tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65136762468826451772024-03-13T11:18:25.284-04:00Sleep For HealthNews from Dr. Anuj Chandra and the Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-18773754328253299432014-10-17T13:23:00.002-04:002014-10-17T13:23:27.662-04:00Epidemic Sleep Disorders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sleep disorders are at epidemic levels. Our modern-day lifestyle, including constant views of social media, laptops, cell phones, computers, etc., leads to not only decrease in total sleep time but also poor sleep quality.It is extremely important that at least an hour or an hour and a half prior to sleep we cut off all activities which involve use of screens.</div>
Advanced Center for Sleep Disordershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11436615845877649891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-66838403173062655742014-06-07T16:21:00.002-04:002014-06-07T16:21:15.705-04:00New Posts Coming SoonSo sorry for the long absence. We hope to have new posts soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-86352568535655054182012-12-10T15:36:00.002-05:002012-12-10T15:41:49.268-05:00Make Sure Happy Holidays Include Healthy Sleep <style>
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</style><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The holiday season means shopping
marathons, gift giving, reunions, holiday parties... and sleep deprivation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sleep always suffers during the holidays. There is so
much to do that it's easy to say "Oh, I'll catch up on sleep later." But
there can be a high price to pay.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There are so many car wrecks during the holidays, and
alcohol alone is not always the problem. Sleep deprivation and alcohol make a
lethal mix. Having a designated driver who doesn't drink is the most important safety measure. If you drink, moderation
is always best year round, but it is especially important during the holidays
when people go to so many parties and everybody is exhausted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even if you take alcohol out of the picture entirely, the
holiday season can be an extremely stressful time. You can make your holidays more enjoyable and healthier by getting
enough sleep.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">These holiday sleep tips apply equally to children and
adults. Adults can do these things for themselves, but parents need to make
a special effort to help their children avoid holiday exhaustion. It's the most exciting time of year for kids. That's great,
but all that stimulation means they can have a hard time getting to sleep at
night and feel cranky the next day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Take care of yourself</b> – The most important tip is to pay
attention to how you're feeling. If you notice that you're feeling tired,
you don't have to stay that way. You can take small steps to sleep better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Take naps</b> – If you take a 15-minute nap before
heading out the door to a holiday party, it can make a world of difference in
how you feel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Exercise</b> – Don't forget to exercise during the holidays. Try
to continue your normal exercise routine. If you can't do that, at least take a
short walk.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Say no to a few parties</b> – Give yourself permission to say
no to some parties, even just one. Instead, spend a quiet evening at home and
go to bed early. Sleeping normally for even just one night can make a big
difference to how you feel for the next few days.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>No evening drama</b> – Do your best to keep stress from
boiling over into emotional conversations in the hour before bed. You'll sleep
better, and you'll be in better shape to take care of the issue the next
day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>No rich foods late</b> – Try to stop eating all that rich
holiday food at least two hours before bed time. Your stomach will settle and
let you sleep better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>No technology in the bedroom</b> – A recent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wall Street Journal</i> article described
how so many people are now routinely using their bedrooms as an extension of
the office that furniture makers are marketing adjustable beds and other
furniture that caters to that way of working. This is extremely bad for you. The bedroom needs to be a place of rest. You'll sleep
much better if you shut off everything – laptop, cell phone, tablet, e-reader – and don't even allow it in your bedroom. Simply avoid the temptation.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-74249212280761939042012-11-29T12:15:00.000-05:002012-11-29T12:15:57.419-05:00Children Who Snore Need to Be Evaluated for Sleep Apnea<style>
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</style> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Based on a
review of over 3,000 research studies, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently
published new guidelines recommending that children should be screened for
snoring every time they visit their pediatrician. </span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is a
groundbreaking step for pediatric sleep medicine. It's a big change. It's
important, because it tells pediatricians that sleep disorders in children are
serious. It tells parents that snoring isn't just a cute thing where a child is
doing something adults do.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">The idea
that a snoring adult might indicate a more serious problem is becoming more
widely understood. But even in children, snoring can be caused by sleep apnea,
which can in turn cause major health and behavioral problems. Someone with sleep
apnea experiences brief but frequent interruptions in breathing during sleep.
