The Benefits of a Sleep Apnea Machine
When I was a child my father worked “swing shift” at a chemical plant in a nearby town. Some weeks he worked at night and slept during the day. He could be heard snoring all over the house. We thought it was funny then. Now I know it was a potential sign of a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Snoring is an indicator that your airway is not completely open. The sound of a snore is made when the air you breathe in has difficulty pushing past this obstructed area.
For most people who snore, the medical consequences are not severe. But for an estimated 5 out of 100 individuals, it is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea.
In addition to snoring, some other symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness, restless sleep, high blood pressure, being overweight and waking up gasping for breath. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure during the day, you could have it when you first wake up due to the lack of oxygen you get when you do not breathe properly. If you awaken with headaches, this is a good indicator that your blood pressure is high due to respiratory disturbances during your sleep.
After being evaluated by a sleep specialist, if you are found to have sleep apnea, the best treatment for you is a sleep apnea machine, also known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This is simply a device that sits on your bedside table and delivers air pressure to you via a mask over your nose and mouth.
A CPAP machine will hold your airway open and allow you to breathe like you should. Using a sleep apnea machine will ensure that your oxygen levels stay where they should while you sleep. It will also help you to achieve a restful nights sleep so that you feel refreshed the next day.
There are serious consequences of leaving sleep apnea untreated. A CPAP machine is the optimum choice to maintain your health and overall well being.