Sleep Disorder News and Research

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A sleep disorder (somnipathy) is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning. A test commonly ordered for some sleep disorders is the polysomnogram.

Implantation of sleep apnea device can lead to improvements for patients with OSA

Implantation of a sleep apnea device called Inspire- Upper Airway Stimulation therapy can lead to significant improvements for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, according to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

9 Jan 2014

Sleep disorder linked to poor nonmotor status in Parkinson’s disease

The presence of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is associated with more severe nonmotor symptoms in patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease, a study shows.

8 Jan 2014

Researchers associate some insomnia symptoms with higher mortality risk in men

Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, affects up to one-third of the population in the United States. In new findings, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital have found that some insomnia symptoms are associated with an increased risk of mortality in men.

20 Nov 2013

One in six fatal traffic accidents results from drowsy driving, show reports

Many of us make light of that relatively short drive home. But getting behind the wheel when you're sleepy can cost lives and lead to imprisonment and a hefty fine.

29 Oct 2013

Researchers find relationship between solar intensity and ADHD prevalence

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is the most common childhood psychiatric disorder. Scientists do not know what causes it, but genetics play a clear role. Other risk factors have also been identified, including premature birth, low birth weight, a mother's use of alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy, and environmental exposures to toxins like lead.

23 Oct 2013

Researchers discover how the body's muscles accidentally fall asleep while awake

Normally muscles contract in order to support the body, but in a rare condition known as cataplexy the body's muscles "fall asleep" and become involuntarily paralyzed. Cataplexy is incapacitating because it leaves the affected individual awake, but either fully or partially paralyzed. It is one of the bizarre symptoms of the sleep disorder called narcolepsy.

11 Oct 2013

Preoperative auto-titrated CPAP treatment benefits patients with OSA after surgery

An estimated 80 percent of patients who have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) go undiagnosed, including Deanna G. McNeil, a 72-year-old nurse from Toronto. Before hip replacement surgery in 2010, Deanna completed the STOP-Bang questionnaire, created by Frances Chung, M.B.B.S., professor, Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, Ontario. Based on the questionnaire, Deanna was suspected to have OSA.

19 Sep 2013

Sleep disorder may forecast gait problems in Parkinson’s

The findings of a polysomnography study have strengthened the link between rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that it is specifically associated with freezing of gait.

18 Sep 2013

Severity of sleep apnoea can independently predict aggressiveness of skin melanoma

The severity of sleep apnoea can independently predict the aggressiveness of malignant skin melanoma, according to a new study.

10 Sep 2013

Sanomedics completes acquisition of Prime Time Medical

Sanomedics International Holdings, Inc., a medical technology holding company that focuses on game-changing products, services and ideas, today announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Prime Time Medical, Inc., of Largo, Florida for a total purchase price of $3,100,000, effective August 30, 2013.

3 Sep 2013

West Hollywood dentist offers snore therapy that help patients and their partners get better night's sleep

Snoring affects most people at least occasionally and can often indicate the presence of allergies or a respiratory infection. Snoring that is extremely loud leads to breathing interruptions or results in choking sensations that may indicate the presence of a common sleep disorder called sleep apnea.

31 Aug 2013

Three University of Sydney research teams win NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence

World-changing collaborative research in the areas of youth mental health, metabolic health and sleep medicine have seen three research teams at the University of Sydney funded for five years as NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence.

21 Aug 2013

Prevalence for major eye disease is higher in people with common sleep disorder

Researchers in Taiwan have discovered that people with sleep apnea are far more likely to develop glaucoma compared to those without the sleep condition. The results of this study, which is the first to calculate the risk of the disease among people with the sleep disorder following diagnosis, is published in this month's edition of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

8 Aug 2013

Health benefits of sufficient sleep: an interview with Dr Monique Verschuren, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, the Netherlands

We used 6 hours or less per 24 hours as the definition of insufficient sleep, with 7 hours or more as sufficient sleep. In general, this is considered the amount of sleep that is sufficient for adults, although there can be differences between persons with respect to the amount of sleep needed.

6 Aug 2013

Study shows possible biological cause of narcolepsy

In 2000, researchers at the UCLA Center for Sleep Research published findings showing that people suffering from narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by uncontrollable periods of deep sleep, had 90 percent fewer neurons containing the neuropeptide hypocretin in their brains than healthy people.

4 Jul 2013

Loyola medical experts suggest tips for a good night's sleep

Summer means more hours of daylight and for many, it contributes to trouble falling asleep. More than 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders, resulting in $18 billion in cost to employers due to sleep loss issues.

30 Jun 2013

Consistent bedtime routine helps people with OSA adhere to prescribed treatment

A consistent bedtime routine is likely key to helping people with obstructive sleep apnea adhere to their prescribed treatment, according to Penn State researchers.

6 Jun 2013

People with narcolepsy have increased number of neurons that produce histamine

A new study provides surprising evidence that people with narcolepsy have an increased number of neurons that produce histamine, suggesting that histamine signaling may be a novel therapeutic target for this potentially disabling sleep disorder.

4 Jun 2013

People with type 2 diabetics, hypertension more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea: Study

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is advising anyone with Type 2 diabetes or hypertension to be evaluated for sleep apnea by a board-certified sleep medicine physician. The recommendation comes as the group of international clinicians and researchers meets in Baltimore for SLEEP 2013, the foremost gathering of sleep experts annually.