Children with sleep apnea are often irritable and sleepy during the day, wake
up with headaches and have trouble learning, focusing and retaining information.</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Parents
should make it a point to watch and listen to their children while they are
sleeping. They need to pay attention to snoring just as they would pay
attention to height and weight, and bring it up with their pediatrician.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Snoring
typically has been ignored by pediatricians, which is one reason sleep
disorders are under-diagnosed in children. Between 1.2 to 5.7 percent of
American children suffer from sleep apnea. But the percentage that is diagnosed
and receives treatment is much lower. For every five children diagnosed with
asthma, at least one should be diagnosed with sleep apnea.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The new
guidelines are intended to close that gap by having pediatricians ask children
and their parents about snoring just as they would ask about immunizations, exercise
habits or eating. If the answer is yes, the child does snore, the pediatrician
should go further, with a detailed history and examination.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">If signs of sleep apnea are found, the next step should
be a sleep study. Depending on the results, further treatment might include
nasal sprays, tonsillectomy, or sleeping with a CPAP (continuous
positive airway pressure) machine, which keeps airways open by pumping air
through a face mask over the mouth and nose. In addition to any other
treatments, weight loss will be recommended if the child is overweight or
obese.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-50802420603555792162012-07-30T14:14:00.001-04:002012-07-30T14:14:18.672-04:00Working Sleepy Means Working Slow
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">When you work late at night, you probably know you're
feeling more and more tired. But researchers have found that your actions may
get slower and slower, even if you don't realize what's happening.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Researchers in Brigham and Women's<span> </span>Hospital in Boston have found that lack of sleep can affect
how you perform certain tasks, regardless of how tired you think you are. The
findings were published last week in the online Journal of Vision. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">The one-month study looked at how people perform complex
visual search tasks, which are part of many safety-sensitive activities, like
air-traffic control, baggage screening and monitoring industrial plant
operations. This kind of work, which often must take place late at night,
involves quickly and repeatedly encoding and retrieving visual information,
then using it to make decisions.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">After a preliminary week in which participants slept 10-12
hours a night to be sure they were well rested, the next three weeks had
participants sleeping about 5.6 hours per night, following a 28-hour cycle to
duplicate the effect of chronic jet lag. Researchers asked participants to
perform visual search tasks and recorded how quickly and accurately they were
able to find and identify visual information. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As study participants stayed awake longer, they identified
information more and more slowly. If they were working from midnight to 6 a.m.,
participants were slower than they were during the day. As the weeks went on, participants'
accuracy continued to be fairly consistent, but they slowed down further. Their
self-ratings of sleepiness declined only slightly, but the data showed that
they were significantly slower.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">While it may seem obvious that being sleepy slows you down, this
research has significant implications for employers and workers. The lessons
are that people who do this type of work during the night shift will be
significantly slower. The later they work the slower they will be, and they may
not realize they are impaired.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-73103199705211054872012-07-23T15:33:00.001-04:002012-07-23T15:34:45.797-04:00Narcolopesy Drug is Being Abused<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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</div>
By Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps it is inevitable in this day and time that some
people will find a way to abuse any prescription drug. But it feels more like a
personal affront when it's a drug whose proper use is so effective against
certain sleep disorders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Provigil is the trade name for modafinil, a stimulant that was
approved by the FDA in 1998 for the treatment of narcolepsy and some other
sleep disorders that compromise daytime alertness. It is a carefully regulated
drug because it's a stimulant. But a small number of people are obtaining it
over the Internet and using is for alertness and cognitive enhancement.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">Abuse of Provigil is not new, but last week the Nightline
television news magazine covered this phenomenon.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The only time it is ever appropriate to use Provigil is
under the supervision of a doctor for treatment of excessive sleepiness that is
caused by narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea or shift work disorder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The best way to improve mental and physical performance
during the day is to get enough sleep the night before. Consolidation and
reorganization of memory occurs during REM sleep.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Provigil works by activating the sleep-wake center in the
brain, making people who take it feel energized and alert.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There is little evidence that Provigil or any drug can
