If you lose sleep every night due to sleep apnea, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re with almost 18 million other Americans struggling with the common sleep disorder. It can be extremely frustrating to wake up in the morning and still feel exhausted. Fortunately, there are numerous solutions on the market to help you get the rest you need such as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines and related products. Here’s how to use your CPAP masks properly for the best effect.

Make sure it fits right.
Sometimes when you order CPAP supplies online, you end up with a mask that isn’t customized to your face shape. Take your mask to your doctor to have it correctly fitted and contoured.

Use it enough.
Almost 8 out of 10 patients have admitted they don’t use their CPAP machines enough to make a significant difference. It’s recommended that, over a 30 day period, you wear the mask 70% of the time for at least 4 hours each night.

Check the pressure.
The pressure setting on your CPAP machine majorly affects how effective it is. Again, this is something you should check with your doctor about. He/she can let you know if you need more or less pressure than what you are currently using.

Keep it clean.
If you’re using your CPAP machine as frequently as you should be, you also need to clean it often. A good rule of thumb is to clean the mask and tubes once a week.

Have the necessary accessories.
Side effects like dry mouth and nasal congestion are very common in sleep apnea patients using CPAP products. You can try a humidifier or a nasal decongestant to lessen the irksome issues and make your usage more comfortable.

Adjusting to using a CPAP machine night after night can take time, and patience! But waking up feeling rested is well worth it. Speak to your primary care doctor about what types of CPAP masks would be best for you or consider ordering your CPAP supplies online. Whichever you choose, you’ll soon be happily sleeping through the night and keeping your sleep apnea under control.