tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58846678908717611742024-03-13T21:09:50.438-07:00Snoring in Houston - The Houston Sleep BlogInformation on the treatment of Snoring, Sleep Apnea, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and other Sleep Disorders by Houston, Texas Neurologist and Sleep Medicine Specialist Jerald Simmons M.D.
If you suffer from sleep problems, Dr. Simmons and his staff at CSMA can provide relief with three state of the art sleep medicine centers in the greater Houston area.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-29594551730707619382015-02-15T04:18:00.000-08:002015-02-15T04:18:26.708-08:00Sleep Paralysis Linked to Stress and Genetics"Sleep Paralysis" is a disorder in which people may feel like they can't move their body when they're falling asleep or waking up, and often report hallucinations of "a malevolent presence" pressing down on them. A new study suggests the phenomenon may have a genetic cause.<br />
<br />
In the study prepared by the University of Sheffield in England and published online Feb. 9 in the <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/%28ISSN%291365-2869" target="_blank">Journal of Sleep Research</a>, researchers asked a group of more than 800 twins and siblings whether they had experienced sleep paralysis. The results showed that genetics were partially to blame for the strange phenomenon.
In addition, the people in the study who had anxiety, slept poorly or had experienced stress in their lives were more likely to have these nighttime bouts of paralysis, the researchers found.
The findings shed some light on what is still quite a mysterious condition.<br />
<br />
Sleep paralysis often occurs during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep, when people are usually dreaming. In REM sleep the muscles are nearly paralyzed, possibly to prevent people from acting out their dreams. Some people who suffer from sleep paralysis experience hallucinations of a "terrifying figure" pressing down on them and preventing them from moving.
Estimates of how many people experience the phenomenon vary widely; some studies report that app. 7 percent of people will experience the feeling at some point in their lives, while other studies suggest that it affects as many as 60 percent. Yet scientists don't really know what causes the phenomenon.<br />
<br />
Researchers used data from 862 twins (identical and nonidentical) and other (non-twin) siblings between ages 22 and 32 in England and Wales. The participants indicated on the survey whether they agreed with the statement, "Sometimes, when falling asleep or waking up from sleep, I experience a brief period during which I feel I am unable to move, even though I think I am awake and conscious of my surroundings."<br />
<br />
By comparing the responses of identical twins who share almost all of their DNA with those of nonidentical siblings who only share about half of their DNA, the researchers found that genes accounted for more than 50 percent of the incidence of sleep paralysis.
They also found that sleep paralysis was more common in people with anxiety, those who weren't getting good sleep and those who had had traumatic experiences, such as an illness or death in the family.<br />
<br />
The researchers then studied the participant's PER2 genes, which are linked to the circadian rhythms. They found that the people who had certain versions of this gene were more likely to have sleep paralysis, intimating that something to do with the control of circadian rhythms is probably involved in sleep paralysis. <br />
<br />
The study has a number of limitations; it was based on a relatively small number of participants, and was limited to young adults. In addition, the findings don't prove that genetics or stressful factors cause the paralyzing experience, only that the two are linked; Researches still aren't sure whether anxiety could cause a person to experience sleep paralysis, or if experiencing sleep paralysis can make a person more anxious. However their conclusions indicate that sleep paralysis appears to be heritable, and there seem to be some genes influencing sleep and wake patterns involved.<br />
<hr />
References:<br />
<a href="http://www.livescience.com/49818-sleep-paralysis-genetic-basis.html" target="_blank"> livescience.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-32662513712259559212015-01-25T00:08:00.003-08:002015-01-25T00:08:55.877-08:00Sleeping in a prone position may boost seizures, death in epilepsy patients.<br />
A recent study by the University of Chicago reviewing over 250 cases of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has shown that sleeping on chest doubles the risk of sudden death in epilepsy
patients. The rates are higher especially in people younger
than 40.<br />Among 253 instances of SUDEP in
which body position was documented, nearly three-quarters of the victims
-- 73.3% (95% CI 65.7%-80.9%) -- were found in a prone position. In addition, the prone position was reported in all 11 cases of video-EEG-monitored SUDEP.<br />
<br />
The apparent risk associated with prone sleeping had been noted previously in smaller case studies, but not in one this large. <br />
Epileptic disruption in autonomic nerve function is the presumed
foundation of SUDEP, but whether that manifests primarily as cardiac
arrest or respiratory failure is still debated. Researchers have drawn parallels with sudden infant
death syndrome (SIDS), including the possibility that they are related
conditions: SUDEP occurs disproportionately in patients during sleep, and victims are often found in a prone position, the same as in SIDS. But just as SIDS can still strike infants sleeping on their backs in
line with current recommendations, SUDEP can occur in any epilepsy
patient at any time: an indication that the etiology of SUDEP is
complex and perhaps different from one patient to the next.<br />
<br />
While this event is rare, people with epilepsy should not sleep in a prone position (face down). Patients should have a partner remind them at bedtime or use special devices to prevent an episode.<br />
The study published in 21st Jan edition of <a href="http://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank">Journal Neurology</a>. <br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-50195221295726022802015-01-17T23:46:00.000-08:002015-01-17T23:46:15.366-08:00Sleep Problems in Teens Linked to Alcohol ProblemsAccording to a recent study published in the journal <i>Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research</i>, Teenagers ages 14 through 16 who had trouble falling or staying asleep
were 47 percent more likely to binge drink than their well-rested peers. The findings are based on data collected from 6,500 adolescents who were part of the larger <a href="http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth">National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health</a>, which began tracking a group of adolescents in the mid-90s.<br />
<br />
In the study, each extra hour of
sleep the teens got corresponded with a 10 percent decrease in binge
drinking.Teens who had trouble sleeping when the researchers first checked in
with them were 14 percent more likely to drive drunk and 11 percent more
likely to have interpersonal issues related to alcohol a year later.
And five years after that -when everyone was college-aged or older-
those who had sleep issues in high school were 10 percent more likely to
drive drunk. <br />
<br />
Researchers have long known that lack of sleep and alcohol use are related, but the new study shows that sleep issues can actually precede and even predict alcohol
use later on. Another study published in the
same journal issue also found that a combination of genetics and peer
influence affect teens' decisions to drink, but while a child's genetic makeup isn't something anyone can change, sleep may be something
that teenagers and their parents can control.<br />
<br />
<br />
The body's natural
circadian rhythms tend to shift during adolescence, and
teens may find it difficult fall asleep until 11 p.m. or midnight. Many parents and pediatricians have been pushing to delay school
start times for middle and high school students. <br />
Last year the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/08/19/peds.2014-1697.full.pdf+html">policy statement</a> calling on middle and high school to start at 8:30 a.m. or later. <br />
<br />
The people involved in the recent study were teenagers in the 1990s, and researchers say they wouldn't be surprised if the situation has become
worse due to
electronic distractions such as tablets and telephones in the bedroom. <br />
<br /><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-79769208977094489502014-12-10T21:05:00.000-08:002014-12-10T21:05:27.571-08:00New studies link poor sleep, OSA in the elderly to increased Dementia risks<br /><br />A new study by the Pacific Health Research and Education Institute in Honolulu has found that elderly patients who spend less time in deep ‘slow wave’ sleep are significantly more likely to lose brain cells than those who sleep more deeply. The research also showed that the lack of oxygen caused by obstructive sleep apnea, a common condition marked by snoring, increases the risk of the small areas of brain damage linked to the development of conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Researchers say that it is not yet clear whether the early stages of dementia are causing poor sleep quality, or if the lack of deep wave sleep is exacerbating the disease process.<br />
<br />
The study, published in the online edition of the journal Neurology, involved 167 Japanese American men from Hawaii with an average age of 84 who had sleep tests conducted at their homes. After death, post mortem examinations were conducted on their brains to look for changes such as loss of neurons and ‘micro infarcts’ - areas of dead tissue caused by oxygen starvation. These can be triggered by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); a condition in which the airway repeatedly becomes blocked, often waking sufferers as they struggle for breath.<br />
<br />
The men who had the worst oxygen levels during sleep were four times more likely to have brain damage caused by micro infarcts. Of the 37 men who spent the least time in slow wave sleep, 17 had brain cell loss compared with only seven of the 38 who spent the most time in slow wave sleep. The results remained the same after accounting for factors such as smoking and body weight, and excluding those who died early in the follow-up period. However, the study found no association between poor sleep and the brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.<br />
<br />
Researchers say that the findings suggest that low blood oxygen levels and reduced slow wave sleep may contribute to the processes that lead to cognitive decline and dementia. More research is needed to determine how slow wave sleep may play a restorative role in brain function and whether preventing low blood oxygen levels may reduce the risk of dementia.<br />
<br />
A separate study earlier this week showed that brains of healthy people who were sleepy during the day contained higher levels of a toxic protein called beta-amyloid, which is also linked to Alzheimer’s: some of those having scans were as young as 50 and none had memory problems.<br />
<br />
A good night’s sleep is important for proper brain function in the short term. For more information on the treatment of OSA and snoring, visit us online at <a href="http://houstonsleep.net/">HoustonSleep.net</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-7600224514152316232014-11-15T22:41:00.001-08:002014-11-15T22:41:42.331-08:00Firefighters may Have an Elevated Risk of Sleep Disorders<br />
Two of the leading causes of death for firefighters in the United States are heart attacks and motor vehicle crashes, both of which share independent risk factors in sleep disorders.<br />
