How to manage pediatric insomnia Judith A. Owens, MD, MPH, is an internationally recognized authority on pediatric sleep and the author of numerous original research and review articles in peer-review journals on the topic. Her particular research interest is in the neurobehavioral and health consequences
Mindfulness is bringing your full attention and awareness to the present moment…then just watching each moment unfold without trying to control it. Regular Mindfulness Benefits Mindfulness is usually practiced during meditations, which can be a quiet meditation such as breathing
Recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) included sleep health as part of its first official mental health position statement. Additionally, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the US published its first position paper on sleep health for athletes with
Your Latest Buzzwords are Process C & Process S. The two processes that regulate the timing and length of sleep. PROCESS C Where do Process C and Process S come from? Process C refers to our internal clock—our body’s natural sleep
Paul Glovinsky, PhD has been working in the field of sleep medicine for more than 35 years. His study began in 1979 when he met Arthur Spielman, PhD, one of the founders of behavioral sleep medicine. Active on Dr. Glovinsky’s dissertation committee, their
Sleep. We all know it is important. Sleep is when your body heals itself, both mentally and physically. Getting adequate sleep is linked to better mood, memory, and immune function, while poor quality sleep is associated with higher body weight
Below are some questions that a doctor might ask to help determine whether you are at risk for insomnia. If these issues concern you, contact your primary care physician. Please remember that insomnia is treatable. I often have difficulty falling asleep.
How AI is changing the field Artificial Intelligence (AI) consists of computer programs that perform decision-making and pattern-recognition tasks previously done by humans. Classical automatic algorithms are programmed to recognize events and patterns. By learning from data, AI algorithms can reproduce what
Lesser-known sleep disorders may alter how long you sleep. Based on research and diagnosis, only around one percent of the population will be diagnosed with short sleeper. Likewise, one percent will be diagnosed with long sleeper. What is short sleeper?
What to understand about the gold standard in insomnia treatment. If you are experiencing insomnia—or finding it difficult to fall asleep several times per week, you may be told by your healthcare provider about cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
There are many indicators of poor sleep quality. While many warning signs are sleep sensitive—such as irritability, poor mood, worse performance, difficulties concentrating—most could also be explained by other factors. The main test I use is to ask: How do you
3,008 adolescents aged 10–18 years were surveyed to develop a new self-reporting index to measure the difficulty of disengaging from social media at night. The index of Nighttime Offline Distress (iNOD) showed that youth with higher scores on the index reported
Looking to learn more? Each issue, we highlight one book about sleep. Sleep Disorders For Dummies by Max Hirshkowitz and Patricia B. Smith An easy-to-follow guide to help you get a good night’s rest. Sleep Disorders For Dummies is for anyone who has trouble sleeping—or has a loved one who suffers
What happens if you regularly sleep less than seven hours per night and/or usually live with disrupted sleep to the point of sleep deprivation? Sleep professionals are often asked, “Why should I care about my sleeping habits?” The reason you
As answered by our Special Issue Reviewers Q: What are some warning signs of sleep deprivation? __________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Thomas: Waking up tired, needing more than two cups of coffee, feeling tired, yawning, having difficulty focusing during the middle of the afternoon and
A majority of adults begin the day with caffeine. Drinking caffeine 4-6 hours before bed has been shown to impact the ability to fall asleep & sleep quality. Research shows consuming caffeine before bedtime can suppress the production of melatonin, a
Views on insomnia and “trouble sleeping” have undoubtedly changed throughout the past few decades. As it became more culturally acceptable to talk about insomnia, treatments began being requested. Three World Sleep Society sleep experts have watched the field grow, expand
As answered by Issue Reviewers Q: Any tips on making time for sleep in a busy life? Dr. ThomasThe key is to consider good and adequate sleep as necessary for health, just like optimal food, exercise, relationships and so
Can we adapt to a new night and day? NASA is planning a mission to the Moon in 2024. After several lunar missions, NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars. This series of missions for exploration is called Artemis 1.