improve memory and learning. There are potential side effects, including
headache, upset stomach and dizziness, as well as less common but more serious
side effects, such as severe rash or an allergic reaction that affects the
liver or blood cells. More importantly, since these are not FDA-approved uses
there has been no study of long-term use in this way. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-79424190410260389682012-07-13T17:37:00.001-04:002012-07-23T15:48:20.170-04:00Researchers Have Found Chemical Controllers of Sleep Paralysis<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">By Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Earlier this month, I shared new research about risk factors
for REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, in which
people kick or punch during sleep. Now there is more research that points – eventually
– toward new treatments for REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">We have known for a long
time that during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when people are dreaming, the
body essentially shuts down and cannot move at all. In people with REM Sleep Behavior
Disorder, this temporarily paralysis does not happen. This makes people kick in
their sleep or even get up and move around or get violent with their bed
partners.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Now scientists at the
University of Toronto have identified two brain chemicals that prevent people
from moving in their sleep. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Understanding how these chemicals works means that new drugs
may be possible that prevent narcolepsy and the extreme behaviors of REM Sleep
Behavior Disorder. In addition to causing injuries to patients and their bed partners,
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder is also an early indicator of Parkinson's Disease.
It is possible that this greater understanding of sleep-related brain chemistry
may also lead to new treatment for Parkinson's.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Working with rats, neuroscientists found that the
neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine caused REM sleep
paralysis by ‘switching off’ the specialized cells in the brain that allow
muscles to be active. Researchers were able to prevent REM sleep paralysis by
blocking brain receptors for both chemicals.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-19701926543474128632012-07-06T14:22:00.000-04:002012-07-06T14:22:23.385-04:00Sleep Deprivation Affects the Body Just Like Physical Stress<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>By Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>According to new
research from the Netherlands, severe sleep loss causes physical effects on the
immune system that are very similar to the body's response to stress.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>In a study
reported in the journal SLEEP, scientists from </span><span>Erasmus MC University
Medical Center in the Netherlands and the University of Surrey in Great Britain
had 15 healthy young men get plenty of sleep and abstain from caffeine, alcohol
and medications for a week. Then they made them stay awake for 29 hours and
compared how their immune systems were acting when they had plenty of rest and
when they were sleep deprived.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">The men's immune systems were
responded as if they had just suffered severe stress. The activity in their
immune systems shot up suddenly, especially granulocytes, a type of white blood
cell.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>We cannot
consider this to be definitive, since the researchers only looked at 15 men.
But if these results are cofirmed in future research, it will have an effect on
how we treat patients in professions that typically have long-term sleep loss,
such as rotating shift work where the shift changes periodically.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>This study
measured the immune system's general functioning. We should also ask: Does shift
work put people at risk for serious immune disorders? If people who have
serious immune disorders, can their condition be improved by getting enough
sleep?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Other studies have shown that
getting enough sleep helps the immune system work properly, and that losing
sleep over a long period is a major risk factor for problems with the immune
system. <br />
<br />
<span></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-62421998838403845112012-07-02T11:03:00.000-04:002012-07-02T11:04:09.014-04:00New Research Shows Risk Factors for REM Sleep Behavior Disorder<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A new research study has shown a connection between
smoking, head injury and pesticide use and a rare sleep disorder called REM
Sleep Behavior Disorder, in which people kick or punch during sleep.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Normally, when we go into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
and start dreaming, we lose muscle tone and remain literally paralyzed for as
long as we are dreaming. People with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder do not lose
the ability to move, however. Instead, their dreams actually cause them to
move. In mild cases, they may kick or punch during sleep. In more severe cases,
they may get out of bed and act out their dreams. Whether the condition is mild
or severe, people with this disorder may be a danger to themselves and to their
bed partner because their movements can sometimes become violent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">Until this study, very little was known about risk
factors for the disorder, except that it is more common in men and older
people. It occurs in 0.5 percent of adults. </span><span style="font-size: small;">About 45 percent of cases are linked to withdrawal from
alcohol, sedatives or antidepressants, with the rest of cases having unknown
cause. </span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The study, from McGill University in Canada, shows that
