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Can You Sleep With A Portable Oxygen Concentrator?
By
Jonathan Reed
Updated January 23, 2025

Can You Sleep With A Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

Can you sleep with a portable oxygen concentrator? Yes, the devices are safe and will supplement your oxygen level for quality sleep at night. Concentrators are more efficient and less risky than oxygen tanks.
Product Specialist: Emma Clark
Clinical Applications Specialist: Dr. James Bennett

Our tissue and every cell in the body need a constant oxygen supply to function correctly. Patients managing lung disease or respiratory conditions may show signs of low oxygen levels during sleep. Not having enough oxygen in the bloodstream is called hypoxemia.

Oxygen levels may drop when active, resting, sleeping, or due to a change of altitude. One Medical prescription for low oxygen levels is to use supplemental oxygen. A patient undergoing oxygen therapy may use oxygen tanks or an oxygen concentrator. 

Today's portable oxygen concentrators (POC) offer mobility and portability. These electronic oxygen machines are lightweight and help patients suffering from different conditions. But can you sleep with a portable oxygen concentrator? Well, the answer is yes, you can. Here, we will discuss using a portable oxygen concentrator while sleeping.  

 

Why Do You Need to Sleep With Oxygen at Night?

One of the main reasons why you may need to sleep with oxygen at night is due to a respiratory health issue or sleeping disorder. Most patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) may suffer from low blood oxygen levels during sleep. 

Various health conditions can cause low oxygen levels during sleep. Lung diseases cause breathing disorders during the day and night. OSA can result in severe obstructiveness in normal airflow, reducing blood oxygen levels during sleep.

Groups of People Who Need to Sleep With Oxygen Are the Ones Suffering From the Following:

  • COPD
  • Asthma
  • Pneumonia
  • Pulmonary fibrosis (scarring in the lungs)
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Emphysema
  • Sleep apnea
  • Collapsed lung
  • Acute respiratory  distress syndrome (ARD)
  • Pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung)
  • Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lung)
  • High altitudes
  • Interstitial lung disease

Signs of Oxygen Deficiency During Sleep

It's normal to have a reduced oxygen level while asleep. Are you breathing through the mouth rather than your nose and through your cannulas while you are asleep? It is an indication of not getting enough oxygen during sleep.

A doctor may recommend sleeping with oxygen for a patient whose oxygen levels fall below a concentration of 88% during sleep.

Supplemental oxygen therapy helps your blood, tissue, and bones to function correctly. Without it, your brain and other organs in the whole body would be craving the oxygen they need to survive.

There are four main clinical methods used to determine blood oxygen levels. They include pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gas (ABG) tests, pulse oximetry, and body imaging like chest X-rays. Doctors use these methods during a sleep study to determine whether they have oxygen deficiency during sleep.

Signs That Indicate Oxygen Deficiency During Sleep Include:

  • Waking suddenly from sleep, choking or gasping for air.
  • Feeling of fatigue when you wake up  in the morning.
  • Experiencing shortness of breath.
  • Increased anxiety and depression for no reason.
  • Undergoing some moments of disorientation and confusion.
  • Having trouble recollecting events and experiencing memory loss.

Can you Sleep with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

Oxygen therapy during sleep is a proven medical therapy for managing various health problems. The invention of portable oxygen concentrators has seen radical changes in patients managing oxygen levels.

So, can you sleep with a portable oxygen concentrator? Yes, you can. They are safe, give value for money, and come with innovative technology while sleeping.

An oxygen concentrator ensures a patient continues to breathe pure oxygen day or night.

It helps you access highly concentrated oxygen as you move around at home or outdoors. You can still sleep with a POC as per the doctor's prescription during your medical oxygen therapy.

Patient treating a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can also benefit from the use of POC during their sleep. However, your POC must be compatible with a CPAP or BiPAP machine. If you use either of these machines to manage OSA, a POC ensures a continuous oxygen flow during sleep.

Here are some of the best models of Portable oxygen concentrators you can use during sleep.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Portable Oxygen Concentrator at Night?

