It's two in the afternoon and you really need a nap. You're not just tired; you can barely keep your eyes open. It's possible that you have a condition known as sleep apnea. During the night, you either have an obstruction to your airway or your brain just forgets to tell you to breathe or a combination of the two. Either way, you wake up frequently throughout the night to restart the breathing process and you probably don't even remember waking. With this kind of interruption, you never get deep enough into recuperative sleep to recharge your batteries. That's why you are so tired all the time. Oh, and if your family complains about your snoring.. that's another indicator.



One type of treatment for sleep apnea is called continuous positive airway pressure, i.e. CPAP. This is a machine that helps regulate the pressure to your airway and maintains your breathing. There are a variety of machines and masks available, but they are all basically the same. There are masks that fit just over the nose, and mouth or one that uses prongs inserted into the nose. Air pressure through the mask keeps the throat open and clears the obstructions thus allowing you to breathe normally. Some machines even learn your breathing patterns and help you regulate the pressure accordingly throughout the night.

Once you have found the CPAP respirator that fits you and you are comfortable with, you will enjoy a good night's sleep. As a result, you also eliminate the threat of cardiovascular problems that are often related to sleep apnea. Anytime the body and the brain are deprived of oxygen, it puts a strain on the heart and increases your risk for stroke and heart failure. So, not only will you be well-rested, your heart will be healthier too.

While the CPAP is a great non-surgical way to treat sleep apnea, it does have a few drawbacks. A lot of these issues occur during your initial use of the machine and tend to disappear after a while.

* Due to the continuous air flow, nose bleeds and sore throats are common.

* You may experience allergy-like symptoms such as congestion and sneezing.

* You may notice more frequent headaches.

* It is possible that you will dream more frequently and experience more nightmares.

* Though it is very rare, there is a small risk of bacterial infection.

* Reduced intimate activity with your partner as a result of wearing the mask.

* It may irritate your skin or be uncomfortable. Your doctor can help improve the fit for you.

These complications are minor compared to the good a CPAP respirator does for you. Over time, you get used to wearing the apparatus (even your family does) and learn to adjust.

Sleep apnea can simply be an annoyance, making you and everyone within earshot tired, but it can also cause serious health problems, even death. Give the machine a try and see how rested you and your family are the next day. You may find energy you never thought you had. It really could give you a new lease on life!