The Slow Exit: A Calm Five-Step Routine for Ending Every Chamber Session
Everybody talks about the preflight. Hardly anybody talks about the landing. Here is how our technicians end a session: slow, calm, and the same way every single time.
The best part of a great session? The last five minutes. We have written plenty about the preflight: the room check, the cotton-first wardrobe, the handoff. But a session is not done when the timer goes off. It is done when the chamber is back at room pressure, the oxygen is off, the shell is wiped down, and the next person walks into a chamber that is ready for them. That last stretch is where calm habits really pay off, so this Friday we are walking through the routine our technicians teach every owner in their Prestige training.
1. Let the pressure come down at its own pace
Coming back to room pressure is not a race. Follow the release procedure in your chamber’s operating manual, use the controls exactly the way you were trained, and let the gauge do its thing. A smooth, gradual release is more comfortable for the person inside and easier on seals, zippers, and fittings over the long haul. No yanking valves, no shortcuts because the next appointment is waiting. If the schedule is tight, the fix is building a few extra minutes into the calendar, not rushing the exit.
2. Keep the ears comfortable on the way up
Most people know to equalize on the way down. Fewer remember that the way up deserves a little attention too. As pressure comes off, a slow swallow, a sip of water, or a gentle yawn helps the ears settle naturally. The operator stays in clear, friendly contact through the window the whole time and checks in: “How are your ears? Feeling good?” If anyone feels pressure or discomfort, the operator pauses and follows the manual’s guidance rather than pushing through. Calm voice, calm pace, happy ears.
3. Open only when the gauge says zero
This one is simple and non-negotiable: the door, zipper, or hatch opens only after the gauge confirms the chamber is fully back to room pressure. Not “almost.” Not “close enough.” Zero. On softshell chambers, that means waiting for the shell to relax before touching the zipper. On hardshell chambers, it means confirming the gauge reading before working the door. Then give the person a moment to sit up, take a breath, and stand when they are ready. There is no prize for the fastest exit.
4. Oxygen off at the source
When the session is over, turn off the oxygen concentrator and close the supply at the source, then set the mask or headset and tubing somewhere clean and dry. Oxygen equipment should never be left running into an empty room. This is also a good moment for a quick look at the tubing: no kinks, no pinches, nothing resting near a heat source, and filters clean and seated. If something looks off, set it aside and call us. That is exactly why we keep parts on hand in our Holiday, Florida workshop.
5. Wipe, air out, and log it
Give the interior and mattress a wipe-down with a cleaner your chamber’s manual approves, and skip anything oily or petroleum-based. Leave the chamber open for a little while so it can air out and dry before it is zipped or closed up. Then take thirty seconds to log the session: date, duration, pressure used, and any notes about comfort or equipment. Logs are how small trends get caught early, and they make every service conversation with our team faster and more useful.
For wellness centers running a full daily schedule, our NFPA 99 Compliance Kit helps organize the logs, checklists, and written procedures that keep the end-of-session routine consistent across every operator and every shift.
A quick word on electronics
The tray outside the chamber is where phones, watches, laptops, and tablets live, before, during, and after every session. Prestige never endorses taking personal electronics into a chamber. Some owners choose installed accessories such as red light, and if you do, that use is at your own risk; we do not claim any electronics are 100% safe in an oxygen-enriched environment. Read our full electronics disclaimer for the details.
The same team, from first session to five-hundredth
Every Prestige owner learns this routine hands-on during training, alongside startup, pressurization, ear-equalization coaching, daily checks, and oxygen safety basics. Our engineers design our own improvements, keep parts on the shelf, and pick up the phone when you have a question. Buy from Prestige, get supported by Prestige forever—the same team who built it and installed it stays in your corner long after delivery day.
Bottom line: a calm session ends the same way it starts, with a plan. Slow release, happy ears, gauge at zero, oxygen off, wipe and log. Five steps, a few minutes, and a chamber that is always ready for the next great session. Educational content only; always follow your chamber’s operating manual and your training.
Want a refresher or hands-on training? Explore Prestige training, reach our support team, or book a showroom visit.