President Joe Biden has begun using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to address his battle with sleep apnea. He’s had the condition since 2008, but only recently turned to the popular treatment tool, according to reports.

Dr. Eric J. Kezirian, one of the world’s leading surgeons and researchers specializing in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea surgery and full-time faculty member in the department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, says that 30 million adults in the U.S. are affected by obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA.

“Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder,” he tells Newsmax. “It causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep. During sleep, the muscles of your body relax, and in patients with sleep apnea, this relaxation blocks the breathing space in your throat.” Kezirian says that a recent study by Swedish researchers found that the condition increases the risk of certain cancers because of the oxygen deprivation caused by the disorder.

The most common risk factors include age, male gender, and being overweight or obese. About 40% of men and women over the age of 60 have obstructive sleep apnea. Men are twice as likely to have it, especially when compared to premenopausal women. “As we are experiencing increasing rates of obesity in our society, we are also seeing a rise in the incidence of sleep apnea,” says Kezirian.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of OSA during sleep include loud snoring, holding your breath, awakening with a dry mouth or gasping for air. Sleep apnea is a leading cause of daytime sleepiness because sufferers do not get a good night’s sleep. This of course can lead to fatigue and diminished quality of life.

“And although we make jokes about snoring, it can disrupt the sleep of others and adversely affect our relationships,” notes Kezirian. “Anyone who experiences these symptoms should speak to their primary healthcare provider, especially if they have other health issues that may be related to sleep apnea, such as high blood pressure, other forms of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or memory loss. Someone with these symptoms may need a referral to a sleep specialist for a test called a sleep study that can evaluate their condition.”

Conservative treatments for OSA include weight loss, sleeping on your side or stomach rather than on your back, and avoiding alcohol and other sedatives before bedtime. The most common treatment is positive airway pressure therapy commonly referred to as CPAP, BPAP or APAP for the different types of the therapy.

A CPAP machine is a bedside device that delivers continuous positive airway pressure and is used to treat OSA and other breathing problems. Consistent use of a CPAP machine provides both short-term and long-term benefits to people diagnosed with OSA, says the Sleep Foundation.

“Positive airway pressure works by blowing air through the nose and/or throat to balloon open the throat to prevent blockage of the airways,” explains Kezirian.

Other treatments include wearing an oral device. “Oral appliances can treat obstructive sleep apnea by holding the lower jaw forward during sleep, opening the space for breathing.”

One exciting procedure for sleep apnea is called upper airway stimulation, adds Kezirian. This involves surgery to implant a device that is somewhat like a pacemaker for the tongue. When someone is asleep, the device can deliver gentle stimulation to move the tongue forward and open the airways. Studies have shown that upper airway stimulation works well and that the benefits remain stable over at least five years.