Interesting & Unique Facts about Sleep and Sleep Disorders

1. Sleep is not elective nor is an option, Sleep is required. If you want to survive Sleep is right up there with Food, Air and Water.
2. If you sleep less than 6 hours a night you are sleep deprived.
3. 40% of Adult Americans and 70% of adolescences are sleep deprived.
4. 15 Million Americans work the night shift-40% of them get less than 6 hours of sleep per day.
5. 30% of all working people in the U.S. sleep less than 6 hours a night.
6. Every species known to man sleeps.
7. On average Americans sleep two hours less a night than the average American did 50 years ago
8. The average American sleeps less than 7 hours a night Monday through Friday.
9. The consequences of sleep deprivation are: degraded learning and memory, mood disorder, impaired cognitive functioning and reaction times
10. Individuals are terrible at recognizing their own impairment from sleep deprivation
11. Short Sleepers eat 500 calories or more per day than normal sleepers. Short Sleepers are more likely to eat more fatty foods and carbs.
12. Sleep boosts the immune system.
13. Amyliod Beta is a protein produced all the time in the brain which is flushed out of the brain when you sleep. There is a correlation between the level of Amyliod Beta in the brain and Alzheimer’s disease.
14. Recent research shows that an individual receiving cognitive behavioral treatment for sleep while taking an anti-depressant doubles their chance of overcoming depression.
15. 70 Million Americans suffer from Insomnia and The chances of having insomnia increase with age.
16. Taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep is clinically significant.
17. 20% of the U.S. population take sleep aids to help them sleep.
18. In 2011, U.S. physicians wrote 60 million prescriptions for sleep medications.
19. The most common prescription sleep medications are sedative hypnotics such as Ambien and Lunesta and their generic counterparts Zolpidem and Escopiclone.
20. Sedation inhibits parts of the brain. These drugs are associated with sedation the next day. Such medications are for short term use not use over the long term.

Why “The Center for Sleep Medicine" is best for sleep disorder treatments

There are four criteria that should be used to assess any sleep medicine provider’s services.

The first criteria relates to the issue of accreditation by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

AASM accreditation is the gold standard by which physicians in the community and patients evaluate sleep medicine services. The accreditation process involves detailed reviews of policies, procedures, patient charts, and such things as inter-scorer reliability with regard to the sleep study data. Accreditation also ensures that services are provided in facilities providing optimal patient care.

A second criteria has to do with the sleep center staffing. 

Ideally, sleep disorder centers should be staffed with a multidisciplinary, multi-specialty team of sleep disorder specialists. This would include board-certified sleep specialists in neurology, pulmonary medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, and otolaryngology. It is essential that the center staff include behavioral sleep medicine specialists who offer expertise in the treatment of insomnia, shift work sleep disorders, and other sleep-related problems requiring behavioral or cognitive behavioral interventions.

A third criterion that should be assessed is the commitment of the practitioners to the field of sleep medicine. 

Ideally, the core staff of the sleep center would have a practice limited to sleep disorders medicine. Sleep medicine should not represent a part-time effort or something that is done “on the side”.

A fourth criterion relates to support services provided to patients within the sleep disorder center. 

There should be full-time registered sleep technicians available at all times to patients, particularly those adjusting to sleep with nasal CPAP. These registered sleep technicians work closely under the supervision of the sleep specialists.

Source : https://www.sleepmedcenter.com/our-treatments/cpap-machine-treatment-for-osa/

Dangerous of Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving, the dangerous combination of sleepiness and driving or driving while fatigued, and can result from many underlying causes, including excessive sleepiness, sleep deprivation, changes in circadian rhythm due to shift work, fatigue, medications with sedatives and consuming alcohol when tired. The cumulative effects of these factors have severe effects on performance, alertness, memory, concentration and reaction times.

Drowsy Driving is a growing problem in the United States, and the risk, danger and often tragic outcomes of drowsy driving are sobering. According to a survey, nine of 10 police officers reported stopping a driver who they believed was drunk but turned out to be drowsy. Further, data indicate 80,000 individuals fall asleep at the wheel each day and there are more than 250,000 sleep-related motor vehicle accidents each year. It is estimated that twenty percent of all serious transportation injuries on the nation’s highways are related to sleep. 

