People sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day  if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, a new study  concludes.

A nationally representative sample of more than 2,600 men and women,  ages 18-85, found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a  week, which is the national guideline, provided a 65% improvement in  sleep quality. People also said they felt less sleepy during the day,  compared to those with less physical activity.

The study, out in the December issue of the journal Mental  Health and Physical Activity, lends more evidence to mounting  research showing the importance of exercise to a number of health  factors. Read the rest of this entry

Patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which the airway collapses and blocks breathing for 10 seconds or more, may consider adjustable oral appliances (OAs), devices that fit within the mouth to prevent upper airway collapse, as an effective first-line treatment, according to two studies conducted by sleep medicine specialists from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, Md. 

The retrospective, peer-reviewed studies, published in the December 2011 issue of CHEST, the official journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, and in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM), the official journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, provide findings on OAs from the largest patient populations studied to date. The studies found that adjustable OAs are nearly as effective as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for patients with a mild form of OSA and are more effective than fixed oral appliances, particularly in patients with moderate to severe OSA. Read the rest of this entry

A study appearing in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of  Clinical Sleep Medicine finds that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)  patients treated with Provent Sleep Apnea Therapywere not only compliant  with the therapy but also showed a reduction in apnea-hypopnea index  (AHI).

“This study provides further validation that Provent Therapy is an  effective treatment for some OSA patients as it reduces daytime  sleepiness, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and snoring associated with this  prevalent condition,” said Meir Kryger, MD, of Gaylord Sleep Medicine  and past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

“Patients  reported wearing the device almost 90% of the nights, which represents  very high compliance. The current gold standard, continuous positive  airway pressure (CPAP) is very effective but many patients do not use it  adequately. Provent represents an important new treatment option for  many obstructive sleep apnea patients.” Read the rest of this entry

Ventus Medical  revealed the results of a large, long-term study of its proprietary Provent® Sleep Apnea Therapy, an innovative, non-invasive treatment for  obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), were published in the November 2011 issue of the  Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, an official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

A research study focused on ‘Sleep and vigilance disorders in pregnancy’ revealed that the overall effect of sleep disorders increase during all trimesters of pregnancy.The research was conducted at the Department of Neurology, CHU La Miletrie, Poitiers, France.

Objectives of this study included evaluation of frequency of sleep disorders like sleep apnea disorder, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and daytime sleepiness according to three defined trimesters of pregnancy. In orders to study and evaluate the effects of sleep disorders like sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness researchers selected 871 young pregnant women on random basis.

The research study was based on a cross-sectional design and included retrospective survey of pre-pregnancy stage, symptoms, and prospective survey of current symptoms. Researchers used questionnaires and interviews to derive inferences. Alterations in the sleeping patterns of mothers were analyzed to evaluate their sleep before pregnancy and sleeping patterns during different trimesters of pregnancy. Read the rest of this entry

The University Hospitals Case Medical Center is conducting  research study and clinical trials  for evaluating effectiveness of a new implantable device to treat sleep apnea.

The study is aimed to evaluate an electronic device designed to deliver mild stimulation to the main nerve of the tongue — the hypoglossal nerve — on each breathing cycle during sleep.

This stimulation is intended to restore tone to the muscles that control the base of the tongue, which prevent the tongue from collapsing and obstructing the airway during sleep.

Sleep apnea obstruction may not be the only cause for loud snoring but it does affects sleep that is not refreshing. At the same time sleep apnea equally causes daytime sleepiness and a reduced quality of life. Other disorders associated with sleep apnea include development of high blood pressure, as well as cardiovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/ [Press Release ]/Los Angeles, California /Aviisha Medical Institute, LLC, the  national leader in home sleep care, is inviting the public to attend its  obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) webinars. The webinars are broadcasted live on the  first Monday of every month at 1pm PST. They webinars are hosted by Dr. Avi  Ishaaya and cover a broad range of topics related to sleep apnea. Dr. Avi is a  board-certified pulmonologist who specializes in treating sleep disorders. He is  the one of nation’s foremost experts on sleep issues and has been featured in  Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal.

The webinars were originally designed for physicians in Aviisha’s MD Home  Sleep Program (www.aviisha.com/mdhsp),  but interest and demand have changed that. “The webinars are a great way for all  people to learn about sleep apnea,” said Dr. Avi. “Sleep apnea carries serious  consequences for sufferers as well as their partners. Its prevalence is rising  dramatically yet only 10-20% of sufferers are diagnosed. We hope that opening  these webinars to the public can help raise awareness.” Read the rest of this entry

Sleep apnea is a condition that can strike in age groupand in either gender. Although the most common group are older men, children and infants are also at risk. Asthma and sleep apnea are strange bedfellows. Several studies have linked the two issues and theorize that there is a group of people with asthma and sleep apnea who are unaware of the second diagnosis.

Sleep apnea is the description of the condition where the sufferer experiences a temporary, often repeated, pause of breathing during sleep. If a person with sleep apnea has a family member that can observe them they will often witness snoring, hyper-extended head position in children, pauses in breathing and startle responses during sleep.

