Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Teen Athletes Sleep Better Than Couch Potatoes

Title: Teen Athletes Sleep Better Than Couch Potatoes
Category: Health News
Created: 8/20/2009 4:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/21/2009 More at...

 Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the most common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Except for tracheotomy, it is also the most effective treatment for OSA. CPAP is basically a computerized air pump that delivers pressurized air through a hose and then through a nasal interface into the patient's throat. The pressurized air splints open the upper airways, preventing the airflow pauses (apneas) and airflow... More at...

Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or the complaint of unrestorative/unrefreshing sleep. Most people experience short-term insomnia from time to time, but when insomnia lasts for more than several weeks, it is considered chronic and should be evaluated by a physician. Insomnia used to be classified by sleep specialists as either primary or secondary insomnia. Secondary insomnia was insomnia that was due to an... More at...

I previously posted about the diagnosis of insomnia, the difference between primary and secondary/comorbid insomnia, and the importance of evaluating for and treating any underlying causes of insomnia. I encourage you to read my Secondary Insomnia post before reading any more of this post. Today I will be talking more about medication treatment options for secondary (comorbid) insomnia. Although persons with primary insomnia (insomnia not... More at...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective treatment for most cases of primary insomnia, and for selected cases of secondary insomnia. There are a variety of behavioral and psychological treatments that comprise CBT-I, including stimulus control therapy, relaxation training, biofeedback, paradoxical intention, sleep restriction therapy, sleep hygiene education, and cognitive therapy. Usually several of these treatments are... More at...

Title: Health Tip: Recognize the Signs of Drowsy Driving
Category: Health News
Created: 8/18/2009 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/18/2009 More at...

Title: Sleep Training Helps Ease Insomnia Tied to Arthritis
Category: Health News
Created: 8/20/2009 2:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/21/2009 More at...

You are what you eat I can hear you saying, "Okay... now I have to watch what I eat and when I eat it... but now you are going to limit my fluids?"   No! However, there are certain factors that should be kept in mind when drinking any type of fluids. One troublesome item is caffeine. Caffeine interferes with sleep with most people. Caffeine can also become an addiction... so watching our intake should be... More at...

Snoring: A Health Hazard or a Harmless Habit?

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In my last blog we began a discussion of seasonal affective disorder or SAD.  We will pick up where we left off.   There is actually some debate in the psychiatric community whether or not SAD is actually a separate diagnosis, apart from general depression.  Those who claim it is not suggest that it is no more than a seasonal coincidence that occurs in someone with recurring episodes of depression.  As support to this idea... Complete news at...

We finished the last blog in mid-thought.  We were talking about REM sleep and the idea of brain plasticity- the rewiring of our brains that take place when we learn new information.   A recent study in rats showed that 4 days of REM sleep deprivation decreased the amount of new cells in the part of the brain that is associated with long-term memory, in other words they did not make those new circuits.   Another study with... Complete news at...

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”   - Anne Bradstreet, British poet   It’s that time of the year again.  Especially for those of us not fortunate enough to live in warmer climes- the winter is coming.  As we all know, along with the season comes shorter days and longer nights.  Some of us may... Complete news at...

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