The Night the Silence Woke Me Up: My Sleep Apnea Scare

I was parked in a rest area in Nebraska, wind howling outside, temperatures dropping. I have sleep apnea, like a lot of us out here. I wear my mask every night; without it, I stop breathing, and my DOT medical card gets pulled. It’s not optional.

At 3:00 AM, I woke up gasping for air. The silence was terrifying. My CPAP machine had shut off. I looked at the voltmeter on the dash—my truck batteries had dipped just low enough to cut the inverter power. I spent the rest of the night sitting up, too scared to go back to sleep, staring at the ceiling and worrying about my fatigue levels for the next day's drive.

That morning, I realized I couldn't rely on the truck's starter batteries to keep me alive. I invested in a CPAP-Compatible Power Bank. It’s a dedicated Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

Now, I plug my machine into that, not the wall. If the truck power fluctuates or dies, the battery takes over instantly. I sleep through the night, every night. If you wear the mask, don't gamble with your power supply. The peace of mind alone is worth the price.