As more people understand the severity of sleep apnea, they are seeking treatment for the condition. However, the most common treatment, CPAP, is a bulky piece of equipment. It can make your bedroom look cluttery, or potentially like a hospital ward. Either outcome probably contributes to your reluctance to try CPAP. Fortunately, more manufacturers are designing and marketing nightstands specifically designed to conceal your CPAP machine.
Pioneering Furniture
Perdue Woodworking, a South Dakota manufacturer, designed the first nightstand specifically for CPAP equipment. We first saw the announcement in the Furniture Times. They introduced the nightstand at the industry’s trade show January 26-30, 2018.
J.P. Engler, who suffers from sleep apnea and uses CPAP to treat it, designed the nightstand. He was unhappy with the way the equipment, in his words, “makes your bedroom look like a hospital ward.” In this new nightstand, there is a shelf for the CPAP machine, along with a second shelf for supplementary equipment, such as cleaning supplies, distilled water for the humidifier, extra hoses and masks.
The cabinet has slots that allow the hoses to thread through the side of the nightstand, so the equipment can remain hidden, even when you’re wearing the mask.
There is also enough room in the nightstand for two machines, so that a couple who were both using CPAP could store their equipment inside the nightstand together. Although arranging it so that the hoses would not get tangled may be a bit of a challenge.
A Growing Trend
Since 2018, more people understand the importance of sleep apnea treatment. Growing numbers of people seeking treatment leads to more people using CPAP, and a greater demand for furniture to house and conceal CPAP machines. Now there are many options for CPAP nightstands.
Menards carries this rustic knotty pine CPAP nightstand. Erdman offers a CPAP nightstand that comes in an array of colors. You can buy it from several websites, including Wayfair. IKEA even offers an option, although it’s not specifically for a CPAP machine. The nightstand has a drawer that allows cords and hoses to go through the back. The IKEA piece is a fraction of the cost. Of course, you have to put it together yourself.
Sleep Apnea Treatment That Doesn’t Require Dedicated Furniture
CPAP is the right sleep apnea treatment for some people, but for many others, there is a better way to treat your sleep apnea. And this one doesn’t require a piece of bedroom furniture to hide it.
Oral appliance therapy can be as effective as CPAP for many people, and it just requires a small case, no larger than one you might use for reading glasses.
The basic problem in sleep apnea is that your airway collapses at night. Because the soft tissue of your airway is supported largely by your jaw when you sleep, repositioning your jaw can help your airway stay open. An oral appliance is something you put in your mouth that holds your jaw forward so your airways stay open better.
This simple solution also means there are no hoses, no pumps, and no need for additional humidifiers.
To learn whether you are a candidate for this simpler solution to sleep apnea, please contact the Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center in Omaha today.
