment and supplies is critical to your CPAP therapy
- Old supplies. Mask cushions and headgear stretch over time, compromising fit and comfort. Health Canada and Manufacturer recommend replacing Mask Cushions every 3 months and the entire mask system every 6 months.
- Machine Settings: your CPAP team at FPM Solutions can adjust various settings to make your experience more comfortable, including Pressure Ramp, Humidity, Pressure, etc.
- Improper Mask Fit: Mask Fit is the single most important factor to successful CPAP Therapy. Your FPM Solutions CPAP care team is specially trained to find the right mask FOR YOU!
- Lack of Humidification: Heated Tubing delivers constant humidity from your machine to your mask and lungs, alleviating uncomfortable dry mouth
If you’ve been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, you need to get it treated. We understand CPAP may not be the most exciting thing in your life, BUT it might be once you realize the benefits of a good night’s sleep. That’s where we come in.
