Shillong, June 29: President Joe Biden has recently begun using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at night to assist with his sleep apnea, according to the White House statement on Wednesday. The revelation came after indentations from the mask were visible on the president’s face as he left the White House.
Since 2008, President Biden has openly disclosed his history with sleep apnea, a common yet potentially serious condition characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep. White House officials confirmed that Biden used the CPAP machine on Tuesday night, as evident from the imprint lines on his face when he departed for a speech in Chicago on Wednesday morning.
A CPAP machine is a motorized device that delivers air through a mask to keep the sleeper’s airway open. Approximately 5 million Americans have tried CPAP machines.
Although his sleep apnea history has been known for some time, it was not mentioned during his most recent physical examination in February. During his vice presidency, doctors had noted that Biden had an irregular heartbeat likely associated with his apnea.
As an 80-year-old president seeking re-election, Biden holds the record for being the oldest person to hold the highest office in the nation.
Sleep apnea is estimated to affect around 30 million people in the United States, but only about 6 million have been diagnosed, according to the American Medical Association. The condition is characterized by relaxed throat and tongue muscles that block the airway during sleep, often caused by factors such as obesity, aging, or facial structure.
People with sleep apnea experience repeated interruptions in breathing, lasting up to a minute and occurring hundreds of times throughout the night, followed by awakening with loud gasping and snoring. This prevents them from obtaining deep and restorative sleep. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to dangerous daytime drowsiness and an increased risk of heart attacks. The condition is more prevalent in men than women.