Sleep Apnea is a relatively new illness with many possible negative side effects. For questions about sleep apnea and treatment see the CPAP FAQ. Do not believe for one second that Sleep Apnea is determined just by age, weight, or lifestyle. There are many people in their tewenties that have sleep apnea and some believe that they had it during early childhood. More and more younger people are being diagnosed with sleep apnea and it is even being linked to SIDS in some cases.

Fortunately, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP therapy is advancing everyday in terms of technology and comfort. This is very positive for those that suffer from Apnea. We all know how terrible it is to go without proper sleep for at least one night. I can not imagine that terrible feeling for years and I can imagine the adverse effects on mental and physical health. If you think you might have apnea do some research, see your physician and improve your quality of life.

Here are some other common sleep apnea and CPAP questions:

Do only older people get sleep apnea? No, in fact anyone at any age can develop sleep
apnea. However, apnea is more common for individuals who are relatively unhealthy. For example apnea is common with obesity and smokers.

Can people die from sleep apnea? It is extremely rare to die directly from sleep apnea, even though oxygen is cut off from your brain, the brain inherently wakes you up in order to tell you to breath. Which leads to a slow and silent killer. The constant awakening is stressful on the heart and correlated with heart disease. Apnea sufferer's are always tired and therefore, lack the energy to exercise which again can lead to heart disease and obesity. Researchers and Doctors are documenting SIDS and Apnea in order to determine if there is any relation.

Are there many undiagnosed people with sleep apnea? Many people do not know they have sleep apnea and attribute the symptoms with other things. A 2000 census showed that one third of all people over 18 (who visit a primary care doctor) are at high risk for sleep apnea. Based on that census it could mean that around 50 to 60 million American suffer from sleep apnea.

What are some common signs of sleep apnea? Early on set signs of sleep apnea are: depression, lack of mental focus, fatigue, frequent naps, long recovery time from being sick, and snoring.

Is CPAP uncomfortable? Not nearly as much as it used to be, advances in technology has allowed CPAP to become much more user friendly. It may take some getting used to but if you haven't been sleeping and CPAP allows you to sleep throughout the night it should be a refreshing device.

Will a CPAP machine keep my partner awake? Again technological advances have brought CPAP therapy a long way. New machines are very quiet and will likely allow your partner to get more sleep than when there was no CPAP machine.



Here are some other CPAP resources: CPAP Questions, CPAP help, and CPAP problems.

Labels: CPAP, sleep apnea, sleep therapy