The most disruptive symptom tends to be the loud snoring associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Many deny that they snore, because they are embarrassed or  they truly don’t believe that they are capable of making such irritating noise without being aware of it. In this case, it is difficult for a bed partner to cope with the disruption.

Undiagnosed sleep disorders increase the risk for serious health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, stroke and death. Although it can a little embarrassing at first, it is extremely important for you or the one you love to seek treatment for a sleep disorder. Not only will your overall health improve, but your cognitive functioning and reaction times will also improve.

Questions to the readers: If your partner snores or tosses and turns and disrupts your sleep, how do you cope?

If your partner was unwilling to visit a sleep doctor, how did you convince him or her to go?

Please leave your answers/tips as comments.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, CPAP is used to keep your airway open as you sleep by providing you with a steady stream of air pressure.  It keeps your tissues in your throat from collapsing and thereby ensures that you get the oxygen you need.

Results of the study show that while weight loss and surgery to remove tissue in the throat  may sometimes effectively treat sleep apnea, the evidence behind these treatments isn’t as strong as that which supports the usage of CPAP, according to the team from the Tufts Medical Center Evidence-Based Practice Center, which prepared the report.

About 12 million Americans are known to have obstructive sleep apnea, and it’s likely that millions more are undiagnosed, according to the AHRQ. The condition, caused by the repeated collapse and blockage of the upper airway during sleep, leads to a cessation in breathing that usually occurs many times through the night typically 5-100 times per hour!

The main symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring and feeling very sleepy during the day. Although, many patients, even those with severe OSA, can deny daytime sleepiness. Your bed partner may notice periods when you stop breathing during sleep. Other symptoms may include tossing and turning during sleep, frequent awakenings during the night, waking up with a headache, and feeling irritated and unrested.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and increased risk of accidents because of daytime fatigue.

Anyone from age 2 to 92 can suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. It was commonly thought to be a disorder of over-weight, middle-aged men, but sleep specialists are revising their opinion. Thin people often have a long narrow pharynx and that predisposes them to sleep apnea. Children have tonsils that are large relative to their small throats and they can have sleep apnea that leads to symptoms of ADHD, learning difficulties and psychiatric problems such as depression. Pregnant women often develop snoring and sleep apnea and there is ongoing research into the dangers this might pose to mothers and their unborn children.  Post-menopausal women have the same risk as men.

If you are sleepy during the day despite adequate sleep time, then sleep apnea should be investigated, especially if you’re told that you snore or stop breathing at night. Studies report that anywhere from 4 percent-24 percent of men suffer from OSA, and 2–15 percent of women. Both sexes over the age of 65 have a rate of 20–25 percent.

Only a sleep specialist can determine if you are suffering from OSA, and what the best method of treatment is for you.  Contact Northshore Sleep Medicine at 847.674.3600 if you believe you or your bed partner are suffering from Obstructive Sleep

The study involved 308 children between the ages of 4 and 10. Children’s sleep time was analyzed for a week via wrist monitors. Researchers recorded Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a measurement of weight and height.  They also tested  levels of glucose and insulin in some of the children.

Results showed that obese children got less sleep and experienced more variations in their sleeping patterns compared to children of average weight.

Researchers concluded that children who sleep for less time and have irregular sleep schedules are at the greatest risk for health problems.

According to the CDC, childhood obesity has many serious consequences, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma. Overweight and obese children are also at a higher risk for becoming socially stigmatized and developing low self-esteem, which can hinder academic and social functioning.

Many children fail to get the sleep they need because of poor sleep hygiene, or bad habits at bedtime; however, the child may be suffering from an undiagnosed sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea.

People often fail to realize that small children, as well as pre-teens and adolescents can suffer from a wide variety of sleep disorders, ranging from sleep apnea to night terrors.  Common symptoms of sleep disorders in children include

• excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)
• disturbed, fragmented sleep
• sleep walking and talking
• confusional arousals
• sleep enuresis (bed wetting)
• snoring or heavy, labored breathing
• difficulty concentrating, paying attention and remembering
• depression and/or anxiety

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), children who are not getting the sleep they need may have developmental or behavioral problems. The AASM recommends the following guidelines for sleep times in children:

• Infants (3 to 11 months): 14 to 15 hours
• Toddlers: 12 to 14 hours
• Preschoolers: 11 to 13 hours
• School-age children: 10 to 11 hours

The article states that a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that overweight people on a reduced-calorie diet lost more weight from fat if they slept eight hours a night than those who slept less than six hours a night.