In a recent national sample of almost 7,000 firefighters, researchers at
<a href="http://brighamandwomens.org/about_bwh/publicaffairs/news/pressreleases/PressRelease.aspx?sub=0&PageID=1921" target="_blank">Brigham and Women’s Hospital </a>examined the prevalence of common
sleep disorders and their association with adverse health and safety
outcomes. The study found that sleep disorders are highly prevalent, and
associated with substantially increased risk of motor vehicle crashes
and cardio-metabolic diseases among firefighters.<br />
<br />
Based on specific criteria, 66 US fire departments were selected to
participate in a workplace based sleep disorders screening and
educational program. Approximately 7,000 participants were
assessed for common sleep disorders and surveyed
about health and safety. Documentation was also collected for reported motor
vehicle crashes. Participants reported current health status,
previous diagnoses of sleep and other medical disorders, the likelihood
of falling asleep while driving, motor vehicle crashes, near crashes,
and injuries.<br />
<br />
Researchers found that a total of 37.2 percent of firefighters screened
positive for sleep disorders including <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Apnea.htm" target="_blank">obstructive sleep apnea</a>,
<a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Insomnia.htm" target="_blank">insomnia</a>, shift work disorder and <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Restless-Legs-Syndrome.htm" target="_blank">restless leg syndrome</a>. Firefighters
with a sleep disorder were more likely to report a motor vehicle crash
and were more likely to report falling asleep while driving than those
who did not screen positive. Additionally, firefighters with sleep
disorders were more likely to report having cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, depression and anxiety, and to report poorer health status,
compared with those who did not screen positive. <br />
More than 80 percent
of firefighters who screened positive for a common sleep disorder were
undiagnosed and untreated. <br />
<br />
Findings of the study,
published in the <a href="http://www.aasmnet.org/jcsm/default.aspx" target="_blank">Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine</a>, demonstrate the impact of common sleep disorders on firefighter health
and safety, and their connection to the two leading causes of death
among firefighters.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Excessive-Daytime-Sleepiness.htm" target="_blank">Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)</a> is a common problem in today's society; it is so common that in some circles people almost consider it a
normal aspect of a productive society. The fact is that daytime
sleepiness and fatigue are leading causes of accidents, both on the
job and on the road, and the cost to society is estimated in billions of
dollars per year. <br />
There are several common causes for increased
daytime sleepiness, including OSA, PLMS and RLS: these problems are all treatable, but unfortunately many physicians are still not familiar with the diagnosis of these conditions. <br />
If you have a problem with daytime sleepiness and have tried to increase
your sleep length without improving your daytime sleepiness, then you
should be evaluated by a <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/index.htm" target="_blank">Sleep Disorders Specialist</a>. With proper care
most people can obtain the treatment they need to improve this
problem.<br />
<br />
<hr />
Further Reading:<br />
<a href="http://www.hngn.com/articles/49430/20141113/sleep-disorders-that-raise-heart-disease-and-depression-more-prevalent-in-firefighters.htm" target="_blank">Sleep Disorders That Raise Heart Disease And Depression Risk More Prevalent In Firefighters</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-28183389176290395062014-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-10T00:00:07.201-08:00Results from new Sleep Survey shows many Americans have problems falling and staying asleep.From October 20 - 22 2014, the popular NBC television show "Today" conducted a survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,092 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, using a questionnaire focused on self-reported behavior and attitudes toward sleep. The study was fielded by Survey Sampling International, an independent research company based in Connecticut.<br />
The study found that 61 percent of the survey participants reporting problems falling and staying asleep, and eighty percent of people who don’t get adequate sleep report
experiencing more stress about finances with 74 percent becoming more worried
about their health.<br />
<br />
Among other issues, the study found that 32 percent of 18-to-34-year-olds say work makes them fret throughout the night, with 31 percent reporting that their children cause sleepless nights. Overall, 42 percent of people with a child under 18 reported inadequate sleep.<br />
<br />
Modern electronic devices can have a serious impact on sleep quality, for multiple reasons. Physically, the blue light emitted by the screens of devices such as mobile phones and tablets
mimics daylight and can interrupt our circadian rhythms; it's also known to suppress production of a brain chemical called
melatonin, which helps us sleep. But more importantly, using the internet or texting before trying to sleep overstimulates the brain. Nonetheless, the survey reported that people still regularly watch TV and keep their phones at hand when they should be trying to fall asleep:<br />
<ul>
<li>51 percent of people have TV remote within reach</li>
<li>50 percent of people have their smartphones within reach</li>
<li>23 percent of people have a computer within reach</li>
<li>21 percent of people have a tablet within reach</li>
</ul>
Seventy-seven
percent of participants 35-49 said they watched TV right before bed,
with almost two-thirds of 18-34-year-olds using their smartphones before
sleep: only 1 in 5 adults claimed to sleep without any of these devices within reach.<br />
<br />
The reported issues related to sleep problems included:<br />
<ul>
<li>Overall 29 percent had difficulty concentrating; among 18 to 34-year-olds that number increased to 39 percent</li>
<li>23 percent had difficulty performing daily chores</li>
<li>19 percent had lost interest in hobbies or leisure activities</li>
<li>16 percent reported falling asleep at inappropriate times during the day</li>
<li>16 percent experienced short tempers or inappropriate behavior with children or partners, with 13 percent reporting short tempers or inappropriate behavior at work.</li>
</ul>
Healthy sleep is vital to our well-being. For more information on how you can get a better night's rest, see our <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Hygiene.htm" target="_blank">sleep hygiene recommendations</a> or <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Centers.htm" target="_blank">contact us</a> if you're having serious problems with sleep.<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<hr />
Source:<br />
<a href="http://www.today.com/health/why-cant-we-sleep-today-snooze-or-lose-survey-may-1D80274530" target="_blank">Why can't we sleep? TODAY 'Snooze or Lose' survey results may surprise you</a>; Meghan Holohan, November 09 2014
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-45269840107739734652014-10-26T00:59:00.000-07:002014-10-26T01:06:18.053-07:00How the Daylight Savings Time Change Affects Sleep.On Sunday, November 2, 2014 Daylight Savings Time ends for most Americans, a <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/2014.html" target="_blank">few days after</a> Europe sets its clocks back an hour.<br />
The modern idea of "daylight saving" was first proposed in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson of New Zealand, with Germany and Austria-Hungary organizing the first national implementation in 1916. Since then the concept has garnered its share of both advocates and critics from around the world; changing our clocks benefits retailing, sports, and other activities that are happy to exploit the extra hours of sunlight. Of course it can also disrupt meetings, travel and record keeping and cause multiple other scheduling issues.<br />
<br />
On a personal level, moving our clocks in either direction changes our principal time cue -morning sunlight- which controls our 24-hour circadian rhythm track. This means that our internal clock falls out of sync with our current day-night cycle. Our ability to adapt to this depends on several things.<br />
<br />
Generally, "losing" an hour in the spring is more difficult to adjust to than "gaining" an hour in the fall. This is similar to the "flight lag" experienced in airplane travel; an earlier bedtime may cause difficulty falling asleep and increased wakefulness during the early part of the night. Conversely, setting the clocks back means we may fall asleep easily but can have a difficult time waking.<br />
<br />
Our external time cues are called "<i>zeitgeibers</i>", and they include light, temperature, exercise and food/drink intake. It can take several days for our internal biological clock to re-synchronize with any new schedule, whether it's a clock change or a timezone difference. For some people, this can lead to disrupted sleep and <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Excessive-Daytime-Sleepiness.htm" target="_blank">feeling tired during the day (EDS)</a>.<br />
Even if the actual time change doesn't affect your sleep, the change in seasons can; the lack of sunlight affects many people's moods despite a one hour change in time not being particularly important. For those who do feel affected, either physically or emotionally, this misalignment between external cues and our internal body clock can also have more serious consequences.<br />
<br />
For example, statistics have long shown that the risk of heart attacks spikes on Monday mornings. This is thought to be due to a combination of stress brought on through the anticipation of a new working week, and the sudden changes in our sleep-wake cycle. A <a href="http://www.cardiosource.org/en/News-Media/Media-Center/News-Releases/2014/03/Sandhu-Daylight-Saving.aspx" target="_blank">recent study published in the AAC journal <i>Open Heart</i></a><i> </i>looked at the rates of heart attacks before and after our clock changes over 4 years, and found a 25% increase on the Monday following the shift to daylight saving time; conversely, there was a 21% decrease in heart attacks when the clocks were rolled back in the Autumn.<br />
<br />
One of the best sleep practices for the winter months is avoiding bright light exposure at night, which can delay the body's internal clock. This includes computers, tv's, cellphones and tablets - so they shouldn't be in the bedroom. <br />
Routine is key for maintaining a consistent drive to sleep each evening. In the winter, with fewer hours of daylight overall, it’s important to seek out exposure to morning light if you can. Light is a strong cue for your internal clock, and daylight ensures it remains synchronized to a 24-hour day even when your schedule changes slightly. Lack of light exposure during the day can result in a drift of the internal body clock to a longer than 24-hour rhythm, making it harder to get up in the morning in the winter. Here are some tips on how to make a smooth transition to the winter months:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> Start getting in sync early; try to eat, sleep, wake to the new time so that your circadian rhythm has a chance to adjust. </li>
<li>Exercise earlier in the day to keep your energy levels high and to ensure you’re tired enough to get to sleep ‘earlier’, but be sure to avoid the over-stimulation effect of evening exercise. </li>
