Dallas Sleep

Sleep Apnea - The Silent Killer We Ignore (An Interview With Dr. Suzanne Thai)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:08:41 GMT

What if someone told you that you stop breathing in your sleep and you had no idea?
In this podcast video, Debbie Knauss sits down with Dr. Suzanne Thai, DDS, DABDSM, DASBA, DIAOS, to talk about sleep apnea and why so many people are living with it without realizing it. A common symptom is snoring, but it’s also a sign that your airway is collapsing during sleep, cutting off oxygen and putting real stress on your body. Click HERE or the image below to watch Debbie and Suzanne share "real moments" regarding Sleep Apnea ...

Debbie and Dr. Thai share real moments and stories of a spouse lying awake waiting for their partner to start breathing again, or a child noticing loud snoring in the middle of the night. These occurrences are easy things to brush off, but they can be signs of something serious.

Dr. Thai explains how sleep apnea effects the body, how it connects to fatigue, mood, and heart health, and what can be done to finally get real, restorative sleep.

If you wake up exhausted or someone has mentioned your snoring, this conversation could change how you think about your health.

What Sleep Test Is Best For Me Given My Circumstances?

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 04:27:34 GMT

Home vs. In-Lab Sleep Test Click Here

Diagnostic Sleep Testing: A video description of Diagnostic Testing & Monitoring Options for those that have or suspect they have a nighttime breathing disorder, more commonly called Obstructive Sleep Apnea - followed by an Easy & Cost-Effective way to obtain a sleep study in the COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME - This content will be too much for some, but necessary for others & is approximately 20 minutes in length describing a Personalized approach to Healthcare ...

What Is Informed Consent In Healthcare?

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:51:08 GMT

Consent is a general term referring to permission or agreement to do something, while informed consent specifically involves a voluntary agreement based on a full understanding of the implications of the action. Informed consent includes providing all relevant information, including risks, benefits, and alternatives, to the person giving consent.

I nformed Consent goes well beyond simple consent by requiring that the person giving permission understand the potential consequences of the action, including risks, benefits, and alternatives. This understanding is crucial for it to be a truly informed decision. Examples:

Consent: A police officer asking you if they can search your vehicle; they don't need to disclose the reason they are searching.

Informed Consent: A doctor explaining the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a surgical procedure before obtaining the patient's permission to proceed. Informed consent ensures that individuals make autonomous decisions about their own lives, including medical treatments and research participation.

Legal Considerations In healthcare: informed consent is a legal and ethical obligation, protecting patients from potential harm and upholding their rights to self-determination. It is a provider's obligation to every patient coming to us for care ... SEE THE VIDEO BELOW FOR A DETAILED EXPLANATION

SleepSat BLE Oximetry

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:50:41 GMT

Over Night Testing For Sleep Apnea From Diagnostics To Testing Your Therapy, Whether It Be A CPAP Or An Oral Appliance, For Efficacy ... Wearing The BLE ...

Links:

Patient Video Instructions For Using The BLE

Patient Written Instructions For Using The BLE

Staff Video Guide For Setting up & Using The BLE

Daphne Sleep

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 21:35:06 GMT

Complete The Fields Below To Receive A No Obligation Digital Screener For Sleep Apnea ...

Untreated Sleep Apnea puts those at risks for cardiovascular problems, stroke and a long list of other health problems ... Determine Your Risks Today

Fitting a myTap Oral Appliance & Morning Aligner For Sleep Apnea

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:33:09 GMT

Do you suffer from Snoring or Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Airway Management's newest custom TAP oral appliance, the flexTAP, offers new Vertex Technology, a custom-formed soft liner for superior retention, more tongue space for greater comfort, clinically proven single-point, midline adjustment and more.

flexTAP's standard Mouth Shield promotes nasal breathing and prevents excess saliva or dry mouth, which are common complaints of oral appliance therapy.

Visit tapintosleep.com for more information on the flexTAP and other TAP devices.

Sleep Apnea - What Are The Symptoms d

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 02:20:30 GMT

.... Good Sleep Simply Makes Us A Better Version Of Ourselves !

Although Sleep apnea can vary in severity among individuals, common symptoms include:

Loud Snoring : Persistent loud snoring, often accompanied by choking or gasping sounds, are hallmark symptoms of sleep apnea.
Pauses in Breathing : Witnessed episodes of breathing pauses during sleep, reported by a bed partner or family member that can last for a few seconds to a minute or longer.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness : Individuals with sleep apnea often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, despite spending what seems like adequate time in bed.
Morning Headaches : Waking up with a headache or feeling unrested despite a full night's sleep can be a common symptom of sleep apnea.
Dry Mouth or Sore Throat : Sleep apnea can cause mouth breathing during sleep, leading to a dry mouth or sore throat upon waking.
Irritability and Mood Changes : Sleep apnea can contribute to irritability, mood swings, and emotional instability due to poor sleep quality and disrupted sleep patterns.
Difficulty Concentrating : Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, and decreased cognitive function, may result from sleep fragmentation and low oxygen levels.
Frequent Nighttime Urination : Nocturia, or the need to urinate frequently during the night, can particularly in men be a symptom of sleep apnea.
Decreased Libido : Sleep apnea can lead to decreased libido and sexual dysfunction in both men and women.

