{"id":1013362,"date":"2026-08-20T19:14:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T19:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1013362\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T19:14:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T19:14:19","slug":"cpap-baddies-are-making-wearing-a-sleep-apnea-mask-cool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1013362\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018CPAP baddies\u2019 are making wearing a sleep apnea mask cool"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forget silk rods and curling socks. Kayla Fawcett<\/a> found a new beauty tool in the last place you\u2019d expect: her CPAP machine.<\/p>\n

One night before bed, the Wisconsinite wrapped her hair around the soft tubing of her headgear, clipped it in place and hit record. She sent the video to friends, who convinced her to post it on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By morning, she had a head full of bouncy curls<\/a> \u2014 and a viral hit, racking up more than a million TikTok views and a comment section full of people eager to try it themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many women were commenting that this changed their lives,\u201d Fawcett, 32, told The Post. \u201cOthers stated that they were encouraged to try using their CPAP again after quitting because, let\u2019s face it, they suck to wear.\u201d<\/p>\n

CPAP Baddies like Kayla Fawcett are sharing their experiences with the sleep apnea treatment \u2014 and fighting stigma while they\u2019re at it. Kayla Fawcett<\/p>\n

The unexpected hack landed Fawcett in a growing online community giving the once-unglamorous sleep-apnea devices a makeover \u2014 pushing back against stigma, challenging stereotypes and celebrating the power of a good night\u2019s rest.<\/p>\n

Enter the CPAP Baddies: a movement aimed at taking the stigma out of wearing a continuous positive airway pressure device \u2014\u00a0and having some fun with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cCPAP users are more than weird old uncles that snore loudly. We\u2019re young, we\u2019re sexy and not afraid to say it with our masks on \u2014 and that\u2019s baddie behavior,\u201d said Rogue Schmidt<\/a>, a 31-year-old who uses the device to treat \u201csevere\u201d sleep apnea.<\/p>\n

\u201cSay what you want about an algorithm or TikTok trend but I think if I had seen more people my age talk about sleep disorders, I would have gotten treatment a lot sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the stakes are high. <\/p>\n

More than 80 million Americans<\/a> are estimated to have obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, a chronic condition in which the upper airway partially or completely closes during sleep, repeatedly interrupting breathing.<\/p>\n

The disorder can wreak havoc on sleep and leave sufferers with daytime fatigue, trouble concentrating, memory problems, headaches and mood changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was sleeping 10 to12 hours a night and still drifting off on the train,\u201d said Schmidt, a comedian based in NYC. \u201cMy hair was falling out, I was in a constant state of brain fog, and my partner was sleeping in earplugs to drown out my snoring.\u201d<\/p>\n

The movement aims to challenge sterotypes about CPAP users. @rogueschmidt\/TikTok<\/p>\n

It also seeks to raise awareness about obstructive sleep apnea, which affects more than 80 million Americans. Rogue Schmidt<\/p>\n

Left untreated, OSA is associated with serious health problems<\/a> including high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression and cognitive decline.<\/p>\n

The good news? OSA can be managed. <\/p>\n

CPAP machines are considered the \u201cgold standard<\/a>\u201d treatment. The devices use a small motor to push a steady stream of pressurized air through a tube and into a mask, helping keep the airway open during sleep.<\/p>\n

Yet despite their effectiveness, many people who could benefit from CPAP therapy don\u2019t use their machines as directed or forgo them altogether<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For some, the problem is physical. The masks can be uncomfortable or cause claustrophobia, while side effects can include skin irritation, dry mouth and difficulty sleeping with the headgear.<\/p>\n

But stigma<\/a> can be just as powerful. Fear of looking unattractive, appearing awkward in front of a partner or being judged by others can keep people from sticking with treatment.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where the Baddies come in.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the core, being a CPAP baddie means taking something that\u2019s widely misunderstood and refusing to be embarrassed by it,\u201d said Amber Ana<\/a>, a CPAP user. \u201cWe\u2019re a community of people who are embracing it, being cute while we do it, and not caring about other people\u2019s opinions or stigma.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trend has gone viral, with hundreds of content creators posting CPAP Baddies of their own. @cpapbaddies\/TikTok<\/p>\n