<li>Get as much natural sunlight as possible: this will help adjust the body’s circadian rhythm. Dim lights in evening can help to induce sleepiness. </li>
<li> Avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evenings and go for sleep-inducing foods and drinks. </li>
<li>Nap wisely: avoid taking naps after 4pm and try to keep naps to no more than 10 - 20 minutes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
For more information on healthy sleep habits or to get help for a sleep related problem, visit our website at <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/">www.HoustonSleep.net</a>.</h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-63883850230861574542014-10-19T23:00:00.000-07:002014-10-19T23:00:18.646-07:00Treating sleep problems improves conditions not typically considered by most physicians.<br />
Over the past decade many Sleep Testing centers have opened throughout the country; most focus on evaluating patients with snoring complaints to determine if they have <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Apnea.htm" target="_blank">Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)</a>. Once diagnosed these patients are typically placed on <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/CPAP-BiPAP.htm" target="_blank">CPAP</a> for treatment. Typically a second sleep study is performed to determine the best settings for the CPAP machine, with most centers taking the basic approach rooted in standards developed when less was known about sleep abnormalities. <br />
<br />
As a result, many patients who have abnormalities during sleep are not accurately diagnosed and patients are left without an effective treatment plan. Many patients may have a subtle breathing problem during sleep known as Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). Patients with UARS have normal oxygen levels throughout the night and do not stop breathing, but they work harder to breathe and the increased effort causes brief disruptions called <i>micro arousals</i>. Recently accepted minimum standards in the field miss out on the identification of abnormalities such as UARS.<br />
<br />
Some centers differentiate themselves in their ability to properly diagnose and treat patients with sleep disturbances by using refined approaches and assessing more sensitive parameters during sleep. Additionally, many conditions not typically thought to be rooted in abnormalities of sleep are now recognized and treated more effectively. In Houston,<a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/About_Dr_Simmons.htm" target="_blank"> Jerald H. Simmons, MD</a>, a Triple Board-Certified Neurologist specializing in sleep disorders, directs several sleep centers that clearly stand out from the crowd. His centers use methods beyond what is required by sleep centers for accreditation.<br />
<br />
Dr. Simmons points out that "Every path has a starting point and we learn new things along the way. It is great that the field of Sleep Medicine is developing standards but unfortunately the current standards fall short of being able to properly diagnose and treat patients with complicated conditions. By identifying the more subtle abnormalities, we have been successful in providing care to patients who were previously left struggling by the health care system." <br />
<br />
In example, a common cause for recurrent morning headaches is OSA or UARS. Many of these patients also have <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Nocturnal-Bruxism.htm" target="_blank">bruxism</a> during sleep (clenching or grinding the teeth at night) and this can lead to TMJ Disorder. Research conducted by Dr. Simmons has shown that bruxism during sleep actually helps keep the airway open by moving the tongue and jaw forward; this is the body's attempt to prevent OSA or UARS. By treating the airway problems during sleep Dr. Simmons and Dental Sleep Specialist Dr.Ron Prehn have demonstrated improvement in both bruxing and TMJ pain.<br />
When appropriate Dr. Simmons treats patients with OSA or UARS by using dental appliances as an alternative to the CPAP machine, and is performing pioneering research on the use of combined treatment approaches using both CPAP with dental appliances.<br />
<br />
<br />
Additionally, most patients with <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Fibromyalgia-Migraines.htm" target="_blank">fibromyalgia</a> have poor sleep. Proper treatment of their sleep problems frequently improves the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Signals from pain nerve fibers throughout the body constantly send a low level of signals to the brain, but the brain normally filters these out. If the brain is not properly rested it loses the ability to filter these signals which results in common fibromyalgia pain. <br />Treatments geared to improving sleep continuity restore the brain's pain filter mechanism, and the pain symptoms resolve.<br />
<br />
The underlying sleep disturbances causing these symptoms is not always identified by sleep centers, and the treatment opportunities are missed. In many of these patients UARS can be at the root of the problem. Once the sleep disturbance is properly treated, fatigue resolves.<br />
<br />
The sleep centers directed by Jerald H. Simmons, MD utilize advanced methods to properly diagnose and treat patients with conditions, such as those described above. Dr.Simmons concludes that "In the future we will look back and see how much we didn't understand, but unless we embrace the knowledge of our experience we will never reach that future perspective."<br />
<br />
For more information on sleep disorders and the sleep centers of Dr. Simmons, visit <a href="http://houstonsleep.net/">HoustonSleep.net</a> and gain the knowledge you need to obtain a better night's sleep.<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-15709137057296656612014-10-01T22:29:00.002-07:002014-10-01T22:29:46.015-07:00TMJ (TMD) and sleep Bruxism associated with OSA. Diagnosis and Treatment...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HKrSIzDyoN4" width="480"></iframe></div>
<br />
Temporal Mandibular Joint Dysfuntion (TMJ) causes pain and
headaches in millions of people each year. This common problem is
caused by clenching and grinding the teeth, typically while asleep.<br />
Research conducted by Dr. Jerald Simmons and Dr. Ronald Prehn has
demonstrated that bruxism during sleep is the body's attempt to open up the airway
and improve breathing, particularly for people who suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
When Dr. Simmons has implemented treatments for OSA, such
as CPAP or dental appliances (TAP or other mandibular advancing
devices), their TMJ symptoms usually resolve.<br />
<br />
Many of these patients can not be
placed on a mandibular advancing dental appliance initially because of inflammation from the TMJ; once this improves through the use of other methods
such as CPAP, then a mandibular advancing appliance can be used
successfully. The physiology of this has been demonstrated and is
explained by Dr. Simmons in this video.<br />
Visit our web site for more
information at <a class="yt-uix-redirect-link" dir="ltr" href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="http://www.Houstonsleep.net">http://www.Houstonsleep.net</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-63969705651778728872014-09-15T23:23:00.002-07:002014-09-15T23:23:19.422-07:00New Studies on Confusional Arousals<br />
Parasomnias
are a group of disorders that include behaviors that occur around
sleep. Confusional arousals are a common parasomnia affecting children; generally mild episodes in which a person wakes up or arouses from sleep and remains in a confused state, they are characterized by the affected person briefly seeming to wake up, sit up, and even look around. The episodes last from seconds to minutes, and they may not be responsive to stimuli.<br />
<br />
But according to a<a href="http://www.neurology.org/content/83/9/834.abstract" target="_blank"> new study published in the journal Neurology</a>, as many as 1 in 7 adults may have this disorder. Popularly referred to as "sleep drunkeness", the episodes usually happen when a person wakes suddenly, and people may have no memory of these incidents.
In the study, the researchers interviewed a random sample of more than
19,000 American adults about their sleep habits and history of
confusional arousal, as well as any mental illness and any medications
they were taking.<br />
<br />
Approximately 15 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced at least one episode in the previous year, more than half claiming that they suffered at least one episode per week. Slightly fewer than 10 percent of those who had had an episode couldn't remember part or all of the experience, and 15 percent of them also had sleepwalking episodes.<br />
<br />
Confusional arousal is different from the normal sleepiness that most people feel when they wake up; most people with <i>sleep inertia</i>, the feeling of grogginess most people
experience after awakening, will remember the experience. But people suffering from confusional arousal are not aware of their actions, and attempts to fully wake them usually fail.<br />
<br />
The researchers found that among those who'd had a confusional arousal episode, 70 percent also had a sleep disorder and 37 percent had a mental illness. Only 31 percent were taking medication for these disorders, and these were mostly antidepressants.
People suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, panic or post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety seemed more susceptible to the disorder, as did those with sleep apnea.<br />
<br />
Confusional arousal can result from getting too little or too much sleep; about 20 percent of people who reported getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night reported having an episode, and 15 percent of those who got at least 9 hours per night said the same, the researchers said.<br />
<br />
The prevalence of these parasomnias may be cause for concern, and the disorder could have major consequences if it affects people with responsibility for the safety and security of others, such as pilots or emergency-room doctors. <span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Centers.htm">CSMA's sleep centers</a> throughout
Greater Houston provide treatment to patients suffering from parasomnias and confusional arousals. For more information visit the <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Parasomnias.htm" target="_blank">HoustonSleep.net</a> or call us today at <a href="tel:2814076222">(281) 407-6222</a>.</span><br />
<hr />
Reference:<br />
<a href="http://www.livescience.com/47539-strange-sleep-disorder-drunkenness.html">http://www.livescience.com/47539-strange-sleep-disorder-drunkenness.html</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-77240589122020481502014-08-25T01:05:00.000-07:002014-08-25T01:18:02.242-07:00Later School Times Suggested by American Academy of Pediatrics<br />
<a href="http://childrensnational.org/choose-childrens/find-a-provider/judith-owens?sc_lang=en" target="_blank">Dr. Judith Owens, director of sleep medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington</a> has recently submitted a policy statement requesting that school districts delay starting times for morning classes.<br />
Recent research has shown that adolescents who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight
or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile
accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and
an overall better quality of life. Studies have shown that delaying early school start times is one key
factor that can help adolescents get the sleep they need.<br />
<br />
Many school districts are debating the change; the Long Beach, California, school
board voted last year to delay the start of middle school until 9 a.m.
