About six years ago, my snoring problem couldn’t be laughed off any more.

For years, my husband and our children found great hilarity in making fun of my snoring habit. It was loud, extremely loud, and I gasped, snorted and generally made other funny noises in an effort to breathe and sleep at the same time.

More than six years ago &045; actually not long after we were married &045; my adoring spouse moved to the couch to get a peaceful night’s sleep.

When we moved to a bigger house, we set up a more comfortable sleeping room in the basement for him to get away from my snoring.

It worked fairly well for many years, although cuddle time was less spontaneous.

Then, I started feeling a deep exhaustion. I woke up each morning and wasn’t refreshed. At some point during the day, I had to take a nap, or I couldn’t get through to evening.

It was at that point that I decided to take care of the problem. I had slept in enough hotel bathtubs, our van and separate from my husband for too long.

I had visited with my doctor previously about my options &045; but surgery and lengthy allergy testing didn’t appeal to me.

Then I talked to my aunt, who frequently fell asleep mid-sentence, and learned there was a solution &045; get checked for sleep apnea.

The test was conducted at the hospital where all sorts of electrodes were attached to my person. They measured my heart rate, blood gas levels, air intake and I don’t know what all else. I felt like a modern-day Frankenstein.

Somehow, I slept through the night and a couple days later learned I did indeed stop breathing quite a number of times in a minute, which isn’t healthy nor restful.

That very day, I stopped by a medical supply store to get a C-PAP machine. I don’t

remember what the letters really stand for, but I can tell you it translates to a quiet, restful night’s sleep for my husband and me. We even sleep in the same room again.

For

a long time after I started using the &uot;sleep machine,&uot; I would occasionally awake from a sleep and whip the face mask off, only to realize it was still sleep time. It remains a mystery why I did that, but I suspect it was because I was feeling a little claustophobic with the mask covering my nose and mouth.

It took just a few days to get comfortable enough that I slept well. And now I can’t imagine trying to sleep without the machine.

I awake refreshed and I no longer need a nap in the middle of the day to get through.

If you know of someone who is snoring and who stops breathing while they sleep, tell them to talk to their doctor. Believe me, the problem won’t get better.

Hearing the results of the sleep test &045; which is probably done differently now &045; was the best news I have ever heard from my doctor.