President Biden uses a CPAP machine while he sleeps, the Oval Office has confirmed, saying he has been using the device for weeks. Biden appeared outside the White House on the morning of June 27 with strange markings on his face that prompted curiosity on social media. Some reporters speculated that the marks were made by a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device. The machine is worn overnight to assist with breathing.
While President Biden acknowledged he suffers from sleep apnea back in 2008, sources from inside the White House suggest he has only recently started using the breathing aid.
Sleep apnea affects 25 million adults in America and more than 900 million worldwide. There are two different kinds, one of which occurs when the brain does not tell the body to breathe, thereby stopping breathing intermittently during sleep. The second type is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when muscles or other soft tissues block the airways. This type is common in people over 50 because muscle tone tends to soften with age.
The revelation that the President is using a CPAP machine will likely reignite the debate about whether he is physically fit enough to continue into a second term in office. Biden is the oldest-ever US President and if he wins another term in 2024, he will be 86 in his final year.
The latest NBC poll, conducted in late June, revealed that 68% of Americans worry about Biden’s health and ability to carry out his duties. This is compared to 55% who say they have the same concerns about Donald Trump.
In other results, Trump has extended his lead over Ron DeSantis, although Biden leads by 4% in a Presidential match-up against the former President. Among Republicans, Trump is up from 46% in April to 51% in June. DeSantis, by contrast, is down from 31% in April to just 22% in June. All other GOP candidates are polling below 10%.
