A sleep study, also known as polysomnography, monitors your breathing, heart rate, body movements and brain waves while you sleep. This is performed in a specialized setting with a trained sleep technologist who is monitoring all of these aspects while ensuring your safety and comfort. Your doctor performs a thorough assessment of your sleep complaints and if they feel further testing is required, orders a sleep study. This helps to correctly diagnose sleep disorders that you might have. On the day of the study, you will be asked to arrive at the sleep center in the evening with the intention ..read more

Jet lag — it’s the unwelcome guest that often accompanies long-distance travel, leaving us feeling disoriented and fatigued. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime journey, understanding how to mitigate jet lag’s effects is essential for a successful trip. Understanding jet lag Jet lag is a circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder. It occurs when rapid travel across multiple time zones disrupts our internal body clock. Our circadian rhythms, synchronized by cues such as daylight and darkness, regulate our sleep-wake cycle, ensuring we feel alert during the day and sle ..read more

The nonprofit organization Project Sleep recently introduced The Sleep Helpline™, a national helpline to guide you through sleep-related challenges. Let’s explore what the Sleep Helpline offers and how it can assist you. What is the Sleep Helpline? The Sleep Helpline is a professionally staffed helpline providing free, personalized, confidential support and resources for people facing sleep issues and sleep disorders. It is run by Project Sleep, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about sleep health, sleep equity and sleep disorders. The helpline is funded by dono ..read more

Pregnancy affects many aspects of a woman’s body, including sleep. Hormonal fluctuations, physical transformations, and the inherent stresses of pregnancy can alter both the duration and quality of sleep. While most sleep disturbances are reversible post-delivery, some sleep changes may indicate underlying sleep disorders. Sleep changes by trimester During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes various changes that can disrupt sleep. In fact, according to one survey, 97% of pregnant women reported symptoms of disrupted sleep. The first trimester may bring increased sleepiness, accompanied by disr ..read more

Sleep paralysis is an intriguing and often unnerving phenomenon. Defined as a temporary inability to move or speak while transitioning between sleep and wakefulness, sleep paralysis can be accompanied by vivid hallucinations and a sense of “impending doom.” Explore the lesser-known aspects of sleep paralysis, including its causes, prevalence, cultural interpretations, and potential remedies. 7 little-known facts about sleep paralysis 1. Sleep paralysis is more common than you might expect. Research suggests that around 8% of the general population experiences sleep paralysis at some point in t ..read more

June may boast the shortest nights of the year, but for those experiencing chronic insomnia, every night feels like an eternity. This sleep disorder affects millions worldwide, prompting the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM) to designate June 21 as Insomnia Awareness Night. Understand the significance of chronic insomnia, its impact on health and daily life, and the most effective treatment available. The ripple effect on health Chronic insomnia goes beyond the occasional sleepless night. It involves persistent difficulties in falling ..read more

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that is characterized by recurring seizures. The exact cause of epilepsy is not always known, but it is thought to be related to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. There is evidence to suggest that sleep can have an impact on epilepsy, and epilepsy can contribute to sleep problems. Sleep deprivation may trigger seizures For people with epilepsy, sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of seizures. This may be because sleep deprivation can disrupt the normal functioning of the brain, leading to an increase in abnormal electrical activit ..read more

The new national “More than a Snore” campaign raises awareness of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious, but treatable, condition that causes you to stop breathing during sleep. “This campaign will raise national awareness of obstructive sleep apnea and encourage undiagnosed patients to advocate for themselves and seek treatment.” – Jennifer Martin, a licensed clinical psychologist and president of the AASM Obstructive sleep apnea affects nearly 30 million adults in the U.S. Approximately 80% of these cases are undiagnosed, costing the U.S. more than $149 billion annually in health care costs ..read more

Sleep problems are common among children. While some sleep problems may go away as a child grows and develops, other ongoing problems may be a sign of a sleep disorder. In fact, recent research suggests that childhood sleep problems may predict sleep problems in adulthood. Does my child have a sleep problem? Up to 50% of all children may experience a sleep problem, but a much smaller percentage of children have a formal sleep disorder diagnosis. Sleep disorders prevent children from getting the healthy sleep that they need. Children who don’t sleep well can be tired and cranky during the day ..read more

Teeth grinding has long been seen as a sign of stress, though the actual causality between stress and bruxism is something that’s rarely talked about in the world of popular science. If you’re starting to experience the symptoms of bruxism, or you’re worried about how stress could be affecting your sleep in general, then this article aims to shed a little more light on the subject. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how stress can lead to nighttime teeth grinding, and some of the best ways to manage the stress associated with bruxism. The relationship between bruxism and stress Though b ..read more