Breathing is good

I have sleep apnea. This means that when I sleep, my air pathways close off, and I have problems breathing. Basically my own body is strangling me at night. So what happens is, my airway closes off, the air builds up in my lungs (the carbon dioxide that everyone's body produces) and eventually the pressure shoves in inside of my throat back open enough for me to breathe. I've been sleeping this way my whole life. Well, that is, until I got my CPAP machine. A CPAP - or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - device works by gently pushing air into your mouth and or nose while you sleep. This keeps the pathway open and lets you breathe almost normally (as in as you normally breathe during the day). If you have problems sleeping, or if you wake up tired, especially if your throat hurts in the morning - you should talk to your doctor about sleep apnea. Only a doctor can diagnose sleep apnea. A sleep study might be required.