But it’s a complex issue
with school boards, educators and parents struggling to balance bus
schedules, after-school activities and work
schedules for older students. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, Owens says biology should trump convenience. She notes that when
teenagers go into puberty, there are changes in their
circadian rhythm, the body's natural clock that regulates sleep
and wake patterns.
At the
beginning of adolescence there is a natural delay in sleep
and wake times, so that the average teenager doesn't fall asleep until around 11 pm.<br />
However, they also need between eight and
nine hours of sleep per night so they are
biologically programmed to wake at around 8am, when they're already in first period class.
Teens often sleep in
over the weekend, and many teen habits make it even harder to fall asleep which makes matters worse. But parents can help: it's especially important to set limits on
the nighttime use of electronics. Studies have shown that the
light from an tablet or cell phone can keep the brain in a waking,
excited state.
Quick naps late in the
afternoon for 20 minutes or so can take the edge off and temporarily
restore alertness.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476%2814%2900597-6/fulltext" target="_blank">A separate study published this month in the Journal of Pediatrics</a> found that teenagers who don’t get enough sleep are
more likely to become obese.
Shakira Suglia of the
Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and colleagues
found that about a fifth of
the 16-year-olds reported getting less than six hours of sleep a night, in a <a href="http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/news/teen-sleeplessness-piles-risk-obesity" target="_blank">survey of 10,000 teens and young adults</a>.
Those with less sleep were 20 percent more likely to be obese by age 21, compared to
their peers who got more than eight hours of sleep<br />
<br />
“Lack of sleep in your
teenage years can stack the deck against you for obesity later in life,”
Suglia said in a statement. “Once you’re an obese adult, it is much
harder to lose weight and keep it off. And the longer you are obese, the
greater your risk for health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and
cancer.”
<br />
<hr />
Read more:<br />
<a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/index.htm" target="_blank">Houston Sleep.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/news/teen-sleeplessness-piles-risk-obesity" target="_blank">Teen Sleeplessness Piles on Risk for Obesity</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-90521561653446729392014-08-20T00:08:00.000-07:002014-08-20T00:08:50.700-07:00SLEEP APNEA SUPPORT GROUP IN HOUSTON!<h4>
THE
SLEEP EDUCATION CONSORTIUM (S.E.C.) is Excited to Announce the Start of
the A.W.A.K.E. GREATER HOUSTON Monthly Patient Advocacy Group for
Individuals Suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Other Sleep
Disorders. </h4>
A.W.A.K.E. is a national patient advocacy group
sponsored by the American Sleep Apnea Association. Its mission is to
increase awareness and education about Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
<br />
The A.W.A.K.E. GREATER HOUSTON chapter will meet monthly on
a rotating cycle of three locations: the Houston Medical Center, The
Woodlands, and Sugar Land. Meetings will start with patient discussion,
followed by a brief interactive lecture about varying sleep disorders. These
lectures will be given by local sleep specialists and will encourage patient
Sleep Disorders.
and education about Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
involvement in the topics discussed. <br />
<div align="center">
<h3>
The first meeting will be on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 <br />
At
Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Associates
<br />
15423 Creek Bend Drive, Sugar Land, TX 77478 </h3>
Patient Discussion Begins – 6:30 P.M.
<br />
<u><strong>Physician presentations: </strong></u><br />
Overview of Obstructive Sleep Apnea – 7:00 P.M.<br />
Dental Appliances as an alternative treatment to CPAP – 7:20 P.M.
<br />
Discussion will follow the conclusion of the lectures.<br />
<h2>
RSVP by calling <a href="tel:2812697881">281-269-7881</a> or by sending an email to
<a href="mailto:AWAKEGreaterHouston@gmail.com" target="_blank">AWAKEGreaterHouston@gmail.com</a></h2>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-11890876418687888842014-07-29T23:45:00.000-07:002014-07-29T23:45:44.641-07:00Sleep deprivation isn't always obvious.<br />
"Sleep debt" (or sleep deficit) is the difference between the amount of sleep you <i>should</i> be getting and the amount you actually get. This difference represents a deficit which increases every time we skim some extra minutes off our
nightly sleep. <br />
"People accumulate sleep debt surreptitiously," says
psychiatrist William C. Dement, founder of the Stanford University Sleep
Clinic. In fact, studies have shown that such short-term sleep deprivation leads to a "foggy brain", worsened vision, impaired driving and problems in short-term memory. Long-term effects include obesity, insulin resistance, and heart disease. <br />
And most Americans suffer from chronic deprivation. A 2005 survey by the National Sleep Foundation reports that, on average,
Americans sleep 6.9 hours per night -6.8 hours during the week and 7.4
hours on the weekends: experts recommend <u>eight hours of sleep per night</u>.<br />
The problem is that after a long period of sleep deprivation, you stop realizing how tired you actually are.<br />
<br />
In a <a data-track="Body Text Link: Internal: grubstreet" href="https://www.med.upenn.edu/uep/user_documents/VanDongen_etal_Sleep_26_2_2003.pdf">study</a> by the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine,
researchers followed three groups of subjects for 14 days;
one group slept for eight hours a night, the second group slept for six
hours a night, and the third group slept just four hours a night.
Cognitive tests after the two-week period showed that the people with only six hours of sleep a night showed similar reaction times as people
with a blood alcohol content of 0.1 percent; a level which is considered
legally impaired.<br />
<br />
Other studies have indicated that a consistent lack of sleep may cause permanent damage to your brain<b>. </b><br />
One in particular, also conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/content/27/37/10060.short?sid=31f8a395-c34f-4f64-8a0c-cf48102ba76a" target="_blank">published in <i>The Journal of Neuroscience</i></a> looked at lab mice that were kept awake to replicate the kind of sleep loss common in modern life, through night shifts or long hours in the office.<br />
The team studied certain brain cells which are involved in keeping the brain alert.
After several days of sleep patterns similar to those followed by night workers - three days of night shifts with only four to five hours sleep in 24 hours - the mice lost 25% of the brain cells in vital parts of the brain stem.<br />
<br />
After only a night or two of sleep deficit, a few nights of adequate sleep are usually enough to reverse the effects and "recharge" your system. But chronic sleep deprivation
may be harder to recover from.<br />
For information on how to increase your sleep drive and improve your waking hours, take a look at our <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Hygiene.htm" target="_blank">sleep hygiene recommendations</a>. If you have a problem with daytime sleepiness and you have increased
your sleep length without improving your daytime sleepiness, then you
should be evaluated by a <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/index.htm" target="_blank">Sleep Disorders Specialist</a>. With proper care
most people can obtain the treatment they need to improve this
problem.<br />
<hr />
References:
<br />
<a href="http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/07/you-might-not-know-if-youre-sleep-deprived.html" target="_blank">Sleep-Deprived People Can’t Tell They’re Sleep-Deprived</a>; Melissa Dahl, NYMag.com<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/health-26630647" target="_blank">Lost sleep leads to loss of brain cells, study suggests</a>; Helen Briggs, BBC NewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-75839108974062347492014-07-13T22:32:00.002-07:002014-07-13T22:32:50.454-07:00Fragmented sleep could be as physically harmful as a total lack of sleep.<br />
It will come as no surprise to new parents struggling after a night of feeds or doctors on call, but being woken up in the night is as detrimental as getting just four hours of sleep. Just one night of interrupted sleep may negatively affect mood, attention span and cognitive ability according to a new study from Tel Aviv University, published in the journal <a href="http://www.sleep-journal.com/article/S1389-9457%2814%2900157-9/abstract" target="_blank">Sleep Medicine</a>.<br />
<br />
In the last 50 years, sleep research has focused on sleep deprivation,
and practically ignored the impact of night-wakings, which is a
pervasive phenomenon for people from many walks of life. Directors of the study hope that their work will bring this to the attention of scientists and clinicians,
who should recognize the price paid by individuals who have to endure
frequent night-wakings. <br />
<br />
Researchers studied the sleep patterns of 61 healthy adults, 40 of which were females between the ages of 20 and 29 years old, were traced at their homes using actigraphy and sleep diaries. Subjects slept a full eight-hours one night, followed by a night of interrupted sleep in which they received four phone calls directing them to complete a brief computer exercise before returning to bed. The interruptions were designed to keep participants awake for a period of 10 to 15 minutes. The morning after both nights, the volunteers completed tasks to measure their attention span and emotional state: results proved that just one night of interrupted sleep had negative effects on mood, attention span and cognitive ability.<br />
<br />
While they found few significant differences between interrupted sleep and sleep deprivation, the differences between the aforementioned conditions and a normal night's sleep were vast. Results indicate an increase in depression, fatigue and confusion in addition to diminished vigor and motivation when sleep is interrupted or restricted.<br />
<br />
This means that even when people get a total of seven hours sleep a night, being forced to wake up for regular 15 minute feeds, or consultations, will leave them feeling like they had just four hours rest. “The sleep of many parents is often disrupted by external sources such as a crying baby demanding care during the night,” said Professor Avi Sadeh and a team of researchers from Tel Aviv University's School of Psychological Sciences.
