Modern Solutions For Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is an age-old problem that persists despite our modern advancements. For instance, a restful sleep eludes snorers because of the deadly breathing pauses and loud snoring that characterizes this condition. Many people lived with it for years without seeking treatment because they thought it was a normal discomfort some people are supposed to experience while sleeping that others do not. But along with the advancements in technology, we also realized that sleep apnea is a deadly disorder that needs to be treated like any other malady.

Conventional treatment for sleep apnea includes CPAP, anti-snoring mouthpieces like the SnoreRX and even surgery to correct anatomical deficiencies. Fortunately, there are more treatment options now than there was before and there are higher chances of really eradicating the symptoms and live snore-free for good. Some of these treatments may be invasive and not recommended for all people but it is worth a shot if you qualify and can afford it because of how effective it is so far.

Instead, Turner underwent a relatively new procedure: implanting a pacemaker-like device called Inspire for obstructive sleep apnea. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2014, the device is a remote-controlled chest implant plus two thin wires that runs under the skin monitoring a patient’s breath, delivering a mild electric current at night.

A clinical trial of Inspire therapy found a 78 percent reduction in the number of sleep apnea events per hour for patients.

“This is definitely an interesting solution for a good number of people,” said Capasso.

Inspire is an invasive procedure, so it is not recommended as a first-line treatment and not everyone is a candidate.

The price tag for the Inspire device is $20,000, with surgery costing extra. Insurance companies are reviewing requests on a case-by-case basis.

(Via: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-technology-may-help-ease-sleep-apnea-n760391)

Aside from the major side effect of waking up with a sore tongue, this device ensures you sleep well each night and less likely to be bothered by sleep apnea anymore. Get yourself tested first to make sure you qualify in using it because not everyone is a good candidate.

Sleek design and an engaging smartphone app revolutionize the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) experience for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) sufferers.

The ResMed pocket-sized AirMini CPAP device weighs just 300 grams, but functions as a fully integrated system, offering proprietary AutoSet functionality, as well as the innovative HumidX and HumidX Plus built-in waterless heat and moisture exchangers (HMEs). Both HMEs capture the patient’s exhaled breath in the mask tube and redeliver it to them, allowing users to enjoy the benefits of humidification without the hassle of carrying around distilled water.

(Via: https://www.hospimedica.com/critical-care/articles/294769255/smallest-cpap-redefines-sleep-apnea-therapy.html)

We all know that CPAP is the ideal treatment for sleep apnea but many people don’t like using it because it is not the most convenient thing to use especially that you have to sleep with it smack right on your face. The solution may be in the form of this mini CPAP device. It has all the features of the regular CPAP but way smaller in size and portable too, so you can also bring it with you when you travel. You no longer have to dread sleep because this mini CPAP device got everything covered. For maximum comfort, you can adjust its setting through the accompanying app that works on most smartphones or smart gadgets.

Beyond lifestyle changes and CPAP, specialists have a range of other approaches to treat sleep apnea. Choosing the right therapy depends upon determining the source of the problem and on patient preference. We start with a careful and thorough evaluation, including physical examination, a detailed medical history, an overnight sleep study and an endoscopy to look at the airways and arrive at the correct diagnosis.

For patients with large tonsils or an elongated soft palate, treatment can include removing the tonsils and shortening the palate. Another approach, especially when patients have excess or enlarged tissue at the back of the tongue, is transoral robotic surgery to remove the excess tissue, or radio frequency ablation which shrinks the tongue or soft palate.

In other cases, the very structure of the upper or lower jaw is the culprit. To eliminate the condition, oral surgeons can actually advance the upper and lower jaws to open up the airway.  These procedures have a high success rate, sometimes accompanied by an unintended consequence: a better-looking jaw line!

(Via: http://wtop.com/medstar-washington/2017/04/putting-sleep-apnea-bed/)

Everyone is unique and they react differently to these treatments. It is always a great idea to see your doctor first before deciding which treatment you want so that proper assessment can be made. While many conventional sleep apnea treatments haven’t fully delivered relief from the disorder yet, newer technologies are being developed that shows more promise. You can always try a different technology if the current one fails to provide comfort and relief.