An article published by WebMD explains that new research shows that sleep disruption can negatively affect Leptin (a chemical that sends signals to indicate fullness) and Ghrelin(a chemical that stimulates the appetite).  When you fail to get the sleep you need, your Leptin levels decrease, meaning that you don’t feel full even after you’ve eaten and Ghrelin levels increase, which means you feel hungry, even if you’ve just eaten.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that research shows that routine exercising can improve sleep. Exercising 4-8 hours before bedtime can help primary insomnia patients get to sleep faster, wake up less often and increase total time asleep. Aerobic exercise may help reduce anxiety at bedtime, leading to better sleep.

Research shows that poor sleep is related to many serious health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Many people fail to make sleep a priority; however, many also suffer from undiagnosed  sleep disorders. If you suffer from insomnia-like symptoms, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, daytime sleepiness and un-refreshing sleep for more than a month, you should contact a sleep doctor in order to diagnose and treat your sleep problems.

The study, conducted at Kaiser Permanente in Panorama City, Ca., included 500 individuals who were asked to reduce their daily caloric intake by 500 calories and to exercise 180 minutes per week.

Findings of the study show that a combination of stress, depression and insomnia make it extremely difficult to shed weight.

Participants who reported high levels of insomnia, stress or depression were less likely to achieve their goal of losing 10 pounds.

Researchers explained that when you do not sleep and are experiencing stress, your body increases its production of cortisol, which causes an increase in glucose and insulin production, resulting in fat retention.

Results demonstrate that dieters need to focus not only on their eating and exercise habits, but also on their sleep and stress levels.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine,  most adults require between seven and eight hours of sleep each night to be fully rested.  Below are tips suggested by the organization, with some of my modifications, to help improve your sleep on your own:

• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
• If you are not asleep after 20 minutes, then get out of the bed but keep the lights low and avoid electronics. I recommend listening to soothing music or an audio book while sitting in a comfortable chair with low or no light.
• Get up at the same time every morning.
• Avoid taking naps if you can.
• Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV, talk on the phone, or use any electronics in bed.
• Do not have any alcohol within three hours of your bedtime.
• Do not have a cigarette or any other source of nicotine before bedtime.
• Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal near bedtime either.
• Avoid sleeping pills, or use them cautiously.
• Try to get rid of or deal with things that make you worry.  For example, you could keep a journal and make a habit of writing down your worries and concerns, including those about sleep.  But make it a habit to write in it at least two hours before bedtime. 

The study, which took place over a four year period between 1995 and 1999, included 459 women. Follow up information was obtained from 358 women; researchers found that a total of  86 participants had died.

Results indicate that individuals who slept between six-and-a-half and seven-and-a-half hours per night had the lowest mortality rate. Women who slept less than five hours a night had a greater risk of dying from a health related complication.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, women’s sleep habits can be affected by social and biological changes at different points in their lives. For example, changes in hormones that occur during menopause often disrupt women’s sleep.

Many people incorrectly believe that older adults require less sleep; although sleep changes with age, older adults still require seven to eight hours of sleep per night in order to function at their highest level.

The National Sleep Foundation states that changes in sleep habits in old adults are caused by biological changes, mental and physical illnesses and the medications used to treat them. Sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea also become more prevalent with age.

By creating a nightly bedtime routine, taking a bath in the evening and eliminating caffeine in the afternoon, individuals may be able to improve sleep. If troubles persist however, one may wish to contact a sleep expert in order to determine what the best method of treatment may be.  Please do not just assume that you have insomnia because you have trouble sleeping.  Many people are on sleeping pills when really they another, usually more treatable, sleep disorder.