people with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder were:</span></div>
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="font-size: small;">43 percent more likely to be smokers, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">59 percent more likely to have had a previous head
injury with loss of consciousness, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">67 percent more likely to have worked as farmers, and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">more than twice as likely to have been exposed to
pesticides through work. </span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What this tells us is that people with these risk factors
need to be monitored carefully for signs of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. </span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately, the study did not provide any new insights
into treatment, which currently involves giving a muscle relaxer and making
changes to the sleeping environment to reduce the risk of injury.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This research was prompted because more than 50 percent
of people with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder eventually develop Parkinson's
disease or other degenerative neurological disease. But the connection with
Parkinson's was inconsistent, with some risk factors shared between the two and
other factors not connected.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-79276485828938115262012-06-20T15:51:00.002-04:002012-07-02T11:04:58.691-04:00Sleeping Less than Six Hours per Night Means Four Times Greater Stroke Risk<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By Dr. Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There is new
evidence of the connection between insufficient sleep and stroke. I just
returned from the SLEEP conference in Boston, the 26th annual meeting of the
Associated Professional Sleep Societies, where the research was presented.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Sleep
researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that people who
routinely sleep only six hours a night have a risk of stroke four times greater
than people who got seven to eight hours of sleep every night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">One reason
this is so significant is that the study looked at people who are not
overweight and who are at low risk for obstructive sleep apnea. We know that
being overweight is a significant risk factor for stroke, but that was not a
factor here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Since 30% of working
adults sleep less than six hours a night, </span><span style="font-size: small;">According to the US Centers for
Disease Control, this could affect an enormous number of people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">People often overlook
insomnia as a sleep issue. They think they just have to put up with it, but there
are non-drug treatments for insomnia that work very well. This research shows
how important it is to take insufficient sleep seriously. Treatment of insomnia
does help reduce stroke. Insomnia needs to be recognized and treated. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The study also
found a difference in risk according to racial group. “We find that sleep
duration might partially explain the relationship between ethnic differences in
stroke symptoms,” according to </span><span style="font-size: small;">Megan Ruiter, Ph.D., the study’s lead author and a UAB
post-doctoral fellow in the Division of Preventive Medicine in the School of
Medicine</span><span style="font-size: small;">. “African-Americans
had a greater prevalence of short sleep, and they were more likely to have
stroke symptoms.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">For more details, read these articles from <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-06-11/sleep-stroke-risk/55506530/1" target="_blank">USAToday</a>
and the <a href="http://www.uab.edu/news/latest/item/2483-sleep-debt-hikes-risk-of-stroke-symptoms-despite-healthy-bmi" target="_blank">University of Alabama</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-7467396095543769602012-03-06T10:15:00.003-05:002012-07-02T11:06:12.951-04:00Sleep In America Poll Shows that Planes, Trains, Trucks, Buses and Taxis Are Driven by Sleepy People<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By Dr. Anuj Chandra, M.D., D.ABSM</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Pilots and train operators hold hundreds of lives in their hands every day. But, according to a new poll, they themselves say they are not getting enough sleep and it is affecting their job performance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This year's Sleep In America poll by the National Sleep Foundation is the first poll to ask transportation professionals -- including pilots and train operators, as well as truckers, and bus/taxi/limo drivers -- about how they sleep and whether it affects their work performance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">The results are quite worrisome, but understanding the problem is the first step toward finding a solution. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Pilots and train operators say they are not getting enough sleep and their job performance is suffering. Many of them have made serious errors or experienced "near misses" due to sleepiness. </span><span style="font-size: small;">As a society, we can't afford to let this situation continue. These people are vital to our economy and to the safety of our families. We need to help them get enough sleep. