CPAP therapy improved my sleep and here’s how it all started

In 2014, an article published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) noted an estimated 26% of adults between the ages of 30 to 70 had sleep apnea, and prevalence of the disorder was increasing. I wish I could say I was aware of this article at that time. However, back then I had yet to come across the world of sleep and respiratory care.?

As a young adult and recent university graduate, the years of 2013-15 were a time of exploration in my life. Brimming with optimism and drive, I remember it as an exciting time to find new opportunities and really start figuring some things out. Despite my enthusiasm, something vital was missing. What was so well documented by organizations like the AASM, was something that I had no knowledge about. This is my story of finding out what that was. It is my story of finding restful sleep, and rediscovering my dreams. It’s the story of how I found my sleep apnea diagnosis and the treatment that helped: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy.

It seems nowadays many of us have heard of CPAP therapy, whether through a colleague at work, a good friend, or in conversations at family gatherings over the holidays. But for those who aren’t aware, this medical treatment involves sleeping with a mask on that’s connected by tubing to a bedside device called a CPAP machine. No, not a “crap” machine and no, not a “sleep app” machine. Though the misnomers abound.?

CPAP machines provide steady air pressure to the mask that helps keep the airway open, preventing respiratory disruptions called apneas during sleep. They also make a cool sort of Darth Vader-like breathing sound. Don’t worry, once all the Star Wars and “welcome to the dark side” jokes are out the way it’s not so bad. Many people agree that modern CPAP devices are much quieter than the alternative, which is often heavy snoring. This is because CPAP therapy virtually eliminates snoring when set correctly to the specific user’s prescribed pressure.?

For myself, this form of respiratory therapy was once a foreign concept. Other than being a bit of a snorer, I certainly didn’t think I had any issues with sleep. I had never even heard of a CPAP machine prior to landing a job as a sleep technician in May of 2015. Nevertheless, it was then that I quickly learned firsthand about sleep-disordered breathing and its most common treatment.

As an overnight sleep tech in a busy lab, I was introduced to what was a rewarding opportunity to help in patient diagnostics, but at times a thankless position met with skepticism. The latter seemed to stem from a fear in some patients that their sleep test results would lead to a prescription for a CPAP machine. After all, this therapy has been labelled by some as uncomfortable and difficult to get used to. Though this can be true, advances in patient comfort have come a long way in recent years. Despite this, I doubt that anybody really likes the idea of having to wear a mask to sleep. Back then in my mid-twenties, I was no different.

During that time, the caffeine-fuelled nights and unusual sleep pattern that accompanied the tech position kept life interesting. During a set of days off, and after what I thought was solid night of adequate sleep, I had a rude awakening. Literally. I woke up to the loud bumper-on-bumper crunching sound of crashing into the car that was in front of me. I couldn’t believe it, but I had actually fallen asleep behind the wheel in the middle of a sunny afternoon. The resulting minor collision made an impact that stuck with me (though luckily no one was hurt). It marked the beginning of a realization that something wasn’t quite right. Could it have just been a nightshift-related problem?

A few months later I decided to move on from working nights and took a daytime position with a local CPAP provider. As I left the sleep lab, my former manager suggested I come back for a visit sometime - this time as a patient. Since I was staying in the same field at my new job, he thought a sleep study would help me better relate to the patients I would be working with. Interested to see things from the patient perspective, I agreed and went for a Level 1 sleep test at the lab I used to work at. What I wasn’t expecting were the results, which came back showing that I had an Apnea Hypopnea Index (or AHI) of 22. In other words, I had moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).?

This diagnosis provided a clue that perhaps a more regular sleep pattern wasn’t the only factor I would need to fix in order to lessen my daytime drowsiness. I knew I didn’t want to fall asleep while driving ever again, but I also wasn’t jumping at the idea that a CPAP might help.

As a clinical consultant in the new position, I had access to a loaner CPAP device I could try in order to (once again) better relate to the patients I was working with. Stubbornly, I wasn’t yet thinking I would actually go ahead with my own CPAP prescription, though I saw the value in trying it out as another experiential learning opportunity.

Despite the clinical knowledge I was developing, my car accident, and my own OSA diagnosis, it wasn’t until I tried the machine that I really started to think differently. Like many others, I was reluctant at first. But it only took a few nights on CPAP therapy to notice I was feeling much better. It was strange because prior to those first few deep, restorative sleeps on CPAP therapy I didn’t realize how poor my sleep quality really was and how it had been affecting me all along.?

Once I was on CPAP I started dreaming more, which is a well documented phenomenon of deep REM-stage sleep, a stage that untreated sleep apnea disrupts. And with better sleep, I felt more alive in my waking hours. The epiphany had finally dawned on me, and I had seen the light. I was converted. Whatever you want to call it, I was ready to accept CPAP as my unlikely new sleep and travel companion.

It was shortly thereafter that I ended up purchasing my own doctor-prescribed device, partially funded through the Ontario government’s Assistive Devices Program.

For some people, feeling better on CPAP can take time; anywhere from days to weeks. Some patients might not even notice a change until they’ve been on therapy for a while and then go without it, perhaps leaving it behind for a weekend away and experiencing a sudden return of symptoms. For me, it was the relief of symptoms I almost didn’t know I had that motivated me to stick with it. I started looking forward to the new normal of sleeping well. And today, regardless of where my travels take me I won’t go a night without my CPAP.

Take it from me: many people with sleep apnea do not realize they have the condition. Those who stop breathing in their sleep, prior to starting therapy, may have forgotten what it feels like to have had a good night’s rest. When I had my car accident, I thought the occasional feeling of almost nodding off behind the wheel was a normal part of life. What I learned by treating my OSA was that it didn’t have to be.?

As a CPAP user of over 7 years now, I can say that excessive daytime drowsiness simply does not plague me anymore. I wake up feeling well-rested each morning, and I no longer need to take afternoon naps. The psych major in me will also point to the fact that sleep is important in maintaining good overall mood and a friendly disposition. This area cannot be understated and is one that my wife, who so graciously puts up with me, can appreciate.?

Side note: many patients that I worked with directly credited CPAP therapy in helping improve their marriage. Logically it makes sense - less nighttime snoring, better sleep quality (for both people), and ultimately less irritability during the day are common results. A true win-win scenario for relationships.

Untreated sleep apnea can place a burden on one’s physical health as well by contributing to and exacerbating high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart arrhythmias, and other issues. The good news is that if properly treated, OSA can be very manageable. If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs or symptoms of sleep apnea - such as excessive daytime drowsiness, morning headaches, snoring, or waking up gasping for air - it might be worthwhile to seek professional medical advice.?

Whether younger or more senior in years, people with OSA stand to benefit from CPAP therapy. For those who are unsure, booking a consultation with a registered sleep physician or reaching out to a local sleep clinic could be an important first step to take. In Canada, this process often starts with a family doctor’s referral. And if CPAP ends up being prescribed to you, I hope my story encourages you to give it a fair shot. It might just change your life.

Already on CPAP but having comfort issues? Check out CPAPology.ca to learn how this Canadian brand of CPAP accessories can help improve your sleep experience!

#sleepapnea #cpap #medicaldevices #respiratorycare #respiratorytherapy

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and/or comments expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the point of view of CPAPology?, KEGO Corporation, or its management.