Need someone to talk to about your CPAP therapy?
  A support group called Tri-County A.W.A.K.E. (Alert, Well And Keeping Energetic) meets quarterly in metro Detroit. The next meeting is 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 in the Shelby Macomb Medical Mall lower level conference room.
  Family members are welcome. (Now there's a hot pre-Valentine's Day date.) 
  There's a presentation, followed by a Q and A session.
  Dr. Prabhat Sinha, who specializes in sleep medicine, will be the featured speaker. CPAP vendors will display their equipment and answer questions. You can even bring your CPAP or BiPAP for a free pressure and equipment check. Bring the power cord, too.
  To RSVP, visit here or call facilitator Mike Barthel at (586) 445-5995. Check out the group's FAQ.

  Another offering in the burgeoning industry of CPAP accessories is the CPAPmax next generation CPAP pillow.
  One of the largest challenges for CPAP users is that it's difficult to sleep in any position but on your back or the mask may slip out of place and leak.
  This is very difficult for people who have always slept on their side.
  The CPAP pillow has indentations on the side, allowing you to turn your head without jostling the mask or hose.
  It is designed to match the natural curve of your neck and shoulders. It also offers a benefit for those who will continue to sleep on their back as it cradles your head for improved airway alignment.
  The ventilated memory foam reduces perspiration and eventually conforms to your shape.
  Information from Sleep Solutions Home Medical of Troy indicates the popular item has been on the market for more than four years and was one of the first comfort accessories available.
  Sleep Solutions recently provided a pillow for me to sample and I can see how it would be a godsend to side-sleepers. It is well-manufactured and offers solid support while enabling the sleeper to shift to a natural side position with minimal disruption to the CPAP process.
  It is a bit rigid at first, but memory foam is designed to improve that with time.
  There is a growing list of items available in the CPAP industry, some more helpful than others. This pillow is among the more practical offerings as it will help make life easier for side-sleepers and encourage them to continue their vital CPAP therapy.
  For more information, visit Sleep Solutions or CPAPmax.

  Now you really have no excuse to not get tested for sleep apnea.
  There are more sleep centers in the U.S. than ever before, The Huffington Post reports.
  In fact, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has accredited its 2,500th sleep center — double the number from five years ago.
  Sleep centers are where patients like me go to sleep while being monitored for breathing interruptions throughout the night. Once diagnosed, you return to the center to sleep with a CPAP so the correct level can be determined.
  It's an interesting experience to say the least (think lots of wires, people watching you sleep via camera) but well worth the potentially life-saving treatment.
  Sleep academy officials attribute the increased number of sleep centers to growing awareness of sleep-related disorders and the related consequences.
  That's a good thing but, with millions still undiagnosed, there's a long way to go.
  Perhaps a sleep center will open in your neighborhood.