My Experience With Heated CPAP Tubes

Sleep and I have an elusive relationship and using my CPAP has provided a long list of never-ending issues. One of the new issues started a few months ago. Waking up with cold air blowing from my machine is the worst. I thought I had found a cheap fix by using a CPAP tubing cover, and for the immediate need, it worked.

However, after a few weeks, I would wake up and find that the tube cover had slipped down the hose. And as I tossed and turned, the zipper kept hitting me in the face. After adjusting it and trying to put a rubber band on it to hold it at the top, I gave up. I tossed it in the trash. Since I wasn't close to refilling my CPAP supplies, I went online and ordered the heated hose.

Why I started with a CPAP tube cover

While out of town, my machine first started blowing out cold air, and at the time, the cheapest and quickest fix was ordering the CPAP tube cover. It looks like a huge sock for your tubing.

For less than $10, it was a great fix. It stopped the cold air from blowing and made the air blowing from my machine comfortably warm. It was great until it wasn't.

The tube cover would not stay in place

If cold air is blowing on you, it's a reasonable option to try. However, I sleep so wild with my restless legs syndrome; I toss from side to side throughout the night. The more I moved, the more the CPAP tube cover started to slide down. So the air would start out warm when I fall asleep, and then after a few turns, it would slide down, and the air would start to cool down.

At first, I tried using a rubber band at the top of the hose cover to keep it in place but to no avail. It would still slip down, and the rubber band would snap from the friction.

Looking for a better option

When first researching online, I saw a heated tube available for the Air Sense 10 machine. I can replace the tubing every 3 months, and having just replaced my supplies, I decided to look online. I found one on Amazon for $44 and got it the next day.

I swapped the tubing out of the machine, and it worked perfectly. Purchasing a heated tube for $45 was the best investment I could make for the comfort and usability of my machine.

The heated CPAP tubing is perfect for me

Even though I suffer from night sweats, it's so uncomfortable to wake up with ice-cold air blowing in my face. The heated tubing works perfectly for me; the air blowing out of the machine is the perfect temperature, and I don't have to fuss with the tubing cover throughout the night on top of adjusting my mask.

Navigating life with CPAP

Using the CPAP brings about many issues that you would never think about when beginning to use your machine. For example, I've had to adjust how it sits on my dresser to keep from pulling the machine off. I've had to switch to a mask that connects overhead because it's more comfortable as a rolling side sleeper.

So when my machine started blowing cold air, this was a totally new thing. Some days the frustration of using the machine and all the hang-ups that come with it can be overwhelming. Depending on how you sleep, both options could be viable if you've ever dealt with freezing cold air blowing on you.

Have you ever experienced an issue with your machine blowing cold air, and if so, what did you do to fix it?