Doctors on call, who may receive several phone calls a night, also experience disruptions. These night wakings could be relatively short - only five to ten minutes - but they disrupt the natural sleep rhythm.<br />
<br />
These effects accumulate and therefore the functional price new parents-who awaken three to ten times a night for months on end-pay for common infant sleep disturbance is enormous. <br />
Besides the physical effects of interrupted sleep, parents often develop feelings of anger toward their infants and then feel guilty about these negative feelings. The findings bear relevance to substantial portions of the population whose sleep is regularly fragmented including medical students, shift workers, military personnel and parents.
<br />
Professionals as well as the general public should be aware of the detrimental effects of the various kinds of disruption in sleep on daily functioning and mood and consider countermeasures to minimise their consequences. <br />
<h4>
For more information on how you can get a good night's sleep visit our website at <a href="http://houstonsleep.net/">HoustonSleep.net</a>.</h4>
<hr />
References:<br />
<a href="http://time.com/2968392/study-interrupted-sleep-may-be-as-harmful-as-no-sleep-at-all/" target="_blank">Study: Interrupted Sleep May Be as Harmful as No Sleep at All</a>- Melissa Hellmann, TIME Magazine July 9, 2014 Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-48580133972085931912014-06-24T23:21:00.002-07:002014-06-24T23:21:57.281-07:00Commercial Drivers Still at High Risk From "Drowsy Driving"The issue of sleep-deprived or "drowsy" driving has made the news again following the tragic June 7 accident involving the comedian Tracy Morgan. Prosecutors say that the Walmart truck driver whose tractor-trailer slammed into a van, critically injuring Mr. Morgan and killing another passenger, had not slept in over 24 hours.<br />
Drowsy driving is a leading cause of crashes and highway fatalities, according to federal officials: more than 30,000 people die on highways annually in the United States and crashes involving large trucks are responsible for one in seven of those deaths.<br />
Federal rules introduced last year reduced the maximum workweek for truckers from 82 to 70 hours, after which drivers have a mandatory 34-hour resting period. This “restart” must include two periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. to allow drivers to rest at least two nights a week: they cannot drive for more than 11 hours a day and must have a 30-minute break in their schedule.<br />
<br />
But the trucking industry has been battling to get the new nighttime-break regulations repealed. On June 6, Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, pushed an amendment through the Senate Appropriations Committee that would freeze the rules, pending further studies. Ms. Collins said the administration had failed to take into account that the new rules would put more trucks on the roads during peak traffic hours.
Trucking officials and executives also said that drivers needed to be afforded maximum flexibility in their work and should not be told when to rest.<br />
<br />
Safety investigators said that sleepy or drowsy driving is a far more common problem than most people realize, but how extensive the problem is remains a matter of debate, partly because it is difficult to obtain evidence that drivers fell asleep. In 1990, a National Transportation Safety Board study of 182 heavy-truck accidents in which the truck driver died concluded that fatigue played a role in 31 percent of the cases, more than alcohol or drugs.<br />
But the American Trucking Associations said that a federal database of fatal crashes cited fatigue in less than 2 percent of police reports about accidents involving trucks; a more accurate estimate, they claim, is that driver fatigue plays a role in about 7 percent of truck crashes.
“Until we have a blood test for determining fatigue, all estimates are likely going to under-report fatigue, because the dead don’t speak and the living often plead the Fifth, especially if they are facing criminal charges,” said Deborah A. P. Hersman, former chairwoman of the N.T.S.B. and now the president and chief executive of the National Safety Council.<br />
<br />
The Transportation Department has proposed that all interstate commercial truck and bus companies be required to use electronic logging devices to increase compliance with driving-hour rules. Paper logs are easier to manipulate and more difficult for law enforcement officials to verify. The comment period for the rule is scheduled to end this month.
Some commercial truck fleets already such devices. For instance, Walmart’s trucks have GPS and electronic logging systems, which track where the vehicles are and what they are doing.
A Walmart spokeswoman said the truck involved in the accident that injured Mr. Morgan, who remains in a New Jersey hospital, was also outfitted with anti-collision technology, which is supposed to alert drivers if there is a car in a neighboring lane when they activate their turn signal, for example. It is also supposed to slow the truck down automatically if it is approaching slow-moving or stopped traffic.
Citing the incomplete investigation, Walmart declined to provide specifics on the accident or the driver’s schedule in the days leading up to the crash.<br />
<br />
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a common problem in today's society. It is so common that in some circles people almost consider it a normal aspect of a productive society. The fact is that daytime sleepiness and fatigue are leading causes of accidents, both on the job and on the road. The cost to society is estimated in billions of dollars per year. There are several common causes for increased daytime sleepiness. The simplest cause of daytime sleepiness that can be corrected results from insufficient sleep.
The average person requires 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. If a person routinely gets less than this, it will most likely cause excessive daytime sleepiness. Another common problem can be sleeping in a noisy environment. This can cause many short awakenings, so brief that a person doesn't remember them the next morning. This results in non-restful sleep with resulting excessive daytime sleepiness. If a person gets 8 hours of sleep a night and still feels sleepy during the day, one should consider that they may have a medical problem which hinders their ability to obtain restful sleep.
<br />For more information on the causes of "drowsy driving" and how you can get treatment for the sleep-related issues involved, visit Dr.Simmon's website at <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/index.htm">houstonsleep.net</a>.<br />
<hr />
References: <br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/17/business/truckers-resist-rules-on-sleep-despite-risks-of-drowsy-driving.html?hpw&rref=business&_r=0" target="_blank">Truckers Resist Rules on Sleep, Despite Risks of Drowsy Driving (NYT, June 16, 2014</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-68948535418536924502014-06-09T22:51:00.000-07:002014-06-09T22:51:09.421-07:00Good Sleep Helps Consolidate and Strengthen New Memories<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YyrMM2b1IbA/U5abd_HEcGI/AAAAAAAAAFE/l7YnsiTMcQc/s1600/dendrite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YyrMM2b1IbA/U5abd_HEcGI/AAAAAAAAAFE/l7YnsiTMcQc/s1600/dendrite.jpg" height="320" width="193" /></a></div>
In a recent article published in <i><a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/344/6188/1173.abstract?sid=9065fb56-b822-4c68-9f0f-302a54a361d9" target="_blank">Science Magazine</a></i>, researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center have shown that sleep after learning encourages the growth of dendritic spines, tiny protrusions that connect brain cells and facilitate the passage of information across synapses. The laboratory research, conducted on mice, concludes that the activity of brain cells during deep or slow-wave sleep after learning is critical for such growth.<br />
<br />
These findings provide important physical evidence to support a hypothesis that sleep helps consolidate and strengthen new memories, and they show how learning and sleep can cause physical changes in the motor cortex, a brain region responsible for voluntary movements. <br />
It is well known that sleep plays an important role in learning and memory, but the underlying physical mechanism responsible weren't understood until now. On the cellular level, brain cells that
spark as we digest new information during waking hours "replay" during
slow-wave sleep, when the brain waves slow down
and rapid-eye movement and dreaming stop. Scientists have long
believed that this nocturnal replay helps us form and recall new
memories, yet the structural changes of this process have
remained poorly understood. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The scientists employed mice which had been genetically engineered with a fluorescent protein in their neurons. Using a special laser-scanning microscope that illuminates the fluorescent proteins in the motor cortex, they were then able to track and image the growth of dendritic spines along individual branches of dendrites both before and after the mice learned to balance on a spinning rod. <br />They trained two sets of mice: one set spent an hour on the spinning rod and then slept for 7 hours: the second trained for the same period
of time but was kept awake for 7 hours. The sleep-deprived mice experienced significantly less dendritic
spine growth than the well-rested mice.<br />
<br />
The scientists also showed that brain cells in the motor cortex that activate when mice learn a task <i>reactivate</i> during slow-wave deep sleep. Disrupting this process prevents dendritic spine growth. Their findings offer an important insight into the functional role of neuronal replay -the process by which the sleeping brain rehearses tasks learned during the day- observed in the motor cortex.
<br />
<a href="http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2014/06/sleep-after-learning-enhances-memory-brain-changes/"><br />http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2014/06/sleep-after-learning-enhances-memory-brain-changes/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-56244954532026125132014-05-21T23:44:00.000-07:002014-05-21T23:44:04.149-07:00Study Ties Children’s Sleep Quality To Obesity RatesA new study published in the journal <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/05/14/peds.2013-3065.abstract" target="_blank">Pediatrics</a> suggests that infants and young children who regularly get insufficient sleep may face a greater risk of obesity by age 7.<br />
<br />
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital for Children analyzed data from 1,046 children and gathered information from the children's mothers at 6 months, 3 years and 7 years. They also compiled information from questionnaires completed by the children when they were ages 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. <br />The interviews with the mothers included questions about their children's sleep duration at night and during nap time.<br />
<br />
When the children were age 7, the researchers gathered information on their height and weight, as well as their lean body mass, waist and hip circumference, total body fat and abdominal fat.
