Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea
What is Sleep Apnea?
During sleep, especially during the deepest stages of sleep (called REM sleep), the muscles in the back of the throat relax. This causes the upper airway to become smaller. Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder where the upper airway collapses, causing a blockage of air movement into the lungs and stopping airflow for several seconds or more. An apnea is a pause in breathing, lasting at least 10 seconds.
Apneas can occur multiple times each hour and can last anywhere from seconds to minutes before regular breathing restarts. These pauses in breathing can be extremely disruptive to your sleep. A move from deep sleep to “lighter” sleep called an arousal may occur during apneas, affecting your ability to maintain deeper stages of restful sleep.
Sleep Apnea can be Dangerous
One out of every five Americans suffers from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA affects both men and women and occurs in all age groups. Patients with OSA rarely get a good night’s sleep. Their collapsed airways and apneas usually lead to excessively loud snoring, gasping for air, interrupted sleep, and overall increased fatigue during the day. Unfortunately, that often means their loved ones suffer right alongside them.
The dangers of sleep apnea extend far beyond poor sleep quality and chronic fatigue. Without proper treatment, OSA can have serious adverse effects on your brain, heart, and lungs. If you have untreated sleep apnea, you are at an increased risk of experiencing high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Introducing Rotech’s SleepWELL™ Program
The good news is there are easy and effective treatments for Sleep Apnea – and Rotech can help you every step of the way!
Through our SleepWELL™ Program, we provide CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure therapies designed to help alleviate breathing problems associated with sleep apnea. That means you (and your loved ones) can enjoy more restful sleep and significantly improved health with successful treatment!
Both CPAP and Bilevel machines provide the same settings and set up instructions, the only difference is the type of airway pressure produced:
- CPAP machines provide you with a constant level of positive airway pressure during inhalation and exhalation
- Bilevel machines deliver two different levels of positive airway pressure (one during inhalation, and a lower pressure during exhalation)
CPAP devices come in a variety of machines with several different types and sizes of masks, but they all work together to deliver the mild supplementary airway pressure that makes sleep therapy effective.
Rotech’s SleepWELL™ Sleep Apnea Services
Rotech’s CPAP machines are compact and fairly quiet, as not to disrupt everyone in the household. As part of our SleepWELL™ Program, our qualified staff will set up your machine with the settings prescribed by your doctor. We will make sure you are educated and confident in proper use, troubleshooting and cleaning of your CPAP device. We will also ensure your mask fits properly and provide clinical support for your questions and concerns throughout the duration of your treatment.
With our large selection of CPAP and Bilevel PAP equipment and supplies, you can customize your treatment to fit your lifestyle and comfort level. You’ll also have the peace of mind that SleepWELL™ help is only a phone call away.
