So many things happen to the human body that we may or may not be aware of when we’re awake, and just as many curious things happen when we’re asleep. For example, ever had someone tell you they can’t sleep next to you because you snore too loudly? Of course, everyone snores now and then, especially when they’re tired. But sometimes, it can be a symptom of a more serious health condition.

If your partner or roommate thinks that your snoring is obnoxious even if you’re well-rested and not sleep-deprived, there are a couple of possible culprits for this. According to ResMed, one of these is sleep apnea, a condition that more than 936 million people in the world have. So what is sleep apnea, and should you be alarmed?

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder involving an abnormal breathing pattern: the frequent stopping and starting of breaths cause the snoring effect, resulting in poor sleep quality. More importantly, it also affects the body’s oxygen supply, making its impact on your health and well-being a severe cause for concern.

Sleep science has studied the disorder and narrowed the symptoms and causes into three distinct types: obstructive sleep apnea, where the throat muscles relax, blocking the upper airway; central sleep apnea, which is caused by the brain “forgetting” to tell the diaphragm and rib cage muscles to contract and produce an inhalation; and complex sleep apnea, which is a mix between central and obstructive sleep apnea.

Commonly, most sufferers from sleep apnea are men above 40 years old, people with obesity and different medical conditions (Parkinson’s disease, a recent stroke or a tumor, a heart disorder, or a neuromuscular disease), and those who smoke drink frequently, and have a family history of sleep apnea. The most common symptoms for any type of sleep apnea include:

• Fragmented sleep
• Excessive daytime drowsiness (hypersomnia)
• Poor sleep quality (waking up not feeling refreshed)
• Morning headaches
• Restless sleep
• Mood changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Chronic fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• High blood pressure
• Nighttime sweating
• Waking up with a dry mouth
• Waking up abruptly by gasping or choking
• Low sex drive

How Can Sleep Apnea be Treated?

All treatment options aim to normalize the breathing pattern during sleep and, depending on the symptoms, address any underlying health problems. Treating sleep apnea can vary from simple changes in sleeping positions and diets to buying oral appliance therapy machines. It all depends on whether your sleep apnea is mild, moderate, or severe. Below are some of the most common treatments for sleep apnea.

Oral Appliance Therapy

There are two types of oral appliance therapy: mouth devices and continuous positive airflow appliance (CPAP) therapy. The first one involves mandibular advancement/ repositioning devices and tongue retaining devices, both of which adjust the jaw and tongue to stay in place to prevent throat constriction and increase the upper airway space. They’re often preferred because they’re inexpensive and easier to maintain.

Oral appliance therapy, however, is only used as alternatives. The main treatment option to address sleep apnea is continuous positive airflow (CPAP) therapy.

CPAP therapy is a specific type of oral appliance therapy and is currently the most effective treatment for sleep apnea, whether for mild or severe cases. If you’ve seen photos of the device, it may seem hard to imagine that people can sleep comfortably while using it. However, CPAP technology is constantly being improved and updated, so they’re more comfortable to use during sleep. The device uses a hose attached to either an airtight nosepiece or a face mask, which delivers a stream of air. The pressure keeps the airway open and prevents any obstruction that causes pauses in breathing.

It takes time to get used to a CPAP device, and new users first have to be eased into it by using it for short half-hour periods while awake, before lying down, and during naps. It’s completely programmable, so the air pressure can be reset at a low level first before ramping up to more potent levels.

There are several CPAP machines out there for sleep apnea. In assessing a CPAP device, there are four main things you must take into account: sound, humidification system, weight and size, and therapy tracking. Ideally, you want your CPAP device to be as quiet, light, and compact as possible to help you sleep peacefully. Essentially, this is where the significant difference between new and old CPAP models and generic and premium models is the strongest.

You can see this in one of the most advanced CPAP machines with revolutionary sleep therapy technology: the Philips Respironics DreamStation.

The Philips Respironics DreamStation

The Philips Respironics DreamStation is a system of positive airway pressure (PAP) devices designed for sleep therapy. There are only two things that you need to know about the DreamStation: the system is exceptionally user-friendly, and all the devices come with the most advanced premium features in the market. Its specifications include:

• 25.8 decibels
• Optional humidification system
• Lightweight: 1.56 lb (3.16 lb with humidifier)
• Small size: 7.6 x 6.2 x 3.3 in (11.7 x 7.6 x 3.3 in with humidifier)
• Boxy shape
• Glossy white design
• Swivel connections for heated tubing

The DreamStation comes with a pump section, a mask, a 15 mm hose, reusable filters, a small power supply block, and comes in a handy carry case. Unfortunately, the added humidification system and heated tubing come separately, meaning you’ll have to shell out a bit more if you want it added to your machine.

Philips Respironics offers two models of the DreamStation: the DreamStation Pro CPAP and the DreamStation Auto CPAP. The Pro model is a fixed pressure machine set to pressures set by the sleep physician, while the Auto model can automatically adjust pressures throughout the night. In addition, the DreamStation Auto is 18% smaller than the other model and has more advanced data-recording features to track your sleep data.

