Bethesda Home and Retirement Center has begun a revolution in nursing home care. The first major step involved in the cultural change was allowing its residents to sleep in, according to the Chicago Tribune. While some nursing homes continue to keep patients on a strict daily schedule, some are drastically changing the way they manage [...]
Posts under ‘Sleep’
Obesity Linked with Short Sleep Duration in Adolescents
Science Daily reports that a new study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health shows that obese adolescents go to bed later and sleep less than their thinner peers. Sleep patterns of Australian children between the ages of 9-18 years of age were analyzed on different days of the week. Results showed [...]
Chronic Insomnia and Objective Short Sleep Duration Associated with Increased Mortality in Men
I was interviewd yesterday by Web MD (http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20100902/insomnia-death-risk) about an important, a new study published in the journal Sleep, chronic insomnia in men with objectively measured short sleep duration is associated with a risk of death that is four times higher than men who do not suffer from chronic insomnia with objective short sleep duration. Symptoms of [...]
Help Your Kids Succeed in School by Helping Them Get the Sleep They Need
Now that the 2010 school year has begun, you may already be fighting the up-hill battle to get your child to adhere to his or her bedtime. Although sleep schedules tend to be more relaxed during the summer, it is important that children get the sleep they need during the school year. According to ABC [...]
The Connection Between Sleep and Obesity
On Wednesday, June 30th, I presented a lecture entitled, “Was Atkins Right? The Debate about Carbs and Dietary Fat” at St. Francis Hospital. And now we are about to start offering a weight loss program as part of the treatment of sleep apnea and other chronic medical disorders such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. [...]
Lack of Sleep Can Sabotage Your Workout
According to an article published in Chicago Now, for those of you not getting enough sleep at night you may be wondering why all the time you spend at the gym does not seem to be paying off. Research shows that adults tend to need an average amount of seven hours of sleep per night; [...]
CPAP Restores Gray Matter in Patients with Severe OSA
According to findings of a study presented at the annual SLEEP meeting in San Antonio, patients who suffer from severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience a reduction in gray-matter volume in the brain. Results of the study show however, that after three-months of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, grey matter volume increases. [...]
Early School Start Times Associated with Higher Incidents of Automobile Crashes in Teens
Evidence presented in a study at SLEEP 2010 shows that teens who begin school earlier are more likely to be involved in car accidents, according to Sleep Review Magazine. The study showed that, in 2008, the teen crash rate in Virginia Beach, Va was about 41 percent higher than in Chesapeake, Va. Students began classes [...]
How Your Brain Determins if you are a Heavy or Light Sleeper
I was recently quoted by USA Today in an article that discusses how the amount of sleep spindles you produce each night determines if you will be a light or heavy sleeper. According to a study published in Current Biology, sleep spindles, or bursts of brain activity protect your brain from noise disruptions while you [...]
Drinking Cherry Juice May Improve Insomnia in Older Adults
A new study shows that drinking cherry juice is a natural way to ease insomnia symptoms in older adults, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Because cherries contain melatonin, consistently consuming tart cherries may help regulate the body’s natural sleep cycle and increase sleep efficiency. Although drinking cherry juice is not as effective as prescription [...]