Jeremy C Kester

I have apnea. It’s genetic, because although I am not at my ideal weight, I am not really overweight. And even when I was a fitness hound, chasing down weightlifting and cardio at the gym every day, I continued to sleep incredibly poorly. It proved that I couldn’t just lose weight to fix my sleeping.

I won’t bore you with the details, but I will tell you that my air passages are quite narrow compared to where they should be, leading me to have more trouble breathing than most. My doctor told me it’s as though everyone gets a garden hose to breathe through; I get a sippy straw.

I’ve tried all kinds of ways to correct my sleeping, from blue-blockers, to turning off electronics, and more. I needed a C-Pap to fix this problem.

Anyway, insurance is a bitch (I have a LOT of issues with the medical and medical insurance industry… and the government’s inability to do anything but make it worse), so I was unable to get a C-Pap until recently… and oh am I so damn glad I got it.

I didn’t know what it was to wake up and just get up. I either laid there until it hurt more to continue laying in bed than getting up, or I would have to forcibly drag myself out. These first few days I’ve tried sleeping with this machine, I have gotten right up. I wake up, take a moment, and get up. Easy.

To me, it is a totally weird feeling, getting real sleep. In fact, I am getting more rest in 5 to 6 hours than I was after 8, 10, 12, or more. And waking up without an alarm!

We need our sleep; I am learning that it is almost paramount to anything else. If you don’t sleep well, figure out what you need to fix it. It will make a world of difference if you can.