Benefits of CPAP

What are the benefits of CPAP?

CPAP may prevent or reverse serious consequences of sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea  can help protect you from serious health risks. Using CPAP to treat your sleep apnea can also improve many parts of your life.

Heart disease prevention

By treating your sleep apnea, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Sleep apnea is linked to a variety of heart problems because it causes you to stop breathing many times each night. These breathing pauses cause changes in your blood pressure and can reduce your blood oxygen levels. This puts an enormous strain on your heart.

People with untreated sleep apnea have a higher rate of death from heart disease than those without sleep apnea or those with treated sleep apnea. Using CPAP therapy over an extended period of time can protect you from heart problems and reduce your chance of dying from them. These heart problems include:

• Congestive heart failure
• Coronary artery disease
• Irregular heartbeat

Stroke prevention

If you have sleep apnea, consistent CPAP use can reduce your risk of stroke, one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability. A stroke is a sudden loss in brain function. It occurs when there is a blockage or rupture in one of the blood vessels leading to the brain. People with untreated sleep apnea are two to four times more likely to have a stroke.

Diabetes prevention

Using CPAP to treat your sleep apnea can improve insulin sensitivity. Sleep apnea is related to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, both factors in type 2 diabetes. Untreated sleep apnea increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

Motor vehicle accident prevention

CPAP can help you become a safer driver by reducing your daytime sleepiness. Untreated sleep apnea makes you more likely to be involved in a deadly crash. Many people with sleep apnea have a hard time staying awake and concentrating while driving.

Improved daytime alertness

Sleepiness and daytime fatigue are common symptoms of sleep apnea. CPAP can restore your normal sleep patterns and increase your total time asleep by eliminating breathing pauses in your sleep. This will help you wake up feeling more refreshed and boost your energy throughout the day.

Improved concentration

Untreated, severe sleep apnea can damage your brain tissue. As a result you may have trouble concentrating. You also may suffer from memory loss. Using CPAP may improve your ability to think, concentrate and make decisions. This also can improve your productivity and decrease your chance of making costly mistakes.

Improved emotional stability

Untreated sleep apnea increases your risk of depression. CPAP can help improve your mood, reduce your risk of depression and improve your overall quality of life.

Eliminate snoring

By keeping your airway open as you sleep, CPAP reduces or eliminates the sound of your snoring. While you may not notice, your bed partner will benefit from a quieter sleep environment.

Lower medical expenses

By improving your health, CPAP therapy may reduce your overall medical expenses. Sleep apnea can lead to more health problems and more doctors’ visits. Treatment for serious health risks linked to sleep apnea such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes can be costly.

Content Source: https://sleepeducation.org/patients/cpap/