Who is at Risk for Driving while Drowsy?

1.          Young people, particularly males 
2.           Shift workers
3.           People who work long hours
4.           Commercial drivers, especially those who drive a significant number of miles at night
5.           Sleep deprived individuals
6.           Persons with undiagnosed or untreated sleep disorders
7.          Those who have consumed alcohol
8.           People taking prescription medication that contain sedatives
9.           Tips to avoid becoming drowsy while driving:
10.           Get enough sleep
11.      American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night in order to maintain good health and optimum performance.

Take breaks while driving

 If one becomes drowsy while driving, it is recommended he or she pulls off to a rest area and takes a short nap, preferably 15 to 20 minutes in length.

Do not drink alcohol

Alcohol can further impair a person’s ability to stay awake and make decisions; taking the wheel after having just one glass of alcohol can affect one’s level of fatigue.

Do not drive late at night

Avoid driving after midnight, which is a natural period of sleepiness.

Statistics

1.            One in five adult’s reports getting insufficient sleep.
2.             Problems falling asleep or daytime sleepiness affect 35 to 40 percent of the population.
3.         .   Driver sleepiness is related to one in five serious motor vehicle injuries.
4.        .    More than 50 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder.

AASM is a professional membership association dedicated to advancing sleep healthcare by setting clinical standards for the field; advocating for the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders; educating professionals dedicated to providing optimal sleep healthcare; and fostering the development and application of scientific knowledge.

Sleepeducation.com, a Web site maintained by the AASM, provides information about various sleep disorders, forms of treatment available, recent news on the topic of sleep, studies that have been conducted and a listing of sleep centers.

Oral Appliance Therapy at The Center For Sleep Medicine Center

The Center for Sleep Medicine is pleased to announce that patients who suffer from snoring and/or sleep apnea can be helped to find solutions through the use of a high-quality oral appliance. It is an alternative method for CPAP Therapy. The Chicago office of The Center for Sleep Medicine is one of five American Academy of Sleep Medicine Accredited Member centers in Illinois. Accredited member centers are located in Chicago, Naperville, Libertyville, Oswego and Orland Park. All such centers are accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Indications for using an oral appliance:

"When there is primary snoring or mild OSA, or when the OSA is moderate to severe and CPAP is not suitable, an oral appliance may be indicated. The device might be approved where there is intolerance of nasal CPAP devices.

 Other Appliances:

"A Mandibular Repositioning Device (MRD) stabilizes and repositions the lower jaw, tong, soft palate and uvula. In addition the MRD increases the muscle tone of the tongue. It is a commonly prescribed appliance. Another commonly prescribed appliance is the Tongue Retaining Device (TRD) which advances the tongue and actively holds the tongue forward to open the airway. It prevents the tongue from falling backward and blocking the airway. TRDs are most beneficial for patients with large tongues, poor dental health, no teeth or chronic joint pain."

Oral appliances Therapy:

Oral appliances Therapy can be used in combination with other techniques for the care of sleep apnea patients. Weight management and CPAP therapy are common. Each patient is assessed individually and the care plan is tailored to address that patient’s specific problems or issues.

Learn more about oral appliances as an alternative to CPAP therapy for sleep apnea by paying a visit to the web pages at http://www.sleepmedcenter.com today. 

Chronic Insomnia Care Facility in Orland Park Helps Chronic Insomnia Sufferers

The Center for Sleep Medicine is pleased to announce that patients troubled by chronic insomnia can find help at the center. The benefits provided by the Orland Park insomnia therapy center are available to those who suffer from the fatigue, poor health and other symptoms that occur when not enough restful sleep is gained. Occasional insomnia episodes are common to most people, and typically resolve themselves. Chronic insomnia requires more active intervention.

Symptoms

"There are several symptoms associated with chronic insomnia. It might be hard to fall asleep. If the victim does get to sleep, he or she might wake up sporadically during the night. The individual might wake up far too early in the morning. Any sleep that occurs might be disturbed and not restful. Temporary insomnia can be caused by stress or from jet lag. For these individuals, no further action is necessary. Normal sleep patterns will resume, usually fairly quickly."