Other symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, obesity, lack of concentration, morning headaches, excessive sleepiness during the day, frequent visits to the bathroom at night, severe mood swings, low sex drive and a general lack of energy. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/ [Press release ]/ DETROIT /– Detroit Medical Center has been selected as the first Detroit area hospital to participate in a pivotal clinical study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new therapy for patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The STAR trial (Stimulation Therapy for Apnea Reduction) will be conducted at leading medical centers across the United States and Europe, and will evaluate the efficacy of Inspire™ Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy, an implantable therapy that works with the body’s natural physiology to prevent airway obstruction during sleep. More than 18 million Americans suffer from OSA, which is characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep. Patients with OSA stop breathing frequently during sleep, often for a minute or longer. Daytime sleepiness, depression, weight gain, increase in industrial accidents and diminished quality of life are all commonly observed in people who suffer from OSA as a result of fragmented sleep patterns.  Furthermore, OSA is associated with the development of systemic hypertension, cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, heart rhythm disorders), stroke, and diabetes. Read the rest of this entry

Siesta Medical, Inc. , a developer of minimally invasive surgical  solutions for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), announced today that it has  received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Encore™ Tongue Suspension System for the  treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major heath problem in the United States.  As many as 17 million people in the United States have moderate to severe OSA,  which is characterized by frequent awakening during sleep, heavy snoring and  daytime sleepiness. If left untreated, OSA has been implicated in the increased  risk for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and heart failure.  Despite its prevalence and role as a cardiovascular risk factor, OSA remains  largely under diagnosed. Read the rest of this entry

Sleep disorders, like sleep apnea and insomnia, affect 40 per cent of Canadians, according  to new figures from a Laval University study published in this month’s issue of  the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Through a survey of 2,000 people across Canada, researchers found 40 per cent  of respondents experienced symptoms of insomnia at least three times a week.  Symptoms include taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, being awake  during the night for more than 30 minutes, or waking up at least 30 minutes  earlier than planned.

Although 20 per cent of respondents said they were unsatisfied with the  quality of their sleep, only 13 per cent of survey respondents say they visited  a doctor or health-care professional about the problem. Read the rest of this entry

The most effective treatment for the nighttime breathing disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, according to a new report.

A CPAP machine pumps air through a mask while the patient sleeps. This treatment is highly effective in improving sleep and reducing symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, according to the review of available evidence.

However, side effects such as dry nose and mouth, nosebleeds, chest discomfort and feeling trapped can cause patients to abandon CPAP treatment, noted the authors of the report, which was funded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

One expert called the report’s findings “valuable.” Read the rest of this entry

According to research presented at the 20th Anniversary Meeting of  the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), the  apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in patients with severe obstructive sleep  apnea (OSA) was more improved by a combination treatment of a mandibular  advancement splint (MAS) and positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy  than by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy alone.

Results show that without lowering the pressure substantially, CPAP  tolerance can be improved and severe OSA can be effectively treated  using a MAS that physically supports and stabilizes the position of  nasal pillows (TAP-PAP). Read the rest of this entry

Sleep apnea is a deadly sleep disorder but it is quite a treatable disorder. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, one in 15 adults has some form of sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is the interruption of breathing while sleeping caused by either an obstruction or a lack of brain impulse, and can be experienced by adults, teens, children and infants. Sleep apnea not only poses a health risk to the sufferer, it can be very concerning to loved ones. While the sufferer may be unaware, often partners sleep restlessly waiting for their next breath. A recent research study published in the journal “Sleep” found that poor sleep quality and developing brain damage caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could be responsible for a whole host of cognitive issues – from poor memory to heart agitation.

Taking up wind instruments may also help in improving upon the sleep apnea and snoring problems. That’s right. Music is good for the soul, and maybe even help you rest better. A trial study conducted in Germany proved playing the didgeridoo on a regular basis may help as an alternative treatment for people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Playing the didgeridoo may be an effective alternative, as the researchers explain, because learning to play trains “the muscles of the upper airways, which control airway dilation and wall stiffening.” The study was based on a controlled group of 25 moderately affected patients with OSA and found that these participants had less daytime sleepiness after playing the wind instrument developed by indigenous Australians. The participants practiced on average a half hour a day for six days a week over a period of four months. The group consisted mostly of men around 50 years old. They learned lip technique, circular breathing, and finally the complicated interaction between the lips, the vocal tract and circular breathing.

Sleep apnea is a treatable disorder. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, one in 15 adults has some form of sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is the interruption of breathing while sleeping caused by either an obstruction or a lack of brain impulse, and can be experienced by adults, teens, children and infants. Sleep apnea not only poses a health risk to the sufferer, it can be very concerning to loved ones. While the sufferer may be unaware, often partners sleep restlessly waiting for their next breath. A recent research study published in the journal “Sleep” found that poor sleep quality and developing brain damage caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could be responsible for a whole host of cognitive issues – from poor memory to heart agitation.

Making faces and sticking out your tongue might not just be for sassy kids – it might be the keys to a good night’s sleep. Read the rest of this entry