Differentiating the usual from the unusual. All parents are familiar with the stress of trying to get kids to sleep—as well as the worry that comes when that sleep isn’t sound. Children often experience more sleep disturbances than adults, but
From night owls to morning larks. Circadian rhythms are our body’s time keeper, differentiating day and night, telling us when it is time to eat and releasing sleep hormones like melatonin when it is time to sleep. Psychologist and PhD
I was always fascinated by the conventional wisdom and personal experience that sleep helps fight infections. And isn’t it interesting that, on the other hand, not sleeping enough makes us more susceptible to get infected? There is something happening during
When is there cause for concern? Believe it or not, sleepwalking and excessive nightmares are related—and both could potentially require a visit to the doctor. Learn more about these common sleep disorders, and when to seek treatment. What is sleepwalking?According
When you are falling asleep and your body suddenly jerks, jolts or startles, this is a hypnic jerk or benign myoclonic jerk. Some people refer to them as a twitch, start or involuntary contraction, but all words are describing the
From hormone to over-the-counter supplement. Dr. Lourdes DelRosso is passionate about helping people find good rest. She has a particular interest in restless sleep and restless legs syndrome. Along with her work in sleep medicine, Dr. DelRosso has often been
What is a sleep disorder? Simply put, a sleep disorder is a problem or condition that results in lack of quality sleep. Lacking quality sleep impacts daytime function and a myriad of physical and mental elements. Sleep is a basic
Understanding the definition and why it’s important for our health. Regular sleep can be explained as being “not irregular” and vice versa. Sleep is naturally prone to be irregular, as it occurs in “chunks” that are loosely linked together, and
Five things you should know. Doctors have long recognized a complicated dynamic between sleep and seizure activity in people with epilepsy. As a neurologist who specializes in treating epilepsy, as well as sleep disorders, Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer is on the
Patient Organization Highlight The Hypersomnia Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit, patient advocacy organization working on behalf of people with idiopathic hypersomnia and related rare sleep disorders. Diane Powell, the current Chair of the Board of Directors and CEO, explains, “Idiopathic
Is there a connection? Humans are social creatures, yet the research on how sleep is related to many social processes has been largely unexplored. Social rejection seemed like an easy one to investigate because interpersonal stressors—like social rejection—have routinely been
Why starting school later is healthier for our teens. By helping the next generation maximize their potential, decrease risk-taking behaviors, improve driver safety and improve quality of life, adjusting school start times can have a positive effect on an entire
Does sleep impact dementia risk? A new study suggests that sleeping less than 5 hours per night is associated with a two-fold greater risk for dementia when compared to sleeping 7-8 hours per night. Additionally, taking longer than 30 minutes
Hypoventilation & hypoxemia. HYPOVENTILATIONVentilation is the process of breathing air in and out. In this process, carbon dioxide is exhaled from the lungs and oxygen enters the blood stream after inspiration of air into our lungs. We ventilate air during
As answered by Issue Reviewers Q: Is it possible to sleep too much? Dr. ThomasHypersomnia is the term used to describe excessive sleep duration, and is not normal. The capability of sleeping 11 or more hours in a 24-hour
What we know. Three professional perspectives on the pandemic’s impact on our sleep—including tips on how to sleep better. From the Taskforce Associate Professor Sutapa Mukherjee of Flinders University has been a sleep physician since 2005. In addition to working
One doctor’s quest to help families rest. Before Dr. Beth Ann Malow attained her distinguished roles at Vanderbilt University as the Chief of their Division of Sleep Disorders, as well as the Burry Chair of Cognitive Child Development, she was
Can our bodies keep track of time? Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to sleep after the clocks change, or why you feel so sluggish on dark winter days? Or why after working an overnight shift or traveling