Regardless, both models come with advanced technology and excellent recording and sensory features. Getting the Pro model doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re missing out on advanced features because the two models’ only significant difference is the auto-adjusting ability.

How to Use the DreamStation?

First, make sure you’re placing the DreamStation at an optimal bedside placement. It should be within reach and lower than the level you’re sleeping at but above the ground. Putting it on the floor will let dust particles into the machine and contaminate the water chamber. If you have a bedside table with two shelves, the lower level is where the device should be. It also should not fit snugly into the compartment and should have significant room between the sides of the machine and the shelf walls, if there are any. This is so that air can get into the filter, so the device doesn’t get too hot.

To get started, if you have the humidification system, simply push it against the pump section until you hear a click to lock it in place. Next, insert the power cord into the green port, connect one end of the tubing to the top of the humidification system, or, if you’re using it without humidification, at the back of the pump section.

The next step is to fill in the water chamber. All you need to do is open the latch on top, pop the water chamber out of the machine, wash it first with warm water and soap, and fill it to the max with distilled water. Then, place it back onto the compartment, close it shut, and the next thing to do is to connect that other end of the tubing to the mask.

The DreamStation has a feature that lets you check the mask fit by allowing the machine to check various pressures until it gives you a green tick. If you don’t get a green tick, keep adjusting the mask until the device senses that you’re wearing the mask properly without any risk of leaks when it ramps up when you’re asleep.

Turning the machine on doesn’t require too much of an effort— in fact, all you need to do is start breathing, and once the device senses that the mask is in use, it automatically turns on. But, of course, it also automatically turns off if it doesn’t sense any breathing activities.

To clean the unit, take the water chamber out of the machine again and wash it with warm water and soap. The chamber has to be passed, and the water has to be replaced every day. For the filter, look for the rectangular blue portion on the side, lift the compartment up, and pull the filter out. Filters are washable and should be cleaned every week but have to be changed every 30 days, although you can change it more often if you live in a dusty area.

What Are the Features of the DreamStation?

The DreamStation has a lot of features you should know about. Here are they:

Flex features

Philips is a pioneer of flex features or pressure reliefs, which is often a make-or-break feature for most people. What can make a CPAP machine claustrophobia-inducing is that it’s difficult to inhale and exhale when there’s pressure coming from the mask. The DreamStation either does a C-flex by dropping the pressure when you breathe out or an A-flex by lowering the pressure at the end of an inhalation. It’s extra-sensitive to your breathing pattern and makes breathing inside the mask feel natural.

Mask Fit Test

The mask fit feature makes sure to keep the possibility of mask leaks at a minimum. The device will perform a mask fit check for 40 seconds and measure the amount of leaks. As long as the evaluation is in the green range, you’re good to go.

SmartRamp

The consistent increase of air pressure causes an uncomfortable and possibly suffocating experience with older CPAP machines. The DreamStation solves this by increasing the air pressure only when it senses that the airway is closing up and an interruption is about to occur. Then, the machine will stay at a very low pressure until it senses that you need more pressure because an interruption is approaching. This way, you’re not constantly being exposed to uncomfortable pressure levels.

Only the DreamStation Auto has this feature. The Smart Ramp is optional, and you can also use the Standard Ramp, which periodically increases the pressure every couple of minutes.

Dream Mapper Application

Upon getting a DreamStation, make sure to download the Dream Mapper from the app store on your phone. The app sets alarms to set up the machine and sends reminders to clean the unit and wash or change the filter. It also provides educational posts and videos about sleep therapy. It’s also beneficial when it comes to troubleshooting the machine.

All the recorded data about your breathing patterns, breathing interruptions, sleep position changes, and other factors to track your therapy progress on your device also show up on the app.

Menu System

On the front of the machine is an LCD screen and a rotating dial to move through the icons on the main menu. There are icons for the different sections in the main menu: My Info, Preheat, My Provider, and My Setup.

My Info

My Info shows therapy hours, the Apnea-Hypopnea Index, Mask Fit, and periodic breathing.

• Therapy hours - This shows how many hours you’ve clocked in the night before or the total therapy hours in over a week or a month.

• Apnea-Hypopnea Index - This is how many interruptions or respiratory events there are per hour. The goal is to get the number as low as possible. For example, 5-15 interruptions count for mild apnea, 16-30 for moderate, and 31 and above for severe.

• Mask Fit - This displays the value of leaks, which is the percentage of time that the mask leak was so high that the machine could no longer accurately identify respiratory events. It starts at 100% and goes lower throughout the night if the mask is not sealing well. The goal is to keep it as high as possible in terms of percentage.

• Periodic Breathing - This shows the percentage of time that the user experienced periodic breathing, broken down into one day, seven days, and 30 days.

Preheat

Preheat lets you preheat the humidifier chamber for 30 minutes, so you instantly get humidification when you go to bed. To activate, click the button, rotate clockwise, and press again to turn it on.

My Provider

This section in the main menu provides information about where you got the machine from. It also contains device information such as the serial number, model, software version.

My Setup

This section contains all the programmable features of the DreamStation. Make sure to try out the different settings to see which you agree with best, depending on the data that shows up on the My Info section.