The researchers then assigned sleep scores to the children based on their levels of sleep throughout the entire study period, with 0 being the highest levels of insufficient sleep and 13 being the lowest levels of insufficient sleep (no reports of insufficient sleep). <br />
The average sleep score among the children was 10.2; more than half of children in the study did not experience much sleep curtailment over the study period. A little more than 4 percent of the children received a score of 0 to 4, 12.3 percent received a score of 5 to 7, and 14.1 percent scored 8 to 9. However, 28.8 percent received a score of 10 to 11, and 40.3 percent received a score of 12 to 13.<br />
<br />
Researchers found an association between sleep curtailment and obesity, with sleep curtailment at all ages being associated with higher levels of measurements indicative of obesity. Kids who received the lowest sleep scores had higher total and trunk fat mass index, as well as higher waist and hip circumferences, compared with kids who received the highest sleep scores.
There was also an association between lower sleep scores and socioeconomic factors, such as household income and maternal education. However, even after adjusting for these factors, researchers still found the association between sleep curtailment and obesity. <br />
<br />
While this is hardly the first study to show an association between inadequate sleep and obesity, this study is unique in that it looked at sleep curtailment over time. Another recent study in the journal Childhood Obesity showed that one of the three most significant obesity risk factors for preschoolers is insufficient sleep (the other two are having a parent who is overweight or obese, and having parents who restrict the preschooler's eating because of weight control). The Society of Behavioral Medicine has also released a study which showed that sleep seemed to be associated with weight especially among low-income kids, with normal-weight children sleeping about a half hour more than overweight or obese children.<br />
<br />
The study can't tell whether the missed sleep actually caused the
kids to put on fat; it's possible that some factor the authors didn't
account for was the real culprit. But there are several theories that
might tie curtailed sleep to obesity, including the ebb and flow of
hormones that control hunger.<br />
Much of the research on mechanisms depends on findings in adults, and additional factors may be at play in kids, according to
a lead author of
the study. For example, a poor sleep routine at home also means that eating and meal patterns are probably also disrupted in those homes.<br />
<br />
Dr. Jerald Simmons is active in treating pediatric sleep disorders and has long stressed the importance of proper sleep habits and patterns for kids. Childhood sleep disorders have also been linked to <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/ADHD-ADD.htm" target="_blank">ADD and ADHD</a>. For more information visit our website at <a href="http://houstonsleep.net/" target="_blank">HoustonSleep.net</a>.<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-19763995294246899832014-05-15T23:57:00.001-07:002014-05-15T23:57:39.044-07:00F.D.A. Recommends Lower Dose of Lunesta Sleeping PillAs part of the agency’s continuing effort to
reduce sleep aids’ risky side effects such as drowsiness while driving, the Food and Drug Administration has announced that people
prescribed the sleeping pill Lunesta should be starting with half the
current recommended dose of two milligrams.<br />
<br />
The dosage change is based, in part, on findings from a study of 91
healthy adults ages 25 to 40. The study shows, compared to an inactive
pill (placebo), Lunesta 3 mg was associated with severe next-morning
psychomotor and memory impairment in both men and women 7.5 hours after
taking the drug. The study found that recommended doses can cause
impairment to driving skills, memory, and coordination as long as 11
hours after the drug is taken. Despite these long-lasting effects,
patients were often unaware they were impaired. <br />
<br />
Taken at bedtime, the recommended starting dose of Lunesta (eszopiclone)
has been decreased from 2 milligrams to 1 mg for both men and women.
The 1 mg dose can be increased to 2 mg or 3 mg if needed, but the higher
doses are more likely to result in next-day impairment of driving and
other activities that require full alertness. Using lower doses means
less drug will remain in the body in the morning hours.<br />
Patients
currently taking the 2 mg and 3 mg doses of Lunesta should contact their
health care professional to ask for instructions on how to continue to
take their medicine safely at a dose that is best for them.<br />
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="249" data-total-count="978" itemprop="articleBody">
According
to IMS Health, a health care services company, about 55 million
prescriptions for sleep aids were dispensed in the United States in
2013. Lunesta represents a relatively small part of that market, with
about three million pills prescribed.</div>
It was not the first time the agency has reduced the recommended dose of sleeping pills. In January 2013, the FDA said
that doses of Ambien and other sleeping pills that contain zolpidem
should be halved for women. The agency also told manufacturers that
labels should recommend that health care providers “consider”
prescribing lower doses for men. <br />
<br />
Drowsiness is listed as a common side effect for all insomnia drugs,
along with warnings that people may still feel drowsy the next day after
taking one of these products. The FDA is continuing to evaluate the
risk of impaired mental alertness with the entire class of sleep drugs,
including over-the-counter drugs, and will update the public as new
information becomes available.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Studies show that sleepiness can impair driving performance as much or more so than alcohol; the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that one out of
every six (16.5%) deadly traffic accidents, and one out of eight (12.5%)
crashes requiring hospitalization of car drivers or passengers is due
to drowsy driving. To learn more about the dangers of poor sleep habits and how you can get a better night's sleep, visit us at the <a href="http://houstonsleepnet./" target="_blank">HoustonSleepNet.</a></h4>
<hr />
Source:<br />
<a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm397453.htm" target="_blank">FDA News Release: May 15, 2014</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-15320250838645083792014-04-23T23:50:00.000-07:002014-04-23T23:50:20.659-07:00Rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (REMBD) may be an indicator for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's DiseaseResearchers at the University of Toronto say a sleep disorder that
causes people to act out their dreams is the best current predictor of
brain diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.<br />
According to an article in <a href="http://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/abstract/S0166-2236%2814%2900025-3?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0166223614000253%3Fshowall%3Dtrue?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0166223614000253%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Trends in Neurosciences</a>,
John Peever, MD, associate professor at the University of Toronto suggests the link occurs because brain degeneration attacks the brain
circuits controlling REM sleep before it attacks those areas involved in
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other neurodegenerative conditions.<br />
<br />
Sleep occurs in five distinct phases; the the fifth stage is REM, the
the
most active sleep phase in which you’re most likely to dream. The REM stage is also when you may find yourself twitching or
tossing. <br />
During normal REM sleep your brain temporarily paralyzes your muscles, but in people with REM sleep behavior disorder (REMBD) this paralysis
ceases to occur; they may act out their dreams, resulting in injury to themselves and/or their bed partner.<br />
<br />
The new research examines the idea that neurodegeneration might first affect
areas of the brain that control sleep before attacking brain areas that
cause more common brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. REMBD is most common in older men – 90 percent of people who develop it
are male, and most are over the age of 50. Scientists already knew REMBD
was associated with certain brain disorders including Parkinson’s: previous research has shown that approximately 30 percent of people diagnosed with REMBD will develop Parkinson’s within three years. However, the new study suggests that 80 to 90 percent of people who develop REM sleep
behavior disorder will develop degenerative brain disease within the
near future.<br />
<br />
Medications are available for many of these conditions that can delay or
slow progression of the disease when taken early enough, so REMBD could
serve as an alert to do so. Once you’re diagnosed with REMBD the usual treatment is a muscle
relaxant such as clonazepam (Clomid or Klonopin). However this new
research suggests it’s a good idea for anyone diagnosed with REMBD to
have a complete workup for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other
brain disorders.<br />
<br />
Dr. Peever suggests that “...It’s important for clinicians to recognize RBD as a
potential indication of brain disease in order to diagnose patients at
an earlier stage. This is important because drugs that reduce
neurodegeneration could be used in RBD patients to prevent (or protect)
them from developing more severe degenerative disorders.”<br />
<br />
<hr />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/abstract/S0166-2236%2814%2900025-3?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0166223614000253%3Fshowall%3Dtrue?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0166223614000253%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank">Breakdown in REM sleep circuitry underlies REM sleep behavior disorder</a> (Abstract; Trends in Neuroscience, 03/04/2014<br />
<a href="http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/04/23/specific-sleep-disorder-associated-with-brain-diseases/68873.html">Specific Sleep Disorder Associated with Brain Diseases</a>: Psyche Central<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-85135465107680704652014-04-07T22:57:00.001-07:002014-04-07T22:57:31.132-07:00Engineer in fatal Bronx train derailment had sleep apnea<br />
<br />
The commuter train engineer at the center of last year's deadly derailment in the Bronx was found to have obstructive sleep apnea that went undiagnosed
before the Dec. 1 derailment, a sleep medicine doctor said in the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation docket. Rockefeller told investigators that he felt fine that day, but
experienced something like highway hypnosis as he stared straight ahead
at the tracks. "I came up with that hypnotized feeling, dazed, that's
what I was in," he said. "The only thing that shook me out of it was the
feeling of the train. Something wasn't right with it.<br />
" He activated the
emergency brake, but it was too late. The train derailed as it headed
around a sharp curve at 82 miles per hour, nearly three times the speed
limit.<br />
<br />
A report on Rockefeller's medical history revealed he had never been
tested for a sleeping disorder by any of his doctors prior to the
accident. He had a history of snoring but "not of choking or gasping"
awake. His sleep was disrupted as much as 65 times per hour, the report
stated.<br />
Sleep apnea occurs when a person involuntarily stops breathing while asleep. Rockefeller's lawyer said that<br />
"...He
had absolutely no idea of this condition prior to the diagnosis. It was exacerbated by the change in shifts two weeks
earlier."<br />
<br />
<b> Excessive daytime drowsiness</b> is a tendency to sleep at inappropriate
times regardless of activity or circumstance. It can manifest itself
in mild or severe forms. <br />
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a common problem in today's society.
