How to Weather the Storm

Electricity. It’s something we never think about until we lose it or when we pay the bill. We go about our day turning on lights, watching TV, grabbing a cold drink from the refrigerator, charging our devices, and using our CPAP. 

I know I lie down every night and grab my CPAP mask without ever thinking about electricity until we are experiencing a power outage. It’s not something I panic about. However, I do dread the next morning.

Backup power sources for my CPAP

I live in an area where we don’t regularly lose electricity. So this isn’t an issue that I think about often. I have thought about purchasing a small portable power station. While researching them, most will only power a CPAP for 3 or 4 hours.

There is the option of having a gas generator, but for me, that cost doesn’t warrant the benefit. Plus, smaller gas generators are really loud. If you live in a smaller neighborhood, I’m sure your neighbors would not appreciate the noise all night.

Nights when my power goes out

On the nights that I have lost electricity, I try to sleep with an extra pillow. I also keep water next to the bed. When I don’t use CPAP, my throat gets very sore from snoring. I also experience dry mouth when I don’t use CPAP.

Obviously, the worst part is that I’m not getting proper rest. I usually wake up multiple times throughout the night, which is not normal for me. I almost always sleep soundly when using CPAP. The lack of restful sleep causes me to wake up with a headache.

Rough morning after a night without CPAP

Waking up the following morning without CPAP is not pleasant. I am really tired and I feel like I could just turn over and fall back to sleep. Even if I drink water throughout the night, my throat is the worst in the morning. It’s extremely sore and usually feels swollen. Talking is difficult at first. My voice will be very raspy. These are all symptoms that I know to expect during a power outage.

Planned power outages

Now, if I knew that the power would be out for a second night, I would book a room at a nearby hotel with power. I know not everyone can spare that expense. However, when I think about what it would cost to purchase a portable power station or even a gas generator, a rare stay at a hotel is a cheaper solution.

Planning for a power outage can be tricky. If we know a storm is coming and there is a threat of power outages, we can plan on some contingencies. However, if there was a car accident nearby where someone hit a utility pole, that’s not something we can really plan for. Hopefully, there are some things that work for you to help you sleep when you are unable to use CPAP.

I also would love to hear how you plan or any hacks you have discovered when dealing with power outages. Let’s just be grateful we don’t have to plan on these disruptions often.