Sleep Apnea

  • Sleep Apnea

    Philips CPAP Recall Leaves Truck Drivers with Sleep Apnea Between a Rock and a Hard Place

    • Comments Off on Philips CPAP Recall Leaves Truck Drivers with Sleep Apnea Between a Rock and a Hard Place
    • by

    If you are a truck driver, or if you have a job that mandates you treat your sleep apnea, you may want to think about having back up therapy for your OSA.  That could include a second CPAP or an alternative to CPAP, such as oral appliance therapy.  Some of our patients that use CPAP, have an oral appliance they use when they experience power outages, go camping or use for general travel when they do not want to carry their CPAP,

    Overdrive: In the wake of the Philips CPAP recall, an Oregon-based truck driver has filed a class action lawsuit due to not being able to work while not being treated for sleep apnea.

    Philips, which also manufactures light bulbs and various electronics, issued the recall on June 14. The recall was intended to address the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam, which is used to reduce sound and vibration in the affected devices. The material may break down and potentially enter the device’s air pathway. A full list of affected devices can be seen here.

    This presents a critical decision for truckers with sleep apnea using affected Philips devices and their treating physicians. Such haulers can stop using the device and wait for the recall to play out to have the device repaired or replaced, or try to purchase a new device. Alternatively, they might continue using an affected device and take a chance with the potential health risks that prompted the recall. 

    Gerry Shelton, a truck driver based in Boring, Oregon, filed a class action lawsuit on June 29 against Philips seeking a refund, replacement with a non-defective device, costs for ongoing medical monitoring, and all other appropriate damages for all the injuries he has suffered as a result of his defective device.

    According to the lawsuit, Shelton was diagnosed with sleep apnea and purchased a Philips Dreamstation BiPAP machine in 2020. Because of the recall, he allegedly was forced to stop using the machine, the lawsuit states, which also forced him to stop driving a truck “because he cannot drive with untreated sleep apnea.” The lawsuit also claims Shelton went into atrial fibrillation (increased and irregular heartbeat) as a result of not using the machine.

    Get the full story at overdriveonline.com.

  • Sleep Apnea, Sleep Study

    A Sleep Study’s Eye-Opening Findings

    • Comments Off on A Sleep Study’s Eye-Opening Findings
    • by

    Posted by Sleep Review Staff | Aug 4, 2021 

    A new MIT study looks at how the length of time a person sleeps may impact their sense of well-being.

    Subjectively, getting more sleep seems to provide big benefits: Many people find it gives them increased energy, emotional control, and an improved sense of well-being. But a new study co-authored by MIT economists complicates this picture, suggesting that more sleep, by itself, isn’t necessarily sufficient to bring about those kinds of appealing improvements.

    The study is based on a distinctive field experiment of low-income workers in Chennai, India, where the researchers studied residents at home during their normal everyday routines — and managed to increase participants’ sleep by about half an hour per night, a very substantial gain. And yet, sleeping more at night did not improve people’s work productivity, earnings, financial choices, sense of well-being, or even their blood pressure. The only thing it did, apparently, was to lower the number of hours they worked.

    “To our surprise, these night-sleep interventions had no positive effects whatsoever on any of the outcomes we measured,” says Frank Schilbach, an MIT economist and co-author of a new paper detailing the study’s findings.

    Get the full story at news.mit.edu.

  • Sleep Apnea, Sleep Apnea Dentist

    What Is Sleep Apnea?

    • Comments Off on What Is Sleep Apnea?
    • by

    Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired, even after a full night’s sleep, you may have sleep apnea.

    Woman with Sleep Apnea Snoring

    There are two types of sleep apnea:

    Obstructive Sleep Apnea

    The more common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This occurs when the throat muscles relax. It is an anatomical and neurological problem. During sleep, your airway collapses and blocks air from passing through. Some sleep apnea patients may gasp, snore or choke. Some are completely silent. Not all people who have sleep apnea snore. Not all people who snore have sleep apnea.

    Central Sleep Apnea

    The lesser common form of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, occurs when the brain fails to send important signals to the breathing muscles during sleep. Your body essentially “forgets to breathe”.

    What are the effects?

    This roller coaster sleep pattern leads to a loss of energy, concentration, productivity and an inability to stay awake during less active tasks. This may include reading, watching television and driving. In severe cases, the continuous oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and even sudden death. There may be a genetic component to this disorder as it often occurs within families.

    Can Sleep Apnea Be Resolved?

    Generally, in cases of very mild sleep apnea, symptoms have been resolved with weight loss, a reduction of alcohol intake, or a change in sleep position. Sleep experts suggest that most people with sleep apnea should not sleep on their backs, but instead on their left side.

    In more serious cases, oral appliance therapy which repositions the lower jaw and the tongue are very helpful to many patients and also those whose only problem is disruptive snoring. These devices gently keep your jaw forward during sleep to open your airway. For the vast majority of patients, the oral appliances are far more comfortable than CPAP therapy. In fact, experience shows that 83% of patients who try oral appliance therapy sleep comfortably for an average of almost 7 hours per night.