It's important to note that not everyone with sleep apnea will experience all of these symptoms, and symptoms can vary in severity. Additionally, some individuals may not be aware of their symptoms, especially if they occur during sleep. If you suspect you, a loved one or someone you know may have sleep apnea reach out to us for help – it’s what those of us a RestfulSleep do !!!

Have Questions? Find Answers HERE

What is the Frequency of Sleep Apnea? c

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 18:46:08 GMT

And What Happens During Your Sleep - the airway collapses causing your blood oxygen levels to drop, followed by a disruption in your sleep as you awaken to catch your next "life saving breath", and this can occur over and over all night long ...

The frequency of sleep apnea varies depending on age, sex, weight, lifestyle, and underlying health conditions with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) being the most common. Approximately 3-7% of adult men and 2-5% of adult women worldwide are estimated to have moderate to severe OSA, however, among older adults, the prevalence of OSA is higher, with studies suggesting rates of up to 30-60% in individuals over the age of 65. Age-related changes in muscle tone and increased risk of comorbidities contribute to this higher prevalence. Excess weight can lead to the accumulation of soft tissue around the upper airway, increasing the likelihood of airway obstruction during sleep so studies reveal that as obesity rates rise, so does the prevalence of sleep apnea.

1. Gender Differences: While sleep apnea is more common in men overall, the prevalence among women increases with age and weight as well. Changes in hormonal factors, may also contribute to the risk of sleep apnea in women.
2. Pediatric Population: Sleep apnea can also occur in children, although it is less common than in adults. Risk factors for pediatric sleep apnea include obesity, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, craniofacial and jaw abnormalities, and certain medical conditions.

It's important to note that sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed, with many individuals unaware of their condition. Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can have serious health consequences, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and impaired cognitive function. Therefore, awareness, screening, and diagnosis are essential for identifying and managing sleep apnea effectively. If you suspect you or someone you know may have sleep apnea, give us a call at RestfulSleep – with our practice being limited to Sleep Disordered Breathing we will recommend appropriate management specific to you or your loved one’s circumstances, whether it be screening, diagnostic testing, or alternative care for the most often prescribed form of therapy – CPAP … Have Questions? Find Answers HERE

What Are The Three Types Of Sleep Apnea? b

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:33:51 GMT

Obstructive - Central - Mixed-Complex

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): This is the most common type of sleep apnea. It occurs when the throat muscles relax excessively during sleep, causing the soft tissue in the back of the throat to collapse and block the airway. As a result, airflow is reduced or completely blocked, leading to pauses in breathing or shallow breathing.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): Central sleep apnea is less common and occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the muscles responsible for controlling breathing. Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. This results in periods of interrupted breathing during sleep.

Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome (CompSA): Also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, this type of sleep apnea is a combination of both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. It typically occurs when someone with obstructive sleep apnea starts using a CPAP machine for treatment, but central sleep apnea emerges or becomes more prominent during therapy.

Each type of sleep apnea requires different approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Understanding the specific type of sleep apnea is crucial for developing an effective management plan tailored to the individual's needs and health condition.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Have Questions? Find Answers HERE

What Exactly Is Sleep Apnea? a

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 13:48:51 GMT

Sleep Apnea is a disorder where your airway collapses at night while trying to take a breath characterized by pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. These pauses can last for a few seconds to minutes and can occur multiple times throughout the night. It's responsible for causing dangerously low blood oxygen levels, fragmenting and disturbing your sleep and putting those that have it at a substantial risk for a long list of other health problems such as heart attack and stroke to name just a couple ... below are two videos, the first of which describes an overview of the disease and the second of which depicts an animation of an in-lab sleep study ... Have Questions? Find Answers HERE

This video explains in detail how apneas and snoring are produced while you sleep. See and hear as respiratory flow, respiratory effort, brain waves, and snoring sounds are matched together to illustrate the effects of this disease. When you've viewed this video, you'll have a much better understanding of what's going on within your own body.

Changing Sleep with a "Sleep Navigator" & a "Post Discharge Sleep Care" plan ...

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:24:23 GMT

Prefer to watch a detailed presentation as described by Robert Miller, RPSGT?
Click HERE - Or - Scroll Down For a quick pictorial overview prior to the presentation ...