About two-thirds (63 percent) of Americans say their sleep needs are not being met during the week. Most say they need about seven and a half hours of sleep to feel their best, but report getting about six hours and 55 minutes of sleep on average weeknights. About 15 percent of adults between 19 and 64 and 7 percent of 13-18 year olds say they sleep less than six hours on weeknights.

Results of the survey found that 43 percent of Americans between the ages of 13 and 64 say they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on weeknights. More than half (60 percent) say that they experience a sleep problem every night or almost every night (i.e., snoring, waking in the night, waking up too early, or feeling un-refreshed when they get up in the morning.)

Findings also show that Americans are very active in their technology use in the hour before bedtime. Almost everyone surveyed, 95 percent, uses some type of electronics like a television, computer, video game or cell phone at least a few nights a week within the hour before bed.

Baby boomers (46-64 year olds), generation X’ers (30-45 year olds), generation Y’ers (19-29 year olds) and generation Z’ers (13-18 year olds) report very different technology preferences.

About two-thirds of baby boomers (67 percent) and generation X’ers (63 percent) and half of generation Z’ers (50 percent) and generation Y’ers (49 percent) watch television every night or almost every night within the hour before going to sleep.

Computer or laptop use is also common. Roughly six in ten (61 percent) say they use their laptops or computers at least a few nights a week within the hour before bed. More than half of generation Z’ers (55 percent) and slightly less of generation Y’ers (47 percent) say they surf the Internet every night or almost every night within the hour before sleep.

Cell phones were sometimes a sleep disturbance. About  one in ten of generation X’ers (9 percent) say that they are awakened after they go to bed every night or almost every night by a phone call, text message or email. About one in five of generation Y’ers (20 percent) and generation Z’ers (18 percent) say this happens at least a few nights a week.

Cell phone use, specifically texting and talking on the phone, shows a significant age gap. More than half of generation Z’ers (56 percent) and nearly half of generation Y’ers (42 percent) say they send, read or receive text messages every night or almost every night in the hour before bed compared to 15 percent of generation X’ers and 5 percent of baby boomers.

Generation Z’ers and generation Y’ers report more sleepiness than generation X’ers and baby boomers, with the 13-18 year olds being the sleepiest of all. Roughly one in five of generation Z’ers (22 percent) and generation Y’ers (16 percent) rate as “sleepy” using a standard clinical assessment tool (included in the poll) compared to about one in ten generation X’ers (11 percent) and baby boomers (9 percent).

Generation Z’ers report sleeping an average of 7 hours and 26 minutes on weeknights, about an hour and 45 minutes less than the 9 hours and 15 minutes recommended by experts. More than half of 13-18 year olds (54 percent) say they wake up between 5:00 am and 6:30 am on weekdays— compared to 45% of generation X’ers and baby boomers and 24 percent of generation Y’ers.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night to function at their highest level. School-age children require 10 to 11 hours per night. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to sleep debt, which results in decreases in performance, alertness and reaction times, and increases in fatigue, errors and risk for health problems.

Americans are coping with sleepiness by drinking caffeine and taking regular naps. The average person on a weekday drinks about three 12 ounce caffeinated beverages, with little difference between age groups.

Napping is common in all age groups, but the two youngest groups reported slightly more napping during the week. More than half of generation Z’ers (53 percent) and generation Y’ers (52 percent) say they take at least one nap during the work week/school week compared to about four in ten generation X’ers (38 percent) and baby boomers (41 percent).

For those who are employed and report not getting adequate sleep, about three quarters (74 percent) of those over 30 said that sleepiness affects their work.  About two-thirds of adults (61 percent) said that their intimate or sexual relations were affected by sleepiness (13-18 year olds were not asked this question).

Sleepiness also played a factor in safe driving practices. Half of generation Y’ers (50 percent) say they drove while drowsy at least once in the past month. More than a third of generation X’ers (40 percent) and approximately a third of generation Z’ers (30 percent) and baby boomers (28 percent) also say so. A staggering number, about one in ten, of generation X’ers (12 percent), generation Y’ers (12 percent) and generation Z’ers (8 percent) say they drive drowsy once or twice a week.