You Are Getting Sleepy: Lifestyle-Based Solutions for Insomnia by Paul Glovinsky, PhD and Arthur Spielman, PhD is an easy-to-follow guide written by two founding experts in behavioral sleep medicine that will help you achieve a good night’s rest. Taking into
For decades, researchers have reported and recorded differences in sleep for women and men, with more recent studies including transgender and nonbinary individuals. Dr. Michael Grandner of the University of Arizona has been working in the field of sleep medicine
Recent research ties sleep deprivation to recurrent nightmares in adolescents aged 10-20. Researchers in China surveyed 19,229 students to reveal that recurrent nightmares occurred more often in those who habitually slept less than eight hours per night. The study found
A Q&A with Dr. Catherine McCall Catherine McCall, MD is a sleep medicine physician and psychiatrist working at the Seattle VA. She is also the Acting Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences at the University of
It could be REM sleep behavior disorder… Thrashing against imaginary intruders? Calling out while dreaming? Sometimes these nocturnal outbursts bother a bedmate more than the wild sleeper. However, even if you sleep alone, it might be worth asking your doctor
Over 24 hours, sleep can be organized into one block, called monophasic, or multiple blocks knowns as biphasic or polyphasic sleep. Little is known about variation in organizational patterns of sleep in humans, but it is expected that monophasic sleep
Sleep loss is a significant contributing factor to the public health crisis of loneliness Perhaps you’ve noticed in your own life that when you sleep less, you are less likely to call up a friend or go out to a
March offers global opportunities to celebrate sleep. With the realization that sleep improves almost every facet of life, you may want to share this important message with family and friends. How can you? The best way is by joining in
PATIENT ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHT DAY4NAPS is a digital database for narcolepsy awareness events occurring on a global scale. Mark Patterson, MD, PhD, President of the organization, adds, “We also provide links to international narcolepsy and sleep organizations, serving to act as
Smart apps and devices can track your sleep, but accuracy matters. Two things motivated me to become interested in wearables. First, I wanted to find a more economical and flexible alternative to research-grade actigraphs (the current standard for assessing sleep
I have been in the field of sleep research since 1981. It has been a wonderful journey. In the early years, there was limited acceptance of the importance of sleep and the relevance of sleep disorders. Over the years, this
The case for eliminating seasonal time changes. In most of the United States, daylight saving time starts each year on the second Sunday in March when we set clocks ahead one hour. A growing body of evidence shows that this
As answered by Issue Reviewers Q: Is it normal to awaken to use the bathroom several times per night? Dr. ThomasNo. This reflects either fragmented sleep, resulting in periods of wake after each sleep cycle, bladder irritability or increased
A new study reveals that sleep deprivation and/or lack of sleep impairs the ability to stop and block unwanted thoughts. Intrusive, negative or unwanted thoughts tend to be a complaint of those living with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other
A sleep disorder may be affecting your loved one with dementia. Antonio Culebras MD, FAAN, FAHA, FAASM is a Professor of Neurology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY. His research has led him to study a sleep disorder
In Sleep-Wrecked Kids: Helping Parents Raise Happy, Healthy Kids, One Sleep at a Time, author and speech pathologist/myofunctional practitioner with 38 years of clinical experience, Sharon Moore will explain: • The importance of sleep for kids• The good sleep formula•
Recently, I was a member of a group of international sleep researchers who developed consensus diagnostic criteria detailing a new sleep disorder in children called Restless Sleep Disorder or RSD. With this new discovery, we intend to improve clinical practice
There are many things that affect sleep, including physical health, mental health, sleep habits and the physical environment. The physical environment is generally defined as all the things in a person’s sleeping space that are either conducive to sleep or
The topic of stress and sleep is of the outmost importance as we head into 2021. The unprecedent times we have been living in since March 2020 have had a devastating effect on sleep, especially because of the stress caused
Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners ASAP is an organization for patients with sleep apnea created by patients with sleep apnea. Kathy Page, Past President of the ASAP Board of Directors explains, “Everything we do, everything we create or try to
Watch out for drowsy driving. High speed. No skid marks. A serious accident. These hallmarks often indicate to crash scene investigators that a driver nodded off at the wheel. MICROSLEEPWe’ve all seen someone do it: in a meeting, in a
How to improve your sleep by changing your eating & drinking habits. The relationship between nutrition and sleep is far from being completely clarified. However, the available scientific evidence supports a few tips that can improve your sleep: 1.) Cut
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, or OMT as it’s regularly referred to, is a therapy of exercises for the face and tongue that can improve or even eliminate causes of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. The muscles of the tongue, throat and
What everyone should know about this common sleep disorder. Sleep apnea is a pervasive, potentially dangerous disorder that deserves wider public awareness and understanding. An estimated 80% of moderate to severe cases go undiagnosed, and this sleep disorder can wreak
Snoring is extremely common—one of the most common presenting symptoms to a sleep clinic. I had the good fortune to work with Professor Colin Sullivan, a pioneer of the sleep field and inventor of CPAP for the treatment of obstructive
Understand the rates, risks and treatments for your little one. All around the world, parents worry about their children’s health. And while there is plenty of talk around how much sleep children should get, there is not always talk about
Stacey Quo, DDS, MS has made it her passion to help patients who might never know they have a sleep disorder, find rest. Sometimes you discover sleep disorders in the most unlikely of places. Like the orthodontist’s office. Dr. Stacey
Insomnia is a sleep disorder we cannot afford to trivialize. The National Sleep Foundation states around 1 in 3 people has at least mild insomnia. World renowned insomnia researcher, Charles Morin, PhD of Canada, puts the prevalence of chronic insomnia
Sleep. How can a parent help a child sleep better? First, by knowing that sleep is one of the most significant contributors to your child’s physical and mental health. Sleep is important. As parents, the primary point of action we
Healthy sleep is sleep which restores and energizes you so you feel wide awake, dynamic and energetic all day long, yet 1 in 3 Americans is not achieving healthy sleep. Many people assume getting a good night’s sleep is judged
How the World Sleep Congress Advances Patient Care Doctors in all specialties often travel to scientific conferences with their peers to share the new results of scientific studies, learn the latest clinical practices, and plan future projects. The process of
In today’s busy world, where hustle and bustle are often prioritized, sleep is usually overlooked. However, people are beginning to realize that getting quality sleep is one of the most essential components of living a healthy life. As a result,
Why We Should Sleep Smarter: The Scientific Blueprint to Optimize your Energy Levels and Supercharge Your Day by Matthew Reed Across the world, millions of people struggle to stay awake, energized, and motivated throughout the day due to poor quality
Lourdes DelRosso, MD, PhD is a Professor of Family and Community Medicine at University of California San Francisco, co-chairs World Sleep Day, is the Director of World Sleep Academy, and chairs the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Public Awareness Committee of the
The medical community has long recognized that the relationship between sleep and the developing brain in young infants and children is important. A greater understanding of sleep and the developing brain is still a work in progress because a lot
Circadian Sleep Disorders Network (CSDN) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic circadian sleep rhythm disorders. Circadian sleep disorders are neurological disorders in which the sleep-wake cycle is out of sync with the
Babies spend more than half of their day sleeping (at least that is the hope!), and many parents rely on baby monitors to keep an eye on their new bundle of joy. Lately, the market has exploded with an overwhelming
Adolescence is an important time of life. As a body goes through puberty, there are a lot of physical, emotional, and mental changes. Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD has studied this phase of life to see how these changes affect the way
