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Many patients are confused on how using a cpap unit will help them sleep better.   However, the concept behind the therapy is actually very simple.

People who have obstructive sleep apnea have very poor quality of sleep.  The reason for this is due to their airway becoming obstructed during sleep and there is no passage of air into or out of the lungs.  This is when a person is said to stop breathing.  It is not difficult to see that if this pattern continues throughout the night, the individual will not rest very well at all.  This cessation of breathing throughout the night keeps the body from going into REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep where the body restores and repairs itself.  By staying out of REM sleep, the body will not be very well rested, and the individual will be very sleepy/tired the next day and will progressively get worse over time.

So how does the sleep apnea machine alleviate this?

Simply put, the machine is merely an air blower that has the capability to blow a precise amount of pressure.  No more no less.  The amount of air it puts out is calculated when the person has their sleep study.   The home cpap machine is then set to that optimal pressure.  The air that comes out the unit simply splints the airway open and keeps it  from becoming obstructed.   In doing that, it allows the person to stay asleep and lets the body enter REM stage where the body will begin to rest and repair itself.  When the person wakes up, they will feel more rested and have more energy throughout the day.  That’s it! There really isn’t much more to understand how the sleep apnea machine helps you to achieve a better night’s rest.  It really is simple stuff.

Many first time users are under the misconception that the unit will provide them with supplemental oxygen.  I cannot stress this enough; it does not!  Like it was stated earlier, the sleep apnea machine simply puts out air that will maintain a patent airway.  Although it should be acknowledged that there are people who require use of supplemental oxygen in conjunction with their cpap machine, that’s a more in depth discussion for a different post.

Hopefully, this will shed a little more light for those who were still confused on how their sleep apnea machine helps them sleep better.  It is a simple concept with amazing results for those who suffer from OSA.  If you are still unclear about using a cpap unit, please consult your physician.

I decided to make a quick post about the treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnea.  I know a lot of people who suffer from sleep apnea, and have seen some of their struggles and  successes with the appropriate therapy.  I am talking of course about the almighty sleep apnea machine.  I will try to keep this post simple but hopefully informative.

In order for someone to qualify for a sleep apnea machine (or “cpap” machine as it is more commonly known), the individual must have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. The person must first be referred by their physician to  have a sleep study done at an accredited sleep lab or hospital.  After the diagnosis of  obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been made, the individual will once again be referred by their physician to a durable medical equipment company (DME) which will supply them and instruct them with the proper sleep apnea machine as ordered by their doctor.

The purpose of the sleep apnea machine is to help the individual stay asleep throughout the night, allowing the body to get the much needed rest it  has been severely lacking.  More about that in another post.  However, not all is well in the beginning as many people find it extremely difficult  to use a sleep apnea machine (cpap machine).

Although it varies person to person, there is a period of time, (sometimes lengthy)  in which the individual will need to become accustomed to using the unit.  It can be safely assumed that most people will generally require about a 1 month period in which they will need in order to become used to the therapy.  Others require a little more time, and some a little less. The important thing to keep in mind is the the sleep apnea machine must be used consistently on a nightly basis if they hope of achieving any success with the therapy.  Once this is accomplished, they will be happy they stuck with it as they will see the result of getting a good night’s sleep.

One of the key factors with therapy compliance is being fitted with the correct cpap mask.  Most of the time this is done at the sleep lab where one is fitted with the appropriate nasal interface to be used that night.  Later, when the person receives the sleep apnea machine from their DME provider, they will many times carry the nasal interface that was used during the sleep study.

After time , the person who has stuck with the therapy will ultimately sleep and feel much better than before.  It truly is amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for a body.  For people who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have yet to use a sleep apnea machine, all I can say is at least give it a try, you’ll be happy you did.

Hopefully this article was informative to all of you.  In the near future,  I will be posting a lot more in depth posts to help those of you with OSA or suspected OSA in hopes of achieving success with therapy.