CPAP Treatment May Help Boost Sex Drive
Approximately 18 million Americans are suffering from a sleep disorder called sleep apnea. This was showed by statistics of the National Sleep Foundation. The crucial fact though is that 90% do not know that what they have is actually a disorder and needs to be treated. This sleep disorder happens when a person wakes subconsciously at night because their airways are blocked and there is a pause in breathing. Snoring is one indication that a person has sleep apnea.
There is a study that shows that younger males that have sleep apnea also complain of erectile dysfunction. These men can no longer function sexually in the morning. There is a remedy for this. By treating sleep apnea, it can also revitalize virility.
An ENT specialist of the Montefiore Medical Center in New York and author of the book, Sleep Interrupted: A physician reveals the #1 reason why so many are sick and tired, Dr. Steven Park, recommends that those who snore and have sexual problems should seek evaluation if they have sleep apnea. A research showed that 17 out of 42 men who had erectile dysfunction improved in terms of their sexual life when they used a CPAP machine. Dr. Park said that the men reported enhanced sexual performance as well as they had erections during the morning hours.
Researchers headed by Dr. Joseph Dombrowky at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center based in Bethesda, Maryland, examined 92 males and averaging 42 years of age who are using the CPAP machine for their sleep apnea. All throughout the night, the men were subjected to the CPAP machine which carries oxygen to keep the airways open. Most of the men were obese. 27% said that their libido was fading and 46% suffered from erectile dysfunction. Following 6 months of the initial use of the machine, 41% of the test subjects said that their sexual problems diminished. Dr. Dombrowsky and his team are going to continue with research with a larger number of men to look into other benefits of the device.
Individuals who have sleep apnea have multiple breathing stoppages at night which results in stress. The stress affects the parasympathetic nervous system that is responsible for erection and arousal.
A sleep medicine specialist and associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, Joyce Walsleben states that the CPAP device benefits the user with good sleep; an increase in energy; resettling of neurotransmitters as well as the production of hormones.
Everyone is familiar with the mask of Darth Vader of the movie Star Wars. A CPAP device has a mask just like in the movie. Sleep apnea sufferers with erectile dysfunction now have a “life saver”. The downside is that the machine is not cheap and may run to thousands of dollars. Men who have issues with the CPAP can opt for other treatment options like surgery.
The study mentioned is going to be presented in a meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Boston. The published work does not guarantee that a man’s sexual performance improves or that CPAP is a treatment for erectile dysfunction. What is shown here is that it establishes a link between sleep apnea remedies and sexual function. The study is still preliminary until it is reviewed by other sleep experts in a medical journal. Contact a sleep specialist if you are interested in how CPAP may improve your health.