Crowdlearning is a way of learning that is based on sharing experience and knowledge in a group of people. It serves as a motivational platform for the transfer of information in education. Crowdlearning can take place in a variety of
Spasms, starts, jerks, jolts: there are many names for the sensation of “catching yourself ” when falling asleep. This could be a sleep start or hypnic jerk. It is a very normal response as we prepare to sleep. However, in
What Causes it and How to Remedy It While sleep deprivation – or not getting enough sleep is common, there is a remarkable increase as we age. Sleep deprivation affects about 10 to 20 percent of individuals in the general
The brain continues to work while we sleep, consolidating memories, “cleaning” itself, and maintaining our metabolism and other critical systems of our body. Until recently much of how the brain works during sleep has been speculative. Dr. Laura Lewis, a
Your questions about sleep and sleep disorders answered by our issue reviewers who are sleep specialists with a combined 64 years of experience in the field of sleep medicine. Have a question for the sleep experts? Submit questions to healthiersleep@worldsleepsociety.org.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has added sleep to their cardiovascular health checklist! In 2022, AHA’s previous checklist, known as “Life’s Simple 7” was updated to “Life’s Essential 8”. Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death worldwide. Since the
I tend to sleep badly if I have a stressful day, but otherwise sleep fine. Is this abnormal? Dr. Lipford: It is completely normal for stress during the day to affect your sleep patterns. Stress can make it more difficult
Over the past 16 years, World Sleep Day has become a global celebration of sleep health, a day that educates the public, inspires sleep professionals, and trends internationally on social media platforms. Currently, a project is underway in the World
Your latest Buzzword is Orthosomnia Millions of people use sleep-tracking devices to keep an eye on how much sleep they are getting night after night. But as the popularity of the devices is increasing, a new problem is popping up:
You may be familiar with the practice of daylight saving time (DST), which moves the clock time one hour forward in spring and returns one hour backwards to standard time in the fall. The saying “spring forward and fall backwards”
Sleep is one facet of our health that is impacted by climate change. Sleep is vital for restoring physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation speeds up the aging process and can lead to various cardiometabolic disorders. Not getting enough good
A new study shows that getting more exposure to natural daylight could help you fall asleep earlier, especially if you spend time outside during the morning hours. Researchers studied the sleep patterns of over 500 students at the University of
Sleep is a crucial biological process. Humans need an average of 7-8 hours of sleep each night to operate at our best. However, studies suggest that up to 1/3rd of the population does not achieve this amount. Lack of proper
Dr. Anne Marie Morse is the Director of Child Neurology and Pediatric Sleep Medicine at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. She is a board-certified neurologist specializing in child neurology and sleep medicine and works with both children and adults, with
For many people who have trouble sleeping, each night is an anxious odyssey where getting a good night’s sleep feels like a battle to win rather than a basic biological process. The problem is that too many people approach sleep
Each night as you drift off to sleep, your brain begins going through a series of sleep stages. These stages combine to form a sleep cycle, but it doesn’t end there. You go through several sleep cycles each night. What
Each year, World Sleep Day is celebrated with a unique and focused theme. Participants around the world incorporate the theme into their activities and educational offerings. As we continue to raise awareness through the 2023 World Sleep Day theme, “Sleep
World Sleep Day is an annual celebration that brings together sleep medicine specialists and the public throughout the world to highlight the importance of sleep. Since the first World Sleep Day in 2008, thousands of events and activities have taken
On an intuitive level, we all know that good sleep is vital for our health. However, if we scratch the surface of this understanding a little bit, problems can start to emerge. Do we know what good sleep truly is?