Causes of chronic insomnia

He continues, "Chronic insomnia is more serious. It can last for weeks or even months. Causes of chronic insomnia include health, personal, physiological, cognitive or behavioral problems. It can even be a combination of several of the factors. This type of insomnia occurs in approximately ten percent of adults. It is recommended that patients with the chronic form of the condition seek professional intervention."

When the patient is unable to sleep at night, it affects every aspect of life. Fatigue, depression and lack of ability to concentrate are common results. Overcoming stress is more difficult when fatigue is a factor. Patients are likely to have other health problems.

Learn more about overcoming insomnia by paying a visit to the web pages at http://www.sleepmedcenter.com today. 

How to sleep better?

Sleep Tips Offered By Top Rated Chicago Area Sleep Medicine Center

Maybe you find it hard to get to sleep each night. Perhaps you wake up after only an hour or so and cannot return to sound sleep. If so, you are not alone as this is a very common problem these days. Here are some helpful tips on better sleep from your Chicago insomnia professionals.

When sleeping is a problem, take a look at what you eat and drink. Try to cut back on stimulants like caffeine late in the day or early evening. You might try switching to decaffeinated beverages. Do not forget foods like chocolate and drinks like colas also contain caffeine. 

If you are constantly waking up at night, make your bedroom more conducive for resting. For instance, make sure you are very comfortable and that room temperature is not too cold or warm. Block out as much light as possible and consider blackout drapes or curtains. Have some kind of noise in the background to drown out distractions. You can place a radio on "no channel" with loud volume for white noise.

Develop a habit or ritual each night before going to bed. This can put you in the right state of mind and can be very beneficial for sleeping. You might try taking a warm shower or bath right before bed. The goal is to reduce the amount of stimulation before one goes to bed.  Do not take smart phones or tablets to bed with you since the light emitted from such devices in a dark room may make it more difficult to fall asleep.  

Staring at the clock all night long can make for a long night. Set an alarm for morning and then place the clock where you cannot see it. Also, do not worry about "not sleeping". Instead, start with relaxing the feet and gradually work your way all the up to your head.

If your sleep problem is long term, you could have medical or emotional problems. Consider seeking professional help from your local Chicago sleep center. They have trained professionals that will help you find the reason for your inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.  

Understand Your Options for Better Sleep With “The Center For Sleep Medicine”

Sleep Medicine became its own medical sub specialty a number of years ago.  Currently training in a medical school fellowship program is needed to attain board-certification in this field.  At the present time The Center for Sleep Medicine has ten doctors who are board certified in sleep medicine who diagnose and treat the following sleep disorders.

Chronic Insomnia 

This is described as difficulty falling or staying asleep. Normal daily life can be impacted by the sleep deprivation resulting from chronic insomnia. Sleep professionals at The Center for Sleep Medicine use Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for insomnia.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea 

 Sleep Apnea occurs when a person experiences a cessation in breathing while asleep.  Apnea is a greek word meaning “no breath”.  CPAP Therapy and Oral Appliances are commonly used to treat this disorder.

Narcolepsy 

It is a rare sleep disorder that is treated at The Center for Sleep Medicine.  Narcolepsy is a syndrome that can be characterized by chronic daytime sleepiness, accompanied by hypnologic hallucinations, sleep paralysis and cataplexy. 

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

RLS is a disorder of the nervous system which affects the legs leading to an urge to move.  Restless Leg Syndrome may also affect other parts of the body as well. 

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders 

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder describe a category of sleep problems in which the primary factor is the timing of sleep and wake states. A person with a circadian rhythm disorder may have difficulty sleeping at a time they need to sleep, difficulty rising when they need to rise, and difficulty maintaining alertness when they need to be awake. Circadian rhythm disorders are often problematic because of the profound effects on daily functioning; which may include work or school absenteeism, impaired work performance, impeded social schedules and stress on relationships and depression.

According to Harvard Medical School 7,500 people a year are killed in car crashes resulting from drowsy driving caused by sleep deprivation.  Another 250,000 people are injured in such crashes. Why wait to become a statistic when help to treat your disorder is available at The Center for Sleep Medicine.