    CPAP machines offer continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) through a mask. Although this treatment helps many people, some cannot tolerate this method and may benefit from oral devices.

    Many people benefit from combination therapy; the use of an oral appliance and the CPAP machine.

    Seeking Treatment

    We recommend you seek treatment from an American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine Diplomate. Diagnosing sleep apnea currently involves a physician prescribed sleep test. These tests can be performed at home or at a sleep lab.  For more information on sleep apnea and resources, you can visit American Alliance for Healthy Sleep, 2510 North Frontage Road
    Darien, IL 60561 or National Sleep Foundation, 1367 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Sleep Apnea, Sleep Health

    Frightening Things Sleep Loss Can Do to Your Body

    • Comments Off on Frightening Things Sleep Loss Can Do to Your Body
    • by

    Original Post by: Sara Middleton, staff writer | December 18, 2019

    Print Friendly, PDF & Email
    sleep-loss

    The sleep loss some people willingly subject themselves to is doing the exact opposite of helping them gain an academic “edge,” and is in no way beneficial for stress management (NaturalHealth365) Calling all students, board executives, parents with busy families, or any other hard-working individuals: pulling all-nighters is officially no longer something to brag about!

    Case in point? Research from institutions like Texas A&M College of Medicine and St. Lawrence University finds that consistently pulling all-nighters is associated with a lower grade point average – in addition to increased anxiety, impaired performance, and a myriad of other problems.

    Pulling all-nighters will lower your grade point average and increase the risk of weight gain

    Poor grades and a low-grade point average (GPA) can be big issues, but they’re certainly not the only ones caused by staying up all night. According to research, pulling all-nighters or consistently getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night increases the risk of other serious and undesirable health consequences, including:

    • Weight gain
    • Cancer
    • Heart disease
    • Accidents
    • Depression and anxiety (even just one sleepless night can raise anxiety levels by as much as 30%, according to a recent study from the University of California Berkeley published in Nature Human Behavior)

    Of course, we’d be remiss to just harp on the negatives. For example, the same UC Berkeley study we just mentioned also determined that deep non-rapid eye movement sleep (the non-dreaming stage) can literally rewire brain circuitry in such a way as to decrease anxiety, as well as lower blood pressure and heart rate.

    We also know that consistently getting a sufficient amount of sleep (that’s 7 to 9 hours per night for adults) increases our mood and productivity, reduce our risk for diabetes, helps us manage stress, and strengthens our immune system to help us avoid getting sick.

    Psst: teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep, and kids between the ages of 6 and 12 need about 9 to 12!

    Do NOT ignore the health dangers linked to toxic indoor air.  These chemicals – the ‘off-gassing’ of paints, mattresses, carpets and other home/office building materials – increase your risk of headaches, dementia, heart disease and cancer.

    Get the BEST indoor air purification system – at the LOWEST price, exclusively for NaturalHealth365 readers.  I, personally use this system in my home AND office.  Click HERE to order now – before the sale ends.

    Struggling with sleep apnea or insomnia? Here are three natural tips for combating sleep deprivation

    If you have a hard time falling and/or staying asleep, you’re in good (albeit tired) company. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, 1 out of 3 people have at least mild insomnia.

    But popping a sleeping pill – whether over-the-counter or prescription – doesn’t work long-term…and, of course, poses the risk of dependency and adverse side effects.

    So, how can you ease your mind and get to sleep better without becoming reliant on drugs? Previously, we’ve shared some helpful tips for improving your sleep naturally in our NaturalHealth365 podcast.  But, for a brief refresher, here are three simple strategies you can start implementing tonight:

    1. Turn down the temp. Sleep research indicates that an ideal bedroom temperature is between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 20 °C). Surprisingly cool, but it seems to be ideal for helping your body create melatonin, a major sleep-wake cycle hormone. Plus, we all know how hard it is to fall asleep on a hot summer’s night when the A/C breaks!
    2. Power down your devices. Dim your lights and avoid using televisions, cell phones, tablets, and laptops about an hour before bed. Hard to do? Sure. But if the trade-off is better sleep and better health, it definitely seems like a challenge worth taking on.
    3. Implement a relaxing bedtime routine. Instead of scrolling on social media, try kicking back with a book or journal, deep breathing in a hot shower, or testing out that new DIY facial mask you’ve been wanting to try. Practice regular self-soothing acts that help your body wind down.

    Sources for this article include:

    Livescience.com
    Sleephealthfoundation.org
    Sleepadvisor.org
    Sciencedaily.com
    Sciencedaily.com
    Berkeley.edu
    ADAA.org
    Washingtonpost.com
    Healthfinder.gov

  • Sleep Apnea, Sleep Health

    Better Nights for Better Days

    • Comments Off on Better Nights for Better Days
    • by
    Better Nights for Better Days

    What is Better Nights for Better Days?

