Have Sleep Apnea? Why You Should Start Looking for Sleep Apnea Machines for Sale
If you suffer from sleep apnea, you should be making moves to do something about it. Leaving your sleep apnea untreated can be dangerous for your health long-term — indeed, if you have an untreated case of sleep apnea, you have a four times higher risk of stroke and three times higher risk for heart disease than people without sleep apnea or people who are treating their sleep apnea. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, get it checked out — currently, two to four percent of all Americans have sleep apnea and don’t know it, meaning that about one in 50 individuals haven’t been diagnosed. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s time to start thinking about looking at sleep apnea machines for sale to help treat it effectively. There’s a range of sleep apnea machines for sale depending on what you’re comfortable with — from full face masks, to nasal pillows and nasal masks.
What Should I Know About Sleep Apnea?
Almost 20 million Americans have sleep apnea and it’s almost twice as common in men as compared to women. It’s been linked to an increased risk of heart problems — the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research reports that almost 40,000 deaths happen annually because of cardiovascular problems that are linked in some way to sleep apnea. Asthma patients have also been shown to have an almost 40% higher risk for sleep apnea than individuals who do not have asthma. Age, obesity, smoking, and family history can also all be risk factors.
Sleep apnea occurs when your throat muscles relax too much and block your windpipe, obstructing breathing. As you sleep, your breathing starts and stops again and again — on average, someone with sleep apnea can have 60 apneas an hour. The loud snoring or choking noise that is often associated with sleep apnea comes from the individual trying to get air through their airway.
How Does a CPAP Machine Help?
A CPAP machine provides a steady stream of air pressure via a mask that goes over your nose as you sleep. This air pressure helps keep your airway open, eliminating the snoring and choking that occurs when you try to get air.
With a CPAP machine or other types of sleep apnea machines for sale, you can get a better, uninterrupted night’s sleep, feel better rested when you arise, and not run the risk of dozing off during the day. It can reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems and can also help lower your blood pressure, not just during the night, but also during the day as well.
It’s also a non-surgical method for treating sleep apnea and the top treatment for sleep apnea, which is something to keep in mind. All in all, using a CPAP machine can help increase your energy levels, improve your sleep, and have other positive health benefits.
What Should I Keep In Mind When Using a CPAP Machine?
Actually using your CPAP machine is the only way it will be effective. Unfortunately, as many as 80% of patients say they don’t use their CPAP machine enough to keep them safe and half of people who are prescribed these machines quit after one to three weeks. Though there is an adjustment period, for your health and general well-being, it’s important to stick with it. Test out different types of CPAP masks or nasal pillows if the first one doesn’t work for you.
Patients who are over 60 years old may want heated humidification for their CPAP machines, to keep their nasal passages and throat from drying out. Find what makes you comfortable — and keep in mind that to continue insurance coverage, you have to use your CPAP machine at least 70% of the time over the course of a month. That’s around four hours per night.
Research different types of sleep apnea machines for sale and see which might work the best for you. It’s worth it to see it through and make it work, for the sake of your health.