Sleep is one of the aspects of health that most people with sleep apnea find very hard to enjoy a good night’s rest. OSA abbreviated as Obstructive Sleep Apnea involves a blockage of the airway during sleep, or narrowed leading to interruptions or pauses in respiratory movement. This seems to affect the formation of sleep/wake cycles which consequently cause poor quality sleep and several health complications. A CPAP machine refers to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines for treatment of sleep apnea and substantially enhance both sleep and personal health.
What is a CPAP Machine?
A CPAP machine is a medical device used to deliver constant flow of air through a facial mask cover that helps open the airways while sleeping. It delivers a pressure regulated flow of gas by means of a flexible hose connected to a CPAP mask or nosepiece. The patient relaxes and falls asleep because the supply of air from the CPAP machine makes the airway to remain open throughout the night and makes him breathe normally.
Improving Sleep Quality
The first well known advantage that comes with usage of a CPAP machine is enhanced sleep. Besides, patients suffering from sleep apnea can hardly get good night’s sleep because the airway closes repeatedly during the night. These interruptions can range from several seconds to minutes and the person who is interrupted rarely becomes aware of the intermission; however, they lead to sub-par sleep. This makes one feel so tired during the day even if he or she has slept the whole night in bed.
Because it maintains an open airway, these machines substantially or totally eliminate these pauses during breathing and let the patient get quality, uninterrupted sleep. This result in longer and more intense series of cycles which are necessary for the body and mind to recuperate. Consequently, better sleep means better mood, increased energy levels, as well as enhanced memory and focus, which in their turn define enhanced quality of life.
Improving memory and overall Mental health
Untreated sleep apnea leading to chronic sleep loss may lead to changes in thinking ability that manifest in memory and concentrate issues, and irritability. These cognitive and emotional problems usually disappear as sleep quality increases with the use of the CPAP machine. It improves the sleep of the brain hence its ability to work was enhanced because first you are able to think clearly, second, you are able to retain information and third it enhances your ability to execute tasks patiently, expeditiously and efficiently.
In addition, fine changes in sleep quality result from the alteration of mood. Persons with untreated sleep apnea suffer from depression and anxiety resulting from constant exhaustion occasioned by interruptions in their sleep cycle. In this way, returning a healthy sleep, CPAP therapy can also reduce these symptoms and enhance the emotional status and mental health of the individual.
Lowering the Chances of Heart Issues
It is also worth noting that sleep apnea is getting higher chances of you getting cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. Recurring hypoxic periods that develop during SDB hinder the cardiovascular system and increase the risks of arterial hypertension, arrhythmias, myocardial ischemia in patients with CHD. This in turn results in hypertension and other severe problems with the heart and other related organs.
In addition, since the airway is opened by the flow of continuous air, there is no fluctuation of the oxygen levels by the CPAP machines during the night. This relieves the burden on the cardiovascular system, protects the blood vessels, lowers blood pressures and consequently minimizes heart disease. Another meta-analysis has provided reliability to the prior findings that specifically the severe cases of sleep apnea can cut down the chances of a stroke or a heart attack to a large extent in patients who used CPAP therapy in the long run.
Weight Loss and CPAP Therapy
Among other situations, patients often gain weight if sleep apnea remains untreated. Lack of sleep causes hormonal changes, which in turn causes one to be hungry and lead to taking calories foods. Lack of sleep also affects energy conservation and therefore decreased ability to do exercises.
Basing one’s therapy on a CPAP machine for sleep quality improvement will eventually aid in weight loss intervention. Research has shown that users of CPAP therapy have better profiles of hormones in body meaning that they are less likely to give in to food cravings and so change their eating habits for healthier ones. Besides, improved sleeping habits will help people to gain energies needed for other activities such as exercises that enable weight loss and management.
Improving Daytime Alertness
The other advantage that you are likely to realize when using a CPAP machine is the extended daytime alertness. The disorder may cause patients to feel tired at daytime and may thus impair their functionality in undertaking day-to-day activities. In this study, common symptoms that patients with untreated sleep apnea were presented to include excessive day sleepiness that may reduce the ability to work, drive or participate in social activities.
Because they make sleep better, people who use the CPAP machines wake up feeling energetic during the day. This rise in non-nighttime drowsiness may even lead to a positive change in productivity, decrease of accidents and better efficiency in day to day infrastructure.
Conclusion
These devices are not merely sleep apnea addressors they are valuable appliances that enhance the quality of sleep and overall health. In addition to improving cognitive function and mood and, most significantly, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the advantages of CPAP treatment are numerous. Sleep apnea sufferers can regain restorative sleep, better health, and greatly improved quality of life when using a CPAP machine. If you or a loved one suffer from sleep apnea, you might want to speak with your doctor to better the chances of a good night’s sleep through the use of a CPAP device.
