CPAP break on vacation? What your body really thinks…

Are you planning a trip, a camping trip or a cruise and hesitate to drag your CPAP machine along?
After all, a few nights without treatment is no big deal, right?
And yet…
Putting your CPAP on hold, even temporarily, is like asking your heart, your brain and your mood to go camping… without a tent.

The consequences of not treating sleep apnea

You’ve probably heard that leaving sleep apnea untreated is a bit like ignoring a red light… but the healthy version!
Here’s what can really happen to your body if you leave your CPAP machine at home :

1. Cardiovascular

1 in 3 people with severe sleep apnea see their blood pressure rise after just 7 nights without treatment.
Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2021
Return to normal: between 6 and 12 weeks of assiduous CPAP treatment.

2. Cardiac

A few weeks without CPAP can increase your risk of:
Atrial fibrillation (AF)
Stroke
Source: The Sleep Society of Canada, 2022
Return to normal: again, between 6 and 12 weeks of consistency.

3. Psychological

After 3 to 5 nights without treatment:
Irritability
Concentration problems
Depressive symptoms
The return to mental clarity may take 2 to 4 weeks of regularity.

4. Diabetes and metabolism

Untreated sleep apnea upsets blood sugar levels and increases insulin resistance, especially in people with diabetes.
Fragmented sleep =
Fluctuations in blood sugar levels
Less energy to move
More cravings

5. Drowsiness & safety

Without CPAP, alertness decreases, even after a single night of non-treatment.
This increases the risk of road accidents, errors at work, and micro-sleeps during the day.
The brain then goes into economy mode… and you, into danger mode.

The proven benefits of regular CPAP treatment :

0% reduction in the risk of stroke after 6 months of adherence (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine)
0% of patients report a reduction in hypertension after 3 months
0% of regular users report a significant improvement in energy, mood and quality of life
0% reduction in daytime sleepiness after the first week of treatment

Vacations ≠ health break!

The good news is that there are now lightweight, efficient and compact travel solutions so you can continue your treatment wherever you sleep.

In a nutshell:

Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean your sleep apnea is taking a vacation.
Even a few days off work can wipe out weeks – or even months – of progress.
Take care of your sleep. You’ll get it back… and so will those around you!
Because deep sleep is much more than a luxury. It’s a life treatment.