CPAP Therapy May Treat More than Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Patience is a virtue and it’s paying off.  For those of you with sleep apnea, here’s another reason to stick with your CPAP therapy!  The health benefits of regularly using a CPAP machine go beyond treating sleep apnea.  According to WebMD, the consistent use of CPAP therapy not only provides better sleep to those who suffer from sleep apnea, but it can also help control blood glucose levels.  The therapy has shown to lead to lower blood sugar levels after meals in sleep apnea patients with type 2 diabetes. 

Disruptive sleep caused by sleep apnea leads to increased levels of hormones that inhibit the effects of insulin.  By treating sleep apnea with CPAP therapy, these hormone levels are reduced, leading to more stable blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of complications caused by diabetes.

Sleep apnea has long been connected to type 2 diabetes.  People who suffer from sleep apnea are nine times more likely to have diabetes than those who don’t have the sleep disorder.  And as many as one quarter of people with type 2 diabetes are estimated to have obstructive sleep apnea, but most of them go undiagnosed for the sleep disorder.

Read the full WebMD article.