CPAP Machines

MSNBC has an article talking about the social implications of CPAP machines.  The writer talked with many couples in which one partner uses a CPAP mask to treat a sleep disorder, and some couples found it a libido killer, while others said the CPAP machine improved the lives, and consequently, their sex lives.

It’s a tough call, obviously.  On the one hand, you’ve got this thing strapped to your face and a CPAP machine whirring all night (at one point, the article describes it like sleeping with Darth Vader).  On the other hand, without a proper CPAP machine, the sleep apnea sufferer could die, and certainly won’t get a good night’s sleep.  With your sleep disrupted, how good could your libido be anyways?

That’s what a lot of people in the article say, that regardless of the annoyance of the actual CPAP machine and the treatment, it has made their lives much better (and possibly saved their lives), and that’s the most important thing.

Most CPAP users say they’re as matter-of-fact about the device as anyone who needs crutches, prosthetics or other aid for a serious medical condition — and that they expect romantic partners to be the same.

“I’ve never been self-conscious about it,” said Vicki Thon, a 50-year-old single mom who has balanced CPAP use and an active social life for 11 years. “I say, ‘This is what I need to be healthy.’”

I see what happens to my wife when she doesn’t get a good night’s sleep, and it isn’t pretty.  She uses a humidifier to avoid terrible sinus infections, and the noise is a pleasure, because it means less days of her being sick.  Regardless of the bulk of a CPAP machine, the benefits of having one are too important to ignore.