The study, led by pediatric endocrinologist Dorit Koren of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, involved 62 obese teenagers of African-American, Hispanic and Caucasian descent with a mean age of 14. For one and a half days, the teens submitted to glucose testing and participated in an overnight sleep study. Researchers measured total sleep time and “sleep architecture”- monitoring slow-wave and REM sleep.

Researchers found through the study that, while the sleep stages did not anticipate the glucose levels, a lower duration of N3 (deep) sleep paralleled a decrease in insulin secretion in the subjects. This particular study was the first to find a parallel between sleep deprivation and glucose levels in children and the first to link N3 sleep and insulin levels.

A Full Night’s Sleep Keeps Kids and Adults Healthy

While the findings from the study need further investigations by means of home sleep studies for obese teenagers, the possible link between sleep deprivation and lowered insulin levels should not be ignored. Cases of type 2 diabetes are on the rise in America, and getting enough sleep could be helpful in saving teens from an entire life with diabetes.

It is always a possibility that sleep deprivation could be caused by a sleeping disorder, such as sleep apnea; a common disorder causing a lack of oxygen while a sufferer sleeps deeply. Sleep apnea alone can cause symptoms, such as fatigue and daytime drowsiness, while creating heart attacks, cardiovascular problems, and other health risks in older sufferers. If sleep apnea is the cause of sleep deprivation in some obese adolescents, it is important to seek diagnosis and treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are seeking treatment, call or email Dr. Weiser’s dental office today to schedule a consultation.

From the research, it was determined that because two nights of recovery sleep, or a standard weekend, was not sufficient to improve job performance, people would naturally need more days to catch up from the sleep lost over the work week. It has been found that taking two weekend days after a week of six hours worth of sleep per night is not enough to reverse the negative effects of slower cognitive function after this amount of sleep deprivation; however, the study found that two days of real sleep did in fact eliminate any sleepiness from the previous week, according to Dr. Alexandros N. Vgontzas, professor of psychiatry and endowed chair in sleep disorders medicine at the Penn State College of Medicine.

Women Found to Recover Faster than Men

The study overlooked 34 people, 16 men and 18 women around the age of 25, who sleep normally; without sleeping disorders, such as sleep apnea. Each participant spent 13 consecutive nights in a sleep lab to determine the effects of a recovery period after a week of hindered sleep. Each enjoyed 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for the first four days; slept for six hours for the following six nights; and then were given three “recovery” nights of ten hours of sleep each. During the study, sleeplessness and performance were tested on days four, ten and thirteen.

Though performance was found to be lowered even after two nights of recovery, the study discovered that women were better able to handle the effects of mild sleep deprivation and could bounce back from those effects much faster than men during the experiment. This phenomenon was later associated with the amounts of slow-wave sleep that women possess in more abundance than men.

It is extremely important to get at least eight hours of sleep per night. If you are having difficulty sleeping through the night, snoring heavily, or sleeping more than recommended; it is possible that you are suffering from a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and should undergo a sleep study for a diagnosis. To find out more about sleep apnea and available treatment options, contact Dr. Mark Weiser at his dental office today to schedule a consultation.

Derek Kennard and Nate Newton, two former all-pro lineman for the Cowboys, teamed up with sleep experts and journal owners, such as Dr. Harry Sugg, a Dallas dentist who treats sleep apnea; David Gergen, owner of a dental lab in Phoenix; and Elias Kalantzis, the managing partner of SleepTest.com, to let people know the devastating effects that untreated sleep apnea can have on anyone – even physically fit athletes.

Others who joined up with Kennard and Newton for sleep apnea awareness included former Miss America Jineane Ford, vice-president of Sleep Group Solutions John Nadeau, and several other former Dallas Cowboys.

Dangers of Sleep Apnea Hit Close to Home

Kennard had previously been diagnosed with sleep apnea and his brother had died in his sleep in 2009 due to the sleeping disorder. The health of Kennard’s brother rapidly declined because of severe cardiac problems, a serious side effect of untreated sleep apnea. Kalantzis also experienced the death of his brother due to untreated sleep apnea, and agreed to participate in the press conferences to educate people about the risks and dangers of snoring and untreated sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that causes a loss of breath during sleep, a process that can negatively affect a sleep apnea sufferer in more ways than one. Those who suffer from sleep apnea experience a severe lack of energy, daytime drowsiness and fatigue, among other more severe health problems, such as heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.

