It can often be difficult to get through a long day without proper rest. Unfortunately, many Americans struggle to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Why? Well, there are many different reasons why sleep might be hard to come by. For starters, new parents might find themselves up several times a night to tend to a new baby. Some people suffer fro insomnia and incessant worrying that keeps their mind restless and unable to surrender to sleep. Others are natural night hours, and some suffer from a condition known as sleep apnea, which is extremely common in today’s society and actually impacts nearly 18 million people here in the United States. But what is sleep apnea? Is there a treatment for the condition? Who is more at risk for being afflicted with sleep apnea?


As mentioned before, sleep apnea is a very common condition, and a small percentage of people in the U.S. may not even know they have it. However, it’s important to seek treatment if you know or think you have sleep apnea because if the condition goes untreated it can result in a stroke or heart disease. Fortunately, there are treatments today to alleviate the effects of sleep apnea, such as the bipap machine and cpap machine. Compared to the bipap machine, cpap machines are very popular today and are often prescribed to sleep apnea patients. The machine comes with different options depending on the patient. For example, there are cpap masks for mouth breathers and cpap masks for side sleepers. The type of mask a patient chooses depends solely on preference. There are even cpap nasal pillows and a large market of cpap supplies so that patients can access anything they need to help with their treatment.

So who are most at risk for contracting sleep apnea? Well, according to studies, the condition tends to affect men more often than women. Additionally, patients with asthma tend to be 40% more likely to get sleep apnea than people without asthma.

Fortunately for those who suffer from sleep apnea, modern science is making great strides in treatment options. The hope is that one day patients won’t have to be hooked up to cumbersome masks, but in the meantime, it’s nice to know that treatment options exist.