09-20-2013, 03:17 PM
Getting Used to Sleeping Again
The typical patient is in his fifties the first time he straps on that mask in his own home and tries to sleep with a new CPAP machine. Having spent decades getting used to sleeping with obstructive sleep apnea, we have to learn how to sleep all over again. Once we get past the hassles of the new CPAP machine, hose, and mask, we are left with the habits formed during those decades when we lived a sleep-deprived life.
We got used to the fact that sleep didn't really refresh us. We got used to staying up late and not being able to sleep in late.
Now we have to get used to the fact that we can get refreshed by a night of sleep. That we can go to bed early and we can sleep in late. We become a different person.
For some of us this transition happens almost instantly. For others it takes longer. In some cases much longer.
We can speed things along only by insisting that we always wear the mask whenever we sleep. And that we insist that our providers supply us with the care we need. That they get us the right machine and the right mask.
Sleep well, my friends. And appreciate the opportunity we have for a new lease on life.
We got used to the fact that sleep didn't really refresh us. We got used to staying up late and not being able to sleep in late.
Now we have to get used to the fact that we can get refreshed by a night of sleep. That we can go to bed early and we can sleep in late. We become a different person.
For some of us this transition happens almost instantly. For others it takes longer. In some cases much longer.
We can speed things along only by insisting that we always wear the mask whenever we sleep. And that we insist that our providers supply us with the care we need. That they get us the right machine and the right mask.
Sleep well, my friends. And appreciate the opportunity we have for a new lease on life.
Sleepster
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
