Emma Cooksey is a podcast host, writer, and speaker. She was diagnosed with OSA at the age of 30 after more than a decade of unexplained health problems. Once diagnosed, she felt alone and isolated navigating life with sleep apnea and adjusting to PAP therapy. In 2020, Emma began hosting a weekly podcast called Sleep Apnea Stories and, in 2022, was appointed to the board of directors at Project Sleep. By sharing her journey and encouraging others to tell their stories, Emma has been breaking down stereotypes of sleep apnea while also raising awareness of symptoms and treatment options. She does this out of St. Augustine, Florida, with her husband and two children, and is originally from Scotland.
The theme for World Sleep Day this year was “Sleep Equity for Global Health.” If you aren’t familiar with the concept of ‘sleep equity,’ you are not alone. It has only been a few years since I learned about equity and why it matters whenever we talk about improving sleep health and diagnosing sleep disorders. For example, research into sleep equity acknowledges that not everyone starts with the same access to healthcare and resources when it comes to their sleep. Aeroflow Sleep is strongly invested in overcoming that challenge, and here’s how we can begin to change together.
I, Emma Cooksey, may have gone undiagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for 10 years, but there was no way a doctor could miss my depression. I distinctly remember sitting in a drab doctor’s office on a rainy Tuesday morning with tears streaming down my face, noisily blowing my nose and struggling to be understood between sobs. I was 23 and had recently switched jobs. I felt overwhelmed, sad, and hopeless, but I came out on the other side. You can, too, and my story is just one way it was possible.
Did you know drowsy driving has its own prevention week every November? In fact, The National Sleep Foundation publishes an annual survey during this week, updating statistics on drowsy driving in the U.S in an effort to raise awareness.
Last year’s survey stated, “Drowsy driving is a significant public health concern in the United States. Estimates suggest motor vehicle crashes related to drowsy driving account for roughly 20% of all motor vehicle crashes.” My own experience was no exception, and it was ultimately the impetus to my obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis.
I distinctly remember getting my diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA.) I had never heard of sleep disorders in general, let alone this strange-sounding diagnosis. My doctor explained that my airway was becoming repeatedly blocked as I slept, cutting off the oxygen to my brain. When I looked alarmed, he reassured me that there was an effective treatment called CPAP therapy that would keep my airway open as I slept.
That was a lot of information to take in at once. Lack of oxygen to my brain sounded very serious, and I wasn’t sure I liked the idea of sleeping with a mask on my face. Of course, I quickly learned that even going one night without CPAP was worse than wearing a mask.
I wish I had the perfect solution to the misery that only seasonal allergies and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can bring. Truth is, I don’t, however…in my 15 years of CPAP use, I have made it through 15 spring seasons filled with pollen, dust, and other allergens. I’ve learned a thing or two about how to cope, and I hope that sharing some of the comfort measures that have helped me gives you some new strategies to try this spring.
If I could hop in a time machine and travel back to when I first received my diagnosis and started CPAP therapy, there are so many pieces of advice I wish I could give my younger self. Until time travel becomes a reality, I hope that by sharing 6 things I wish I had known starting out with CPAP you can avoid some of the pitfalls and curveballs I dealt with early on. I’m Emma Cooksey, and I’m a real-life sleep apnea patient.
Being diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can involve a lot of new habits. Whether it’s your partner adapting to your new sleep setup or getting into the groove of keeping CPAP parts clean, it’s never too late to revisit and improve your CPAP habits, and what better time to try than the New Year?!
My sleep apnea therapy (also called CPAP therapy) has taught me that building habits is a personal journey and what works for me might not be a perfect fit for everyone. I hope that by sharing my habits around CPAP, I can help you develop ideas for what might work best for you.
If you are a family member, friend, or partner supporting a loved one with sleep apnea, you might be unsure about what, specifically, you can do to help. Here, on behalf of Aeroflow Sleep, I’m breaking down some practical advice for anyone trying to support a loved one with sleep apnea, using 3 easy tricks.
When I first saw Bleep Sleep looking at ways to use CPAP without a mask or headgear, I was intrigued. I knew I had to give it a try! Every other CPAP mask I had tried fell into one of three categories; all these types of CPAP mask were secured with headgear. Eclipse ports don’t fall into any of those categories and provide a CPAP solution without headgear or a mask! They attach directly to the nose with medical grade tape, and the fact that Aeroflow Sleep is among the first DME companies to introduce the ground-breaking product to patients like me is remarkable.
Cognition, as defined by the National Library of Medicine, is “the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.” Cognitive issues and memory loss are often listed as symptoms of sleep apnea, but how do we know if we are dealing with these symptoms? These are broad terms, difficult to pinpoint in daily life, especially since phrases like “brain fog” have become commonplace and seem to cover a range of experiences.
Aeroflow Sleep does a good job of approaching the clinical angle already, but a patient perspective is special. That’s where I come in; with real life experiences of my own and those of the guests on my podcast. And, hearing their stories, I’m confident that there are 3 common, cognitive denominators you should be aware of if you think you have obstructive sleep apnea.
