Americans are notoriously sleep deprived. Work and family take up so much of the day that people tend to rob themselves of needed rest. Many people additionally suffer from sleep a disorder, which exacerbates an already poor rest schedule. Our bodies require proper amounts of sleep to function normally throughout the day. Resting allows us to recharge and boost our immune systems as well. Lack of sleep will affect memory and motor skills, and is detrimental to overall health.

One of the most severe types of sleep disturbances is sleep apnea. People with apnea do not rest peacefully throughout the night. Instead, apnea sufferers actually wake up multiple times while sleeping, and often do not realize they are doing so. People with apnea suffer from lapses in the ability to breathe properly, whether due to the struggle to breathe or breathing stops completely. These episodes can last for several seconds or even up to a minute, and can occur several times an hour. People with sleep apnea also snore more than the average person. This snoring and lapse in breathing can cause a person to wake often.

It is thought that the breathing is interrupted because of obstruction in the upper airways, such as when the palate and throat relax during rest. Apnea, left untreated, can lead to serious cardiovascular issues. The heart is affected by the constant varying amounts of oxygen and stroke, arrhythmia, heart disease and heart attacks can occur. It has also been associated with other illnesses, such as depression and diabetes.

It's important that those with apnea seek treatment. A sleep study can be performed by a doctor to evaluate the severity of apnea in a patient. The doctor will evaluate the patient while they are at rest for signs, symptoms and reactions to apnea. Once diagnosed, the doctor can prescribe several treatments alone, or in combination to best serve the patient.

A CPAP machine is the preferred method of treatment for many doctors. A CPAP machine provides continuous positive airway pressure that allows the throat to stay open, preventing breathing from stopping. The machine uses forces of air sent through a tube to accomplish this. The patient wears a mask that allows air to enter the nostrils and throat. This machine works exceptionally well, and is being used to treat other breathing disorders such as respiratory failure, and for patients recovering from heart surgery. Improvement of symptoms can be quite dramatic once the patient is regularly using the machine.