tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post3744524727226700228..comments2023-10-19T03:45:57.790-04:00Comments on My Life and Sleep Apnea: Do you have a face for sleep apnea?David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-40609363082165043792009-11-22T22:05:45.371-05:002009-11-22T22:05:45.371-05:00I hadn't ever heard of a dreamhelmet before I&...I hadn't ever heard of a dreamhelmet before I'll have to look into it<br />thanks for the info<br />DavidDavid Stillwagonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-12762185637893038742009-11-22T21:55:27.980-05:002009-11-22T21:55:27.980-05:00Before you do surgery, try a CPAP mask. I have one...Before you do surgery, try a CPAP mask. I have one, and they really help.<br /><br />I’ve been a snorer for a long time. As I got older, my snoring has got more frequent and louder. I also noticed I was tired a lot and liked to take naps during the day. I was overweight. People complained about my snoring and I did not want to sleep in the same room with other people for fear of keeping them awake.<br /><br />Finally, I asked my doctor about the problem. He sent me home with a machine to check my breathing and pulse while I slept. The results really shocked me! The doc said my airway was closing off up to 70 times each hour, and that I stopped breathing for as long as one full minute at a time! I had severe apnea. He strongly recommended I start using the CPAP machine, since I was risking damage to my heart due to lack of oxygen.<br /><br />I had read about CPAP machines before and always thought I would never be able to sleep with one, since I am a little claustrophobic. Surprisingly, it only took me a few minutes to get used to, and I was able to start sleeping comfortably right away.<br /><br /> The mask part is just a small nose manifold that covers the nostrils to blow in air. That keeps the throat inflated like a balloon, preventing throat closures and snoring. One problem is the straps over the head that keep the nose piece in place. They can be a little annoying at first, and if you change sleeping positions at night, it is possible for these straps to move, causing the nose piece to slip off. <br /><br />I have been using a Dreamhelmet (a combination sleep mask sound-muffling pillow) for years now, to sleep at night and for napping during the day. I always find it hard to sleep without the Dreamhelmet, and was afraid I would not be able to use it with the CPAP mask, but I was wrong about that too. <br /><br />After using the CPAP machine and mask for a short while, I tried wearing the Dreamhelmet over the CPAP mask, covering up the straps – voila, it worked like a charm! I found that the Dreamhelmet actually helps keep the straps in place when I change positions, so now I can sleep all night in comfort, not being bothered by sound, light, or changing positions. The CPAP combined with the Dreamhelmet are the perfect sleeping combo for me.<br /><br />Now I don’t snore, I wake up rested, and I have energy that lasts all day long. I’m still overweight, but I don’t feel so run down all the time or feel like I need an afternoon nap, but I still carry an extra Dreamhelmet in the car with me just in case I do need a nap.Joehttp://www.sleepmaskpillow.comnoreply@blogger.com