Sleep apnea: An increasingly common condition

BY GARY SHEEHAN

Many of us are so busy running, managing and growing our businesses that we forget about the most important piece of our ongoing success – personal health and wellness. Without it, we are forced to take substantial time away from our companies to refocus and get well; but with it, we can focus on the task at hand and achieve new levels of personal and professional satisfaction.

One topic related to personal health and wellness that is receiving increasing amounts of national news coverage is sleep apnea. Estimates are that between twelve and twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea to some degree. The stoppage of breathing characteristic of sleep apnea can last anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds per incident – up to 400 seconds over the course of a single night with multiple occurrences. This disease state is marked by symptoms including loud snoring, frequent feelings of daytime fatigue even when you feel you had a good night’s sleep, and a host of other more complicated co-morbidities that can greatly complicate the life of one suffering from the disease. Sleep apnea is most prevalent in overweight males, between the ages of 40 and 65 – many of whom are busy, successful, and chronically searching for a few extra hours in every day. Relief from the symptoms of sleep apnea can provide everything from a new sense of alertness and refreshment to improvements in your sex life.

Do you frequently feel tired? Do you have a bed partner who complains about your snoring? It might be time you visit your health care professional and have a brief conversation about sleep apnea. A few simple tests can determine whether or not you are suffering from sleep apnea, and the most frequent treatment is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), which is a non-invasive treatment that is covered by most, if not all, insurance plans.

Proper diagnosis and treatment is the beginning of a new sense of refreshment and alertness and will most definitely have a positive contribution to your personal bottom line.

For more information on sleep apnea, visit the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at sleepapnea.org or Cape Medical Supply at capemedical.com/sleep-apnea. ■

Gary Sheehan is president of Cape Medical Supply, with locations in Sandwich, Hyannis, and Falmouth. He can be reached at (800) 339-3322 or gsheehan@capemedical.net.

Published in Cape & Plymouth Business November 2009