Nearly 74 percent of all adults in the United Kingdom have felt overwhelmed by stress this past year according to a recent study.

Stress is leading to a myriad of other health problems.

Maybe you’re one of the 74 percent. Do you find yourself wound up tight at night? You’ve tried many things to remedy the problem. You’ve googled stress and sleep. 

You find yourself more tired when you wake up than when you went to bed, despite keeping your spouse up with your obnoxious snoring.

Perhaps your snoring indicates a real problem and not just that you’re sleeping hard. 

You may be among the 1.5 million people in the UK who struggle from sleep apnea and needs an effective CPAP treatment at night. 

Do You Suffer from Sleep Apnea? 

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing for a brief time as you sleep. 

You basically fall asleep, and then you stop breathing for a moment or two. Then you choke or gasp and start breathing again. 

Types of Sleep Apnea

Not all sleep apnea is the same. There are actually three different types:

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when throat muscles relax and air cannot pass through easily. 

Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. 

Complex sleep apnea syndrome is a tricky combination of the two other apneas above. 

Knowing if you have sleep apnea is truly a tricky process. After all, how do you know that you’ve stopped breathing unless someone witnesses the occurrence? 

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

If you wake up from a long night’s sleep, and you still feel sleepy, you may have sleep apnea. If your body is constantly waking up, you’re not snagging the essential deep sleep your body really needs to rest.

If you’re a loud snorer and you have multiple bruises from your partner kicking you, you may have sleep apnea. Snoring indicates you have a partially obstructed airway, and this leads to apnea. 

If you’re gasping for air during sleep and subsequently wake up feeling like you’ve been sucking on cotton balls, you may have sleep apnea. 

If you wake up with a pounding headache regularly, the lack of effective sleep caused by a poor night’s rest means you may have sleep apnea.

If you simply cannot stay asleep and end up waking multiple times for long periods of time, you do not necessarily just have insomnia. You may have sleep apnea. 

If you’re not sleeping at night due to apnea, you may notice daytime problems as well. You may have difficulty paying attention even in the meetings that aren’t boring, and you may find yourself snapping at your loved ones with irrational irritability.  Brush your teeth and read a book in bed to wind down. Use earplugs for sleeping.

What is CPAP?

While sleep apnea is scary and frustrating, it does have some solutions thanks to modern medicine.

In particular, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy, also known as CPAP, provides a reliable solution for those who suffer from sleep apnea. 

CPAP is a common treatment for those with apnea. It is a treatment or therapy which consists of a mask attached to a machine via a tube. The machine delivers steady and constant air pressure, preventing you from having an apneic spell. 

Do You Need CPAP? 

If you suffer from any of the above symptoms, you may have sleep apnea. And if you have sleep apnea, you could benefit greatly from CPAP therapy.

If you suffer from the sleep apnea symptoms, go to a physician. Take the time to do a sleep study. 

In a sleep study, doctors will hook you up to an EEG monitor to record your sleep patterns, and then the technicians basically monitor you sleeping for an entire night. 

If a doctor determines you have severe apnea, he or she will recommend a CPAP machine. 

Cost of a CPAP Treatment

CPAP treatments vary in cost from $500 to $3,000

Thankfully, most insurance companies cover the cost of CPAP treatments. The machine will fall under the durable medical equipment provision (also known as the DME provision). If you’re wondering if your insurance will cover the CPAP treatment, look for the DME provision.

Many policies cover 80 to 90 percent of the cost of a CPAP after you’ve met your deductible; 

Benefits of CPAP Treatment

Well, first and foremost, if you have apnea and need a CPAP treatment regularly, you lessen the likelihood of suffering from the other problems that would stem from sleep apnea.

In particular, a CPAP machine can keep you alive. Yes, you can die from sleep apnea. Carrie Fischer did. 

Not only will you wake up alive when you get used to your CPAP machine, but you’ll feel refreshed and refueled from the higher quality sleep you’ll receive. 

Not only will you find yourself with fewer bruises from the karate chop kicks of your partner who has tired of your snoring, but a CPAP machine can actually enhance intimacy

No, the mask doesn’t look sexy. But more rest means more energy, and your bed isn’t just for romance. 

Better rest also has been proven to improve glucose control and to lower blood pressure. 

A CPAP treatment can help with so many things because it helps you sleep. 

Complaints and Solutions 

Like any therapy and treatment, the CPAP treatment has some side effects.

Users will initially complain of worse sleep because they must acclimate to the mask.

When you first receive your CPAP machine, make sure you have the right size mask. After all, we do not all have the same size heads, so why would we wear the same sized masks.

Acclimating to the mask takes time. But the more you wear it, the more quickly your body will grow used to how it feels. Consider wearing it for any time you sleep such as naps or even when you’re just relaxing watching television at first. 

Eventually, you will find your head feels odd without the mask, like trying to drive a car without a seat belt. 

Resources like this website can help you understand how a CPAP machine works and how to avoid some of the complaints CPAP treatment users have initially. 

Why a CPAP is a Good Idea

Sleep apnea is no joke. Look into a CPAP treatment. It may save your life or at the very least, make it more enjoyable. 

Check out our newest stories about health and fitness to learn about helpful topics like this one.