Who would not want a long, restful night sleep. Even the birds and the bees welcome a good sleep.
But lately, the medical field has recognized that there are some perils when some humans go to sleep. I am one such person; diagnosed with a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea has been a sleep disorder for so many decades, but it has only been recently recognized and labeled a disease. In fact, the first medically recognized sleep apnea was only reported in 1965. There are three distinct forms of sleep apnea: central, obstructive, and complex (i.e., a combination of central and obstructive).
In my case, I have a moderate case of obstructive sleep apnea.
The management of obstructive sleep apnea was revolutionized with the introduction of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), first described in 1981 by Colin Sullivan and associates in Sydney, Australia.
The CPAP paraphernalia which had been prescribed to me resembles an oxygen air mask. The first night I wore it, I was not able to sleep. I went back to the supplier and ordered another mask, and with it, a soft pliable plastic which covers the nose, I was able to experience an undisturbed satisfying sleep.
I've been into the CPAP for two years now. Everywhere I go, I bring my cpap with me; short or long trips.
One of the hassles of bringing the CPAP on air travels, is at the airport screening. My doctor has given a special note stating the need for the machine, but in most US airports, once the scanner catches the shape of the "oxygen-mask" looking CPAP, the bag would immediately be opened and sometimes, even brought to a special security personnel, who would ask me suspiciously what it is. Once they see it and my doc's note, they just zip the bag and hand it back to me.
Inspite of all the hassles that come with bringing my CPAP on my travels, I would never, ever leave it behind. It is a life-saving device!
Prior to the emergence of sleep disorder clinics, the phenomenom of "bangungot" or SUDS (sudden death syndrome) had been misunderstood by us, Pinoys. Bangungot was consigned to the realm of the "supernatural, horror or the occult."
I learned that sleep apnea occurs mostly in males, over forty and overweight. It also occurs widely among Asians. My Japanese-sleep doctor told me that Asians are candidates for this because Asians tend to have smaller and narrower throats.
Young and females could also suffer from sleep apnea, but not as widely as males. My own nephew died from "bangungot" when he was barely twenty years old.
And I also remember the case of one young Filipino soap actor, who died in his sleep while vacationing in a plush resort in the South. This, according to the Filipino technician who conducted my sleep test, was a classic example of sleep apnea.
But lately, the medical field has recognized that there are some perils when some humans go to sleep. I am one such person; diagnosed with a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea has been a sleep disorder for so many decades, but it has only been recently recognized and labeled a disease. In fact, the first medically recognized sleep apnea was only reported in 1965. There are three distinct forms of sleep apnea: central, obstructive, and complex (i.e., a combination of central and obstructive).
In my case, I have a moderate case of obstructive sleep apnea.
The management of obstructive sleep apnea was revolutionized with the introduction of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), first described in 1981 by Colin Sullivan and associates in Sydney, Australia.
The CPAP paraphernalia which had been prescribed to me resembles an oxygen air mask. The first night I wore it, I was not able to sleep. I went back to the supplier and ordered another mask, and with it, a soft pliable plastic which covers the nose, I was able to experience an undisturbed satisfying sleep.
I've been into the CPAP for two years now. Everywhere I go, I bring my cpap with me; short or long trips.
One of the hassles of bringing the CPAP on air travels, is at the airport screening. My doctor has given a special note stating the need for the machine, but in most US airports, once the scanner catches the shape of the "oxygen-mask" looking CPAP, the bag would immediately be opened and sometimes, even brought to a special security personnel, who would ask me suspiciously what it is. Once they see it and my doc's note, they just zip the bag and hand it back to me.
Inspite of all the hassles that come with bringing my CPAP on my travels, I would never, ever leave it behind. It is a life-saving device!
Prior to the emergence of sleep disorder clinics, the phenomenom of "bangungot" or SUDS (sudden death syndrome) had been misunderstood by us, Pinoys. Bangungot was consigned to the realm of the "supernatural, horror or the occult."
I learned that sleep apnea occurs mostly in males, over forty and overweight. It also occurs widely among Asians. My Japanese-sleep doctor told me that Asians are candidates for this because Asians tend to have smaller and narrower throats.
Young and females could also suffer from sleep apnea, but not as widely as males. My own nephew died from "bangungot" when he was barely twenty years old.
And I also remember the case of one young Filipino soap actor, who died in his sleep while vacationing in a plush resort in the South. This, according to the Filipino technician who conducted my sleep test, was a classic example of sleep apnea.
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