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Sleep apnea is a lot more serious than many people think it is. Sleep apnea played a roll in the deaths of both Reggie White and Carrie Fisher.
As some have stated, REM sleep is extremely important to your overall health. Untreated sleep apnea contributes to sleep deprivation. The list of health issues caused by sleep deprivation is long, and too much to put into one post, but together sleep apnea and sleep deprivation can have a severe physical and emotional impact on your quality of life.
I stopped breathing 44 times in a 6 hour period during my sleep study. At the time I was not in bad shape, and x-rays indicated that my jaw was set too far back, and made my airway extremely small when lying prone. So, while many associate the need for a CPAP machine with being overweight, that isn't always the case.
I cannot recommend getting a CPAP machine enough. It may be difficult to find a mask that works for you, the benefits are well worth the trial and error. I currently use a Mirage FX nasal mask, which works for me because I naturally keep my mouth closed during sleep, and it's small in size.
My actual machine learns my breathing pattern, and lessens the air pressure when I exhale, which makes it much easier to get used to. Respironics calls this feature C-flex, I think, but other manufacturers may call it something else.
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