Jun
13

The Need for Adequate Sleep

By | General, Sleepiness

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Despite the fact that the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has made it clear how important sleep is to a person’s health, millions continue to suffer from a lack of enough sleep. In fact studies reveal that over 40 million Americans are affected by 70 different sleep disorders.

A child sleeping. 

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As proof of how serious this has become, 60 percent of American adults admit to having sleep problems at least a couple nights a week. The majority of those who suffer from these sleep problems don’t realize it and therefore aren’t receiving treatment for them. What’s more at least a couple times a month 40 percent of American adults have incidents of sleepiness during the day hours that are so severe that it interferes with their daily routines and activities. For 20 percent of them, day-time sleepiness is a problem several days a week.

The amount of sleep an individual require varies from person to person. Generally it is found that the average healthy individual can be alert for 16 hours a day, needing 8 hours of sleep to maintain this level of energy.  In some cases there are those who suffer no sleepiness during the day requiring as little as 6 hours of sleep. On the other hand, many need as much as 10 hours of sleep if they expect to perform during the day at peak performance.

As a person gets older their need for sleep is as important as it is when they are younger, but they have difficulty sleeping for 6 to 8 hours at one time giving the impression that they don’t need the same amount of sleep. But that simply isn’t true.

 

 

 

Feb
23

What to Expect During a Sleep Study

By | General, Sleepiness

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A sleep study is a test ordered by a physician to help diagnose a sleep disorder in a patient.  The study can be performed at home with portable equipment or in a sleep lab at a hospital.    A technician will monitor the test no matter where the location is.

Most sleep labs have the patient check in during the early evening or arrive at the patient’s house at that time.   Patients should avoid alcohol, naps and caffeine the day of their study so the test is not compromised.

Patients are usually encouraged to wear their own pajamas, bring their own pillows and their own blankets if the study is being completed in a sleep lab.  Generally, anything the patient sleeps with (except a pet or partner) is brought to the sleep lab.

Sleep labs usually have a bed, bathroom and a television.  The equipment needed to perform the test is usually also in the room.

After the room is set up and the patient is ready for bed,  the technician will place electrodes on the face and scalp.  These electrodes allow an EEG to take place.  A snore microphone is usually taped to the neck, sticky pads on the patient’s chest to monitor the heart rate and rhythm, cloth belts will be placed across the stomach and chest to measure the patient’s breathing and a nasal cannula that measures airflow.  All of the wires are portable as they are contained in a small box.  The patient is still free to move around.

When the patient is drowsy they will signal the technician so the study can start.  Before the patient goes to sleep,  the technician will usually have them open and shut their eyes, snore, take breaths in and out and move arms and legs to the test the equipment.

The patient simply sleeps and the technician performs the study.  The next morning the patient simply gets dressed, checks out and goes home.  The patient usually will get their results in about a week after the physician that ordered the test is able to review it.

Feb
16

What Is a Sleep Study?

By | General, Sleepiness

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Many people struggle with sleepiness on a regular basis.  Sometimes, it’s just a short period of time and the sleep patterns return to normal, other times it can cause major problems for the patient suffering from sleepiness.    A trip to the physician’s office may be called for and the physician may order a sleep study.

A sleep study is just what it sounds like.  It is a test to see what changes occur or do not occur when the patient is asleep. Sleep studies are used to diagnosis many different sleep disorders  or help with sleep problems such as insomnia (problems sleeping at night), narcolepsy (problems staying awake), sleep walking,  night terrors, bed wetting,  sleep apnea (when a patient stops breathing for ten seconds or longer during sleep) and periodic limb movement disorder (repeated muscle twitching during sleep).

The most common form of sleep test is called a polysmnogram.  This test involves recording different levels of body functions while the patient sleeps.  It records brain activity, eye movement, oxygen level, carbon dioxide level, heart rate and rhythm, breathing rate and rhythm, the flow of air through the mouth and nose, snoring, body muscle movements, chest and belly movement.

Another form of sleep study is multiple sleep latency. This study measures how long it takes a patient to fall asleep and determines if you enter REM sleep.

A maintenance of wakefulness study measures whether a patient can remain awake during a time period they should be staying awake.

If a physician suspects the patient may have a problem with their internal clock (circadian rhythm) they may order a study called actigraphy.  This test requires the patient to wear a device on their wrist like a watch.  It records the patient’s movement when they are both asleep and awake.  It helps a physician to determine what times of day the patient is active and what times they are asleep.

Sleep studies are usually performed at a hospital by a certified technician in a sleep lab.  In some cases they may be performed in a patient’s home with portable equipment.

Feb
10

The Sleep Apnea – EDS Connection

By | General, Sleepiness

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Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) is the inability to stay awake during daytime hours, despite resting at night.  EDS can be a symptom of a major life-threatening problem called sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is a disorder that during sleep a person has short pauses of not breathing. The person with sleep apnea may wakeup several times during the night while struggling to breathe.

There are 3 main types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central and a combination of both. The most common form is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) that is characterized by blocked airflow due to relaxation of tissue in the throat. In OSA the obstruction of air results in the lungs receiving no air. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is when the brain does not send a signal to the body to breathe.

Symptoms

Excessive Daytime Sleeping (EDS) is the most common indicator of sleep apnea. Other symptoms include mood changes, irritability and loud snoring with short instances of silence. Although most people with sleep apnea fall asleep quickly, a few suffer from insomnia.

Risks

There are certain risks for people who have sleep apnea, but do not seek treatment. Heart failure and hypertension are the most urgent concerns regarding this sleep disorder. Obesity, heart attacks and slowed development in children are serious conditions connected with sleep apnea.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of sleep apnea is accomplished by a discussion between patient-doctor and the analysis of a Polysomnography (PSD) or sleep study. During a sleep study, wires are attached to the skin to record information while the patient sleeps. The recorded data is analyzed to make a summary report and given to the patient’s physician.

Treatment

Sleep apnea is handled in different ways depending on health history and severity. Changes in lifestyle, prescribed medications and special pillows are the least restrictive treatment options. People with a more severe prognosis may need airway pressure machines or surgery.

Dec
02

The Automobile is Essential to Assisted Living

By | General, Health

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A robotic Volkswagen Passat shown at Stanford ...
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Getting around in an automobile is essential to Americans. This is not as much because we like to burn gas – although with one look into a truck filled parking lot thoughts of a nation geared toward fuel economy are blown to the wind – but because America is a large place. Our major cities are spread far apart, increasing the need for travel when one has business or a vacation taking place somewhere besides the home base. Even the suburbs are spread a good distance away from the downtown centers of employment, unlike in some cities where the residences are somewhat closer to the city’s heart. This often necessitates a vehicle to get at least as far as the train station to then head into the city.

With such a long and colorful history of vehicle usage for everything from sport, to transport, to war, the four wheeled worker seems to have earned its place in the hearts of Americans far and wide. And until someone invents a practical flying car alternative, its use seems likely to continue. From transporting people from the assisted living facility to the doctor’s office for a regular checkup, to bringing a piece of waylaid baggage from the airport to the house, the automobile has benefited virtually every member of society. Semi trucks, although large users of fuel, haul loads disproportionately large compared to their fuel needs. And without these, the true workhorses of the country, there would be bare shelves where food once rested.

We need to appreciate the automobile for what it has done for this country. While creating another national holiday to celebrate the automobile might seem like a good idea to many auto enthusiasts, it is a bit impractical. Perhaps this is one celebration that could be made into something discreet, such as a national ‘wash your car and change your oil’ day?

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