    Here at Sleep Apnea Dentists of New England, our goal for 2020 is to help sleep apnea sufferers experience better nights of sleep. When our bodies are able to experience good sleep, our days become better. Everybody understands the correlation between a good night’s sleep and our ability to function throughout the day.

    Just like Nancy, a good night’s sleep is a must – in order to survive the daily grind of work and life. If the body does not get enough quality sleep, that is problematic. What many people do not realize is that a lack of sleep, on a consistent basis, comes with long-term health consequences that include:

    • Irritability
    • Memory Loss
    • High Blood Pressure
    • Obesity
    • Diabetes
    • Hypertension
    • Heart Disease
    • Alzheimer’s
    • Shortened Life Expectancy
    • Weakened Immunity
    • Anxiety
    • Depression

    How to Get A Better Night’s Sleep

    Here at Sleep Apnea Dentists of New England, we treat people who have a diagnosis of Sleep Apnea and have or have not tried using the CPAP machine.

    While we can’t give you back the sleep you have lost, we can work with you and your physician to help you finally get the rest you (and perhaps your bed partner) so richly deserve. Our promise is to work hard to help alleviate the symptoms and limitations caused by this serious medical condition. We want to improve your quality of life by increasing every hour of restful sleep you get.

    Follow #BetterNightsForBetterDays

    Use the hashtag #betternightsforbetterdays when you wish to learn more about sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP, oral sleep appliances, and quality sleep.

    Sleep loss and sleep disorders are among the most common yet frequently overlooked and treatable health problems. Follow our hashtag and discover the correlation between sleep and your health. With improved sleep comes improved health. When your health improves, so does your quality of life.

    Make a New Year’s resolution to your own well-being. Connect with us today and start your New Year with a new YOU!

    What have you got to lose? GETTING quality sleep and life is definitely worth the gain!

  • Sleep Apnea

    Does Sleep Apnea Worsen In the Winter?

    • Comments Off on Does Sleep Apnea Worsen In the Winter?
    • by

    Will my sleep apnea worsen in the winter?

    Sleep apnea is a health issue that often goes undiagnosed. Symptoms include snoring loudly and gasping for air often throughout the night. This is especially true during winter months when sleep apnea can worsen.

    This article will explain more about sleep apnea, effective treatments, and why cold weather may make your symptoms worse.

    What is sleep apnea?

    Sleep apnea is a common yet serious sleep disorder that’s characterized by pauses in breathing while you sleep. This can happen repeatedly, and you may not even be aware of it since you probably don’t fully awaken when this occurs.

    During sleep, your airway collapses and blocks air from passing through. Some sleep apnea patients may gasp, snore or choke. Some are completely silent. Not all people who have sleep apnea snore. Not all people who snore have sleep apnea.

    Anyone can have sleep apnea – even children. If you are male, overweight and/or over the age of 40, you’re at a higher risk. You can also have an increased risk if you have nasal congestion or obstruction caused by issues such as a deviated septum or allergies.

    What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

    The most obvious symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring, gasping, or choking sounds during sleep and feelings of extreme sleepiness during the day. However, symptoms can may also include the following:

    • A sore or dry throat when you wake up
    • Morning headaches
    • Trouble falling asleep
    • Awakening frequently at night
    • Restless sleep
    • Problems with concentration
    • Learning and memory problems
    • Moodiness and irritability
    • Depression
    • Irregular heartbeat

    Does sleep apnea get worse in the winter?

    An extensive, long-term study conducted in a sleep clinic in Brazil indicates that sleep apnea can get worse during winter months. Researchers looked at sleep study information for more than 7,500 patients over a 10-year period.

    Patients in winter months had more nighttime stoppages in breathing when compared to patients who sought treatment in warmer months. Patients stopped breathing 18 times an hour on average in colder months compared to 15 times an hour in warmer months. In addition, 34 percent of patients who sought treatment in cold weather had severe sleep apnea, while only 28 percent of patients in warmer weather did.

    The difference could be due to a variety of reasons;

    • Winter-related illnesses can affect the upper airway, making sleep apnea symptoms worse.
    • Breathing in smoke from burning wood in fireplaces can worsen symptoms.
    • During the winter months, the air is much drier which can irritate air passages, thus increasing the frequency of sleep apnea related episodes.

    Where can I find treatment for my sleep apnea?

    The doctors at Sleep Apnea Dentists of New England have extensive experience in helping patients with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Dr Vicki Cohn, DDS, D.ABDSM, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, the highest distinction in Dental Sleep Medicine. She is committed to assisting with the underlying causes of sleep apnea and providing effective sleep apnea treatments.

    If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, schedule an appointment with us today. We’ll work with you to find sleep apnea treatments that will help you sleep better, feel better, and improve your overall health.