Re: Sleep Apnea Test

I've never heard of a cloth CPAP mask.  All that I've used and seen advertised have a soft plastic insert to a a hard plastic shell.

There are other devices that supposedly help prevent apnea and here's a discussion of a type that you can find in a lot of places.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/news/20030716/mouth-devices-...

The advantage of a sleep clinic over a home test is that the 'operator' watches what is going on with all of the 21 wires that are attached to you and can make adjustments - particularly to the air flow going into your mouth.  The can increase or decrease the air pressure which is valuable for fitting you with a breathing device should you go that direction.  Any monitoring system should by all means measure the period of time that your stop breathing - and if you have apnea, that's the bottom line definition - stopping breathing for a period of seconds.  People have and do die during their sleep for that very reason - apnea that stops them from breathing.  It also significantly lowers one's blood oxygen level, which is also monitored during your sleep clinic visit.  Mine was in the 85% to 87% range - without a CPAP, and 93% to 95% with a CPAP.  Long term that lower oxygen level can cause all sorts of problems from heart attack to stroke.  That in my opinion is why it shouldn't be ignored.

Yes, I do have a much easier time getting out of bed in the morning with CPAP.  Discovered that immediately in the sleep clinic on the second visit when I was fitted with a monitored CPAP and the benefits have followed me home.