If you are having problems sleeping, the National Sleep Foundation suggests the following to improve your sleep:

• Set up and stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same times each day.
• Expose yourself to bright light in the morning and avoid it at night.
• Exercise regularly. Avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime if you are having problems sleeping.
• Create a cool, comfortable sleeping environment that is free of distractions.
• Treat your bed as your sanctuary from the stresses of the day. If you find yourself still lying awake after 20 minutes or so, get up and do something relaxing in dim light until you are sleepy.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages, chocolate and tobacco at night.Avoid large meals and beverages right before bedtime. No nightcaps. Drinking alcohol before bed can rob you of deep sleep and can cause you to wake up too early.
• Stop using electronic media one hour before desired bedtime. This is good advice for everyone, but especially if you are having problems with sleep.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when you regularly stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer during sleep. It can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of times in an hour that your breathing stops (apnea) or becomes very shallow (hypopnea).

Common symptoms of OSA include loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, unintentionally falling asleep during the day, fatigue and un-refreshing sleep and insomnia. OSA is also induced with increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and stroke.

CPAP, a device used to keep the airway open in order to help patients sleep better at night while you sleep, is the most common, and most effective, treatment for OSA.

The study compared the effects of a treatment with CPAP compared to placebo treatment in 59 adults diagnosed with OSA on self-reported measures of fatigue and energy.

Results show that CPAP treatment significantly decreased fatigue and increased energy after three weeks of treatment.

Authors of the study claim that these findings are significant, as they emphasize the importance of complying with CPAP therapy.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, OSA can occur in men and women of any age, but it is most common in obese, middle-aged men. A strong relationship exists between obesity and OSA. We estimate that 80% of people with OSA are overweight or obese.  However, I see patients every day in my clinic who are quite thin, but have horrible apnea usually because they have small, narrow throats.  The disorder is easily diagnosed with an overnight sleep test.

Loud snoring, difficulty falling asleep and un-refreshing sleep were significant predictors of metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factories related to obesity. These factors increase risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Snoring doubled the risk for metabolic disease, while difficulty falling asleep increased the risk by 80 percent.

The study analyzed 2,000 patients who were enrolled in an ongoing, community-based prospective heart health study. Participants ranged in age from 45 to 74 years, lived in or around Pittsburgh, and had no co-morbidity that limited life expectancy. Individuals who were either non-black or non-white, or had a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome or diabetes were excluded. The final sample consisted of 812 patients, with a group of 294 patients who agreed to undergo further evaluation at home.

Participants were evaluated for the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome at the three-year follow up. Waist circumference, fasting glucose, and lipids were measured at baseline and annually for three years.

Patients were evaluated for insomnia and sleep apnea. Researchers also documented history of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activeness and depressive symptoms.

At the three-year follow up, 14 percent of patients had developed metabolic syndrome. After analysis, only loud snoring remained a significant predictor of the disorder.

Results of the study emphasize the importance of identifying and diagnosing sleep problems and disorders, due to their association with heart disease.

Research shows that failing to get the sleep you need can negatively affect both your mental and physical well-being. Sleep deprivation is associated with increases in the risk of heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, stroke, cancer and even death. A lack of sleep can also result in decreased mental functioning, slower reaction times and mood disturbance.

According to the Huffington Post, new research published in the journal Sleep shows that people’s accuracy on working memory tasks decreased by approximately 15 percent after staying up all night. While you sleep, your brain processes information. If you fail to get the sleep you need, your brain is incapable of storing important data that you obtained during the day.

Results of another study published in the journal Sleep shows that ‘recovery sleep’ or sleeping in on the weekend may not eliminate the effects of sleep loss. Findings of the study show that it takes multiple nights to obtain full relief from extended periods of sleep deprivation. This means that if you skip a few hours of sleep,  your performance at school or work could suffer for several days.

It is a well known fact that most Americans are not getting the sleep they need. The Seattle Times recently reported that in a Working Mother survey, 77 percent of mothers said they don’t get the shut-eye they need. A survey by Men’s Health showed that 62 percent of participants said they manage on less than seven hours of sleep a night.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults sleep between seven and eight hours each night in order to function at their fullest potential. Some warning signs that you may not be getting enough sleep include dependence on an alarm clock in the morning, forgetfulness and an increase in sickness.