My Personal CPAP Story
Why I Sleep with a CPAP, and What I’ve Learned About Real Restorative Sleep
Let’s Step Back a Few Years…
35 or so, to be fair.
As a young teenage boy, I grew up in my father’s family logging business working alongside my dad, uncles, cousins, and brothers. It was an amazing life—working in and living in the forest. The days were long, dusty, hot, hard… and absolutely wonderful.
It was a very defining time in my life where I learned a love for the forest, how to work hard even when the working was tough, and how to loathe horse flies. Those miserable buggers. I loved killing them. But I digress!
I’m here to tell you—at that young age, especially after a long day packing a chainsaw—I could sleep pretty much anywhere, on anything. I thought that’s how sleep was for everyone.
Except for my dad.
The “Sleep Machine” That Made a Lifelong Impression
There were a handful of times I remember that he forgot his “sleep machine” and would drive out that night, sleep at home, then be in first thing the next morning with the “sleep machine.” I remember always thinking:
“Just sleep without it, what’s the big deal?”
But he never would.
Sleep Was Just Obligatory… At First
For years, “sleep” to me was just the obligatory time I spent in bed. Now don’t get me wrong—I loved a good night’s sleep. Whether it was 9:30 PM till 4:30 AM while driving log truck, or 8 AM till 3 PM while doing night shifts as a CNA, I knew that to function well I needed to spend that time in my bed.
Because after all, sleep was just that: time spent in bed.
What Chiropractic School Taught Me About the Body—and Sleep
Going through chiropractic school, that same logging work ethic is what carried me through. I tried hard to maintain a disciplined sleep structure during a very grueling course load. There were the inevitable nights leading up to a major exam where I would have to spend extra hours studying. And man, would I feel it the next day.
Every passing year as I aged, I noticed more and more the effects of lack of time in bed.
At the same time, I was immersed in the anatomy, physiology, endocrinology, and nervous system of the human body. I was learning about the Innate Intelligence that is in each human being and how it was in charge of coordination and adapting all of the forces inside and outside the human body. I was learning about homeostasis and the importance of that state in our bodies.
As I advanced in age and educational understanding, my appreciation for and knowledge of sleep increased.
Why I Use a CPAP and Oxygen Today
I have now been helping people understand the why, the how, and the benefits of sleep therapy—including CPAP, BiPAP, and supplemental oxygen—for 10 years now.
I’ve been sleeping with my CPAP and supplemental oxygen for 9 years.
And now I know why Dad would make the four-hour round trip just to get his “sleep machine.”
My own time spent using sleep therapy, along with my education in the science of the human body, has given me an excitement for helping people understand what good, physiologically restorative sleep is—and how it differs from just “spending time in bed.”
Most importantly, I want you to understand why sleep is important for you.
Why This Story Matters to You
At Star Valley Medical Supply, we don’t just sell CPAP machines—we use them, we understand them, and we care about helping you sleep better.
We’re here to answer your questions, share what we’ve learned, and support you in finding real, restorative sleep—not just hours under the covers.
Need help getting started with CPAP or oxygen therapy?
We’d love to help. Give us a call or stop by today.