Continued Oxygen Supply Without Refills

A portable oxygen concentrator uses the ambient air to concentrate oxygen, unlike oxygen tanks, which need a refill. 

Quality Sleep

Low oxygen levels during sleep will deny you quality sleep. During sleep, the body refreshes. Lack of quality sleep does the opposite at night.

You will wake up with fatigue in the morning. You might also wake up gasping for air during the night due to shortness of breath.

Ease of Mobility and Portability

Oxygen tanks' oblong cylindrical shape does not make them any easier to handle and transport.

You need a working machine and a spare battery for longer hours with a portable oxygen concentrator.

Cheaper to Maintain

Paying for oxygen tank refills is costly over time. A POC is a one-time investment, with most models giving a 3-year warranty.

Essential maintenance of portable oxygen concentrators includes cleaning and periodical replacement of filters.

Innovative Technology

Modern portable oxygen concentrators are smart, thanks to technology. By using sleep mode, the device can adjust your breath rate.

It then calibrates your flow rate and readjusts the oxygen supply as per the number of breaths. Sleep mode ensures you get enough oxygen without interfering with sleep quality.

Easy to Handle

Portable concentrators are lightweight. Weighing a fraction of a home oxygen concentrator weight below 2.5 kilograms. A consideration if you travel a lot.

Safer

A portable oxygen concentrator eliminates the risk of pure oxygen leakage. Pure oxygen is highly flammable and oxidizes glowing fire.

Compressed or liquid oxygen in tanks poses the risk of leakage.  

Tips for Using a Portable Oxygen Concentrator at Night

Just like any other equipment, operate your device with caution and care. If you're using an oxygen machine at night, you must be more cautious. Oxygen fuels the fire, and then you are using an electrical machine. 

Here Are Tips for Using a Portable Oxygen Concentrate Night:

  • Ensure you have a fully charged battery as you tack in for the night. 
  • Have a charged spare battery for extended use without a power source outdoors.
  • Use the recommended parts.
  • Do not smoke or let others light up tobacco around the portable oxygen concentrator.
  • Do not use an open flame near the oxygen sleeping machine.
  • Keep your oxygen concentrator at least five feet away from heat sources.
  • Perform routine cleaning and maintenance as per supplier instructions.
  • Avoid using flammable products around the oxygen concentrator.
  • Always have a fire extinguisher within reach.

Benefits of Using Oxygen Therapy During Sleep

Oxygen therapy is like a secondary respiratory system. Doctors recommend it for patients whose respiratory organs cannot give enough oxygen to the body. Patients who already use oxygen therapy during sleep have noted several benefits for their health and well-being.

  • Better sleep quality, allowing your body to rest properly
  • It reduces insomnia, which can cause anxiety and depression.
  • A healthy sleep will give you more energy, stamina, and alertness.
  • It reduces the risk of developing health complications caused by low oxygen levels.

Habits to Adopt for Better Sleep

On top of having the best oxygen machine, it is also important to adopt these lifestyle habits to help achieve quality sleep.

  • Exercising for at least 30 minutes during the day.
  • Avoiding carbonated beverages before sleeping time.
  • Establishing a sleeping routine and sticking to the schedule.
  • Designate your sleeping area.
  • Practicing breathing exercises (huffing) for clearing the airway before bed.

Should you consider sleeping with a portable oxygen concentrator?

Sleeping with a POC can help many people manage their oxygen levels during sleep. However, you must see a medical specialist and get a correct diagnosis and treatment. While a portable oxygen concentrator is part of a solution, it needs your doctor's approval before buying and use.

I am Dr. Jonathan Reed, a proud member of the readyO₂ team. With a background in respiratory therapy, I’m dedicated to helping those in need by answering questions and providing clarity. I strive to educate and inspire our audience by making complex topics accessible and engaging. My goal is to educate and inspire our audience, ensuring they have the information necessary to make informed decisions about their health. It’s a privilege to support individuals on their journey to better breathing and well-being.

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