March 15, 2012

Treating Sleep Apnea May Prevent Heart Failure

Moderate to severe sleep apnea has been associated with possible heart failure because of structural and functional changes in the heart. Treating obstructive sleep apnea may help reverse this damage according to a study reported in the online journal Circulation:Heart Failure. The study looked at 40 patients who were in good health but had a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea […]
March 9, 2012

Change Your Clocks March 11th

March 11th is the day we change our clocks for Daylight Savings Time – and lose an hour of sleep. Every year when we “Spring forward” it seems to take a couple of weeks to shake off the effects of losing that one hour of sleep. Sleep is considered one of the three pillars of good health. The two others, […]
March 7, 2012

How Sleep Apnea Affects Your Health

Obstructive sleep apnea is a disease that is both under-diagnosed and under-treated. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea has many effects on your health and quality of life. Which of these common effects are you experiencing? Headaches Depression Weight gain Inflammation and chronic pain Nighttime bathroom visits Heart palpitations and arrhythmias Poor memory and decision making Diabetes Heart disease and stroke Erectile […]
March 1, 2012

Sleeping Pill Use Increases Risk of Death

Using sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep may be hazardous to your health. We are learning just how important sleep is for our overall health and well-being and our lifestyles are making getting that sleep harder and harder. More and more people are relying on sleeping pills to get to sleep or to stay asleep – about $2 […]
February 16, 2012

Better Sleep May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's

As a dentist treating sleep apnea patients in Columbus I hear stories about disrupted sleep every day. New research appears to link sleep disruption with an increased risk for memory problems and even Alzheimer’s disease. According to study author Dr. Yo-El Ju “Disrupted sleep appears to be associated with the build up of amyloid plaques, a hallmark marker of Alzheimer’s […]
January 31, 2012

The What and Why of Sleep Apnea

Two common questions I hear when talking to patients about sleep breathing disorders are: What is obstructive sleep apnea? Why is this happening to me?   Sleep apnea is a condition in which the upper airway collapses during sleep. This causes the sleeper to literally stop breathing. Each of these stoppages is called an apnea. Apneas can occur a few […]
January 27, 2012

Sleep Problems Raise Heart and Obesity Risks

Common sleep problems like difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or even sleeping too much increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. A study reported in the Journal of Sleep Research looked at almost 140,000 people. Those that reported sleep disturbance three nights out of the week were more likely to experience obesity, heart attack and heart disease. When the […]
January 11, 2012

Changing Health Trends for 2012

Health trends for 2012 will be changing. The Values Institute at DGWB, a national research group,  determined the following are going to be hot in 2012: Natural energy drinks – Instead of Red Bull and Monster consumers will be looking for an energy boost from more natural ingredients like vitamins and tea extracts. Sleep – Study after study confirms the […]
January 9, 2012

Poor Sleep May Increase Fibromyalgia Risk

A study from Norway suggests that poor sleep habits may increase the risk of fibromyalgia in women. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome with symptoms including long term pain throughout the body with increased muscle and joint tenderness. The risk of developing fibromyalgia increased with more severe sleep problems. The connection appears stronger among women who were past middle age as compared […]
January 4, 2012

National Sleep Day

It seems that yesterday was National Sleep Day and I missed it. Maybe you missed it too! Considering how important a good night of sleep is to our overall health I think we really need more than one day per year devoted to sleep. Following the hectic holiday season we are all a little overtired during the first week in […]
December 22, 2011

Police Often Have Undiagnosed Sleep Disorders

It has been estimated that sleep problems affect one-third to one-half of all Americans causing a huge toll on the individuals and on society as a whole. In a recent screening of almost 5,000 police officers in the US and Canada, about 40% of them tested positive for at least 1 type of sleep disorder. The most common was obstructive […]
December 13, 2011

Cherry Juice May Improve Sleep Problems

Sleep problems affect about one-third of Americans. Some, such as obstructive sleep apnea, are serious and may be life threatening.  But many more people suffer from problems such as insomnia or waking throughout the night. No matter what the cause, poor sleep quality can lead to serious medical problems over time. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition showed […]
November 15, 2011

Mediterranean Diet May Help Sleep Apnea

Researchers have found that eating a Mediterranean diet and exercising  can improve some sleep apnea symptoms. The study published in European Respiratory Journal looked at the impact of the Mediterranean diet on obese sleep apnea patients as compared to patients on a prudent diet. Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep breathing disorders and becomes more prevalent […]
November 8, 2011

Psychiatric Symptoms Worsen With Sleep Apnea

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can sometimes mimic those of mental illness – lethargy, irritability, forgetfulness. When those suffering from depression or another form of mental illness also have obstructive sleep apnea it can make the mental illness worse and possibly contribute to manic episodes. Unfortunately, screening for sleep disorders in psychiatric patients is rarely done. A new study […]
November 4, 2011

Sleep Apnea Increases Risk of Atrial Fibrillation

Sleep disordered breathing such as sleep apnea has been shown to increase the risk of heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation (afib). A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that the risk of having an abnormal heartbeat were 18 times higher immediately after an apnea episode compared to during normal sleep breathing. The apnea did […]
October 27, 2011

Quarterback Sidelined by Sleep Apnea

Former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell talked to Sports Illustrated about the twists and turns his career has taken. One important item that came out of the discussion – Russell suffers from obstructive sleep apnea. “In the NFL, my first year, I had to be there at 6:30 before practice and be on the treadmill for an hour. Then meetings come, […]
October 25, 2011

OSA Risks Greater for Women Pregnant With Multiples

The risks of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)  are greater for female patients who are pregnant with multiple babies. The research conducted at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, NY showed a higher prevalence of rapid eye movement related OSA in women who were pregnant with twins, triplets or more babies than in women who were not pregnant or carrying only one […]
October 20, 2011

OSA Patients Likely To Have Health Problems

OSA stands for obstructive sleep apnea which is a condition associated with snoring and daytime sleepiness. OSA sufferers stop breathing many times each night because their airways collapse and stop the passage of air. It is estimated that almost 90% of people who suffer from this disease have not been diagnosed. A group of researchers in India found that OSA […]
September 14, 2011

Do Sleep Disorders Run in Your Family?

You might have inherited your red hair and green eyes from dear old dad but his sleep disorder could run in family as well. A study presented at the 4th World Congress on Sleep Medicine showed that the risk of insomnia was 67% higher in patients who had family members  who were also insomniacs. The study was done using a […]
August 30, 2011

Sleep Type Linked to High Blood Pressure in Older Men

Researchers have discovered that getting enough of a specific type of sleep is linked to high blood pressure risk in older men. The slow wave sleep is one of the deeper stages of sleep and individuals in this stage are very hard to wake up. According to researchers from Harvard Medical school elderly men who are not getting enough of […]