Biden has started using a CPAP machine for sleep apnea

President Biden has begun using a CPAP machine in recent weeks to help deal with sleep apnea, which causes frequent pauses in breathing while a person sleeps, White House officials said Wednesday.

When Mr. Biden left the White House for a speech in Chicago on Wednesday morning, he had dents on both sides of his face from wearing the device, known as a continuous positive airway pressure machine.

“Since 2008, the president has revealed his history with sleep apnea in thorough medical reports,” said Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman. “He used a CPAP machine last night, which is common for people with that history.”

Mr Biden revealed his sleep apnea more than a decade ago, but his presidential doctor did not mention the condition in either of two letters assessing his health in 2021 and 2023. In 2019, his doctor noted that Mr. Biden had undergone several nasal passage surgeries to help with sinus symptoms.

A White House official said those surgeries seemed to help, but didn’t get rid of sleep apnea symptoms. The official, who asked for anonymity to discuss details about the president’s health, said the president had started wearing the CPAP device in recent weeks in an effort to improve the quality of his sleep.