For patients who suffer from sleep apnea, sleep apnea doctors near me often recommend CPAP therapy as an alternative or complementary treatment aside from medicine, surgery and various other treatment methods. CPAP stands for “continuous positive airway pressure,” and it’s basically a method that’s designed to help improve airflow through your airways and help you sleep uninterrupted and without the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack as a result of your sleep apnea.
Feel More Refreshed
One of the key benefits of using CPAP therapy with a well-designed CPAP machine is that you’ll feel more refreshed and alert during the day. Energy levels may improve, since the machine will basically be increasing your oxygen levels while helping you breathe easily during your sleep cycles. Also, you won’t feel as fatigued, stressed or anxious, and even depression symptoms might improve.
A Healthier Heart
Sleep apnea has long been associated with heart problems such as heart failure and irregular heartbeat, as well as heart attacks and sudden death. CSA is especially dangerous, as the respiratory drive is all but inactive, and that can lead to a sudden and extreme drop in oxygen levels, leading to a variety of problems, depending on whether or not you already have certain health issues related to your heart. For patients with coronary artery disease, for instance, a drop in oxygen resulting from sleep apnea can often lead to arythmias, angina and heart attacks.
A CPAP machine can decrease the likelihood that any of these debilitating and frightening health problems might arise. Even in the case of people suffering from serious heart issues, CPAP can be recommended as a good addition to their medication and treatment, and it can often help them avoid the dangers that sleep apnea can pose to their hearts.
Better Driving Skills
As you know, CPAP therapy can help you become more alert. This often translates into better experiences throughout your daily life, especially while performing various activities at work or driving.
Driving your car can be especially challenging when you’re suffering from sleep apnea, as the problems you have during the night can keep you sleepy, fatigued and lethargic during the day. Reflexes are impaired, and you won’t be able to respond in a crisis situation as easily. With CPAP therapy, all these problems will be lessened, and you’ll be far less likely to get involved in a car accident while driving your vehicle.
Get Rid of Snoring
Snoring is a common problem for those with sleep apnea. Even though it might not be too problematic for your health, snoring can disrupt others’ sleep as well as your own. A CPAP machine can help you breathe more easily and avoid snoring, so that everyone in your household will get a good night’s rest.
Alternatives to CPAP
There are also alternatives to CPAP, if the classic CPAP machine doesn’t provide you with the results you need. Some sleep doctors recommend APAP (automatic positive airway pressure) therapy instead, involving machines similar to the CPAP devices, but that also adjust the pressure according to what you’re most comfortable with.
Whether you choose CPAP or APAP is often also a personal decision, as it has to do with comfort levels as well. Just be sure to check in with your doctor and ask for their advice and recommendations, before you decide to alter any aspect of your assigned treatment.