The movement has gained steam among young women in particular. @mabeleobaby\/TikTok<\/p>\n

The movement is also challenging the stereotype of what someone with OSA looks like. Many people with the condition go undiagnosed, with women, younger adults, those with lower BMIs and those with limited access to health care often overlooked because they don\u2019t fit the traditional male-centric patient profile.<\/p>\n

For Mabel<\/a>, a 30-year-old nurse from LA, it took someone close to her to recognize the warning signs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually didn\u2019t start using a CPAP until fairly recently. It wasn\u2019t until my boyfriend told me he had watched me stop breathing in my sleep that I realized I should start prioritizing my health more and get it finally checked out,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt has been fun to embrace something I used to be ashamed of. And honestly, I\u2019m more focused, I\u2019m happier, I\u2019m more relaxed, and my health markers are better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ashley Noll<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI hope the CPAP Baddie trend encourages people to pay attention to the signs their body gives them and prioritize their health.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trend is already having a real-world impact. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve used a CPAP for a couple years, and I was embarrassed about it at the beginning,\u201d said Ashley Noll<\/a>, a 35-year-old from the Chicago area who went viral<\/a> after posting a TikTok of herself using her headgear as curlers after seeing Fawcett\u2019s clip.<\/p>\n

CPAP Baddies are also using their machines in unique ways, like for heatless curls. @ashspirational\/TikTok<\/p>\n

The beauty hack has some women saying they want to start using their CPAPs again. @ashspirational\/TikTok<\/p>\n

\u201cMy comments filled up with women telling me they\u2019d been putting off sleep study for years, or that they\u2019d stopped wearing their machine because they felt ugly in it and were going to start again,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But it isn\u2019t just women embracing the label. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, being a \u201cCPAP baddie\u201d is about really doing what I can to care for my health and not being ashamed of the tools and treatments that can help me be the best version of myself,\u201d said Adam Shenk<\/a>, a 43-year-old from Harrisonburg, Virginia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone has been on the fence about getting evaluated for sleep apnea or using CPAP, I hope seeing people talk openly and even have fun with it can make that conversation feel a little less intimidating.\u201d<\/p>\n

The movement is being spearheaded by Resmed<\/a>, a respiratory device maker that is seeking to shift the conversation around CPAP therapy and change how people think about sleep apnea.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want someone to find CPAP Baddies and think, \u2018Where have these people been?\u2019\u201d said John Barger, ResMed\u2019s senior director of brands and one of the CPAP Baddies founding members. <\/p>\n

He hopes the campaign makes CPAP users feel less alone and self-conscious \u2014 and those who are hesitant about treatment feel less intimidated by it.<\/p>\n

Men are about twice as likely to have OSA than women. <\/p>\n

Humor is at the forefront of the CPAP Baddies movement. Adam Shenk<\/p>\n

The message is going wide. Over the past 90 days, Barger said ResMed\u2019s CPAP Baddies content<\/a> has reached more than 16.2 million accounts across Instagram and TikTok, while its accounts have amassed more than 13,000 followers across the platforms.<\/p>\n

Individual creators, including those featured in this story, have added hundreds of videos of their own, helping turn a medical routine once shrouded in shame into a source of pride.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s no longer just an online phenomenon. ResMed has begun hosting in-person CPAP Baddies events<\/a>, giving users a chance to meet, swap stories and celebrate their shared experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cMovies and TV have always made these things look dorky, and meanwhile, they are literally keeping people alive,\u201d Noll said. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been fun to embrace something I used to be ashamed of,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd honestly, I\u2019m more focused, I\u2019m happier, I\u2019m more relaxed, and my health markers are better. It\u2019s part of my daily life now and I\u2019m not hiding it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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