It’s little wonder that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classify sleep disorders are a public health issue. From insomnia to narcolepsy and sleep apnea, the rising incidence of sleep disorders is a worrying trend that presents a range of problems for sufferers, their families, the health system and indeed the economy. According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, as many as 40 million Americans have some kind of sleep disorder.
Insomnia impacts about a third of us at at least some point in our lives; more than 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a condition that causes their throats to close and them to stop breathing multiple times per night. For those sufferers who actually are diagnosed — as many as one in 50 are undiagnosed — treatment by way of a CPAP machine is usually recommended.
Medical professionals have been impressed with CPAP machine effectiveness in addressing sleep apnea. CPAP machine effectiveness means that sufferers and their families can get a better night’s rest without worrying about the risks of sleep apnea, which include heart disease and stroke. Use of the CPAP machine can also increase the length and quality of sleep for the sufferer. Sleep apnea causes are unknown, although gender — double the number of men have sleep apnea — weight are possible factors. Asthma has also been linked to an almost 40% increase in the risk of developing sleep apnea.
The CPAP sleep apnea machine forces air into the nose and mouth regularly, keeping the throat open and feeding oxygen into the sleeper. There are different options available in terms of CPAP machines, with some offering nasal CPAP masks and others opting for full face CPAP masks. The preference for each is pretty much 50:50 according to research.
Despite demonstrable CPAP machine effectiveness, as many as 50% of users stop using the machines within one to three years and of those who do use them, 80% do not use them often enough. The recommended use is at least four hours of use per night at least 70% of the time over a month-long period.
