Truckers and CPAP
by Bearcat42
Some truck drivers spend many nights in different motels or truckstops during the course of their job. Sleeping in an environment different from your home is bad enough but for the truck driver it can be even more problematic due to the sheer volume of different locations and situations. Different environments can play a large part in Cpap therapy in that he or she has to deal with things such as air quality in a motel room,highway or train noise,or even water for a humidifier.
Not all truck drivers have sleepers on their trucks. Some drivers have what is called a "day cab",or just a cab with no sleeper attached. In this configuration a truck driver who must stay away from home must sleep in a motel and is therefore at the mercy of the motel as to what kind of room he or she will get. Some motels may have outdated establishments where the rooms are musty,with poor air quality. A driver may even run into the problem of non-smoking room's not being available. A smoking room should always try to be avoided when using Cpap.
Also,A driver who has a day cab type of truck may also be short on room in his or her truck. Some trucks are vastly different than others in that manufacturers of trucks such as Western Star generally have ample room in the cab for extras such as luggage and a Cpap machine with its accessories,whereas Mack trucks are much smaller inside and extra room is nonexistent.
A must for any truck driver who may have to stay in a motel is a hose hanger of some sort. I personally use a hanger made from PVC pipe,which can be found at most hardware stores. I used 1/2 inch PVC and it stands about 16 inches tall. The legs slide underneath the mattress so that my hose hangs with no problems. Many motels who have beds with headboards will attach the headboards to the wall and therefore have no way of supporting a hose. There are many different ways to hang a hose for Cpap therapy and it depends on your preference but is nonetheless important because hanging the hose will help significantly reduce any rainout you may experience. Rainout is basically condensation that forms inside the hose as you breathe and collects inside the hose.
If you are a driver using Cpap,on vacation,or even a salesmen who travels,it is important to carry distilled water with you to use in your humidifier,if your machine is equipped with one. Using city water from a motel will most certainly cause mildewing and bacteria growth much faster in your humidifier tank. It may also be a good idea to use Aroma Therapy while in a motel setting. Aroma therapy uses essential oils which act as a desensitizer to help you fall asleep and can be even more beneficial when used in a motel environment. The essiantial oil is placed on what is called a diffuser pad then placed in front of the air intake of the Cpap mschine. This keeps any oil from entering the machine,humidifier,hose,or mask.