A poll released today finds pervasive use of communications technology in the hour before bed. It also finds a large number of Americans aren’t getting the sleep they need and search for ways to cope.
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Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Mar
7
2011
Technology is creating sleepy Americans
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Combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) almost universally suffer sleep problems — with more cases of sleep apnea than might otherwise be expected — U.S. Army researchers found. In a group of 135 young, otherwise healthy combat veterans with PTSD, 98.5 percent reported sleep complaints, Nick Orr, M.D., and colleagues at the Walter Reed [...]
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A study published in the Oct. 15, 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that adults with fibromyalgia had a much higher prevalence and risk of restless legs syndrome than healthy controls.
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Patients who suffer from both allergic rhinitis and obstructive sleep apnea may experience escalated symptoms of stress and fatigue.
In a paper presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery Foundation annual meeting, researchers told of results from 34 people who were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.
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Awake In America is joining forces with hundreds of organizations and the National Sleep Foundation to mark National Sleep Awareness Week 2009, which runs from March 2 through March 8.
Awake In America will be focusing additional energies this week to help focus the need for health insurance coverage sleep disorders, increase awareness about the importance of sufficient sleep, the dangers of undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders, and the consequences of sleep deprivation on a personal and societal level. These extra efforts will be done through email, one-on-one calls, as well as through printed materials the organization has mailed in the weeks leading up to National Sleep Awareness Week 2009.
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A recently published study shows after a one-hour delay of school start times, teens increased their average nightly hours of sleep and decreased their “catch-up sleep” on the weekends, and they were involved in fewer auto accidents.
When school started an hour later, students averaged from 12 minutes (grade nine) to 30 minutes (grade 12) more self-reported nightly sleep. The percentage of students who got at least eight hours of sleep per weeknight increased from 35.7 percent to 50 percent; students who got at least nine hours of sleep also increased from 6.3 percent to 10.8 percent.
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Oct
23
2008
Tools for Sound Sleep
Chances are that you have had difficulty sleeping at some point in your life. Over 100 sleep disorders exist, with insomnia being the most common and best-known sleep disorder. Insomnia is described as difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep — resulting in a negative impact during the day due to drowsiness, fatigue.
According to a recent survey, about 49 percent of Americans report difficulty sleeping at some point in their lives. “Women are more likely to experience insomnia than men,” states Trudy D. Helge, PsyD, Director of Health Psychology at Women’s Mental Health Associates. “Biological conditions unique to women like the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause can affect how well you sleep.”
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Mattress manufacturer Sealy is running an advertising campaign that seemingly suggests less sleep is acceptable for Americans. In that campaign, Sealy notes most Americans no longer get eight hours of sleep each night, but rather closer to six hours. The ads, promoting Sealy’s mattresses, could also have been used to help push the message that Americans need to get a full night’s rest, not just six hours.
“It’s truly a sad day for consumers when a corporation such as Sealy, focused intently on the sleep habits of consumers so it continues making profits, promotes poor sleep habits while seemingly implying “a better six” hours of sleep is healthy,” said Awake In America’s President Michele Narcavage.
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It’s often labeled attention deficit disorder, but experts say what may be the real problem behind thousands of children’s behavior problems could actually be sleep apnea.
According to ear, nose and throat physicians, enlarged tonsils can cause obstructive sleep apnea in children causing them to stop breathing repeatedly during the night resulting in sleep deprivation.
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