Modern technology has already changed the way we sleep, and unfortunately most of these changes have been detrimental to our sleep health. International travel and early-morning / late-night conference calls confuse our body’s circadian clock. And phones and social media
Is This the Master Key? Sleep might be one of those rare occasions when science needs to listen to poetry. In Macbeth sleep is extolled because it “knits up the raveled sleeve of care,” perhaps the most famous Shakespeare comment
Whether you love to travel or have to hit the road for work, traveling can interfere with getting quality sleep. Traveling may have an adverse effect on your sleep for a few different reasons, including the following: Change in circadian
If you take any type of medication, it is important to understand how traveling may affect your medication schedule and the effects of the drugs. It is also helpful to take steps to ensure you stay on track the best
Many people struggle with not only falling asleep at night but also staying asleep all night. Typically, this restlessness is blamed on work and home stress. It could also result from too much screen time that can leave your nerves
Everyone’s body has an internal clock that regulates your sleep-wake cycles. This is referred to as your circadian rhythm (patterns your body follows based on a 24-hour day). Unfortunately, when you travel over multiple time zones, your internal clock does
The measurement of sleep produces a large amount of data. Imagine – hours and hours of measurements from different parts of the sleeping brain and body. While complicated enough in health, there are so many changes at different ages, and
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the purchase of devices that monitor sleep quality and quantity. This is driven by increased marketing efforts and a heightened understanding by consumers of the importance of sleep for overall
Founded in 2021, Sleep Consortium is a nonprofit organization created to accelerate next-generation research, disease understanding, and therapy development for those living with central disorders of hypersomnolence (CDoH) and other related sleep disorders. These disorders of hypersomnolence include narcolepsy, idiopathic
These days you can use technology to track almost anything in your life – including your sleep! You may have noticed that a watch or device that you already own records sleep data, or maybe you’ve purchased a specific tracker
Sleep stage scoring is a fundamental task when objectively evaluating sleep with polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard method for sleep assessment. The current rules for sleep stage scoring are defined in the Manual for Scoring Sleep and Related Events, which
Dr. Azizi Seixas, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and an Associate Director of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is also the
A marker that quantifies brain health/aging from sleep
Researchers in the United States have discovered a way to use artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurological disease that affects more than 10 million people worldwide. PD is a progressive disorder that does not have a
Researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine are using an innovative approach to address sleep health issues in underserved communities. The project, called the Media and Innovation Lab (MIL) Box, delivers wearable and nearable technology devices to
When most people think about artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications, they tend not to think about its link to sleep and sleep health. The truth is, though, that AI is at the forefront of providing insights into what is
As answered by our issue reviewers. Question: Can taking iron cure my Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)? Dr. Zak: Before answering this question, I want to address the terms. You have asked about “curing” RLS. RLS is not like an infection
The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the lives of men, women, and children who live with this often-devastating disease. The organization’s goals are to increase awareness, improve treatments, and through research, find a
The self-completed International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS) identifies the severity of RLS from mild to very severe. This scale is also used to assess treatment outcomes and to determine if RLS gets worse over time. The
Sleep-Related Movement Disorders (SRMD) can occur across the lifespan. However, the prevalence of some sleep-related movement disorders is greater during childhood and then decreases as an individual ages, whereas the prevalence of other sleep-related movement disorders increases with age. The
Many parents describe their child’s sleep as restless. Their child might toss and turn throughout the night, end up facing a different direction by morning, or even fall out of the bed. Some parents describe their child as a “windmill”
Pediatric sleep issues affect millions of children to varying degrees. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, between 25% to 50% of preschool-age children have sleep-related problems. It is also estimated that 40% of adolescents also have sleep problems. Some
Has your bed partner ever told you that you move suddenly or kick during sleep? Or have you woken up during sleep unsure of what roused you? You may be experiencing periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). According to the Cleveland
Your Latest Buzzword is Augmentation. Augmentation is the phenomenon in which patients who have been taking a dopaminergic medication for the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and were doing well on the medication, suddenly start experiencing a worsening of
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that usually presents with symptoms prior to sleep onset. Difficulty falling asleep, due to leg discomfort, is therefore a common presentation. There are five distinct criteria for the diagnosis of RLS; however,
Looking to learn even more? Each issue, we highlight a book about sleep. Available on Amazon and from other book retailers Your Sleep Story: A No-Hype Guide to Sleep Health by Matt Bianchi, MD, PhD In every aspect of health,
One of the most common sleep movement disorders explained. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor neurologic disorder with a profound impact on sleep. The difficult-to-describe sensations (sensory) and urge to move (motor) occur most often during rest or inactivity,
I grind my teeth during sleep. Why do I do this? How can I prevent it? What is Sleep Bruxism? Many people grind their teeth during sleep—another term for which is sleep bruxism. For most people, it is not considered
Most people move a little when trying to fall asleep or change positions during the night. But sleep-related movements disorders do not involve typical shifts like tossing and turning during sleep. Instead, sleep-related movement disorders involve abnormal movements that interfere
Q: What should I do if I am still tired after sleeping the recommended hours of sleep? Dr. DelRosso: The recommended amount of sleep per age group is determined by taking the average of the sleep requirements of the general population.