The post Modern Solutions For Sleep Apnea was originally published on Snoring.Mouthpiece.Report

source https://snoring.mouthpiece.report/snorerx/modern-solutions-for-sleep-apnea

Why Your Heart Needs Sleep?

No matter how healthy you are, you still need to sleep and recharge at the end of the day. Your body has its way of telling you it needs to rest for a while to prepare for the next day. And much more than that, your body needs sleep more than anything else or risk functioning like a zombie the following day. No matter what your preoccupations in life are, you should not push yourself to the limit by continually depriving it of its much-needed rest.

FYI, sleep maintains your physical health and healthy brain function. Learning (new information) is so much easier if you have slept well the night before. You’d be surprised at how badly your body suffers if you make it a habit of losing sleep whatever your reasons may be. Your heart is one of the major body organs that needs that eight hours of sleep the doctors recommend. Chronic sleep deprivation can leave you with stiff arteries that will make it harder for your heart to pump blood back to your body. Sounds scary but it is true.

Not getting enough sleep can double the chances of dying from heart disease or stroke, particularly in people with risk factors like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, US researchers said Wednesday.

The findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association were based on 1,344 adults who were randomly selected for a sleep study in Pennsylvania.

No matter what you do during the day, don’t sacrifice your sleep all the time just to get everything finished before hitting the sack. Your cardiovascular health greatly suffers even if you are a healthy person yourself. The sad thing, though, is that one in three American adults lack sleep or suffer from sleep-related disorders nowadays. Many should visit sleep clinics, but rarely do. Not good numbers at all.

Experts recommend that adults get at least seven to eight hours of a sleep per night.

“If you have several heart disease risk factors, taking care of your sleep and consulting with a clinician if you have insufficient sleep is important if you want to lower your risk of death from heart disease or stroke,” said lead author Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, an assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine.

(Via: http://technology.inquirer.net/63094/lack-sleep-boosts-chance-death-heart-failure)

A healthy heart needs plenty of sleep. It’s what the experts are saying over and over again but many people are just too stubborn to give it the time of day. Shortchanging sleep is no longer new and many Americans are guilty of doing it for several decades now. Sleep is the last thing on people’s mind because of the many distractions in life and they are unknowingly harming their health.

The risk for death associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cerebrovascular disease (CBV) is significantly increased in adults who get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night, a new study with objective sleep data indicates.

Short sleep "multiplies the risk of poor outcomes in people with CVD or stroke," Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD, from the Sleep Research & Treatment Center, Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania, told Medscape Medical News. 

"We need to look beyond sleep apnea when it comes to CVD morbidity and mortality," Dr Fernandez-Mendoza said. "Most of these patients without sleep apnea but with CVD or stroke may complain of poor sleep or chronic insomnia, and we know now that when such objective short sleep is present their long-term prognosis is much worse."

(Via: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/881103)

Habitual short sleepers are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, it is a vicious cycle many people can’t easily get out of mainly because of our modern lifestyle and the many distractions in our environment you can’t just easily ignore either. What you need to remember, though, is that you don’t develop a cardiovascular condition overnight. It is losing sleep repeatedly that gets you in trouble. Habitual short sleepers should be made aware of this so they know what they are getting themselves into by pushing their bedtime even further and how much their hearts suffer in silence.

The following blog article Why Your Heart Needs Sleep? was initially published to The Snoring Mouthpiece Report Blog

source https://snoring.mouthpiece.report/snorerx/why-your-heart-needs-sleep

Blame Technology As To Why You Can’t Sleep At Night

Most of you probably can’t live without technology. It is quite impossible to picture out your life without your handy tech gadgets by your side. After all, they sure make your life easier and you can avoid doing manual labor especially all those mundane yet tiring household chores. Of course, it has its downsides too. First off, you need to shell out money in buying and maintaining these gadgets and appliances. Repairs can be costly too. Running it takes some getting used to as well. Then, expect to see a rise in your electric bill as these appliances eat up way more electricity than you are used to.