If you are suffering from sleep apnea symptoms, such as snoring, fatigue and a lack of energy, it is important to participate in a sleep study to find out if you are suffering from sleep apnea or another sleeping disorder. If you have already been positively diagnosed and are seeking effective sleep apnea treatment options, contact Dr. Mark Weiser today to schedule a consultation.

The study followed 11,000 British children for six years, beginning at infancy. It was found that those children who had breathing problems while they slept – snoring, mouth breathing, sleep apnea, etc. – were 40 to 100 percent more likely to develop behavioral problems, such as ADHD, than those who breathe normally during sleep. The study found that participants who had sleep disorder breathing were at the most risk for developing behaviors associated with ADHD around the age of 2-and-a-half, when loss of breath was the most severe.

Symptoms Furthered by ADHD Treatment and Lost Sleep

Children require as much sleep as possible to promote brain and body growth. Those who lose out on sleep, even for half an hour, can show signs of moodiness and being wired throughout the day; whereas adults with sleep disorders tend to be sluggish and fatigued.

Not only can these symptoms of sleep apnea be misdiagnosed as ADHD, but treatment of the attention disorder can also create sleeplessness in children. This includes medications, such as ritalin, that give children severe insomnia. It is a vicious cycle for those who are already experiencing sleeplessness due to a sleeping disorder.

If you or your child is experiencing loss of breath throughout the night and symptoms of sleep apnea, such as fatigue for adults or an abundance of energy in children; it may be time to undergo a sleep study. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, contact Dr. Mark Weiser to learn more about sleep apnea treatment options available to you.

Sleep Studies Helps Save Lives

Home sleep testing options are a great step forward in diagnosing sleep apnea; as testing in a lab or a hospital might not be as accurate as those readings taken in a patient’s home. Most home sleep study equipment is small, cheaper and unobtrusive as well as easy to use, meaning that you can still sleep while the device collects important data for your diagnosis.

We can help you obtain a home sleep study and if you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, we can help you with treatment too. For more information on home sleep studies and sleep apnea treatments, contact Dr. Mark Weiser at his dental office today to schedule a consultation.

According to Susan Esther, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), getting a full night’s sleep for seven to eight hours a night is just as important as eating three square meals a day. Missing out on vital sleep time can lead to severe health problems, such as high blood pressure and depression, and could allude to an underlying sleep disorder as well.

If you are not sure whether you are getting enough sleep during the night, look for the following signs that may indicate a problem:

Signs of Sleeplessness

Getting enough sleep during the night is important for everyone, and a lack of sleep can affect you on a daily basis. Skipping out on sleep affects your internal clock and your short-term memory, causing you to skip meals and forget things. It can make you feel extremely unfocused and make it hard to concentrate on one specific task. Logging less sleep at night can make you drowsy while driving, and can leave you feeling sick more often than usual. Sleeping a full eight hours a day allows your body time to heal its immune system and regenerate, preventing you from feeling fatigued and drowsy during the day.

Sleeping as much as your body needs is an important part of your life; however if you find that you are sleeping eight hours a day or more and are still experiencing fatigue, drowsiness and a lack of energy- or if you suffer from snoring – you could have an underlying sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. In this case, it is important to schedule a sleep study to determine whether you are suffering from sleep apnea and seek out available treatment options.

To learn more about sleep apnea treatments, contact Dr. Mark Weiser at his dental office today to schedule a consultation.

Two years ago, Inspire Medical Systems had received approval from the FDA to begin a trial of its Stimulation Therapy for Apnea Reduction, or STAR, implant system in subjects with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The company planned to implant their STAR device into over 100 patients who were suffering from obstructive sleep apnea in hopes of marketing the device in America and Europe in 2013.

The STAR implant is a part of a study that checks the safety and performance of upper airway stimulation therapy; an implantable therapy that consists of two wires that are connected to a device that is placed just under the patient’s collarbone while he or she is sleeping. One wire tracks breathing patterns while the other stimulates a nerve in the neck during every single breath taken. The stimulation is reported to keep the tongue from blocking the air passages while patients sleep, reducing problems of obstructive sleep apnea and replacing some invasive surgeries, such as tongue or nose surgery. However, getting the STAR implant still requires some surgery and is much more expensive than other sleep apnea treatments – reportedly costing around $35,000 for both the device and the surgery.

