Everybody knows how important it is to have a good night's sleep. But some people, usually with obstructive sleep apnea or OSA are unable to experience this wonderful restorative moment because of the lack of air they breathe throughout the night due to their snoring and resulting pauses in breathing. These pauses can last up to several minutes causing them to awaken suddenly.
How does a person with this condition solve its problem? The answer is simple. He or she has to undergo treatment for Obstructive sleep apnea that will improve the situation. One of the most used treatments today are CPAP therapy.
What is a CPAP Mask?
CPAP is an acronym for continuous positive airway pressure. This apparatus delivers a constant air pressure through a mask that will sit on the face of a person to prevent these obstructions from happening. Splinting the upper airway from collapsing during deep sleep.
In order to use the device, you must first determine which type of breathing problem you have and find out whether it's central sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea.
Before we go further, let us stop for a moment and ask ourselves what is obstructive sleep apnea or OSA?
OSA or Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where the airflow to the person's upper airway will be intermittently obstructed as he or she sleeps. In order for the person to keep breathing, his body must awaken him/her in order to prevent the upper airway from collapsing too long. The condition is often in someone's airways that will cause the person to snore loudly while asleep.
Types of sleep apnea include central sleep apnea, where your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles to allow them to breathe, and another type where your airways are blocked. OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea, which will obstruct a person's airflow while he or she sleeps.
How can CPAP masks help improve a person's condition?
CPAP stands for Continuous positive airway pressure. It is a treatment that consists in wearing a mask during sleep that will give a constant flow of pressurized air through the person's nose and/or mouth. The pressure prevents pauses in breathing and snoring by keeping the individual's upper airway open despite any obstruction.
This is how it works: CPAP masks are fitted directly to your face and blow air into your nose delivered from the CPAP device. The mask is connected to a tube which is connected to the CPAP. The CPAP device could a fix pressure or auto-adjusted to patient's need which is often the more popular type.
The mask must fit perfectly on the individual's face and it can be adjusted with its flexible frame and straps that can be tightened as needed until you feel it fits well enough for better stability while you are sleeping.
If the mask is too big or too small for your face, it can interfere the quality of your sleep. It can bring discomfort and create air leaks. Some masks will come with inserts so you can customize it in accordance with your needs.
The mask can feel pretty stuffy at first, but you can easily adapt; it will take a few nights for you to get used to this and finally feel comfortable enough and able to sleep with your mouth closed or open. The CPAP devices are efficient to treat OSA even with nasal interfaces. As they are able to compensate lost of pressure by increasing air flow automatically.
CPAP masks are also beneficial to those who have other types of breathing conditions such as people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
There are many benefits of using the CPAP mask. An individual will not just be able to wake up feeling refreshed, but all his or her symptoms related to sleep apnea will dissipate. Some users have reported having a better concentration and less irritability after using the device to treat their condition.
So, if you or someone you love is suffering from sleep apnea and has been prescribed a CPAP mask to help improve your quality of life, give it a try today and see the difference!