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Here are some details from the survey:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Job performance</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> -- About a fourth of train operators (26%) and pilots (23%) say sleepiness affects their job performance at least once a week, compared to 17% of non-transportation workers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Safety</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> -- One in five pilots (20%) admit that they have made a serious error and one in six train operators (18%) and truck drivers (14%) say that they have had a “near miss” due to sleepiness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Sleepiness has also played a role in car accidents commuting to and from work. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Train operators and pilots have the worst sleep and the most problems -- </b></span><span style="font-size: small;">Most train operators (57%) and half of pilots (50%) rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on work nights, compared to 44% of truckers and 42% of non-transportation workers. Pilots and train operators are also much more likely than non-transportation workers to have been involved in a car accident due to sleepiness while commuting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #bfbfbf; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Work schedules are a problem</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> -- Almost one-half of train operators (44%) and more than one-third of pilots (37%) say their work schedules don't let them get enough sleep, compared to about one-fourth of non-transportation workers and truck drivers and one-fifth of bus, taxi and limo drivers. Only 6% of pilots and 47% of train operators say they work the same work schedule each day, compared to 76% of non-transportation workers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Long commutes also hurt</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> -- Pilots and train operators have the highest average commute times: 45.5 minutes and 31 minutes, respectively, compared to a 23.8-minute average for non-transportation workers. Other research has consistently found that longer commute times have been associated with shorter individual sleep times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What can be done to improve safety, both for transportation workers and for the general public?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The schedules of transportation workers are extremely irregular, perhaps more than any other profession. Employers need to find ways to create work/rest schedules that provide more consistent schedules and make it easier to for their employees to get good quality, restorative sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">From previous research, we know some things about adjusting schedules to promote healthy sleep. But more research is needed. Are there small schedule changes that can make a big difference in alertness? Are there some transportation workers that have figured out on their own how to get better sleep, and can we learn from them? Are some ways of napping better than others?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We really need to know these things. And when we find the answers, there may be simple things than can make a big difference in safety.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">You can visit the National Sleep Foundation for a complete summary of findings and examples of crashes where fatigue was a contributing factor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012poll">http://www.sleepfoundation.org/2012poll</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-67943982155027271442012-01-10T15:42:00.003-05:002012-07-02T11:08:56.604-04:00Dr. Anuj Chandra Co-Authors First Case Report of Ocular Myasthenia Improving with CPAP Therapy<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Anuj Chandra and several of his colleagues -- including Saira Naseer, MD, Victor O. Kolade, MD, FACP, Sarim Idrees, MD and Sidra Naseer, BBA -- have described the first case of Ocular Myasthenia which improved with use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. An article about their observation has been accepted for publication in the July 2012 issue of Tennessee Medicine, the journal of the Tennessee Medical Association.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Myasthenia Gravis is a condition in which an autoimmune reaction disrupts the body's normal communication between nerves and muscles, resulting in muscle weakness and even paralysis. Eye muscles are often affected along with other muscles. The eyes may be the only muscles affected, which is a condition called Ocular Myasthenia. </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Chandra and his colleagues at the Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders treated a 73-year-old man with a history of Ocular Myasthenia who was also diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. After 12 weeks of treatment with CPAP, the patient's apnea responded well and he had no more symptoms of Ocular Myasthenia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"To our knowledge, this is the first published report of Ocular Myasthenia responding to CPAP treatment," said Dr. Chandra. "Based on this observation, it is important for doctors treating patients with Ocular Myasthenia to obtain a sleep history and screen for sleep-disordered breathing."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Although this is only one report, Dr. Chandra and his colleagues believe their experience with this patient shows the need for comprehensive studies of the relationship between Ocular Myasthenia and sleep-disordered breathing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"We know that sleep-disordered breathing lowers the saturation of oxygen in the person's blood, which likely contributes to the nerve-muscle communication problems with Myasthenia Gravis and Ocular Myasthenia," said Dr. Chandra. "For someone with Ocular Myasthenia and Sleep Apnea, early intervention with the sleep disorder is likely to alleviate ocular myasthenia symptoms and improve quality of life."