What Is Sleep Apnea and How Does It Affect Your Health?

Summary: We all know a good night’s sleep is important for optimal health, but few understand how big a role sleep plays in our daily lives. In fact, many have gotten to the point where being tired is almost a badge of honour. Bags under the eyes, a lack of focus and being too sleepy to cook healthy meals or exercise is a way of saying, “Look at how much I get done in a day! I’m so busy I don’t have time to sleep!”

This is a huge mistake.

A two-year study by the National Sleep Foundation concluded that young adults (18-25) need between 7-9 hours of sleep, adults (26-64) require 7-9 hours as well, and seniors (65+) need 7-8.

The consequences of not getting enough shut-eye are surprisingly dire. Many accidents, from fender benders to massive meltdowns like Exxon Valdez spill, are the result of sleep deprivation. Continued sleep deprivation can interfere with your heart and contribute to diseases such as diabetes, obesity and depression. Chronic sleep deprivation also plays havoc with your skin, aging you faster than necessary; and on your relationships since being cranky and short-tempered go hand-in-hand with being overtired.

However, one of the most important reasons to get the sleep you need is because when the brain is truly at rest, your cerebrospinal fluid in the brain increases and effectively “washes” your brain cells, flushing toxins and helping to starve off brain diseases.

Clearly, there are many great reasons to get to bed on time, but for some people, an early bedtime is not enough for a good night sleep. For those that suffer from sleep apnea, a full eight hours still leaves them feeling unrested.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes pausing, shallow breathing, or even cessation of breathing during a sleep cycle. This usually chronic condition can stop breathing for several minutes, which affects brain function in addition to causing a very poor quality of sleep. An estimated 850,000+ Canadians suffer from sleep apnea, and while the condition can affect both genders at any age, it is seen primarily in adult men. Typically, sleep apnea happens in conjunction with other health issues, such as obesity, heart failure, hypothyroidism, kidney failure and brain injury.

Doctors perform and monitor the electrical activity of the brain, eye and muscle movements, heart rate and breathing flow along with blood oxygen levels to determine if a patient is suffering from sleep apnea.

Once diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is vitally important to follow the recommended course of treatment – and this is where CPAP Solutions Inc. comes in. CPAP Solutions Inc. provides continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) equipment and professional treatment for the full range of sleep apnea disorders. In our facility, trained sleep professionals perform testing as ordered by your physician and help you understand, use and care for the equipment you need. As your one-stop CPAP location, you’ll find a full range of products along with fast, courteous and confidential service. Your treatment progress reports are sent to both you and your physician and you will have annual check-ins to ensure you sleep devices remain at optimal efficiency.

There is no disputing the importance of a good night sleep, but when you have sleep apnea, you can feel robbed of the good health and energy you need. Don’t let this common sleep disorder take away from your wellbeing. CPAP Solutions Inc. works with you to give you the best sleep of your life, and with that, the health benefits that come with being properly rested.