Joe Biden suffers from sleep apnea, and has begun to use a medical CPAP device at night to treat the condition, the White House said on Wednesday.
Sleep apnea, which is a relatively common disorder, refers to the condition that inhibits oxygen intake during sleep, often causing snoring. A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device is sometimes used in more aggressive cases to ensure proper oxygen flow overnight.
The president’s press team made the revelation shortly after reporters noticed a set of indentations on Mr Biden’s face as he spoke to the press – the indentations were left by the mask he wears while using a CPAP device at night.
President Biden appeared at the White House with marks on his face from the CPAP device— (AP)
“Since 2008, the president has disclosed his history with sleep apnea in thorough medical reports. He used a CPAP machine last night, which is common for people with that history,” a White House spokesman said on Wednesday.
Though many of the president’s supporters chafed at media reports disclosing his use of the device, it’s commonly accepted that any medical condition which affects the US commander-in-chief takes on an importance that does not apply to other politicians. Though sleep apnea is not a condition that could reasonably be considered likely to affect the presidency in any way, Mr Biden’s use of the device was nevertheless instantly picked up on by experts who were eager for a presidential light to be shone on sleep disorders.
In fact, the White House’s statement only shortly followed an educated guess floated by the National Sleep Foundation, which this morning blasted out a press release to DC-area reporters in which a medical expert on sleep hypothesised that Mr Biden had CPAP-device indentations on his face.
“It looks like the sort of indentation one would expect from a CPAP mask. If you look at photos of popular CPAP mask styles you can see how the strap would leave a similar mark as the one we see on President Biden. Sleep apnea is very common and the risk increases with age. As the oldest U.S. president ever, it would not be surprising if President Biden was being treated for sleep apnea,” said Dr Joseph Krainin, an expert with the foundation and SleepApnea.org.
Dr Krainin added: “We also know that President Biden has a history of a ruptured brain aneurysm which could predispose him to a certain type of sleep apnea where his brain forgets to breathe during sleep.”
Mr Biden’s health has been closely watched by reporters since he took office in 2021, and with particularly renewed interest in 2023 following the official launch of his 2024 campaign for reelection.
The president has attended a handful of campaign events since that announcement so far, but is due to see that ramp up as the election nears. In 2020, Mr Biden won election to office following a campaign season where many events changed from live to virtual venues as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
