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a CPAP machine sitting on a chair and then CPAP machine cords coming out of a nightstand drawer, places to put your CPAP

Setting Up Your CPAP in Different Situations

I would think most people reading this article sleep in the same room night after night. I keep my CPAP in a nightstand. My CPAP's nightstand has a deep drawer where it fits very nicely inside. When I go to bed, I just have to open the drawer and leave it open all night while I'm using it. 

My CPAP is hidden during the day

When I wake up in the morning, I neatly put everything in the drawer and close it. I like that my CPAP is hidden during the day. I even have a small hole drilled out of the back of the nightstand so I can run the power cord through it. That was a great little hack to keep the CPAP plugged in all the time. It also keeps the wires hidden from view. This setup has worked for me for a long time.

Storing my CPAP when I was in college

When I was in college, I used my CPAP sparingly. You can read about that in my older articles. I was self-conscious about having to use a CPAP. I would keep it in one of those milk crates that most college students use. This was a convenient way to store my CPAP machine.

I would keep it in this milk crate and cover it with some clothes during the day and slide it under my bed. No one would ever see it sitting out. At night when I tried using it, it was easy to slide out and use. If you are in college, this could be a good setup for you.

Traveling with CPAP

I have a travel bag that I use to transport my CPAP when I travel. I always pack an extension cord. There have been a few instances where there were no outlets next to the bed. If you travel, I'd highly suggest keeping an extension cord in your bag.

I am disabled, so I use a wheelchair to get around. The wheelchair has come in handy as a makeshift nightstand for my CPAP. When I wake up in the morning, it's relatively easy to quickly pack up the CPAP into my travel bag. I don't like leaving my CPAP sitting out, especially when the cleaning staff is straightening up the room.

When I am a guest in someone's home

The above scenario also works when I'm staying at someone's home. I also pack the CPAP up during the day if I'm staying there for an extended period of time. I can't stress enough about bringing your own extension cord. When you are staying at someone's home, you don't want to be unplugging their alarm clocks or lamps that are usually near the bed. The extension cord gives you more options. 

If you need a makeshift nightstand, a standard chair works well. I usually don't like leaving my CPAP on the floor. If someone wakes up in the middle of the night, it can be a tripping hazard or even be broken.

How do you set up your CPAP? Do you have any tips while traveling? Do you currently use any of my methods?

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