Sleep apnea is more common than you think. About 30 million people in the US have sleep apnea, but only 6 million are diagnosed with the condition. Of course, in that list, there are some famous names too. Here are six celebrities that have openly talked about their struggles with sleep apnea.
Shaquille O’Neal- Basketball Player
Shaq participated in a sleep study at Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine, where he was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea. Shaq’s partner mentioned that he snored loudly and occasionally stopped breathing during his sleep.
Amy Poehler – Actress
Amy Poehler is a firm believer that CPAP will change your life. Poehler said, “Yeah, I don’t know about your listeners, but anybody who’s out there who has a snoring problem or sleep apnea, I’m telling you- I would love to get you into a CPAP today, is what I’m trying to say. It has completely changed my life. I’ve always been a terrible sleeper. I performed most of my career incredibly sleep-deprived. And when I — really, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for my health. So yeah, much like my friend Bradley Cooper, who used his real dog in A Star Is Born, I used my real CPAP machine in this movie” in an interview for a movie promotion.
Carrie Fisher – Actress
The beloved Star Wars actress passed away in 2017 due to sleep apnea. Fisher was on tour when she fell asleep on a plane and never woke up. The sleep apnea, along with other complications, had affected her heart.
Shonda Rhimes- Producer & Screenwriter
Shonda Rhimes is the producer and screenwriter of hit shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder. She expressed that her sleep apnea was causing her exhaustion in an interview. After her treatment started, she stated that her symptoms went away.
Tony Robbins- Life Coach & Author
Tony Robbins brought up his sleep apnea diagnosis in one of his seminars. He even made a few jokes about traveling with his “sexy” CPAP machine.
Rosie O’Donnell- Comedian & Actress
Rosie O’Donnell was diagnosed with sleep apnea after she took an at-home sleep study test. She said that her sleep apnea was severe, and she felt a drastic change even after one night of treatment.
Untreated sleep apnea can cause serious health problems. Book your appointment today with Ognomy to talk to a board-certified sleep specialist who can test, diagnose and treat sleep apnea from the comfort of your home.
