Roseanne Reboot Talks Sleep Apnea, CPAP Masks, and Bringing Sexy Back
For those who lived in the 90’s, Roseanne was a wildly popular sitcom featuring Roseanne and Dan Conner and their 3 kids: Becky, Darlene and DJ. It became a hit in the era because it was probably one of the most realistic portrayals of an mid west blue color American family. The sitcom eventually went off air in 1992, ending in its 9th season.
This past March saw the return of Roseanne in a shocking trailer, which was premiered during this year’s Oscars. In the very last episode of the show in '92, Dan died of a heart attack and his storyline presumably ended. But, in this new trailer, Dan is not only seen alive, he is also wearing a CPAP mask over his face.
Sleep apnea, or its most common form obstructive sleep apnea, is a type of sleep disorder that forces a patient to pause their breathing multiple times while they sleep. These episodes often last for a few seconds and may happen up to 30 times while asleep. Usually, patients who have this will slowly enter a deep state of sleep only to be woken up very suddenly with a loud choke. It is because of this condition that patients cannot get into the deep slumber that they need. Because of sleep apnea, patients develop daytime sleepiness and fatigue when they try to go about their daily routines.
Patients with sleep apnea know the CPAP machine all too well. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and is the type of therapy that tries to free the airway for proper breathing when an attack happens.
The CPAP device is made of three parts: the CPAP motor, the hose, and the mask.
CPAP Motor
The first part is the CPAP motor, which is a compressor that carries the air. The motor is the device that dispenses the pressurized air into the patient’s nose. The newer models of the CPAP motors already have water tanks that heat up the air to make the air more suitable for inhalation. Heated air is also better for people who often get dry mouths or clogged up noses.
CPAP Hose
In order to get the air up to the nose, the CPAP motor dispenses the air through a CPAP hose. The hose is connected to the motor. The CPAP hose is about 6 feet long and has built-in heating so that the water doesn’t condense when it goes through the hose.
CPAP Mask
The hose is connected to the CPAP mask, which is the device that is seen on Dan’s face in the trailer. A CPAP mask looks quite similar to a respiratory mask although there are three types depending on size. The mask that a patient will choose will depend on their own preference and comfort.
Are there side effects to using the CPAP mask?
There are a few side effects that when using the mask.
- Nasal clogging or excessive sneezing
- Eye or skin irritation
- Slight bloating in the stomach
- Strange dreams and occasionally nightmares
- Discomfort when wearing the mask
It seems the sleep apnea device was placed in the story to keep to the original theme of the show, which is about a typical, blue collar family, paying bills and having financial struggles. Dan plays "every man" and despite his flaws he is beloved. You'll quickly see that as they age, they face real like conditions and make the best of it. And Dan Conner, played by the loveable John Goodman is bringing sexy back, CPAP and all.
Roseanne Barr & Sleep Apnea
Comedian, actress and producer, Roseanne Barr originally opened up about sleep apnea on her Lifetime reality show 'Roseanne's Nuts.' Her then husband recorded her sleeping, snoring and gasping for air all night, which prompted her to go for a sleep study where she was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. On the reality show, she also recorded herself in a sleep clinic where they prompted her to take a home sleep study.
Photo: Screenshot taken from "Roseanne Trailer" via Youtube
