Do you ever find yourself racing to the bedroom in an effort to fall asleep before your spouse starts sawing logs on the other side of the bed? Do you ever think you hear them stop breathing in the middle of the night? Do they continually talk about how tired they feel even after having slept for a full eight hours? These are some of the main symptoms of Sleep Apnea.
An apnea is a temporary pause in breathing caused by the tissue in the back of the throat collapsing. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a very common sleep disorder that affects more than 18 million American adults. Part of the reason OSA is so common is because the muscles of the upper airway relax when you fall asleep. If you sleep on your back, gravity can cause the tongue to fall back, narrowing the airway, which reduces the amount of air reaching your lungs.
Though snoring is the most common symptom of OSA, not everyone who snores has Sleep Apnea. Obesity is one of the leading causes of OSA, due to excess fatty tissue around the neck and chest. However, you don’t have to be obese to have Sleep Apnea. Another less common, form of Sleep Apnea is Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). In this form of Sleep Apnea, the brain fails to properly control breathing during sleep.
A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (CPAP) is a device that gently blows pressurized air through your airway at a continuous rate through a CPAP hose or a CPAP mask. This constant pressure keeps the throat from collapsing, allowing the airway to remain unobstructed through the night. A CPAP can be used as a treatment for both OSA and CSA.
Some other symptoms of Sleep Apnea include:
- Choking or gasping sounds while sleeping
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Insomnia
- Morning headaches
- Nocturia (waking during the night to go to the bathroom)
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory loss
- Decreased sexual desire
- Irritability
If left untreated, Sleep Apnea can increase the risk of health problems. The use of a CPAP Machine can prevent or reverse these severe consequences of OSA and CSA. Continued use of a CPAP Machine can:
Prevent High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
Sleep Apnea is linked to a variety of heart problems because it causes you to stop breathing many times each night. These breathing pauses cause changes in your blood pressure and can reduce your blood oxygen levels. This puts an enormous strain on your heart.
People with untreated Sleep Apnea have a higher rate of death from heart disease than those without Sleep Apnea or with treated Sleep Apnea.
By treating your sleep apnea, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Using CPAP therapy over an extended period can protect you from heart problems and reduce your chance of heart failure.
Prevent Strokes in Some Patients
A stroke is a sudden loss in brain function. Irregular breathing rates (which is the main characteristic of OSA and CSA) can lead to oxygen deprivation in the brain, which can cause abnormal heart rates and pressure. A stroke occurs when there is a blockage or rupture in one of the blood vessels leading to the brain.
Though there have been inconsistencies in studies about the relationship of CPAP usage preventing strokes —people with untreated Sleep Apnea are two to four times more likely to have a stroke. Therefore, CPAP treatments are recommended to anyone with Sleep Apnea to help regulate the amount of oxygen in their system.
Prevent or Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Sleep Apnea is related to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, both factors in type 2 diabetes. Untreated Sleep Apnea increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
Using CPAP to treat your Sleep Apnea can improve insulin sensitivity. In the long-term use of a CPAP Machine can help prevent your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes or even reverse type 2 diabetes when paired with proper diet and exercise.
Prevent Depression and Anxiety
Though depression and anxiety can be experienced by individuals who don’t have Sleep Apnea —and can occur simultaneously without being related—individuals who do have Sleep Apnea are more likely to experience depression and anxiety according to a 2014 study. Possible explanations for the link between sleep-disordered breathing and depression include diminished oxygen to the brain and interrupted sleep.
Better ADHD Symptoms
A good night's sleep has been known as one of the main ways to help make the side effects of ADHD more manageable for years. But if you have Sleep Apnea in addition to having ADHD your lack of sleep may amplify your symptoms. There are five stages of sleep (stages one–four and REM sleep) and restless sleepers often only experience the first two stages. Though these first-two stages are important, your brain needs a chance to reset for the next day, which happens in the final three stages of sleep.
Fewer disturbances (apneas) in the night give you more time asleep so that your body has more of a chance to get into the recovery stages. CPAP Machines significantly lessen your likelihood of having those disruptive apneas.
In addition to preventing or reversing these health problems, a CPAP Machine can also ease or stop the generally-unpleasant side effects that come along with Sleep Apnea. Use of a CPAP Machine can improve:
Daytime Alertness
Sleepiness and daytime fatigue are common symptoms of Sleep Apnea. This is thought to be due to the lack of oxygen getting to your brain and your body's inability to enter the restorative sleep cycles. CPAP can restore your normal sleep pattern and increase your total sleep time by eliminating breathing pauses in your sleep. This will help you wake up feeling more refreshed and boost your energy throughout the day.
Emotional Stability
I know that I get grumpy when I’m tired, and I don’t have Sleep Apnea. I can only imagine how irritable I’d be if I were constantly not getting enough sleep. Getting enough sleep —and the right kind of sleep— is essential for your overall health, and a CPAP Machine can help with that.
Concentration
Untreated, severe Sleep Apnea can damage your brain tissue. As a result, you may have trouble concentrating. You also may suffer from memory loss. Using CPAP may improve your ability to think, concentrate, and make decisions. This also can improve your productivity and decrease your chance of making a costly mistake at work.
Snoring
By keeping your airway open as you sleep, CPAP reduces or eliminates the sound of your snoring. While you may not notice, your bed partner will benefit from a quieter sleep environment.
Medical Expenses
By improving your health, CPAP therapy can reduce your medical expenses. Sleep Apnea can lead to more health problems and more doctors’ visits. Treatment for serious health risks linked to Sleep Apnea can be costly. Medical expenses can decrease when you use CPAP to treat your Sleep Apnea.
