Don't Cheat Yourself Out of a Good Night's Sleep

I began wearing a CPAP in 2018. Until that time, I thought I was getting good sleep. But, I was always tired. In fact that was a major decision in my deciding to retire. Even though I was 65 years old, I would have enjoyed working a few more years if I weren't so tired. It became almost impossible for me to get up in the mornings for work.

As a retiree, I had planned to travel. On one of my trips, the person I was traveling with got up and spent the night on the patio because of my snoring. It was so loud, she was unable to go to sleep.

I also belong to a card club. We met at 1:00 p.m. and by 2:00 p.m. all I could think about was getting home to take a nap. I was taking 2-hour naps daily since my retirement seven years prior.

In 2018 I decided to find out more about a sleep study. Findings showed I stopped breathing 53 times per hour. I couldn't believe it. And my snoring was off the charts.

I got my CPAP in July 2018 and am still amazed at the difference it has made in my life. Six years later, I can honestly say afternoon naps are a thing of the past; I have had four or five in the past six years. As for traveling, I can now go with confidence that I will not be disrupting anyone else's sleep.

I just had my annual appointment with my sleep doctor, and my non-breathing episodes are down to 1-2 per hour.

If you are experiencing unexplained tiredness and have been accused of snoring, you should definitely see a sleep doctor to have your sleep monitored. You may be as shocked as I was to find out just how disruptive your sleep has been. With the help of a CPAP, my life has been made more enjoyable because of the newfound energy I have. Don't cheat yourself out of a good night's sleep; it can be life-changing.