Aside from these headaches that we have somehow already managed to overcome these past few decades, modern technology now threatens your health. Even medical experts consider these tech gadgets to be health risks because of the radiation they emit, the addiction that they have become, and how it messes up a person’s sleeping pattern over time. Bedtimes are pushed further as people today can’t seem to put their smartphones down. From social media to games, you can’t help but tinker with it until the wee hours of the morning.

A study on child development reveals that the use of mobile phones among children and adolescents’ impacts their sleep, mood and mental health. This special section of Child Development, edited by Dr. Zheng Yan and Dr. Lennart Hardell, adds important information to the research in this area. Dr. Zheng Yan explained said that there are nearly three billion children and adolescents in the world and most of them were, are, or will be various types of mobile technology users, interacting with and being influenced by mobile technology in numerous ways.

The findings revealed that risks of using mobile phones and its radiation impacts brain development. Mobile technology affects cognitive control and attention in contexts such as parenting and early brain development. Risks of sexting increases risky behaviour through peer pressure and social media interaction. Mobile technology also affects sleep, mood and mental health.

The findings suggested that mobile technology may pose potential dangers and areas where development may be supported. An important example is the work summarised by Dr. Lennart Hardell concerning radiation and brain development. Yan further explained that today’s mobile technologies have become a very unique and powerful influence on child and adolescent development.

(Via: http://www.financialexpress.com/health-3/mobile-usage-affects-sleep-mood-and-mental-health-of-teens/692515/)

These modern contrivances emit harmful blue light because of its short wavelengths. It’s not that big of an issue during the day but it is when night time falls because of its impact on the body’s melatonin levels, the hormone that signals “sleeping cues” so you can rest and relax after a long day’s work. It also throws your body clock or circadian rhythm off; making your sleep suffers and affects daytime performance too.

Sleep is an important part of development, especially during the teenage years.  In modern societies, smartphone use has become commonplace.  Many people read books, news, or emails on their smartphone prior to retiring for the night.  However, this may not be a wise idea.  The blue LED light emitted from smartphone screens mimics the morning sunlight, confusing your body’s natural circadian rhythm, possibly making it harder to fall asleep and get the quality sleep that you need.

A new study by Yoko Nose and colleagues in Child’s Nervous System examined the physiological effects of late-night smartphone use on a group of 36 boarding school students in Japan.  Being in a boarding school, the students’ schedules involving mealtime, lights-out, and wake-up times were regimented.  As they were not allowed to have computers or televisions in their dorm rooms, the smartphone was their only form of blue LED light emitting technology.  The coed-students, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years, were divided into two groups matched for age, gender and exercise habits.  One group was allowed greater than 120 minutes of smartphone use each night, and the other group was limited to less than 60 minutes of smartphone use nightly.  Prior to beginning the study, the students underwent a baseline evaluation following an overnight fast, including body temperature, anthropometric measurements, and electrocardiogram. After awakening each morning during the eight-day study, the students’ vital signs and temperatures were reassessed.

(Via: https://www.medicalnewsbulletin.com/effects-evening-smartphone-use-sleep-autonomic-nervous-system/)

This bright blue light that is as bright as sunlight itself confuses the brain and makes it think it is still day when it’s actually time to retire to bed. It disrupts your sleeping cycle leaving you unable to sleep until the early morning hours and consequently feel a drop in energy during the day. It all fits together, unfortunately. It’s true that your smart device has made you more connected to the world at large through the World Wide Web and opened up a lot of new opportunities as well but its serious health drawbacks are also valid reasons to make you question your priorities. Should you really devote all your free time fiddling with your gadgets rather than leading a healthy and active life without sacrificing sleep in the process?

Blame Technology As To Why You Can’t Sleep At Night is available on snoring.mouthpiece.report

source https://snoring.mouthpiece.report/advice/blame-technology