• Ramp - This lets you change the ramp value and the coordinated pressure. There is a ten-centimeter range, which determines how slow or fast you want the machine to ramp up the pressure.

• Flex - The DreamStation Pro only has the C-Flex, while the DreamStation Automatic has both the C-Flex and the A-Flex. You can adjust the flex features from one to three, representing how much pressure you get as you breathe out.

• Humidification - This senses whether you’re using the heated tube or not. If it senses the heated tube inserted, it locks it into place. If not, it switches to Adaptive or Fixed mode: Adaptive mode lets the machine monitor the ambient humidification in the air and adapt to it, and Fixed mode lets you set a fixed temperature of the heat plates.

• Mask type - Philips Respironics masks come with a resistance value that ranges from one to five. These numbers let you set your preferred air pressure relief based on the mask.

• Tube type - This senses what kind of tube is inserted into the machine. If a heated tube is being used, it also locks it into place. If not, it can change from 15 to 22ml, depending on the thickness of the tube.

The other features let you change the language, set the Bluetooth mode on, and set the date and time.

What Are the Advantages of Using the DreamStation?

Now, why should you opt for the DreamStation as a treatment for sleep apnea? Here are some of its advantages:

• User-friendly design - This is what jumps out the most to potential buyers. People tend to shy away from machines that are too complicated to operate, and there’s an added anxiety of letting an uncharted machine run while you’re unconscious. Instead, the DreamStation prides itself in being extremely user-friendly that you won’t need more than an hour to learn how everything works if it’s your first CPAP machine. The buttons are visible and labeled, the dials are not too daunting to use, and the menu system uses a good layout with easy-to-understand icons.

• Quiet - Easily, one of the primary reasons why many people don’t want to buy CPAP machines is because they’re clunky and noisy, which is troubling if you or your partner is a light sleeper. The DreamStation is a whisper-quiet machine and won’t bother you too much throughout the night.

• Extra-sensitive algorithms - All of the DreamStation’s best features rely on its ability to record every detail of your breathing cycle. For example, the A-flex, C-flex, and the Smart Ramp feature tune into everything that happens in your sleep and adjust to even out your breathing. Its efficiency in recording data through these features makes self-diagnosis and home tests easy.

• Acclimation - The range of how customizable the DreamStation makes new users quickly get acclimated to CPAP machines. The DreamStation Auto comes with comfort features such as EZ-Start, A-Flex, and SmartRamp. While data-recording diagnoses your sleep apnea levels, the comfort features ease you into the airflow pressure and get the number of sleep interruptions down.

• No condensation with heated tubing - Extra moisture from the environment can be bad news for your CPAP machine, especially during rainy months and winter. If you’re using a device with a humidification system during these seasons, there can be annoying water condensations throughout the system. Systems that come with heated tubing like the DreamStation ensure that your machine runs efficiently no matter the weather.

• Auto-adjusting - While it’s necessary to know how to fix your CPAP machine settings according to your recorded data, the DreamStation knows that not every night is identical. There can be several differences in respiratory events and sleep interruptions between two consecutive nights. According to what it detects in terms of weight changes, colds, allergies, or changes in sleep positions, the auto-adjusting features immediately adjust the CPAP pressure levels.

• Size - The DreamStation is designed for every person suffering from sleep apnea, accommodating design and function needs. Some people refuse to try CPAP therapy because the large, bulky, and noisy machines seem counterproductive to what it’s trying to cure. The DreamStation, however, is notable for its small and sleek design and is lighter than most models in the market, making it comfortable and convenient enough to place beside your bed.

• 12-volt machines - The DreamStation’s size makes it highly portable, but so does its voltage. A 12-volt system is the most widely used even while traveling because it’s the safest voltage for DC circuits and when you’re running appliances directly from batteries. You can take the device with you anywhere as long as you keep a DC cable handy.

What Are Its Disadvantages?

Possibly the most significant disadvantage to using the DreamStation despite its fantastic features is its price range and needing to buy extra accessories separately.

However, considering you’re getting the best features out there in the market, it’s a worthy investment. The DreamStation’s structure is also made to last and is built to withstand problems commonly experienced by CPAP machines, so a simple, cost-effective analysis will say that you’re shelling out more money to have the best user experience in addressing your sleep apnea.

Takeaway

Curing sleep apnea can be costly, starting from doctor’s appointments to paying for overnight sleep studies and buying devices to keep the symptoms at bay. Most sufferers of both OSA and CSA hesitate to have their conditions checked because the solutions seem expensive and uncomfortable, as in the case of CPAP machines. However, sleep apnea will not go away independently and can worsen other severe medical conditions over time.

It’s best to address the problem earlier on, and investing in a costly CPAP machine may even be cheaper compared to, say, surgery and other medications that overlap with other expensive health conditions. The Philips Respironics DreamStation saves you from any heavy expenses by addressing the symptoms earlier on with its advanced features.

Want to try treating your sleep apnea? Read ”How Does Resmed AirSense 10 Treat Sleep Apnea?” to learn more.