What is a sleep apnea breathing machine?
Sleep apnea machines consist of three main parts. The body of the machine itself, (sizes vary, the size of a shoe-box is average), a mask to deliver the air flow and flexible tubing which connects the two. The first CPAP machines appeared in the early 1980’s and were big, noisy and uncomfortable. Since then, manufacturers have continually refined and improved their machines, and today there’s a huge variety of sizes, styles and options to choose from. Sleep apnea machines are now much lighter, quieter and comfortable and they can be tailored to meet your individual needs. Mask style, air pressure options, configuration, noise levels, portability and more, can be altered or adjusted. This is an important point as studies have shown that, in spite of their effectiveness, up to 50% of people who are prescribed one of these machines fail to use them consistently. Given how successful a CPAP machine can be in eliminating sleep apnea, this is surprising and worrying. There are three main typ