It’s well known that the severity of sleep apnea is tied to obesity and that obese individuals are more likely to consume more fat and cholesterol. But this new study revealed that severe sleep apnea symptoms affected a person’s food intake regardless of body weight.

Previous studies suggest that sleepiness and fatigue influence dietary intake by altering hormones that regulate appetite, which can lead to overeating and weight gain.

The Quebec Family Study, published earlier this year, followed 276 adults and found that short sleepers (five to six hours a night) were 35 per cent more likely than average sleepers (seven to eight hours a night) to experience an 11-pound weight gain over six years.

Sleep deprivation - even in people without sleep apnea - is thought to increase production of ghrelin, the hormone that tells us we’re hungry, and decrease production of leptin, the hormone that tells us we’re full.

read the rest here

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In a report today from Reuters, researchers in Sweden have shown that heart attack risk is tied to to changes in daylight saving time. As you probably imagine, risk goes up when we jump ahead in spring, and goes down when we fall back in the fall, which happens to occur this Saturday night. So relax, it’s all good…

Here is what Reuters had to say,

The research, based on heart attacks in Sweden, concluded that the chance of a heart attack goes up during the first three weekdays after the springtime shift to daylight saving time, possibly because of sleep deprivation.

But on the autumn Monday after clocks go back and people can get an extra hour of shuteye, the heart attack risk declines.

If so, then we all can rest a little easier this weekend. But don’t get too comfy,

The protective effect in the fall may last for just one day because, “Monday is the day when most of us will use this extra hour,” Janszky said by e-mail.

During the shift to daylight saving time, women seemed more vulnerable to heart attacks than men. Men were more likely to be protected during the Monday in the autumn, the researchers said.

They also found that the effect was more pronounced in people under age 65.

Janszky said younger people may be affected more because they tend to be working and their schedules are not as flexible.

“Retired people are more independent from the official time,” the researcher said.

More than 1.5 billion people worldwide live in countries that use daylight saving time.

Happy sleeping!

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You’re momma was right again, naps are good for you. If only we could take one when we need it. It seems that even when we have the time, we don’t have the inclination. Naps are seen as time-wasters in the West. Guilt sets in; restlessness, anxiety, etc. But now the Mayo Clinic wants us to listen to momma:

On , Oct. 22, 2008, Reuters Wire reported that:

“Optimally, those who get insufficient nighttime sleep should alter their schedules to include 7 to 8 hours of sleep in every 24-hour period. If this is not feasible, taking a nap can be restorative, Silber notes.

“Set aside a similar convenient time each day (preferably earlier than the evening) and ensure your sleep area is quiet and dark,” Silber suggests.

For most people, a 10 to 20 minute nap in the early afternoon is sufficient. When a nap is too long, people may wake up feeling sleep inertia — grogginess and disorientation. To avoid this, Silber advises setting an alarm to prevent reaching deep sleep.

Nonetheless, regular daytime sleepiness may indicate a sleep disorder, Silber cautioned.”

Not to put to fine a point on it but, no kidding! If I could move to Spain or southern Italy and get my nap without even trying, I’d do it. As it is, I like my little house in Seattle, even though I don’t take naps. I guess I’ll have to just try to get to sleep earlier. Not that that hasn’t been tried before.

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Keep checking back because in the next few weeks there will be more big news here.

As always, in your service,

d.

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A rapid, footless guest,
To offer whom a chair
Were as impossible as hand
A sofa to the air.

No bone had he to bind him,
His speech was like the push
Of numerous humming-birds at once
From a superior bush.

His countenance a billow,
His fingers, if he pass,
Let go a music, as of tunes
Blown tremulous in glass.

He visited, still flitting;
Then, like a timid man,
Again he tapped–’t was flurriedly–
And I became alone.

Family lore has it that we are somehow related to Ms. Dickinson. Not sure if that is in any way connected to my feeling for this little piece of poetry today. I do like how she draws this languid feeling from what is normally referred to a ‘invigorating’ and ‘refreshing’. Pretty brilliant, actually.

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“Raza Pasha, Board Certified ENT at West Houston Doctors Center, Houston, I asked about the pre-testing done to determine if a patient is suffering from severe sleep apnea.

Dr. Pasha explained that there are three factors involved. First an examination of the patient’s history including sleep patterns, and the observation of a bed partner, if any. Second is a thorough physical examination of the upper airway. And third, if it’s deemed necessary after the preceding examinations, a sleep study.

Dr. Pasha has performed the Pillar procedure successfully on many patients. When asked about adverse reactions, he explained the only adverse reaction is partial extrusion of one of the implants through the skin. /this is easily remedied by removing the implant and inserting another.

Dr. Pasha went on to explain that the Pillar procedure is the least invasive and the least painful of the twelve procedures he does, including tonsillectomy and UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.)

The Pillar procedure is available in the offices of most Otolaryngologists (physicians trained in the medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT), and related structures of the head and neck.) The success rate varies from about 70% to 95%, depending on how thorough the pre-examinations are.

The Pillar procedure has FDA approval and has recently been approved by Health Canada. On October first, 2006, Medicare will begin coverage of the procedure if it’s done in outpatient surgery in a hospital. It’s hoped that soon Medicare will also cover treatments done in the doctor’s office.

For more information on the Pillar Procedure, check out Dr. Pasha’s website: Breathe Freely.

via About.com

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“Then, one afternoon we were setting up for a nighttime study on a patient with severe OSA who was scheduled for a tracheostomy. He was participating in a series of nightly studies before and after the procedure to measure breathing during sleep. Discussing the issues with me, the patient was eager to know if there was anything else that might work. I suppose I was thinking out loud, looking at the mask and all the tubing sitting around for the experimental procedure, when it occurred to me that putting pressure in the upper airway might just hold it open.

“The patient was keen to give it a try, and so at [3:30 p.m.] we started searching around for equipment that we could use. We had large bore tubing into which we cut holes for nasal prongs to fit into. We then used plenty of Silastic glue to hold the nasal piece in place. Our next problem was sourcing a blower to create an appropriate pressure. We had a blower we used to calibrate the Fleish pneumotach and thought that might work. So, in a couple of hours, the first nasal CPAP device for OSA was born. “

He goes on to discuss fears of “blow[ing] the patient up” I’m not making this up! [Anyone else get gassy and bloated after a 'good night's sleep?]

Maybe I’m just paranoid…

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d.

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-d

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