Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder to present with a complaint of morning headache.  The International Classification of Headache Disorders now has a separate classification for sleep apnea headache.  By definition, the headache is present upon awakening and resolves on its own in 30 minutes or less, and is not better described by another headache disorder.

Unfortunately, the research on headache and sleep disorders has often yielded conflicting results with some research  even  failing to show an increase in headache among suffers of sleep disorders much less success with treatment.

One thing is sure, if you suffer from chronic headaches, it is important to rule out any underlying sleep disorders and to optimize the quality and quantity of your sleep.  Sleep problems may not cause the headache, but poor sleep is a powerful trigger. [ Read Complete Post By Lisa Shives, M.D.,  At CNN ...   ]

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and increased sympathetic activity is considered to be a causative link in this association. Higher levels of sympathetic activity have been reported in children with Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Sympathetic predominance is indicated on heart rate variability (HRV) analysis by increased heart rate (HR) and a higher ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency band power (LF/HF). Improvement in Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) after adenotonsillectomy (AT) in children with Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) could, therefore, be associated with reduced HR and reduced LF/HF.

At the 8th Otolaryngology Exhibition and Conference, Royal Philips Electronics is demonstrating, for the second year in a row, its most recent innovative range of Sleep Diagnostics and Therapy Solutions. The event will take place in Dubai from the 8th – 10th of May at the Joharah ballroom in Madinat Jumeirah.

“There are a number of potential causes for a disturbed night’s sleep. These include sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which affects approximately 4% of the adult population,” says Diederik Zeven, General Manager of Philips Healthcare Middle East. “It’s a disorder characterized by airway collapse behind the tongue during sleep, which obstructs breathing. If untreated, it can contribute to the development of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes,” he adds.

As a global leader in the management of sleep disorders, Philips Healthcare has developed a wide range of products and solutions, from diagnostic tools through patient-centered sleep therapy devices, to help enhance the quality of sleep and thereby improve the health and well-being of people around the world. Read the rest of this entry

Inspire™ Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy is designed to significantly reduce the burden of obstructive sleep apnea by delivering mild stimulation to the upper airway during sleep.

Inspire therapy is a small, fully implantable system that utilizes well-established technologies from the fields of cardiac pacing and neurostimulation. Inspire therapy is currently available only through clinical trials at select medical centers in the United States and Europe.

The airway is dynamic structure…obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a dynamic condition…Inspire therapy is a dynamic therapy that works with the body’s physiology to prevent airway obstruction. Read the rest of this entry

Waikato District Health Board, An international sleep research study that requires at least 350 New Zealand volunteers, some at Waikato Hospital and some at Hutt Hospital, may lead to a new medical approach for the treatment of sleep apnea.

The study, known as Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Endpoints Study (SAVE), is attempting to discover if the use of continuous positive airway pressure can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure in patients with sleep apnea.

Michael Hlavac, New Zealand SAVE Coordinator said, “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is a common treatment for sleep apnea but we don’t know if it can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure which is associated with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

“Some research has shown that there may be a relationship between untreated sleep apnea and heart disease, stroke and impaired glucose metabolism (pre-diabetes).”

There are five sites in New Zealand looking for volunteers:

1. North Island: Waikato Hospital, Tauranga Hospital and Hutt Hospital.
2. South Island: Otago Respiratory Research Unit and Canterbury Respiratory Research Group.

5000 people from China, Australia, Brazil and India will be involved in study. Read the rest of this entry

For some, a diagnosis of high blood pressure, sleep apnea or fainting spells is a blessing – a ticket to nondeployable status in the military, a free pass from combat. But Lt. Brian Scanlon, 29, a civilian defense contractor from Woodbridge, never saw it that way. “Every day I was seeing the numbers of casualties from the war as part of my job,” he recalled. “I joined the Guard in 2006 to do what I could.” [ Read Complete Post At PilotOnline.Com ... ]

Snorers looking for a cure are often told to sleep on their sides, not on their backs, so that the base of the tongue will not collapse into the back of the throat, narrowing the airway. But for some snorers, changing sleep position may not help much.

According to the scientists and sleep specialists there are two types of snorers: those who snore only when they sleep on their backs, and those who do it regardless of their position. After sleep researchers in Israel examined more than 2,000 sleep apnea patients, for example, they found that 54 percent were “positional,” meaning they snored only when asleep on their backs. The rest were “nonpositional.”

Several other research studies have shown that weight plays a major role. In one large study, published in 1997, patients who snored only while sleeping on their backs were typically thinner, while their nonpositional counterparts usually were heavier. The latter group, wrote the authors, consequently suffered worse sleep and more daytime fatigue. But that study also found that overweight patients saw reductions in the severity of their sleep apnea when they lost weight.