</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6513676246882645177.post-63329700462334896372012-01-10T15:39:00.000-05:002012-07-02T11:10:04.991-04:00Dr. Anuj Chandra Trains Indian Physicians at National Sleep Medicine Course<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Dr. Anuj Chandra, a Chattanooga sleep specialist who has been a leader in bringing cutting edge sleep medicine to India, again served as faculty this year at the Sixth Annual Sleep Medicine Course, which was held Dec. 10-11 in Mumbai, India. </span><span style="font-size: small;">About 200 </span><span style="font-size: small;">internists and family physicians, specialists, residents and sleep technicians from across India</span><span style="font-size: small;"> attended this year, more than double the attendance at last year's course. In addition, two of the most famous researchers in sleep medicine served as keynote speakers, and sponsorship from American device makers increased significantly.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">Now in its sixth year, the course has grown tremendously, drawing more participation from students as well as from international experts and corporations in the field and presenting original research carried out in India. <span style="color: black;">"</span>We feel and know this conference is continuing to cause significant improvement in awareness and bringing the latest knowledge of treatment methods from the U.S. to India," <span style="color: black;">said Dr. Chandra.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Chandra was a founding faculty member and has volunteered his time as an instructor since the annual National Sleep Medicine Course (NSMC) was created in 2006 under the direction of Dr. Deepak Shrivastava, professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, and Dr. H.N. Mallick, professor of physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">This year the course is hosted in Mumbai at Jaslok Hospital and Research Center, organized by</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Dr. Preeti Devnani, who established the Sleep Disorders Clinic at Jaslok Hospital. "It was exhilarating to see how everything came together for the course. All the sponsors came through, everyone I asked. The administration was supportive, and the guidance and support of Drs. N.H. and P.N. Wadia were invaluable."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>International Experts Speaking</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Keynote speakers David White and Emannuel Mignot are two of the most respected authorities in the field of sleep medicine," said Dr. Chandra. "Their presence – volunteering their time – was a huge sign that the course is achieving international recognition. Dr. Mignot discussed the latest developments in diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy, and Dr. White brought cutting edge research in diagnosis and management of sleep apnea."</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Dr. David White is </span><span style="font-size: small;">Director of the Sleep Disorders Program at Brigham and Women`s Hospital, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston and former President of the American Sleep Disorders Association from 1996 from 1997.<span style="color: black;"> </span>Dr. Emmanuel Mignot, is Director of the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He is internationally recognized as having discovered the cause of narcolepsy and also directs the Center for Narcolepsy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>A Large Market for American Companies</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">American corporations Philips Respironics and ResMed, makers of equipment used to treat sleep disorders, were major sponsors of this year's course, indicating greater recognition that India is a major new market. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"The market for treatment devices is about $30 billion in the United States at least three times that in India," said Dr. Chandra. "The companies see a huge opportunity to sell their products. And of course, we need their products, which contribute to preventing mortality and improving morbidity in the Indian population. We know there is a very high risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and sleep apnea but still a huge lack of awareness. India has up to 250 million people with sleep disorders."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Original Research from India</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Original research was also presented at the conference, including a study of the relationship of autism-spectrum disorders and sleep status in India and a separate study of sleep disorders in Indian adolescents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Teens in the U.S. and India are subjected to the same bad influences on sleep: overuse of texting, cell phones and Internet," said Dr. Preeti Devnani. "These problems are not unique to the West. The study shows how much we're living in a global society." Dr. Devnani worked in the United States for many years and is now the chief of sleep at Jaslok Hospital, where the adolescent sleep research was conducted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In addition, the Times of India reported last week on two separate studies conducted in India by Dr. S. K. Sharma of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences were published this month in the Indian Journal of Medical Research and in New England Journal of Medicine. These studies show that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are four times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular risk factors such as metabolic issues, such as obesity, hypertension, abnormal lipid levels and insulin resistance. But moderate to severe OSA can be reversed by three months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. (<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Wake-up-call-on-sleep-apnea/articleshow/11113405.cms" target="_blank">Times of India Dec. 15 article</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <br /> <br /> </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com