July 10, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Hot Flash: Can You Look Sexy in a CPAP?

I have sleep apnea.  I wear a CPAP to bed every night.  I look like I am a monster from the Blue Lagoon. Not so sexy. But doctors say it can save my life.

When I was first diagnosed several years ago, I got a CPAP with a full-face mask.  It was big bulky and UGLY. When I put the mask on my face, and turned the machine on, my husband laughed, my dog got scared and ran out of the room. As for me, I felt like I was suffocating.  I ripped it off my face.  Never touched that damn thing again. My dog jumped on my bed to comfort me. All was well with the world.

Fat forward to 2021.  I met a friend who is in the medical field for lunch.  I shared how tired I always am, how I gained a significant amount of weight in the last couple of years, and told him the story about my terrifying experience with a CPAP machine.

He revealed that he had sleep apnea, and he was wearing a CPAP for years. He explained to me the dangers of sleep apnea, if left untreated.  First, some the symptoms:  Loud snoring – check. Awakening with a dry mouth – check.  Sleepy all day – check.   Some of the dangers: high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, liver problems.  I’m lucky that I don’t have any of these symptoms – yet.

The low moment for me was when I was driving on the freeway in the middle of the day, I could hardly stay awake.  There were small moments when I DID fall asleep.  In one of those moments, I found myself drifting into the next lane of traffic when I woke up.   I scared the shit out of myself!

I promptly ordered a CPAP with a just nasal pillow, and no full mask.  I still had the gigantic air tube coming out of my head, but I got used to the nose pillow, and was able to sleep very well with it on.  I am not so tired anymore, and have not fallen asleep behind the wheel.  

My dog is not scared of this one, and I now live alone, so no one can laugh at me.  I no longer snore, and I am no longer sleepy during the day.  I am also getting the best sleep I have had in a long time. CPAPs ARE sexy; they keep you alive and well.

<>Related Posts

SM.a.r.t.Column: Happy Fourth of July 

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

SMart (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) hopes you are enjoying a great 3-day weekend as part of your...

SM.a.r.t Column: Cities That Never Shut Up – The Roaring Cost of Urban Noise

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

In today’s cities, silence isn’t golden—it’s extinct. From sunrise to insomnia, we’re trapped in a nonstop symphony of shrieking car...

SM.a.r.t Column: Santa Monica Needs to See the Light

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

How Santa Monica’s Growing Light Pollution Is Eroding Human Health, Safety, and Sanity There was a time when our coastal...

SM.a.r.t Column: California’s Transit Death Spiral: How Housing Mandates Are Backfiring

June 15, 2025

June 15, 2025

California’s ambitious housing mandates were supposed to solve the affordability crisis. Instead, they’re creating a vicious cycle that’s killing public...

SM.a.r.t. Column: A City Dying by a Thousand Cuts

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Santa Monica, once celebrated for its blend of coastal charm and progressive ideals, is slowly bleeding out — not from...

SM.a.r.t Column: Oops!! What Happened? And What Are You Going to Do About It?

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Our Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow (SMa.r.t) articles have, over the past 12 years, collectively presented a critical...

SM.a.r.t Column: Why Santa Monica Might Need a Desalination Plant, and Maybe Even Nuclear Power

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Santa Monica is known for its ocean views, sunny skies, and strong environmental values. But there’s a challenge on the...

SM.a.r.t Column: SMO (So Many Options) Part 3: “Pie in the Sky”

May 17, 2025

May 17, 2025

SMO: Fantasy, Fact, and the Fog of Wishful ThinkingBy someone who read the fine print Every few months, a headline...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Owner Occupancy Protects Against Corporate Over-Development

May 2, 2025

May 2, 2025

This week SMa.r.t. will have as guest columnist Mark Borenstein. Mark is a long-time Santa Monica resident, a retired attorney,...

Opinion: Declaration of Economic State of Emergency in Malibu & Pacific Palisades: A Direct Result of the Devastating Impact of the Palisades Fire

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Malibu and Pacific Palisades Request Emergency Financial Measures By Ramis Sadrieh, Chairperson, Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce    On behalf...

SM.a.r.t Column: The World’s Happiest Cities

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Almost every year, we see new cities, regions, and countries that make the list(s) of our planet’s happiest and healthiest...

SM.a.r.t Column: A City for Everyone

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Santa Monica dazzles with its ocean views, sunshine, and laid-back charm. But beyond the postcard image lies a more complicated...

SM.a.r.t Column: Part II: Rebuilding Resilient Communities: Policy and Planning After the Fires

April 13, 2025

April 13, 2025

The January 2025 wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena left an indelible mark on Los Angeles County. Beyond the...

SM.a.r.t Column: Innovative Materials for Fire-Resistant Rebuilding After the LA Fires

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

In the aftermath of the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, homeowners face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives and...

Opinion: Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath Community Column Regarding a More Accountable Homeless Services System

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

By Lindsay Horvath, Los Angeles Board of Supervisors This week marks a significant milestone in our fight to end homelessness...