New Patient Resources on MyApnea Low awareness about sleep apnea symptoms and/or positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment options can be a barrier to management of sleep apnea. Developing materials that are clear and easy to use is critical for reducing barriers to OSA care. The MyApnea team, in partnership with interdisciplinary stakeholders, including patients, providers, and community members, has just launched a new set of resources that are developed by patients for patients. Keep reading
Philips Recall – Update for patients As you likely are aware, Philips Respironics issued a voluntary recall of certain sleep and respiratory care products to address potential health risks related to the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam in these devices. This news likely was jarring to patients with these devices. Keep reading
Our team recently spoke with patients with sleep apnea across the US and asked them what they wanted to know about sleep apnea and Covid-19. To answer some common questions, we developed a "Living with Sleep Apnea" Fact Sheet on Covid-19. This is a first of a series of helpful tools for patients with sleep apnea. Click below to view and download the Fact Sheet: Keep reading
Excerpt of an article written by Dr. Suzanne Bertisch and originally published by the Harvard Health Blog. These are unprecedented times. Given the threat of the coronavirus pandemic on us personally, our communities, and our society, it is normal to experience anxiety and sleep problems. Sleep is a reversible state marked by a loss of consciousness to our surroundings. As members of the animal kingdom, our brains have evolved to respond to dangers by increasing vigilance and attention. Keep reading
If you are like most people, the diagnosis of sleep apnea was a surprise. All of a sudden you have words and phrases like 'hypopnea', 'titration', and 'polysomnogram' thrown at you. Maybe you are told about treatment options, maybe not. Maybe you were told about other health issues that can occur or be made worse with untreated sleep apnea. Keep reading
Excerpt of an article written by Dr. Suzanne Bertisch and originally published by the Harvard Health Blog. As humans, we spend about one-third of our lives asleep. Though science has taught us about the human brain’s exquisite control of our daily sleep and wake patterns, tens of millions of Americans still don’t get the sleep they need. Nearly 20% of American adults report using a sleep medication to help them sleep, despite known side effects and information about how well they really work. Keep reading
Dr. Katherine Sharkey is a sleep medicine physician from Brown University and member of the Society for Women’s Health Research Sleep Network. She discusses sleep apnea recognition and treatment with a patient and a sleep technician. They discuss the challenges that women with sleep apnea often face, since the stereotypical patient is male (but that’s changing!). They also talk about how difficult adjusting to CPAP can be. Keep reading
Many MyApnea members have expressed interest in learning more about oral appliances, also known as “dental devices.” We asked a dental specialist to share her knowledge. In this blog post, Dr. Demko explains what oral appliances are, how they work, and their role in treating sleep apnea. In short, oral appliances are a good treatment option, but partner with your sleep doctor and a qualified dentist for best results. Keep reading
If you have sleep apnea and asthma, you are not alone! Sleep apnea and asthma are both very common conditions in children and adults. Having one of them makes it more likely that you have or may develop the other one. Having both sleep apnea and asthma may also change how you respond to treatments for both. Why is that? There are probably many reasons. Asthma and sleep apnea share many of the same risk factors. Keep reading
Menopause marks the time in a woman’s life when her ovaries become depleted and no longer make the eggs or the hormones estrogen and progesterone. As a result, her menstrual periods stop. Women also commonly experience other symptoms related to these changes in their hormones, such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and changes in mood and sexual function. Keep reading
