Ahhh. . . . now I have your attention.

Do you wear glasses to improve your vision? A hearing aid to help you hear better? What about a mouth guard to keep those pearl-ley whites from grinding away?

We’d never not consider seeking solutions from a health care professional for health problems. Except for one.

Snoring.

Snoring is a health issue we totally ignore.

If you’ve been accused of the sinful sleep behavior that keeps everyone but you, awake OR you sleep with someone who snores like no one else ever has before, you’re in the right place.

I didn’t even know what sleep apnea was. Had never heard the term ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea’, or ‘CPAP’ machine.

But one thing was for sure. At 60, I blamed always-being-tired to getting older. And I didn’t like it. No kidding, I was waking up tired (!), and by 3 or 4 o’clock, was ready to end the day. What the hey? How could this possibly be?

I mentioned it to my nurse practitioner at a routine appointment after several comments from my son over the summer. “Mom, you were snoring so loud last night, I could hear you downstairs. You sounded like you were choking!”

Being a little dramatic here?

But in hindsight, they weren’t the first comments. Nope. I’d heard about my snoring on and off for years, even going back to when I was married. Oh how I remember nights being nudged to wake up, being awakened and told to turn over, and fighting to stay awake long enough for him to fall asleep first. It was a battle in both directions.

Here in the good ol’ U. S. of A. we laugh over cocktails about our partner’s snoring, make jokes about sleeping in hotel room bath tubs, and admit to sleeping in the guest room just to get away from the endless irritation. And women are notorious for lying about their snoring.

It ruins a good night’s sleep for more than just the person making all the noise. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t know.

What I never knew, and was happy to find out

Mentioning it at my appointment, she asked me lotsa questions, told me I had the smallest airway she’d ever seen in an adult, and referred me to the sleep center (like a hotel room) to be tested. Jeez, talk about an UNcomfort zone. . .

How do you sleep with 20 zillion wires taped to all parts of your body? But I did, and was confirmed as having Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Halleluiah. This 115 lb, 60-year-old female had good reason for feeling so tired all the time! On average, my breathing was interrupted or stopped 19 times per hour. Although I was shocked, I was so happy to know why I was so lethargic 24/7.

That’s when life changed. And I mean seriously CHANGED.

I’d leave home without my American Express, but never without my CPAP.

I became the cheerleader for CPAP machines, and was on a mission to help every snorer I know-and-love get checked out. By talking about it, I was, in a small way, helping to fight the stigma.

Yup, no one wants to be connected to a machine while you sleep. They’re very hospital-like, never pretty-pink or polka dotted. And the ‘nose pillow’ that covers your nose (which is connected to the air tube) can feel cumbersome and downright ugly.

But I’m here to tell you to stick it out. At first it’s like sleeping with a cast on your arm, or like wearing a hat to bed. It’s so foreign. But after three nights, I literally felt like I was 35 again ~ one of the most transformational things I’ve experienced. And I’ll never ever go back, or leave home without it. Ever.

Five years later, with annual check-ups that yield recorded data (a chip in the machine), I haven’t had ONE apnea (or snoring) since the first night I used it. Not one. So now, the only reason I’m tired in the morning is cuz I stayed up too late!

6 Things to know about Sleep Apnea

Ok, these are some things I learned ~

• 22 million (yes million!) Americans are affected. Yikes.
• 80% are UNdiagnosed because we don’t take snoring seriously. Really?
• When your breathing stops, it interrupts the flow of oxygen to your major organs like your heart and brain. And we know what happens when organs don’t get what they need…. they get sick and quit their jobs. Heart attacks and strokes. Ask any EMT.
• And when your breathing is interrupted, you never get to that 4th stage of sleep (REM) which is so important to feel rested.
• OSA is a silent killer, very much like high blood pressure.
• Weight gain is a side effect of sleep apnea. Whoa. That explains those 8 extra pounds. Did you know sleep contributes to weight loss?

CPAP machines are Baby Boomers’ best kept secrets. I was amazed at how many of my friends said they have one, after I ‘confessed’. It’s like being in a club. I always want to hug each new member I meet.

5 Changes to Consider

So here’s my wisdom ~

• Commit to believing the data that shows good sleep will buy you extra years.
• Ask yourself what it’s worth to wake up feeling energetic for the whole day, every day.
• Treat sleep like eating well, getting exercise, and brushing your teeth. Make it a priority.
• Sleeping together is not sex. Sleep is sleep. Sex is sex. One has to be done in bed, the other can be done in the kitchen (like in the movies).
• For those with partners, if sleeping in different rooms is what it takes, do it! It’s a contribution to your health, and can only ADD to your relationship, not detract. Its not an editorial on how you feel about each other. As a matter of fact, it’s the opposite. Aren’t you cranky and naggy when you’re tired?

There you have it.

The whole CPAP thing is a stigmatized issue that people keep hidden behind closed doors. But part of intentionally entering my UNcomfort zone and putting it out there (besides “coming out” for me), is motivating you to recognize a potential health risk, and be brave enough to make a change.

As John Brownlee says, “You know what’s better when you sleep soundly through the night? EVERYTHING.”

It’s an UNcomfort zone totally worth the price of entry. Trust me. ♥ Carol

For another good resource about sleep issues click here.