Benefits of
CPAP
Continuous positive
airway pressure, or
CPAP, is the most
common and effective
treatment for
obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA). The
steady flow of air
from a CPAP machine
keeps your airway
open and restores
normal oxygen levels
as you sleep. This
helps you maintain a
steady, healthy level
of breathing through
the night.
For many people, the
positive results of
using CPAP are quick
and dramatic. Their
initial night of
using CPAP may feel
like the first good
night of sleep they
have had in years.
Others may not notice
improvements right
away. It may take
time for them to
adjust to this new
way of sleeping.
By working to
normalize your
breathing, CPAP helps
protect you from the
severe health risks
that are related to
OSA. These risks
include the
following:
Heart Disease
Many of the risks
involved with OSA are
related to how your
heart functions. A
person with an
extreme case of sleep
apnea can stop
breathing hundreds of
times in one night.
The pauses in
breathing cause
drastic changes in
your oxygen levels.
This puts an enormous
strain on your heart
and can lead to an
increase in your
heart rate.
Research shows that
people with OSA have
a higher rate of
death due to heart
disease. The link is
strongest between OSA
and high blood
pressure. Studies
also show that CPAP
may reduce these high
blood pressure levels
in people with sleep
apnea. The use of
CPAP over an extended
period of time may
help protect you from
heart problems and
reduce your chance of
dying from them.
These problems
include the
following:
-
Congestive heart
failure
-
Coronary artery
disease
-
Irregular
heartbeat
Stroke
Recent research has
also shown that sleep
apnea greatly
increases your risk
of stroke. A stroke
is a sudden loss of
brain function. It
occurs when there is
a blockage or rupture
of one of the blood
vessels leading to
the brain. Stroke is
one of the leading
causes of death and
long-term disability
in the U.S.
Studies show that
people with OSA are
two to four times
more likely to have a
stroke than people
who do not have sleep
apnea. The consistent
use of CPAP can
reduce this risk of
stroke for a person
with OSA.
Diabetes
OSA is also related
to glucose
intolerance and
insulin resistance.
These are factors in
type 2 diabetes, the
most common form of
diabetes. Treatment
with CPAP can improve
insulin sensitivity
in people with type 2
diabetes and OSA.
Motor Vehicle
Accidents
Having sleep apnea
can make you up to 15
times more likely to
be involved in a
deadly motor vehicle
accident. The daytime
sleepiness caused by
OSA can make it hard
for you to stay awake
while driving.
Treating sleep apnea
with CPAP reduces
your risk of being in
an accident.
In addition to
reducing the health
risks related to
sleep apnea, CPAP
provides other
benefits that
contribute to your
overall health and
well-being. It helps
you in the following
areas:
Alertness
CPAP can reduce the
sleepiness and
daytime fatigue that
are common symptoms
of sleep apnea. By
preventing pauses in
breathing as you
sleep, CPAP restores
a normal sleep
pattern and increases
your total sleep
time. This helps you
to wake up in the
morning feeling more
refreshed.
Concentration
Using CPAP may enable
you to think,
concentrate and make
decisions better
during the day. This
can reduce your
chance of injury at
work and improve your
productivity.
Emotional stability
People who use CPAP
often show reduced
levels of depression
and higher ratings of
their quality of
life.
Medical expenses
Sleep apnea causes
you to visit the
doctor more often and
have higher annual
medical expenses than
a person without OSA.
These annual expenses
decrease when you use
CPAP to treat sleep
apnea.
Snoring
By keeping your
airway open as you
sleep, CPAP can also
reduce the sound of
snoring. You may not
notice this because
many people are
unaware of their
snoring levels. But
your bed partner will
benefit greatly from
the quieter sleeping
environment.
The key is to
continue using CPAP
all night, every
night and during
every nap. You put
your health at risk
if you only use CPAP
part of the time.
Partial use also
keeps your body from
getting fully
adjusted to the
breathing assistance.
Get the maximum
benefit from your
CPAP by making a
long-term commitment
to improve your sleep
and your health. Talk
to your CPAP supplier
if you need help with
your CPAP treatment.
Contact your sleep
doctor if you
experience any
ongoing problems.
If you
think you or a
loved one may
have
symptoms of a
sleep disorder,
please
contact us
today.
Help
is available!
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