Lack of sleep is the most neglected medical condition
Sleep deprivation could result in depression and anxiety, erectile dysfunction, strokes, and a range of other health problems 10 July 2017 – 10:51 | BY UFRIEDA HO | TimesLive.co.za The longest nights of the year are upon us, the dark hours rush on quickly and the day’s exhales come with certain urging to get more sleep. But instead of crawling into bed and drifting off to our dreams, most of us do not get enough good-quality shut-eye. We stay up late chasing deadlines or binge-watching TV till the wee hours. When we do get to bed we battle with snoring …
The dangers of untreated sleep apnea
If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to heart disease, heart attack, hypertension and diabetes. Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated: July 21, 2017 4:01 pm | TheHealthSite.com Occasional whistling, grunting, snorting and making buzz-saw-like sounds was part of a normal sleeping pattern for Ritu, a 28-year-old PhD student. But it was never a cause of concern for her until she realised that it’s not simple snoring, but a chronic medical condition. “Ritu has never been the best sleeper, but during her recent visit to my place when we shared a bed, I realised that she’s not simply snoring. She repeatedly stopped …
Motivated people sleep better: Finding a life purpose is a ‘drug free cure’ for sleep apnea and insomnia, study claims
Researchers in Illinois surveyed more than 800 people aged 60-100 for 2 years Those who said they’d found a purpose in life slept better than those that felt lost It is the first long-term study to assess how a life purpose affects sleep patterns The research said it is applicable to all ages, and could be a drug-free alternative By Mia De Graaf For Dailymail.com PUBLISHED: 20:37 EDT, 7 July 2017 | UPDATED: 23:08 EDT, 7 July 2017 Motivated people sleep better at night, a new study claims. Researchers at Northwestern University found people are more likely to suffer sleep …
Sleep apnea linked to worsening diabetic eye disease
JULY 6, 2017 | 12:04 PM | Will Boggs MD | Reuters.com People with both sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes have more than double the risk of worsening retina disease compared to diabetics without the sleep breathing disorder, a UK study suggests. Researchers followed adults with type 2 diabetes over about four years and found that for those with milder eye disease at the start, having sleep apnea was linked to higher odds that it would become more advanced. At the outset of the study, they also found that advanced “sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy” was already present in 43 percent …
Parents take note: even minor sleep problems can lead to cognitive difficulties in children
July 5, 2017 7.12am EDT | TheConversation.com We all know that a good night’s sleep is important, but from snoring to night-time waking, sleepwalking to insomnia, sleep problems in childhood are common. Sleep has many roles, from supporting the development of the brain and strengthening neural pathways to helping the immune system – and disrupted sleep leads to multiple physical and psychological problems. Even in infancy and very early childhood, sleep problems are related to poorer mental and motor development, meaning that by the time children start school those with sleep problems are already falling behind their classmates. Around 20-30% …
How Much Sleep Do Fitbit Users Really Get? A New Study Finds Out
BY DANIELLE KOSECKI | Blog.FitBit.com The launch of Sleep Stages was a huge step forward in sleep research—for Fitbit users and scientists. Available on Fitbit Alta HR, Blaze, and Charge 2, Sleep Stages uses motion detection and heart rate variability to estimate the amount of time users spend awake and in light, deep, and REM sleep each night. The result? Data that empowers Fitbit users to take control of their sleep quality and allows Fitbit scientists to dig deeper into the health effects of sleep. “The ability to easily track your sleep not only helps individuals better understand their own …
Don’t lose sleep over apnea, but treatment is crucial
By Victoria Knight, CNN | Updated 11:12 AM ET, Wed June 21, 2017 | CNN.com (CNN)Last week, actress Carrie Fisher’s autopsy report contained a surprising detail: The Los Angeles medical examiner listed sleep apnea as a factor in the “Star Wars” actress’ death. Fisher also had cocaine, methadone, ethanol and opiates in her system. Sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing while sleeping, for 10 seconds to a minute or longer. This can happen repeatedly during the night, causing blood-oxygen levels to dip and putting a strain on the heart. Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, is caused …
Home Test Could Be Life-Changing For Apnea Sufferers And Their Sleep Partners
June 20, 2017 7:06 PM | NewYork.CBSLocal.com NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Are you tired all day? Maybe you’re gaining weight, and your blood pressure is a little high — your problem may be something called ‘sleep apnea.’ As CBS2’s Dr. Max Gomez explained, there’s an easy and safe home test to tell if you have it. Sleep apnea means you stop breathing and wake up for tiny periods during the night, causing serious health problems. It can happen hundreds of times a night without the person even realizing it. It used to take an expensive in-clinic sleep study to diagnose …
6 Things to Know About Sleep Apnea
Some signs are subtle, but diagnosis and treatment options abound by Julie Shearer, M.D., AARP | AARP.org Nighttime can be exhausting for the 22 million Americans with sleep apnea, a disorder marked by frequent interruptions in breathing. The condition leaves people not only chronically tired but also at greater risk for diabetes, stroke, heart disease and memory loss. “Sleep apnea is a nighttime disorder with major daytime health consequences,” says sleep specialist Steven Scharf, a clinical professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the Sleep Disorders Center. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.” …
Carrie Fisher’s death shines a light on an underrated health problem
By Cleve R. Wootson Jr. | June 17, 2017 | WashingtonPost.com Actress Carrie Fisher was unabashedly vocal about her lifelong battles with mental illness and drug abuse. She once defiantly told ABC News, “I am mentally ill. I can say that. I am not ashamed of that. I survived that, I’m still surviving it. But bring it on.” Her candor inspired a generation of women. If a cool and funny Hollywood icon could be so open about getting help for her struggles, then so could they. But a disorder that ultimately contributed to Fisher’s death was something she hadn’t publicly …