Why Is Everyone on CPAP Machines?
The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine was invented 40 years ago to treat severe cases of sleep apnea, a condition where you repeatedly stop breathing during sleep. The CPAP, which straps around your face, covering your mouth, nose, or both, uses mild air pressure to keep your airways open while you sleep. You can usually tell someone’s using a CPAP from the tell-tale strap marks on their face first thing in the morning. Matthew Rozsa, a staff writer for Salon magazine, describes the sensation of CPAP as "extremely unnatural and unpleasant," 1 but like most other users, finds it preferable to the dead-tired feeling that sleep apnea causes. According to the American Medical Association, 2 6 million Americans have a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but another 25 million or more may be struggling undiagnosed. 3 "Virtually anyone who snores is ... on the spectrum for sleep apnea," Rozsa writes. Indeed, snoring typical...