Dr. Bruce explained it completely (as I would expect nothing less from the good doctor), but let me tell you what it feels like from the end user's perspective. Before CPAP treatment, I usually woke in the morning feeling like I had run a marathon all night long, and capped it off with a train wreck at the finish line. Which, in essence, is exactly what my body was going thru. Oxygen deprivation, CO2 buildup, a nice jolt of adrenaline to move the muscles in the throat and kick start the breathing again, about once every 30 seconds. After those less than refreshing nights, I would slog thru the day feeling like I was in a fog, running on half a brain. After a severe night, I would come home from work and fall asleep on the couch until dinner, fall asleep on the couch again after dinner, wake up enough to stagger to bed and repeat the cycle the next day. After good nights I just felt generally tired and run down due to sleep deprivation - not really a good spot to be in when trying to make wise choices as PIC.
I never showed signs of narcolepsy, where you fall asleep uncontrolled, but I was able to falll asleep at will, just about anywhere, any time, like standing at parade rest in boot camp, sitting at a stop light, waiting at a train crossing...
CPAP, by the way, stands for Constant Positive Air Pressure and is supplied by a small computerized box with a blower, connected to a mask or nasal device similar to an 02 mask or nasal interfaces that seal against the nose. Additionally, there is BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Air Pressure), which senses inhalation and exhalation and provides a low and high pressure air cycle to match breathing, as well as AutoPAP, which senses demand and adjusts the pressures automatically.
Sleep Apnea is a silent killer and is not something to be taken lightly. While one may not die from the disease directly, the effects from leaving it untreated are serious. Most seek diagnosis and treatment when their spouse has finally had enough and tells them "I've HAD IT! Get to the doctor or go to the guest room!
CPAP treatment is extremely simple and the results are life changing. I've had a couple of power-out nights and got stuck on the road once without my CPAP and the reminder of how miserable I feel the next day is enough to reenforce compliance with the treatment. Get your loved ones to a sleep study if they have the symptoms!
Long term hose head