Sen. Charles Schumer Targets Sleep-Deprived Truckers After Tracy Morgan Crash
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock We need safer highways. ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — In the wake of an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike that injured actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, Sen. Charles Schumer is launching a plan to keep tired truck drivers off the road. On Sunday, the New York Democrat called on the U.S. Department of Transportation to speed up a requirement that companies and drivers use electronic logging devices to accurately log hours driven. He says most truck drivers currently log their hours manually. “Each year, thousands of people are hurt and even killed in truck crashes due to overworked …
FAA CONTROLLERS WORKING EXHAUSTING SCHEDULES
Notes from Dr. Norman BlumenstockAre fatigued air traffic controllers putting air travelers at risk? What are your thoughts? BY JOAN LOWY ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — Air traffic controllers are at greater risk for fatigue, errors and accidents because they work schedules known as “rattlers” that make it likely they’ll get little or no sleep before overnight shifts, according to a government-sponsored report. Three years after a series of incidents in which controllers were found to be sleeping on the job, a National Research Council report released Friday expressed astonishment that the Federal Aviation Administration still permits controllers to work schedules that …
New Study Reveals Possible Link Between Sleep Apnea & Hearing Loss
Notes from Dr. Norman BlumenstockCould hearing loss be linked to obstructive sleep apnea? June 12, 2014 5:45 PM (Photo Credit: KDKA) PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Sleep apnea is becoming so common that it may soon be considered a chronic disease. Approximately one-in-fifteen Americans have it and some don’t even know it. http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/10261279-new-study-reveals-possible-link-between-sleep-apnea-hearing-loss/ Sleep apnea has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and obesity. Now, add hearing loss to the list. In research presented at a chest surgeons’ meeting, 14,000 people in an Hispanic community study were evaluated for their backgrounds, lifestyles, health conditions, and noise exposure. They …
Is snoring ruining your sex life?
Notes from Dr. Norman BlumenstockGoing on vacation can get expensive if you need two rooms. DONALD M. SESSO, D.O., FOR PHILLY.COM/HEALTH POSTED: Wednesday, April 30, 2014, 4:34 AM Are you sleeping in a different room because your partner is snoring? If you are, you’re not alone. The New York Times reports that 25% of couples sleep in separate rooms due to snoring and that 60% of custom homes will be constructed with dual master bedrooms by 2015. While partners of snorers reported better sleep when sleeping alone, the majority also stated that the arrangement had a negative impact on their relationship. When …
Sleep Apnea Boosts Risk of Pneumonia
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock Sleep apnea appeared to confer a higher risk for future pneumonia, possibly in a severity-dependent manner. The risk was even higher among patients who received CPAP therapy. No mention of oral appliances in this study. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) titled “Sleep apnea and risk of pneumonia: a nationwide population-based study” analyzed evidence to determine the risk of pneumonia in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Researchers explored the risk of incident pneumonia among adults with sleep apnea, either with or without the need of CPAP therapy. According to the article, …
Are you kept awake by your partner’s snoring? Get them to sing.
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock:Singing may not cure snoring or obstructive sleep apnea but increased muscle tone from singing may be somewhat helpful. 10:30am Friday 7th March 2014 in News Rock choir helps reduce snoring PEOPLE suffering from bad nights sleep or kept awake by their partner’s snoring, should start singing. According to research joining a Rock Choir group can help boost people’s mental health and wellbeing, while reducing snoring. Helen Just, leader of the Droitwich Spa, Great Malvern and Worcester Rock Choir, said a study carried out by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust found preliminary evidence that …
Police: Burglar found asleep on victim’s couch holding knife
Notes from Dr. Norman BlumenstockSnoring and sleeping issues can get you arrested Posted: 8:57 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014 LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Mount Dora woman said she woke up to find an alleged burglar asleep on her couch and holding one of her kitchen knives. The burglary suspect, 26-year-old Duane Immich, was booked into the Lake County Jail. According to police, Immich burglarized several nearby businesses before making his way into the woman’s home. “I was in my kitchen going to make coffee and I heard snoring,” victim Judith Smolinski said. Smolinski said she was immediately startled by the snoring because …
What you should know about sleep apnea from The Doctors
Three myths about a common disorder that can rob you of rest and good health Myths About Obstructive Sleep Apnea: E.R. physician Dr. Travis Stork explains how The Doctors’ latest article in USA Weekend Magazine focuses on common myths about obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring means you have sleep apnea: That’s one commonly held belief about the condition that’s just not true. Lots of people snore — some estimates say up to half of Americans do it at one point or another. But there’s the harmless “sawing of logs,” and then there’s the snoring associated with obstructive sleep apnea, which is …
Advice About Sleep Deficiency in Midlife, Part 1
By THE NEW YORK TIMES Published: September 25, 2013 Nearly 200 people sent questions about sleep to Orfeu Marcello Buxton, a neuroscientist who studies chronic sleep deficiency in the workplace and home and how it contributes to disorders like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Buxton is an associate neuroscientist in the Division of Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, as well as anassistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He received his doctorate from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. (Note: Dr. Buxton is a researcher, not a physician, and he emphasizes …
The Battle for Oral Appliance Legitimacy | Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy
The Battle for Oral Appliance Legitimacy If you’re living in a fox hole, CPAP is highly inconvenient. Army physicians took this simple truth and turned it into a study that has buoyed the case for adjustable oral appliances. CPAP compliance can be challenging under ideal conditions. Add the dust, sand, and lack of electricity under combat conditions, and therapy adherence can be virtually impossible. Major Aaron B. Holley, MD, FACP, ran an ICU unit in Afghanistan for 6 months where he treated combat-related injuries. He saw the harsh Arab landscape firsthand, a place where proper sleep is not a priority. Even …
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