Woodinville Sleep Improvement Center

Keep your job, get good sleep!

stephan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:09:43 +0000

Untreated Sleep Apnea Affects Job Performance
A study in the June 1, 2011 issue of the journal Sleep involved 150 people; they were all referred to a sleep center in for suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Their average age was 44 years; each of them was employed at the time of the study.

An overnight sleep study confirmed the presence of OSA in 83 of the participants. Results show that work productivity suffered when second or third shift workers had OSA.

They were almost 14 times more likely to have had job-performance problems. Examples include falling asleep on the job, or missing a day of work. They also were more likely to report decreased job effectiveness.

Results also show that people with OSA were almost four times more likely to have had their work duty modified in the past five years. Examples include taking a pay cut or missing a promotion.

Shift work and sleep disorders
Some employees seem to do better than others on night shift work. Those who may suffer an untreated sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), account in part for the difficult challenge of working nights. The employee must attempt to stay awake when their body clock is commanding them to sleep, and he/she must try to sleep when their internal clock is set for wakefulness. OSA can further damage the employee’s productivity since their sleep is constantly disrupted as they gasp for air while sleeping. Typically second and third shift workers get 1.5-4 hours less sleep on the average than day shift workers. Untreated OSA can cut another hour or more of quality sleep.

CPAP therapy has helped one patient cope with the stress of cancer treatments

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:54:13 +0000

Christinea Fenstermacher in Clayton, NC has found that using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy while undergoing cancer treatment has made her life a lot easier. “I’m now sleeping a whole lot better and have more energy when I wake up in the morning,” she said. “I was able to get off some of the medicine I had been taking, and it also helped me lower some of the stress I was having due to the cancer.” Her husband says that since Christinea began using CPAP, her energy levels have come up, even on chemo days. Her doctor, pulmonary physician David Visco, said that an estimated 45 percent of cancer patients suffer from some type of sleep disorder, including sleep apnea and periodic limb movement of sleep.”I’m still dealing with cancer, but I feel like I have the energy to do more things,” she said. “Right now, I feel pretty good, and I just had treatment two days ago.”

Here is the full article:

http://www.claytonnewsstar.com/2011/08/17/1417130/cancer-patient-benefits-from-unique.html

Is the school bully just sleepy?

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:53:40 +0000

The University of Michigan has found a correlation between disruptive behavior at school and sleep disorders. Here is an article about the study:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/the-school-bully-is-sleepy/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Diabetes and lack of sleep are connected

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 02:51:41 +0000

The American Diabetes Association recently conducted and published a study linking lack of sleep to an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Read their summary here:

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2011/09/19/dc11-1093.abstract

More Sleep = Better Athletic Performance

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:50:54 +0000

Stanford University has found that college basketball players play better if they increase their total sleep time. Here is a link to the article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110701083506.htm

Here is the link to the actual study report:

http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=28194

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder is linked to Parkinson’s Disease

admin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:50:15 +0000

45% of those who have this disorder develop Parkinson’s or another neurodegenerative disease. This article tells about the third consecutive study done by Lancet Neurology linking REM Sleep Disorder and Parkinson’s:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175617.htm

Restless Leg Syndrome may be a family thing

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:49:20 +0000

A new study shows that if you have a family member, especially a sibling, with Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), it is wise to get tested. RLS can be highly detrimental to your sleep quality, and therefore, your quality of life. But don’t worry, it is a rather common disorder, and most cases are easily treatable.

Here is the article about the study:

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/638977.html

Food and Sleep

admin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 01:48:37 +0000

Here are 7 foods that may hurt your quality of sleep:

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/vitality/7-sleep-stealing-foods-to-stay-away-from-2388276/

What about foods that are good for your sleep?

http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/5_Foods_for_Sound_Sleep-nid-92680.html

Sleep expert says sleep testing is necessary during ADHD diagnosis

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:47:01 +0000

In order to avoid misdiagnosis and prescribing unnecessary medication, Dr. Lisa Shives is calling for mandatory sleep testing when a child is being tested for ADHD. New research in pediatric psychiatry and special education shows that a majority of children on medication for ADHD may in fact be sleep deprived.

http://news.yahoo.com/sleep-expert-says-sleep-testing-needed-during-adhd-150231554.html

Sleep and your Heart

stephan — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:46:33 +0000

A recent study of people with chronic heart failure showed that sleep disordered breathing (sleep apnea) significantly increases the patients’ risk of death, while CPAP therapy reduced the risk: “Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) may contribute to disease progression in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF)… After accounting for significant confounding factors (age, NYHA class, cause of CHF, diabetes, and PAP treatment), patients with severe SDB had a 2.0-fold increased hazard ratio for death compared with those without severe SDB.

In an adjusted on-treatment analysis of the group with severe SDB, mortality was significantly less in patients using PAP (18%) compared with those with untreated SDB (52%). Mortality in the PAP-treated group was lower compared with the untreated group at any time-point of the follow-up period. The presence of severe SDB in CHF patients constitutes a significantly increased risk for death, independent of established risk factors. In CHF patients with SDB, use of PAP therapy was associated with a decreased mortality rate at any time point of the follow-up, suggesting that PAP can be safely used in such patients.” (“Prognostic Impact of Sleep Disordered Breathing and its Treatment in Heart Failure: An Observational Study,” European Journal of Heart Failure, Clemens Jilek; Marion Krenn; Daniela Sebah; Ruth Obermeier; Astrid Braune; Victoria Kehl; Stephan Schroll; Sylvia Montalvan; Günter A.J. Riegger; Michael Pfeifer; Michael Arzt, February 24, 2011)