New Trucking Study Says Two Nights Sleep Safer than One
Notes from Dr. Norman BlumenstockThe U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released findings from what government officials are calling a “real world, third-party study” that shows two nights rest is better than one.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released findings from what government officials are calling a “real world, third-party study” that shows two nights rest is better than one. The FMCSA news release says the latest study provides further scientific evidence that the restart provision in the current hours-of-service rule for truck drivers is more effective at combatting fatigue than …
Snore Sensing Pillow Automatically Nudges You To Roll Over
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock Too much nudging can make you exhausted in the morning. Andrew Liszewski, Gawker Media Feb 5, 2014, 08.10 PM IST It seems like snoring has become more of an epidemic than any of us have realized. At CES,Sleep Number revealed its IQ bed that lets bedmates silence a snoring partner. But now there’s a pillow that can stop a deafening snorer all by itself. Using a built-in microphone with adjustable sensitivity, the pillow listens for loud or soft snorers and then automatically inflates an internal air bladder which increases the pillow’s height by up to three inches. This …
Snoring alone: Sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome can make it hard for significant others to share same bed
CASSELTON, N.D. – Linda Wendel discovered distance was the key to dealing with her husband’s loud snoring.By: Ryan Johnson, INFORUM CASSELTON, N.D. – Linda Wendel discovered distance was the key to dealing with her husband’s loud snoring. Dan Wendel snored even when they married eight years ago, she said. But when it got worse, and the self-described light sleeper couldn’t get the rest she needed, she used a move to a new house in Lisbon, N.D., years ago as a chance to do something about it. “I told him, ‘You can just sleep in the basement. I don’t need this,’ ” …
For Sleep Apnea Patients, a Possible Alternative to Masks
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock: Long-term impact of stimulation of the nerve in the jaw, called the hypoglossal nerve, is not known. By CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS Stephen Maturen for The New York TimesJackie Kopplin of Coon Rapids, Minn., had an upper airway stimulator implanted to help treat obstructive sleep apnea. The standard treatment for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is a mask worn at night that helps them breathe without interruption. The mask is unwieldy and uncomfortable, however; one study found that46 percent to 83 percent of patients with obstructive sleep apneado not wear it diligently. Now scientists …
FAA Rejects “Rulemaking” Process, Will Implement Strict OSA Screening
From Dr. Norman Blumenstock: Hopefully this will make the skies safer for air travel. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is reporting that the FAA will move forward with implementing mandatory screening and testing for obstructive sleep apnea, despite opposition from the pilot and aviation medical communities. During a webinar last week, the Federal Flight Surgeon said the FAA would require aviation medical examiners to calculate body mass index (BMI) for all pilots. Those with a BMI of 40 or greater would have to be screened and, if necessary, treated for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). “The AME may issue a …
Spotlight on Sleep Apnea
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recognizes untreated sleep apnea as a risk to the public health: Staying awake means staying alive. Sleep apnea is a major contributor to daytime drowsiness—a condition that could prove deadly for commercial truck drivers and everyone sharing the road with them. It is a condition where, during sleep, a narrowing or closure of the upper airway causes repeated sleep disturbances leading to poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness. Since excessive sleepiness can impact a driver’s ability to safely operate the commercial vehicle, it is important that drivers with sleep apnea are aware of …
Getting the Most Out of Sleep
By C. CLAIBORNE RAY Published: September 23, 2013 Q. To get the health benefits of a good night’s sleep, is it just the number of hours that counts? What if sleep is induced by a sleeping pill or is stressful because of a nightmare? A. While duration is important, “the quality and timing of sleep are also critical to a good night’s rest,” said Dr. Ana C. Krieger, medical director of the Weill Cornell Center for Sleep Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Optimal sleep duration varies widely, depending on a person’s genetic makeup, underlying health conditions and daytime activities, among other factors, Dr. …
Sleep Related Trucking Legislation Takes Fast Track to Obama’s Desk
Bucking the trend toward legislative gridlock, new legislation to limit sleep apnea “guidance” has passed the House and Senate, and is now headed to the President’s desk. The bill was approved in the House by a vote of 405-0 in late September, and the Senate (also unanimously) passed it in October. “The best part,” writes Charlie Morasch, of LandLineMag, a trucking industry publication, is that “Truckers are being hailed for their efforts to support the proposed law.” Introduced in mid-September by Reps Larry Bucshon (R-Ind) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill), HR3095 required the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to go through …
Regular Bedtimes Tied to Better Behavior
PARENTING OCTOBER 14, 2013, 12:01 AM 25 Comments By NICHOLAS BAKALAR A regular bedtime schedule is unquestionably helpful for parents, but a new study has found it that it may be even more beneficial for their children. British researchers interviewed mothers when their children were ages 3, 5 and 7, asking how often their children had a regular bedtime: always, usually, sometimes or never. The mothers and the children’s teachers also completed questionnaires about behavioral difficulties. Almost 20 percent of 3-year-olds had no regular bedtime, compared with 9.1 percent of 5-year-olds and 8.2 percent of 7-year-olds. After controlling for many social, economic and …
Advice About Sleep Deficiency in Midlife, Part 2
By NICOLE HIGGINS DeSMET Published: September 18, 2013 This week’s Ask an Expert features Orfeu Marcello Buxton, a neuroscientist who will answer questions about the causes and health consequences of sleep deficiency, particularly in middle age. He researches chronic sleep deficiency in the workplace and home and how it contributes to disorders like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Orfeu Marcello Buxton,neuroscientist andsleep researcher. Dr. Buxton is an associate neuroscientist the Division of Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, as well as an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He …
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