Travel is a huge topic in both the media and our minds right now. We are all in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and are being presented with more information every day regarding our safety. Countries, borders, and states are being shut down. The media is overloading us all with rules and restrictions, tips and tools. We are being given daily briefings that not only include the latest updates, but a multitude of warnings and advice. While everyone is processing all this information in their own way and taking what steps they believe best for themselves and their loved ones, there are some things that prove to be true for everyone. Health and precautionary measures are not to be taken lightly.
If we have learned anything during this crisis it is the importance of cleanliness. Once we beat this virus regular life will return to us. Travel is going to fill our daily lives once more with the routine or escape we have been craving. The obligations will return. It is important to plan now for the future and take all opportunities to optimize and prioritize our health. If you are anything like me, I plan for it all. Once I am given a new contract, destination, or itinerary—the trip preparations must begin. I make sure to make lists of anything I may need and even plan as to which bag it will be going in. Prescriptions, equipment, and accessories, everything has its place.
So what does all this have to do with cleanliness and the CPAP? We already know the rules when traveling, that keeping your most needed items on person is crucial at all times during flights. You wouldn’t want to land in a new destination to find your CPAP in your checked luggage and your checked luggage missing in action. CPAP machines fall into not only the category of important personal belongings but are important for your medical needs as well. Your CPAP can be carried on with you. Your CPAP should be carried on with you. Sleep8 even offers a handy travel kit for doing so. According to TSA guidelines a CPAP is classified under medical equipment and it will not count as a personal item, giving you even more space to stay organized. So pack your bags, your travel kit, and get ready to go.
It is important to remember that while travelling, your CPAP accessories need to be treated just the same (if not better than) as if you were home. Sanitization of your accessories on a regular basis is important. It is recommended that you sanitize every 24 hours. The CPAP’s humid environment creates optimal home for the growth of bacteria. Sanitization is already highly advised during your everyday routine and is that much more important during travel. Your travel case can be used keep your CPAP tucked safely inside and unexposed to outside germs.
While preparing to use your CPAP during travel, it is important to remember that the more places that you move through and the more people you come into contact with, the greater your chance (and your machine’s as well) to be exposed. Surfaces and space in an airplane, or even a rental car may not be sanitary to the standards we keep at home. You do not know for certain what you are coming into contact with outside of your home space and it is best to err on the side of caution. Buildup over time of germs and bacteria whether from outside sources or even solely from use of the tubing can lead to a number of less than favorable results including sinus infections and mold buildup. Using care and some simple sanitization assistance will not only keep you safe but will also help keep your machine running the best it can.
Sleep8 offers a quick and easy solution that can be used from home or on the go. The Sleep8 Cleaning Companion offers a quiet and simple cleaning solution. Its cordless and waterless design eliminates most of the common inconveniencing factors one could experience with other cleaning devices. It is highly portable and easily packed making it perfect for travel, including in your carry on. It cleans using the power of active oxygen and is ready to perform with one click. No adapters are needed, and it can clean both heated and non-heated tubing. The Sleep8 Cleaning Companion is compact and lightweight all while bringing you the same type of sanitization technique that is used in the hospital, skincare, and food and beverage industries. In a time when it can be hard to even find the most basic of cleaning supplies, it is nice to know that it can all be so simple.
We may be in the midst of some trying times however we must continue to look forward. Take care of yourself and those around you. Pay the utmost attention to your health. Make sure you are using the proper tools and information to get through. We will make it through together. Here’s to restful sleep and many sanitary nights to come.