It is so common that in some circles people almost consider it a
normal aspect of a productive society. The fact is that daytime
sleepiness and fatigue are leading causes of accidents, both on the
job and on the road. The cost to society is estimated in billions of
dollars per year. There are several common causes for increased
daytime sleepiness. The simplest cause of daytime sleepiness that can
be corrected results from insufficient sleep.<br />
<br />
A common medical problem that can cause increased daytime
sleepiness results from having a breathing problem during sleep.
Snoring for example, is a form of obstructed breathing. Obstructive
breathing can make it difficult to breathe properly during sleep and
can even cause a complete blockage in the airway during which
breathing stops. Breathing is re-established with a brief disruption of
sleep and possibly a brief gasp or choking sound. <br />
<br />
Another common medical problem causing
frequent disruptions of sleep is called Periodic Limb Movements of
Sleep. This occurs when a person has multiple brief leg movements
every 20 to 60 seconds for long periods during the night. These leg
movements can fragment sleep, resulting in increased daytime
sleepiness. Frequently people with this problem also have what is
called Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). RLS occurs when a person is
sitting still or lying in bed, which makes it difficult to keep their
legs still. This frequently can keep people awake, causing insomnia.
People with this problem feel that moving their legs relieves this
restless sensation.<br />
<br />
<h4>
These problems are all treatable.
Unfortunately, many physicians are not yet familiar with treating these
conditions. Ask your doctor about treatment and feel free to have your
doctor contact us for questions on diagnosis and treatment for these
conditions.
<br />If you have a problem with daytime
sleepiness and you have increased your sleep length without improving
your daytime sleepiness, then you should be evaluated by a Sleep
Disorders Specialist. With proper care most people can obtain the
treatment they need to improve this problem. Contact us today at
281-407-6222 or visit <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/" target="_blank">www.houstonsleep.net</a> for more information.
</h4>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-10547181755535944472014-03-27T00:24:00.002-07:002014-03-27T00:24:32.908-07:00Learn about how your sleeping habits affect your epilepsy and what you can do to improve your health<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zai2AY6v0F4/UzPQIZILLBI/AAAAAAAAAE0/fxVtc3hvV58/s1600/MSS.jpg" height="190" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Epilepsy Awareness Houston Support Group presents a program on </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"How your sleeping habits affect your epilepsy and what you can do to improve your health."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <b><span style="font-size: small;">Tuesday, April 8, 2014 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm., </span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">at 2401 Fountain View Dr.,Suite 900, (9th Floor),</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Houston, Texas 77057</span></b></div>
<br />
<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">With special guest speaker Dr. Jerald H. Simmons: </span><br />
Triple board-certified in Neurology, Sleep Medicine
and Epilepsy, Dr. Simmons’ main focus has always been
the specialty of Sleep Disorders Medicine. He trained in
Sleep Medicine at Stanford University, then co-directed the University of California Sleep Disorders
Center in Los Angeles. He was recruited to Houston to
develop and direct the Sadler Clinic Sleep Disorders
Center, which he did for 13 years, while also founding
his private practice, Comprehensive Sleep Medicine
Associates. Always eager to teach, he is the founding
director of the Sleep Education Consortium, a nationally recognized, non-profit organization that provides
medical education seminars on sleep disorders to phy-
sicians, dentists, health care professionals and the
community. He continues to be published by many
peer reviewed journals and conducts research studies
to improve the field of sleep medicineAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-75584228849653445482014-03-14T23:38:00.002-07:002014-03-14T23:40:32.485-07:00Sleep disorders may cause ADD/ADHD<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3nS8MjKLUJc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
For more than three decades, there has been a growing recognition that some people have difficulty focusing and maintaining attention; in various instances, they also may have difficulty sitting peacefully in a classroom<br />
or calm setting. These individuals have been labeled with attention deficit disorder - with or without hyperactivity -known as ADD/ADHD.<br />
<br />
Traditional treatment for ADD/ADHD has been with stimulant medications, such as Ritalin or Adderall, which provide improvement by stimulating a fatigued, unrested brain. It is now known that problems with sleep can result in difficulties with concentration and the ability to stay focused during the day. The increased physical activity -hyperactivity - displayed by many of those affected is a way of remaining stimulated, thus overcoming the sleepiness. This difficulty is most noted when sitting inactive and under-stimulated.<br />
<br />
About 30 percent of these patients have a sleep disturbance as a fundamental cause according to Dr. Simmons, who has treated these types of patients for over 20 years. If a sleep disorder is present, there are other treatment options for improvement of the ADD/ADHD symptoms.<br />
"If there is a concern that a child or adult has ADD/ADHD, then it is imperative to first make a few observations regarding the person's sleep in order to determine whether a sleep disorder center consultation is necessary, prior to starting stimulant drugs," Dr. Simmons continued. "In many cases, those who have been placed on stimulants can be successfully taken off them if a sleep problem has been properly diagnosed and treated. For years now, I have taken this approach and many patients labeled with ADD/ADHD in whom we have diagnosed with a sleep disturbance have demonstrated dramatic improvement after treating the sleep disorder. This treatment has minimized or eliminated their reliance on stimulant medications."<br />
<br />
<b>The main causes for the disturbed sleep in the ADD/ADHD population are lack of sleep due to domestic/environmental factors in the home, restless legs syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea, or an associated condition known as the Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome.</b><br />
<br />
UARS is a subtle breathing disorder not properly diagnosed at most sleep centers; but by utilizing extra measures Dr. Simmons' team is able to recognize and treat this disorder properly. "We look at a whole battery of issues when someone complains of ADD/ ADHD, including both psychological and physiological factors," Simmons said. "I've seen many patients improve when we treat their sleep without the need for stimulants."<br />
<br />
An example of one such patient is Trey Girlinghouse, a 9-year-old whose teachers became concerned with his difficulties in school. They encouraged his mother to find medical assistance for what they labeled as ADD; he was placed on stimulant medication treatment, but his mother was concerned about medication usage and looked for alternative treatments. <br />
She had Trey evaluated by Dr. Simmons, and after a comprehensive sleep test he was found to have UARS. He then began treatment for this breathing disorder and is no longer on stimulants: he has also markedly improved his performance at school. <br />
"Now that his sleep is better and he does better at school, the teachers agree that he no longer needs to be on medications," his mother said.<br />
<br />
Dr. Simmons provides this partial list of signs which should raise concerns when considering whether ADD/ADHD may be associated with a sleep disturbance:<br />
<ul>
<li> Difficulty falling asleep </li>
<li>Difficulty staying asleep </li>
<li>Snoring or labored breathing </li>
<li>Kicking repetitively during the night </li>
<li>Excessively grinding or clenching teeth </li>
<li>Difficulty awakening in the morning </li>
<li>Sleep walking or sleep talking </li>
<li> Noticeable sleepiness during the day when not active</li>
</ul>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: small;">If someone has any of these indicators and appears to suffer with ADD/ADHD symptoms, then a proper sleep evaluation would be warranted. Patients can be evaluated by contacting CSMA's sleep centers throughout Greater Houston at 281-407-6222. <br />Visit <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/" target="_blank">www.HoustonSleep.net</a> for more information and fill out our <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Questionnaire3.php" target="_blank">questionnaire</a> to initiate an evaluation.</span></h4>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-84374379825850680582014-03-05T00:49:00.001-08:002014-03-05T00:49:46.993-08:00"Infant sleep machines" could damage babies' hearingSleep machines are devices designed placed next to the baby's crib and designed to help babies sleep more soundly. They work by generating ambient or "white"
noise, masking other noises from around the house or outside that
could disturb the baby.
Websites promoting these machines often
suggest that parents and childminders should have the device on
continually while a child is sleeping: a common recommendation is that
the volume of the sounds played by the machine should be equal to or
louder than the cry of an infant.
