Daybreak offers innovative, user-friendly alternatives for sleep apnea, effectively addressing patient aversion to traditional CPAP machines.
The Birth of Daybreak
Wesley Lones identified a glaring issue in healthcare regarding sleep apnea, a condition affecting up to 83 million adults in the U.S. This chronic ailment causes individuals to repeatedly stop breathing during sleep, leading to severe health implications. Most prevalent among treatments is the cumbersome CPAP machine, which, while effective, is often rejected by patients due to its intimidating nature. Millions remain untreated, not from a lack of options, but rather from an aversion to the existing solutions.
Lones, who previously helped build Byte—a tech company sold for a staggering $1.04 billion—saw this discrepancy as a challenge that could not be ignored. “I spent two years looking over my shoulder thinking, how could the most advanced wealthy country in the history of the world have millions of people suffering from an ailment and not have a treatment,” he said. His frustration mounted as he recognized the problem wasn’t the absence of effective treatments; it was the very nature of those treatments. Many patients simply cannot tolerate the CPAP mask that delivers pressurized air, often leading them to avoid addressing their diagnosis altogether.
Realizing he couldn’t stay idle after selling Byte, Lones quickly shifted his focus to this pressing healthcare issue. In just minutes, he went from contemplating retirement to launching Daybreak, a virtual platform that provides home-based solutions for sleep apnea, including a custom-fit oral appliance that serves as an alternative to the CPAP. Remarkably, in less than two and a half years, Daybreak has treated over 20,000 patients, a testament to the growing demand for user-friendly sleep solutions.
What’s particularly striking is Lones' commitment to spreading awareness. On a recent episode of *One Day with Jon Bier*, he discussed the significant gap in patient knowledge. Many potential users of oral appliances are completely unaware that such options exist. Addressing this knowledge gap presents one of his biggest hurdles. “I have yet to interact with a person who has sleep apnea and hears about an oral appliance and says, ‘I would never try that,’” he shared. Instead, the overwhelming response is curiosity and eagerness to learn more.
Understanding Sleep Apnea
A prevalent misconception surrounding sleep apnea is the belief that it’s solely a weight issue. Lones emphasized that anatomical factors often play a more considerable role. As individuals sleep, muscle relaxation can cause airway obstructions, leading to breathing interruptions regardless of weight. While excess weight can exacerbate the problem, it isn't the definitive cause.
Lones doesn't vilify CPAP as a treatment option; he acknowledges its status as the “gold standard.” However, he also recognizes the extensive emotional and psychological toll it takes on users. Many people dread the idea of sleeping with a mask, which is where the innovative custom-fit mouthguard comes into play. Typically, these devices have existed in the dental world, yet they remain largely unknown to those suffering from sleep apnea.
In establishing Daybreak, Lones crafted a remote patient experience that begins with a simple wireless sleep-test device sent to the patient’s home. This device tracks sleep patterns and shares data with a doctor who can then diagnose the condition and propose an appropriate treatment, if necessary. If the patient is eligible, Daybreak delivers an impression kit to create the custom-fit device—all without requiring a physical office visit.
Ultimately, Lones' mission with Daybreak extends beyond profit margins; it’s about impacting lives. He reflects on stories from patients, such as a mother whose husband had spent years suffering from sleep apnea. After receiving treatment, she expressed profound gratitude: “This is the first time my children have had a father and I have had a husband in three years.” Transforming from a simple business endeavor to a life-altering mission, Lones now views Daybreak's success as a blend of entrepreneurship and social impact.
