Name: Harold
Age: 40
Health: Suffers from diabetes, loud snoring and daytime fatigue
"The quality of my sleep has improved tremendously since using CPAP. I use it to reap the benefits of a quality night's sleep, including increased energy and low blood glucose levels."
Harold was finally diagnosed with sleep apnea
For years, Harold's wife and children joked about his loud snoring that filled every room in the house at night. The family "joke" became serious when Harold's wife started to notice long pauses in his breathing when he slept. Harold began to notice that he lacked energy nearly every day. As an advertising executive, he worked on commercial sets and would often fall asleep during his lunch break. He was no longer able to do activities he once enjoyed, like playing with his dogs. In addition, Harold found that his diabetes was affected. He became frustrated every morning when he measured his blood glucose levels and found they were unpredictably high, requiring him to take insulin injections.
Common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Loud, disruptive snoring
- Restless sleep
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression or irritability
- Morning headaches
- High blood pressure
Many people are not even aware that they have sleep apnea. Often, a bed partner is the first to witness their symptoms. Harold's wife encouraged him to talk to his doctor about his symptoms. Harold was then referred to a sleep lab for an overnight sleep study to determine whether he suffered from sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a general term for breathing problems that occur during sleep. People with sleep apnea stop breathing throughout the night up to 100 times per hour.
Sleep apnea affects approximately 20 million adults, and has serious negative health effects when present with other conditions.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, heart trouble or are overweight, treating your sleep apnea can improve all of these conidtions while making you feel better.
The good news is that sleep apnea can be treated easily!
After doing an overnight sleep test, Harold learned he had sleep apnea. Harold was prescribed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to regulate his breathing during sleep. CPAP treatment has made a tremendous difference in Harold's life.
Harold has more energy now than he has had in years. At first, Harold had to get used to wearing the mask, but now he can't imagine even napping without it. He is once again able to enjoy taking long walks with his dog and doesn't worry that extreme fatigue will cause him to nod off during the day.
Most importantly, Harold's morning glucose levels are under control, meaning he has been able to reduce the need for morning insulin injections. Before CPAP, his glucose levels were as high as 180mg/DL in the morning. While on CPAP therapy they have remained within the target range of <120. Harold is thankful for finding a treatment that helps provide greater control of his diabetes and a much better night's sleep!
What is CPAP therapy?
CPAP is the most widely accepted treatment for sleep apnea. A bedside device gently delivers pressurized air through a nasal mask or pillows system. This pressure acts like an "air splint" to keep the upper airway open and help prevent apneas. CPAP treatment does not involve drugs or surgery and helps hundreds of thousands of people worldwide enjoy healthier sleep and a healthier life. Many patients experience the benefits quickly-often after the first night of use. There is no cure for sleep apnea at this time.
Courtesy of ResMed (www.resmed.com)
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