Don’t Put Yourself Through Any More Pain

Why spend thousands of dollars on an unnecessary device and surgery, when there is a non-invasive treatment that may be able to relieve your sleep apnea symptoms? If you think that you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, call Dr. Mark Weiser at his office today to learn more about cheaper, non-invasive treatments for sleep apnea.

Our health and diets affect every part of our body in different ways. Many sleep centers determine that those who are heavier in weight are more likely to snore, along with those who are longtime smokers; are male; have poor diets; do not regularly exercise and drink heavily. Have you ever gone to bed with a spouse who had a bit too much to drink? It’s likely that you had some trouble getting to sleep that night.

Our snoring also increases depending on how we sleep. For instance, those who prefer to lie on their backs while sleeping are more prone to snoring than those who usually sleep on their sides or stomachs. Additionally our necks, throats and nasal passages determine whether we are going to be sleeping soundly or are going to be jabbed in the side because we are too loud at night.

If you sleep next to a person who not only snores but stops breathing in their sleep, this is a sign of sleep apnea and should be treated by a sleep apnea dentist as soon as possible – as this can be a life threatening medical condition. If you or a loved one is suffering from sleep apnea symptoms including heavy snoring accompanied with loss of breath, contact Dr. Mark Weiser to schedule a consultation.

A lack of sleep leads to all sorts of problems, including poor diet choices, a lack of energy to exercise, the inability to work effectively and efficiently, and the all-around feeling of being fatigued and worn out. According to Michael V. Vitiello, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at University of Washington, more Americans are more aware of the importance of sleep, but many are still suffering from constant poor sleep.

An article posted by the YMCA of Austin details the importance of sleep, as well as possible fixes for poor sleep, such as having and following a strict sleeping scheduling, sleeping in the most comfortable environment as possible, exercising daily, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and keeping electronics out of the bedroom.

Bad Sleep Not Always An Easy Fix

While the YMCA article does say that poor sleep can be fixed without the use of medications and therapy; this all depends on the cause of bad sleep. In some patients, poor sleep is caused by sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, which cannot be fixed at home or with medication. Such causes require complex sleep apnea treatment to ensure that interrupted breathing doesn’t lead to intermittent sleeping. A poll conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that over 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder

Don’t become part of the 46 percent of people whose sleep needs aren’t met and don’t become part of the 41 percent that dangerously drives sleepily. Instead, work to discover the cause of your poor sleep. If behavioral changes don’t work, sleep apnea may be to blame, and diagnosis can be done through a sleep study.

In those with sleep apnea, the fix for poor sleep is sleep apnea treatment. To learn more about the available treatments, contact Dr. Weiser’s office today.

The study involved 17 subjects between 18 and 40 years of age, with each undergoing an extended sleep study. The subjects were divided into two groups, one group which got a typical night’s rest and another group, which got substantially less sleep. The group of individuals who got enough sleep were able to maintain healthy and normal eating patterns. On the other hand, the test group consumed an average of 550 extra calories each day.

Researchers have yet to pinpoint the true relationship between sleep and the hormones closest associated with the appetite, leptin and ghrelin; but many hope that more studies will be conducted in the future in efforts to truly understand the link.

Get the Sleep You Need

In the end, this new research along with past studies, further proves that not getting enough sleep at night puts patients at a higher risk of unwanted weight gain, which can lead to obesity and other health problems. Almost 30 percent of adults sleep less than 6 hours a night and 69 percent of teenagers sleep less than the recommended 8 hours – statistics that are troubling and possible explanations for today’s high obesity levels.

Poor sleep and not getting enough sleep at night can be caused by many problems. A stressful day, a poor sleeping position, or a restless mind can all keep you awake at night; but when poor sleep becomes constant, there could be a more complex situation at hand, such as a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder that is known to negatively impact the quality and quantity of sleep.

To learn more about sleep apnea, the symptoms, and treatment, call or email Dr. Weiser’s office today. A good night’s sleep is necessary for a healthy mind and waistline!