10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Sleep Apnea

The holiday season is usually a magical time of year, but for those with sleep apnea, insomnia, or other sleep conditions it can be a challenging time. The stress, travel, and general chaos of the season can result in many challenges; difficulty sleeping, adjusting to a new time zone, and worse chronic fatigue are just some of the problems they may face. To ease getting through this busy time of year, here are 10 holiday gift ideas for sleep apnea to give thoughtful items for both home and travel.

Traveling with CPAP

If your loved one uses a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, traveling to be with loved ones adds added pressure. Traveling with a CPAP requires planning, stocking up on supplies, and sometimes a TSA check.

There is additional stress as we have to think about how to set up the machine in a new place and plan for the worst (i.e power outages and lack of distilled water).

Further, the holiday season means cold and flu season, along with the risk of COVID-19, which can complicate our quality of sleep.

10 holiday gift ideas for sleep apnea

If you want to show a loved one that you support them and their care, consider gifting them some items from the list below. Whether for Christmas, Hanukkah, or just because, they will appreciate your effort and care!

1. Make a holiday care package with their favorite items, like melatonin, a sleep mask, or tea. These would also make great stocking stuffers
2. Comfortable, quality pillows (or a body pillow)
3. Gift card to their favorite pharmacy or general store like Walmart (medical supplies are expensive!)
4. Aromatherapy diffuser and oils (To help them relax before bed, lavender is a particularly relaxing scent.)
5. White noise machine
6. Sunrise alarm clock
7. A weighted blanket
8. A journal (to get those anxious thoughts down before bed)
9. UV blocking glasses
10. For the reader in your life: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams By Matthew Walker (a book I’ve recently read that helped me understand the importance of sleep)

If they use a CPAP machine for their sleep apnea, consider the list below:

• Distilled water (I personally have had some difficulty finding distilled water lately for my CPAP machine.)
• A CPAP pillow, Vicks Vaporub diffuser, or a humidifier (This helps my breathing when I am sick, and helps me avoid getting Vicks on my machine.)
• CPAP travel bag and an extension cord (for those hotel stays)
• CPAP backup battery in case of no electricity
• If you are hosting someone with a CPAP, give them the gift of empathy
• Provide them with a space to sleep away from others (if possible), near a wall plug, and have distilled water available for their use
• Include some melatonin, tea, or other items to help them sleep better

Free gifts: your love and empathy

Your loved one will appreciate any gift that shows how much you support them in their sleep apnea journey. Medical supplies are expensive and sometimes these items remain on our wishlist for a long time. Further, it can feel lonely to have a sleep disorder. Showing your loved one you care will mean more to them than you know.

Even better, if you can sneakily find out their favorite items, you can easily use this list and that knowledge for stocking stuffers, a larger holiday-themed care package, and even beyond the holidays for a care package that fits any event.

Happy Holidays!

Do you have a holiday wish list? Suggest your holiday gift ideas for sleep apnea in a story or comment below.