5 Hard Things About Living With Sleep Apnea

Having sleep apnea has changed many things in my life, mostly positive, but there have been some struggles.

Simple things such as sleepovers, traveling, and my nightly routine have all changed.

1. The joys of traveling with my CPAP

Whether you're flying or driving, packing your CPAP can be a pain. Making sure that you have all the pieces and parts, especially your power cord, can be annoying.

After I pack my continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, I do a double-check, making sure I haven’t forgotten anything. I find flying to be more of a hassle because it’s a carry-on item which means I lug it through the airport.

I think the most frustrating part is going through security. They have you take the motor out and put it in a separate bin. So just imagine trying to gather all your belongings then put your CPAP back together. But I would rather take the time to pack than to go a night without my CPAP.

2. Bringing CPAP along on sleepovers

I make my friends aware that I wear a CPAP. That way, when I have a sleepover, it isn’t a surprise when I’m unpacking and setting up my CPAP.

However, I did have one experience where my friend was actually bothered by my CPAP. So we just made sure on our next trip that we had separate bedrooms.

3. Power outages, ugh!

Living in the woods, we often lose power. Which, for a CPAP user, is a nightmare. While we have a portable generator, when you're half asleep, pulling it out of the garage to start it up and running extension cords isn’t always what I want to do. One of these days, I’ll look into a small portable generator for my CPAP.

4. Mask marks on my face

As much as I try to prevent mask marks with frequent cleaning and proper mask fitting. I can’t always prevent sleeping on my face or sleeping on my side. Both positions have been known to leave marks on my face.

I do my best to remove the marks by taking a hot shower and rubbing my face. But there are some days that the marks take longer to disappear, even with the help of makeup.

5. Missing the days of mask-free sleep

Boy, do I miss the days of going to sleep without anything on my face. Laying my head on my pillow and smelling the clean pillowcase. Not having the air blowing in my eyes, or mask leaks that wake me up, or getting tangled in my tube.

I'll choose my healthy, happy life any day

However, I’ll take all of those issues over waking up several times a night, waking up with a headache, or living on coffee just to keep me awake during the day.

Like anything in life, you have to weigh the good with the bad. Yes, it may take me longer at the security checkpoint at the airport. I may even have marks on my face. BUT I know I am keeping my heart healthy, and I am living a healthy, happy life.

For years that wasn’t the case. I walked around sleep-deprived and miserable.

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