Many parents say
their babies become so used to the sounds of rainfall or birds that they
will not nap without them. <br />
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="500" data-total-count="1166" id="story-continues-4" itemprop="articleBody">
But researchers at the University of Toronto <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2013-3617" title="The Pediatrics study. ">evaluated 14 popular sleep machines</a>
at maximum volume and found they produced between 68.8 to 92.9 decibels
at 30 centimeters, about the distance one might be placed from an
infant’s head. <b>Three exceeded 85 decibels</b>, the workplace safety limit for adults
on an eight-hour shift for accumulated exposure as determined by
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. One machine was
so loud that two hours of use would exceed workplace noise limits.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="1397" itemprop="articleBody">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="1397" itemprop="articleBody">
At 100 centimeters, all the machines tested were louder than the 50-decibel limit averaged over an hour set for hospital nurseries in 1999 by an expert panel concerned with improving newborn sleep and their speech intelligibility. </div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="1397" itemprop="articleBody">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="1397" itemprop="articleBody">
<b>As infants are still developing and have much smaller ear canals
than adults, it is possible that babies are more susceptible to the
adverse effects of noise levels than adults. </b></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="1397" itemprop="articleBody">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="231" data-total-count="1397" itemprop="articleBody">
The researchers think that safe use of these devices could be possible,
but only with policy recommendations that set appropriate limits on the
manufacture and use of the devices.
</div>
They recommend that families using infant sleep machines should place the device as far away as possible from the baby, and never in the crib or on the rail of the crib, only play the sleep machine at a low volume and only play the sleep machine for a short duration of time.<br />
The study authors also recommended that manufacturers limit the maximum noise level of infant sleep machines. <br />
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="275" data-total-count="4928" itemprop="articleBody">
Another
concern briefly raised in the Pediatrics study is whether listening
to white noise can be detrimental to auditory development. A 2003 study
published in the journal Science found continuous white noise delayed development of the brain’s hearing center in newborn rats. </div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="229" data-total-count="5157" itemprop="articleBody">
In
humans, the brain of a newborn is learning to differentiate sounds at
different pitches even during sleep, said Lisa L. Hunter, scientific
director of research in the division of audiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. </div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="169" data-total-count="5326" itemprop="articleBody">
“If
you’ve conditioned them to white noise, there’s every indication that
they might not be as responsive as they otherwise should be to soft
speech,” she said. </div>
<br />
<hr />
References:<br />
<a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/02/25/peds.2013-3617" target="_blank">Infant Sleep Machines and Hazardous Sound Pressure Levels</a>: <em>PEDIATRICS</em> ( journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics); <span class="slug-metadata-note ahead-of-print">
<span class="slug-ahead-of-print-date">March 3, 2014</span></span><br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-51384395761632089592014-02-13T23:33:00.001-08:002014-02-13T23:33:40.688-08:00Non-Restorative Sleep May Lead To Pain In Older AdultsNew researcher indicates that "non-restorative sleep" is the biggest risk factor for the development of widespread pain in older adults.<br />
<br />
<div class="node">
Widespread pain that affects different parts of the body, a primary characteristic of <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Fibromyalgia-Migraines.htm" target="_blank">fibromyalgia</a>, affects 15 percent of women and 10 percent of men over age 50 according to previous studies.</div>
<div class="node">
The researchers collected data on pain, psychological and physical
health, lifestyle and demographic information from 4,326 adults over the
age of 50 who were free of widespread pain at the start of the study
(1562 subjects reported no pain and 2764 had some pain). These
participants were followed up three years later for the development of
widespread pain. </div>
<div class="node">
<br /></div>
<div class="node">
The results, published Feb. 13 in <a href="http://www.rheumatology.org/publications/ar/index.asp" target="_blank"><i>Arthritis & Rheumatology</i></a>, show that restless sleep as well as anxiety, memory problems and poor health play a role in the development of this type of pain. Specifically, The researchers found that pain status, anxiety, physical
health-related quality of life, cognitive complaint and non-restorative
sleep were all associated with increased risk of widespread pain
development, after adjusting for osteoarthritis (OA). </div>
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Three years after the study began the researchers found that 19 percent of the participants had new widespread pain which was worse
for those who had some pain at the beginning of the study; of those
with some prior pain, 25 percent had new widespread pain. Meanwhile, 8
percent of those with no pain at the start of the study had widespread
pain three years later.</div>
<div class="node">
<br /></div>
Dr
John McBeth from <a href="http://www.keele.ac.uk/pchs/newsandevents/" target="_blank">the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre at Keele University</a> in Staffordshire, said: "While OA is linked to new onset of
widespread pain, our findings also found that poor sleep, cognition, and
physical and psychological health may increase pain risk. Combined
interventions that treat both site-specific and widespread pain are
needed for older adults." <br />
The results showed that
non-restorative sleep – gauged by waking up feeling tired and worn out
even after getting the usual amount of sleep – "was the strongest
predictor of new onset widespread pain." <br />
"We have
previously shown that among persons with widespread pain, restorative
sleep predicted symptom resolution," the paper said. "Together these
data suggest that sleep may offer a modifiable target to improve outcome
in this patient group."<br />
<div class="node">
<br /></div>
<div class="node">
Increasing age was linked to a lower chance of developing widespread pain: muscle, bone and nerve pain
is more common among older people. Up to 80 percent of people 65 and
older experience some form of pain on a daily basis, according to the
news release.</div>
<div class="node">
While the study finds an association between poor
sleep and widespread pain, it does not establish a direct
cause-and-effect relationship.</div>
<div class="node">
<br /></div>
<div class="node">
The sleep centers directed by Jerald H. Simmons, MD utilize advanced
methods to properly diagnose and treat patients suffering from non-restorative sleep and fibromyalgia. <br />Dr.
Simmons concludes that "In the future we will look back and see how much we didn't understand, but
unless we embrace the knowledge of our experience we will never reach that future perspective."<br />
For more information on sleep disorders and the sleep centers of Dr. Simmons visit <a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/" target="_blank">www.HoustonSleep.net</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5884667890871761174.post-13177999517057071882014-01-30T01:02:00.000-08:002014-01-30T01:02:00.155-08:00"Fitness Trackers" may provide misleading information on your sleep quality.As <span class="anno-span"><span data-num="1">wearable fitness trackers have become en vogue, physicians are voicing growing concerns over their actual usefulness in a patient's health regime. </span></span>These devices count your steps, measure your sleep and some even monitor your heart rate, however most of them rely on simple accelerometers and their methods of interpreting the data may not be as accurate as they lead you to believe.<br />
<br />
Experts say that while most trackers can in theory tell when a person is
awake versus asleep, they are prone to mistakes. And as far as
distinguishing sleep stages, trackers that include only an accelerometer
as their sensor, "can't do what they claim," said Hawley
Montgomery-Downs, a sleep researcher and associate professor at West
Virginia University, who has studied the accuracy of sleep trackers. A persons sleep is usually evaluated through a scientifically structured sleep lab test, known as polysomnography. <br />
In 2011, Montgomery-Downs and colleagues compared data from trackers to polysomnography tests, looking at adults who
wore trackers while also undergoing an
overnight sleep test. They found that the tracker overestimated the time
participants were asleep by 67 minutes, on average.<br />
"It says you
are asleep more often than you accurately are," Montgomery-Downs said.
The study also found that an actigraph, another device that also uses an
accelerometer to monitor sleep and is sometimes used in sleep studies,
overestimated sleep time by 43 minutes. Another study, presented at a sleep researchers' meeting in November
2013, found the opposite effect in children -the tracker
underestimated how long the children were asleep by 109 minutes.<br />
<br />
Although an accelerometer monitors your movement, "you move the same amount whether you're in deep sleep, or lighter stages of sleep," Montgomery-Downs said. Experts worry there may be a danger in consumers putting too much trust
in these devices to accurately monitor sleep, especially users who have
sleep disorders.<br />
For people without sleep disorders, using a fitness monitor to track sleep isn't going to hurt or help them, <br />
but if someone does present with a sleep disorder, tracking sleep with one of these monitors might give them a false reassurance. And sleep trackers with only an accelerometer cannot provide much
insight into the quality of sleep. For instance, a
person with sleep apnea may stop breathing 300 times a night, but this
wouldn't be detected.<br />
<br />
According To Dr. Jerald Simmons, a sleep study provides important information about what occurs during
sleep and is designed to identify factors that cause sleep
disruption. Typically, a study is done to identify breathing problems or
limb movement problems during sleep. Once asleep, being hooked up to
the wires does not prevent these types abnormal events from occurring.
However, it is important that a person falls asleep during the test.It is important to mention that a sleep study is not designed
to identify causes for difficulty falling asleep. If a person’s main
sleep problem is difficulty falling asleep, treatment can be initiated
without a sleep study, but does require a detailed assessment by a
Medical Doctor, Nurse practitioner or Physician Assistant who
understands the issues of Sleep Medicine. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.houstonsleep.net/HTML/Sleep-Centers.htm"><b>CSMA's sleep centers</b></a> <b>throughout
Greater Houston provide treatment to patients sufferering from snoring
and obstructive sleep apnea disorders. For more information on how to
stop snoring and obtain help for sleep apnea call us today at </b><a href="tel:2814076222"><b>(281) 407-6222</b></a>.</h3>
<br />
<hr />
References:<br />
<a href="http://www.livescience.com/42710-fitness-trackers-sleep-monitoring-accuracy.html" target="_blank">livescience.com: Fitness Trackers & Sleep: How Accurate Are They? -Rachael Rettner, January 20, 2014</a><br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/fitness-trackers-sleep_n_4637328.html" target="_blank">huffingtonpost.com: fitness trackers and sleep</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781136144529308825noreply@blogger.com0