Going to the doctor can be daunting, but have you ever gone to the doctor and tried to fall asleep? If you or your family member ever need a sleep study, that’s exactly what you will do. Doctors order sleep
We have heard it all before, the numerous reasons that are made as to why we are not prioritizing sleep. When people break a bone, they go to their doctor to have it assessed. Why is it any different for
Founded in 2008, Wake Up Narcolepsy, Inc. (WUN) is a nonprofit, patient advocacy organization dedicated to driving narcolepsy awareness, education, and research towards improved treatments and a cure. Executive Director, Claire Crisp, explains, “Narcolepsy remains an under-recognized, under-reported, and
Founded in 2013, Project Sleep is a nonprofit organization that aims to bridge the gap between sleep health and sleep disorders while bringing a patient-driven focus to the sleep space. Julie Flygare, President and CEO of Project Sleep, states that
Central nervous system disorders of hypersomnolence typically start in early adolescence yet diagnostic delays and misdiagnosis are common, resulting in years of untreated symptoms, exposure to potentially harmful and unnecessary treatments, and an increase in co-morbid depression. Investigators at
Narcolepsy is a life-long sleep disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles. With a prevalence of approximately 1 in 2000 individuals, a speedy diagnosis is typically rare. Oftentimes, individuals with narcolepsy also have other co-occurring medical conditions
Looking to learn even more? For each issue, we highlight books about sleep. Waking Mathilda: A Memoir of Childhood Narcolepsy by Claire Crisp A native of England, Claire Crisp had it all—a strong marriage, three healthy children, and her own home
Dr. Luis Ortiz always knew he wanted to be a doctor when he grew up – it was only a matter of getting into school and picking a field. He thought maybe surgery – picturing his future self working long
Over the past several years, two hot topics have emerged, with an impact on health and safety, from issues associated with daytime sleepiness. The first calls for the elimination of Daylight-Saving Time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine put out
Your Latest Buzzword is Orexin, also known as hypocretin. In 1998 two separate teams, utilizing different approaches and for entirely different reasons, reported the discovery of a new gene. One team named the gene orexin and the other named it hypocretin.
Excessive and persistent sleepiness is a hallmark of a group of sleep disorders known as central disorders of hypersomnolence, which include narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). Narcolepsy is a neurological condition that interferes with the ability to control the sleep/wake
Have you ever felt grouchy or irritable and blamed it on a bad night of sleep? Well, you were not wrong. Daytime sleepiness can affect a person’s mood as well as their physical health. It is important that you
Looking to learn even more? For each issue, we highlight books about sleep. Wide Awake and Dreaming: A Memoir of Narcolepsy by Julie Flygare Winner of the San Francisco Book Festival Award for Biography/ Autobiography, Wide Awake and Dreaming is a revealing
Getting enough sleep? Millions of people suffer from chronic sleep-wake disorders that make them struggle to get through the day. Many others burn the candle at both ends to juggle work and family and play, but with the effect of
You walk into your doctor’s office and walk out with a diagnosis of narcolepsy. What does that mean? Where do you go next? What does treatment look like for you? Dr. Michael Thorpy, MD is director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center,
Most of us have had an occasional morning when we wake up thinking, “Just five more minutes. Please just let me sleep five more minutes.” We likely nonetheless drag ourselves out of bed and face the day in a groggy
While sleep seems “quiet and restful”, it is, in reality, an active process and involves complex neurophysiology, engaging a number of brain systems. This multi-component physiology leads to restful sleep night after night but also presents multiple vulnerabilities that can
Anyone having trouble sleeping has heard the “sleep hygiene” rules: Don’t drink caffeine after 2:00pm, use the bedroom only for sleeping, put down screens an hour before bed. But as the millions with poor sleep can attest, following one-size-fits-all directives
