Sleep has long captivated the imaginations of man kind since the dawn of time. In fact, it was dubbed the “cousin of death” due to the body’s stillness during sleep. However, your body and mind are very much “awake” while you sleep.

Sleep is a vital biological process that all animals — including humans — perform as a restorative process. While you peacefully rest, your body and mind are hard at work repairing and healing. This is said to be part of the reason why humans dream; the mind is processing the day’s events as well as processing anxieties, thoughts, and subconscious fears.

Similarly, your body attends to any areas that are in need in of repair, such as the skin and muscles. This is a major reason why anti-aging skin care manufacturers recommend using a heavier moisturizer at night in order to help the skin rejuvenate itself.

Unfortunately, as many as 18 million Americans are not able to get a proper night’s rest due to sleep apnea. As many as two to four percent of all Americans have an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea, a condition that is known to be potentially deadly. The breathing of a sleep apnea sufferer repeatedly starts and stops throughout the time they’re asleep. These pauses in breathing, known as apneas, can last anywhere from just a few seconds to several moments. This pattern can repeat itself as many as 60 times in a single hour.

Left untreated, sleep apnea has been linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke, among other health problems. However, treatments such as sleep apnea machines have known to be highly effective in managing and treating sleep apnea symptoms. Sleep apnea machines work by supplying a steady stream of air to a patient’s airways via a sleep apnea mask such as a BIPAP mask or CPAP mask.

By using these treatments, sleep apnea sufferers can greatly reduce their risk of further complications and maintain a health lifestyle.