Several years ago Nancy Rothstein, The Sleep Ambassador®, produced this excellent video with Media Process Group. Today, sleep apnea remains widely undiagnosed and the diagnosed continue to need support. Take a look and share with those who may need a wake up call to get diagnosed and treated so they can sleep well and live well. America's Not-So-Silent Secret The America’s Not-So-Silent Secret producers request that viewers be alerted to an error at the 6:21 mark. Keep reading
This is a simplified presentation of a topic more thoroughly discussed by Dr. Robert Thomas here. Dr. Robert Thomas discusses his professional experiences treating this condition and provides a discussion of the pathophysiology of this disorder. Keep reading
Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) 18 years old and over report some trouble hearing. Hearing impairment can lower the quality of life, impair participation in daily activities, and harm cognition. In adults, about 10% of hearing loss relates to noise exposure, the other 90% associated with aging. Normal hearing requires the healthy flow of blood to the ear, so factors that cause disease in the blood vessels, such as diabetes, can cause hearing problems. Keep reading
A Patient’s Introduction In the following article, the researcher who coined the phrase "complex sleep apnea" gives an overview of this variant, one that is often poorly understood and has been variously defined. Keep reading
What is atrial fibrillation? Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat in an “irregularly irregular” pattern. Electrical impulses do not follow the usual orderly movement from the heart’s upper chambers (atria) to its lower chambers (ventricles). The ventricles are the chambers that push blood to the rest of the body. Keep reading
Depending on the type and severity of sleep apnea that you have, you may have several possible options to treat your sleep apnea. General Strategies Most people with sleep apnea have worse symptoms when sleeping on their back. There are several devices and tricks that can be used to encourage sleeping on the side or belly which can improve sleep apnea symptoms, especially in people with “position-dependent” sleep apnea. Keep reading
If you think you may have sleep apnea, you should visit your health care provider and let them know of your concerns. Usually, they will complete a physical exam and ask about your medical history for risk factors. There are several questionnaires your health care provider might ask you to complete to help determine your risk level. Keep reading
There are many other health conditions that can increase the risk of sleep apnea or exaggerate the effects of sleep apnea. These include: Risk Factors High blood pressure (hypertension) Heart disease (coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation) Stroke Overweight and obesity Large neck size (>17 inches for men, >16 inches for women) Diabetes Family history of sleep apnea Low physical activity Keep reading
The symptoms of sleep apnea are fairly common for both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Most people have some of these symptoms. It is not well understood who gets which symptoms. Keep reading
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Large tonsils/adenoids Large neck size (17 inches in men, 16 inches in women) Large tongue Obesity - especially an “apple” body shape Small or narrow airway A short lower jaw (compared to the upper jaw) Other structural abnormalities in the airway Central Sleep Apnea Heart failure Certain medicines, such as narcotic painkillers Stroke Brain infection Brainstem disorders Congenital disorders Keep reading
