It’s been a strange type of year for Tyler Reddick. He went from looking near invincible to a driver struggling to merely finish races. After winning five out of the first nine, he went on a downward spiral that saw him give up a commanding lead at the top of the standings. Now, Reddick has revealed that there was something happening behind the scenes, which may explain part of this decline.

“Looking back, I had sleep apnea symptoms for a long time, but I didn’t think it was something that could affect me,” said Tyler Reddick, as reported by journalist Claire B Lang on her X profile.

The 23XI Racing driver had spent years assuming his poor sleep was simply part of who he was. He snored heavily, woke up repeatedly and often struggled to feel rested despite spending enough time in bed. At one point, he needed five or six alarms just to get himself out of bed.

Reddick’s wife, Alexa, had also noticed how badly he snored. There were even occasions when she had to wake him after he appeared to stop breathing during sleep. He had become so accustomed to those problems that he never considered them a serious warning sign. That changed when he began looking for another area where he could improve his performance.

Reddick eventually underwent a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. The condition caused his airway to repeatedly become blocked or narrowed during sleep, making his breathing shallow or temporarily stopping it altogether. As a result, his brain was constantly being signaled to wake him up and resume breathing.

Sleep apnea affects nearly a billion people worldwide, but many people do not realize they have it. For a NASCAR driver like Reddick, the consequences can be serious. Cup Series racing requires sustained concentration, physical endurance, and split-second decision-making.

Drivers spend hours preparing for races before climbing into a car, then have to maintain focus through long green-flag runs and constantly changing conditions. That makes quality recovery an important part of the performance equation.

Reddick began using ResMed’s continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, therapy after his diagnosis. The CPAP machine delivers a steady stream of air through a mask while a person sleeps, helping keep the airway open and preventing the repeated interruptions caused by obstructive sleep apnea. The goal is to help the person breathe normally and get more consistent, restorative sleep.

“I noticed a difference after night one of using my ResMed CPAP therapy, and it completely changed the way I approach recovery, preparation and performance,” Reddick said, per Lang’s X post.

Now, he travels with a smaller CPAP machine to every city he visits. The therapy has proven so useful that he completely ignores the alarm on certain mornings.

This personal experience has also turned into a new partnership. ResMed and 23XI Racing have teamed up with Reddick to share sleep-health education throughout the remainder of the 2026 season. The campaign will use his experience to encourage people to recognize potential symptoms and seek professional evaluation rather than simply accepting poor sleep as normal.

ResMed branding will also appear on Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE at three upcoming Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 19, Talladega Superspeedway on October 25, and Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8.

The 2026 season has already shown what Reddick can accomplish when everything comes together. Now, as the Chase approaches, he has another piece of his preparation under control.