What is Nocturia?

I suffer from nocturia. It's believed that over two-thirds of people over 55 may also struggle with nocturia. They just aren't able to put a name to it.   What is nocturia? Nocturia isn't actually a sleep disorder. A better description would be a sleep related problem. In simple words, nocturia is the need to get up to go to the bathroom to urinate several times a night. Having this happen once or twice a night is actually normal, but... Continue reading ...

In this blog, I am going to deal with a question that has stumped some of the most talented researchers in the world.  That should hopefully get your attention- this vexing question seems simple, but represents the “holy grail” of biology.  The question: why do we sleep?  Consider this- we spend approximately one-third of lives doing it and scientists are still not quit sure why.  (Much of this and future blogs on... Continue reading ...

In my previous blogs I have written about the importance of good sleep, but I don’t think we ever really explained the significance of sleep deprivation and the effects on society and the individual. I thought that it would be a good idea to go over some significant facts and figures to convince you of the importance of getting a good restful sleep and of the need to address sleep problems with your doctor.What is sleep deprivation?It is... Continue reading ...

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... Continue reading ...

Most people know that sleep apnea is a leading cause of death from heart attacks and strokes. However recent research has revealed that sleep apnea is a leading cause of death from many causes, even in people judged to be healthy.   Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore revealed that men aged 40 to 70 with severe sleep apnea were twice as likely to die as men in the same age group who did not suffer from the disorder.... Continue reading ...

We started our discussion about restless legs syndrome (RLS) in my recent blog, so let’s continue where we left off.   Mild symptoms of RLS occur in 5-15% of the general population, which makes it the second or third most common sleep disorder.  Of these cases, only about 2-3% are considered clinically severe enough to require treatment.  It appears to occur more commonly in females and can even affect children.  Due... Continue reading ...

  With the hectic lifestyles most of us lead these days, napping has become almost a way of life. Think naps are for sissies? Listen. Even the sports teams are getting into it.   "A lot of things may change in the NHL," Scott Mellanby of the Atlanta Thrashers says, "but not naps. It's just a part of being a hockey player."   One complaint from participants in the Olympics is sleep deprivation. With jet lag and getting used to... Continue reading ...

A recent news article states: "Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with behavior problems in children with asthma, researchers have found."   But behavior problems are often linked to any type of sleep disordered breathing. It was discovered that approximately a third of children with asthma also had sleep disordered breathing resulting from some form of sleep disorders. Those children had significantly worse behavior... Continue reading ...