If you’ve suffered from the negative effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – chronic fatigue, headaches – you’ll understand what curing it could mean to your health, wellbeing and quality of life. While there are a number of possible solutions to the problems that OSA causes, CPAP therapy – shorthand for continuous positive air pressure – is widely understood to be the most effective treatment. From improving your sex life to reducing your risk of cardiovascular problems, the benefits of CPAP therapy are many and various.
- Reducing snoring
This is the most obvious – and perhaps least dramatic – benefit of CPAP therapy, but is still worth a mention. Snoring can negatively impact the lives of individuals – by causing insecurity which often leads to limited social interaction – as well as the lives of partners. CPAP therapy directly prevents snoring, thus improving the sleep quality of individuals and their partners. By using a CPAP machine regularly like those available from CPAP Direct you can stop your snoring and get the quality sleep that you deserve each night.
- Improving cardiovascular health
By interrupting the respiratory system, obstructive sleep apnea can pose risks to cardiovascular health: increasing the likelihood of heart disease, strokes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), strokes and bradycardia (slow heartbeat). Using CPAP therapy to cure OSA can significantly minimise the health risks associated with cardiovascular problems.
- Reducing dangerously high blood pressure
OSA also increases the likelihood of developing dangerously high blood pressure, the risks of which are extensive. Using CPAP therapy has been proven to help individuals struggling with high blood pressure and hypertension to bring their blood pressure down to a manageable, less dangerous level.
- Reducing the likelihood of accidents
OSA manifests as interrupted, restless sleep, and as such results in chronic fatigue for those who suffer from moderate to severe cases of the condition. Curing OSA with CPAP therapy can significantly improve alertness and cognitive function, reducing the chances of being involved in an accident.
- Preserving long term cognitive ability
Disrupted sleep doesn’t only impact our immediate cognitive function – prolonged periods of interrupted, low quality sleep can cause long lasting cognitive decline. Dementia is one of the long-term risks associated with OSA, and the use of CPAP therapy has been proven to improve sleep quality, reducing the risks of long term cognitive decline.
- Improving libido and sexual function
Lack of sleep is one of the most common causes of a reduced sex drive. By improving sleep quality, CPAP therapy can allow patients to regain the energy required for a healthy sex drive, which can in turn significantly improve phyiscal and mental wellbeing. As well as damaging sex drives, OSA is also closely linked to erectile dysfunction. Harnessing the sleep-improving technology of CPAP therapy has been found to help some men regain normal sexual function.
- Improving happiness and mental wellbeing
Chronic fatigue, along with the other negative side-effects of OSA, can have a dramatically negative impact on mental health, and reduce day to day happiness. Research has found that individuals who suffer from OSA are increasingly likely to develop mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. With customisable model options and extensive research supporting its efficacy, CPAP therapy is the most holistically effective option for minimising the negative impacts of OSA.
- Improving work, rest and play
CPAP therapy directly improves sleep quality for patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, and this in turn improves energy levels and cognitive function to improve how we think and feel throughout the day. Being well-slept makes us more alert and energised, improving the way we engage with mental and physical challenges.
There are several reasons why CPAP therapy benefits so many people that have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Because sleep apnea is such a debilitating issue, having something that can give you relief each night is just what most people need. So although it can be a hard adjustment to make when you start CPAP therapy, you will be thankful for the benefits it brings to every aspect of your life.
Author bio:
Sarah Williams is a content creator and sleep enthusiast at CPAP Direct. She spends her days reading and writing as well as keeping up with the latest in film and television so that she can keep up to date with the latest trends in popular culture.
