Oxygen at Rest, With Activity and During Sleep: Clarify Your Prescription

If your oxygen instructions cover walking around but leave you unsure what to do at bedtime, bring that question to the prescribing team. Ask for a written plan you can follow through the day and night.

At rest

Start with the instructions for being awake and at rest. Ask the team to identify that part of your prescription, including when to use the oxygen and which equipment the instruction applies to. Have them explain any wording you cannot follow.

With activity

The flow rate needed during activity can differ from the rate at rest. Do not assume one instruction covers both situations.¹

Ask what your prescribed activity instructions cover. If a separate device is part of your plan, ask the team to show you how its instructions relate to the prescription. Leave the appointment with the words and equipment matched up.

During sleep

Some people who do not need oxygen while awake need it during sleep. A healthcare provider or sleep specialist can evaluate that need. Your nighttime instructions should come from that assessment and prescription.¹

Ask the prescribing team to point out the sleep portion of your plan. If it is missing or unclear, contact them for clarification before making changes yourself. Bring the written instructions to any equipment-training visit so you can ask about the bedtime setup.

Carry the plan into the bedroom

Discuss delivery options with your healthcare team and oxygen supplier, and get training on your equipment. Do not stop or reduce prescribed oxygen without instructions from your healthcare provider. Never smoke around oxygen or use it near open flames.¹

Write down whom to contact about an unclear prescription and whom to contact about equipment. Ask how to reach each service outside its usual hours. Keep those details with the plan, where you and anyone helping you can find them.

Did I Do That in My Sleep? includes a Visit Brief and a Sleep Gear Decoder. Use the Visit Brief to gather your questions before discussing your prescribed nighttime equipment. Explore the sleep playbook.