If the decibel level in your bedroom is increasing and reaching beyond your tolerable limits owing to the loud snoring partner you both need to introduce certain very specific changes in your lifestyle. Encourage him/her to try these snoring remedies:

1. Lose weight to stop snoring related to obesity.

2. Avoid alcohol within three hours of bedtime, because alcohol relaxes throat muscles.Sedatives and sleeping pills have the same effect.

3. Exercise regularly, which helps control weight. It also promotes good overall muscle tone, which is beneficial.

4. Quit smoking. Tobacco smoke tends to inflame tissues of the upper airway.This swelling narrows airways, impeding airflow. Read the rest of this entry

Complex sleep apnea syndrome (CompSAS) is a form of sleep apnea specifically identified by the presence or emergence of central apneas or hypopneas upon exposure to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or a Bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) device when obstructive events have disappeared.

These patients have predominantly obstructive sleep apnea or mixed sleep apnea during the diagnostic sleep study occurring at greater than or equal to 5 times per hour. Read the rest of this entry

[Associated Press ] /European Union antitrust regulators said Thursday they are investigating whether drugmakers Cephalon and Teva were working to keep a generic version of sleep-disorder drug Provigil out of the European market.

Cephalon Inc., based in Fraser, Pa., and Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., one of the world’s largest generic drugmakers, in 2005 settled patent disputes relating to Provigil — which is also known as Modafinil — in the U.K. and the U.S. Teva agreed not to sell its generic version of Provigil in the EU as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway before October 2012, the EU’s competition watchdog said. Read the rest of this entry

Philips  Respironics introduces BiPAP autoSV Advanced-System One, combining  its SV Advanced algorithm with its System One platform.

A new analysis has found that childhood cancer survivors often suffer  from sleep problems and fatigue, which negatively impact their  attention and memory. Published early online in Cancer, a  peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that addressing sleep hygiene among  survivors of childhood cancer may help to improve their cognitive  health.

Cognitive problems, such as trouble with attention and memory, often  arise in survivors of childhood cancer. These problems, which are either  a direct or indirect result of treatment, negatively impact future  education, employment, and the ability to live independently.

To assess the effects of fatigue and sleep disruption on cognitive  function in long-term survivors of childhood cancer, Kevin Krull, PhD,  of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and his team  evaluated a questionnaire filled out by 1,426 individuals from the  Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. (The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study  was designed to investigate the long-term medical, psychosocial, and  functional health of survivors of eight different childhood cancers who  were treated between 1970 and 1986.) Read the rest of this entry

ResMed  Corp released its new S9 VPAP series of bilevel devices, designed to  promote long-term compliance through a range of comfort technologies.

“Understanding that bilevel users have unique needs, we developed the  S9 VPAP platform to help patients overcome the challenges of  noncompliance by giving them tools and technologies to proactively  manage their own therapy,” said Drew Terry, senior director of product  management at ResMed.

S9 VPAPs offer Climate Control, a humidification system that adapts  to environmental conditions to deliver optimal pressure and temperature.  Complemented by ResMed’s ClimateLine heated tube, it protects patients  from rainout without compromising humidity or temperature levels.

“The Enhanced Easy-Breathe technology and Climate Control system give  them [patients] control over their own comfort settings,” said Terry.  Read the rest of this entry

J.B. Hunt Transport  Services Inc has signed a multiyear agreement to make SleepSafe Drivers  Inc’s sleep disorder testing and treatment programs available to  the carrier’s drivers.

Scientists like their zzz’s just as much as you do – and have put their  (hopefully well-rested) brains to studying what really helps you get a good  night’s sleep.

1. Pump it Up Regular aerobic exercise – bicycling, walking at a  moderate pace, swimming laps – for 30 to 40 minutes, four times a week, improves  sleep quality. You can break it up into two 20-minute sessions if that fits  better into your life. But don’t schedule it in the evening; while exercise  helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, the stimulation that comes from a workout  in the three hours before bedtime may cancel the benefit.

2. Combine Carbs and Proteins Carbohydrates help your brain use  tryptophan, an amino acid that causes sleepiness. And proteins help your body  build tryptophan. Get the duo in a light bedtime snack of peanut butter on toast  or low-fat cheese and crackers.

3. Choose Cherry The fruit is rich in melatonin, which helps the body  regulate its sleep-wake cycle. When study participants drank eight ounces of a  tart cherry – juice beverage twice a day for two weeks, they reported  significant improvements in insomnia. Find the juice at Whole Foods Market and  natural foods stores.

4. Try Tai Chi This meditative martial art helps you sleep more deeply  and for longer, studies have shown.Taichiproductions.com offers a selection of good, though  somewhat pricey ($25), DVDs for beginners. The site also includes lists of  certified instructors. [ Read Complete Post By Marnie Soman At San Fransisco Chronicle ... ]