Many of you might not be aware of the ramp-up feature and how it can help improve your ability to fall asleep. Read on to learn all about the special feature.
The modern and advanced CPAP are bi-level machines that come with a comfortable setting known as a ramp. This feature allows the machine to start at a much lower pressure and then slowly increase the same over a course of time.
If the pressure of CPAP will be lower, it will be much easier for a person to fall asleep. Once you have slept, it is easy to increase the pressure in a range that your upper airway is comfortable and does not collapse during sleep.
These CPAP machines are available in different quality, sizes as well as pricing. Not all of these machines come with a ramp feature. Also, the ability to access the feature depends from device to device. Hence, it is always advisable to speak with the medical equipment provider or a sleep specialist like Blooms the Chemist who can help you in accessing the settings.
The ramp feature can be used once the machine is turned on. Also, this feature can be easily initiated by a simple reset button on the external surface of the machine. Besides this, you can easily access all the settings on the device’s display screen. Most of the providers adjust the pressure and duration of the ramp before you use it for the first time.
Things to consider
There are two things to keep in mind while adjusting the ramp settings. The first most important thing is to make sure that the starting pressure is comfortable. The starting pressure could be a little lower than the pressure that supports your breathing. The lowest ramp setting is 4 centimeters of water pressure.
Moreover, the duration of this starting pressure will also vary in the intervals of 5 - 45 minutes. While adjusting the duration you have to keep in mind that this should be slighter longer than the time taken by you to fall asleep.
If you feel so much pressure, this would likely mean that the ramp is too short for you. Nowadays, the new and modern devices come with an automatic ramp trait, which detects any change in your breathing and treats this as an indicator that pressure can be turned up.
Why use a ramp?
Doctors recommend that patients use the ramp and make their sleeping process smooth and comfy. Once the ramp has done its job, the device will automatically increase the therapeutic pressure. In case you wake up at night and feel that the pressure has turn into uncomfortably high, you can easily reset the ramp and lower the pressure again. So in case you are someone who gets up after every 2-3 hours at night, this is a very desirable feature for you.
However, you have to ensure that you do not overuse the ramp feature. Excessive use of anything is bad and can cause problems. Hence, it is always advisable to consult a sleep specialist.