Video Available Below

Avant Sleep Appliance

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:58:27 GMT

The Avant Sleep Appliance by SomnoMed

Video Description Of Your Avant Appliance HERE

Video instructions HERE

Download the instruction guide HERE

Drowzle Digital Sleep Screener

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 22:09:44 GMT

"DROWZLE" - what is it ?
A Free Digital Sleep Analyzer As Described In The Short Video Below

Links To Previous Email Campaigns With An Invitation To Join Our Mailing List

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If You Suspect You Have Sleep Apnea & Are Sitting On The Fence As To Whether You Should Or Shouldn't Do Anything About It Or Just Want To Better Understand Your Options Click This Link Here ........

Patient Saftey, Inc. A "High-Resolution Pulse Oximeter

Thu, 19 May 2022 01:56:27 GMT

A 3D Hi-Resolution Technology Pulse Oximeter With Advanced Pattern Detection

Capturing The Best Data

Where most "High-Resolution" pulse oximeters incorporate a high sampling rate, Patient Safety's 3-D High-Resolution technology incorporates a high sampling rate plus two other key elements, which set the SleepSat apart from any other pulse oximeter on the market.

Utilizing The Best Analytics

SatScreen's oximetry reporting applies advanced analytics to the best data available focusing on pattern-detection, making it possible to report on milder events, airway instability, and autonomic disturbance. Further, the unique dashboard report provides a visual aid to facilitate conversations.

Use Instructions

Note Tape Placement On The Written Instructioins

Down Load Written Instructions Here

Watch Video Instructions Here

Screen - Get Tested - Begin Therapy Today

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 16:24:08 GMT

Dispensed Right Out Of Our Office / Phone App Interface Uploads Data To The Cloud

Read By A Board Certified Sleep Physician

Prompt Results And Diagnosis

Click For The

Consequences Of Sleep Apnea

Download A Free Phone App Here

Screen Tonight

Get The Results On

Your Phone In The Morning

Click For Your

Pathway To Healthier Sleep

Think you or someone you know might have Sleep Apnea?

Been avoiding getting diagnosed because of the complexities involved in getting tested or not wanting to spend the night at a Sleep Lab or do not want a device shipped to your home in what is still a covid-19 environment?
Unquestionably a new device called the NightOwl solves all these objections:
It’s small and easily applied to a single finger;
The single user platform remains in your possession with charges ONLY applied when a medical provider sends you an activation code;
Better yet this single micro device has 100 hours of testing capacity just for you.

Reach out to RestfulSleep at 307.265.3595
Visit us at www.jbouzis.com or
Email us at jbouzis@aol.com for more information

– This Device & Process Is A Game Changer In The Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Sleep Apnea – PERIOD!

Monitor Blood Oxygen Levels With Over Night Oximetry On Your Cell Phone

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 06:13:35 GMT

Over Night Pulse Oximetry - Measure Your Health, Wellness & Exercise

Click Here To Order

WEARABLE OXIMETRY

Wearable, high resolution, continuous pulse oximeter. CIRCUL can accurately measure pulse rate & blood oxygen saturation in your fingertips for daily wellness .

MEDICALLY CLEARED

Medically Cleared for Pulse Oximetry. Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive and painless test that measures your oxygen saturation level, or the oxygen levels in your blood.

INGENIOUS DESIGN

Sleek, durable ring design with ingenious motion monitoring sensor. The CIRCUL is ergonomically shaped with a retractable sensor inside the ring.

SLEEP TRACKING

Overnight sleep tracking including SpO2%, HR, ODI and 4 Sleep Stages (Awake, Light, Deep and REM Sleep). Learn valuable (and some times life changing) information about your sleep.

ADJUSTABLE SIZING

Adjustable sizing from small to large; NO sizing kit needed just select one of two adjustable sizes small or large. Works on all fingers.

FITNESS TRACKER

Record and track workouts, keep track of steps, water resistant for running, hiking or biking. Share with your physician, family member or anyone!

Click Here To Order

The Link Between Sleep Apnea and MS

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 06:38:28 GMT

Up to 60% of people who suffer from MS experience some sleep disturbances that contribute to MS-related fatigue.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto immune disorder accompanied by fatigue and sleep woes. This disorder affects our brain and spinal cord. Up to 60% of people who suffer from MS experience some sleep disturbances that contribute to MS-related fatigue. A new study showed that MS patients are at greater risk to develop obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder where the upper airway collapses during sleep, and as a result, the airflow is blocked. People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea struggle to restore airflow during their sleep, at this time they are partially awakened and their sleep is interrupted.

Unlike obstructive sleep apnea, where patients make an effort to breathe, central sleep apnea (CSA) is a sleep disorder where patients suffer a lack of effort to breathe during their sleep. Both conditions may be responsible for poor quality sleep and low blood oxygen levels during the night. OSA and CSA are likely to be found in MS patients.

Even though the reasons are not fully understood, scientists suggest that these disorders develop due to changes in brainstem function caused by Multiple Sclerosis. Our drive to breathe when we are not awake, as well as the open airway when we sleep, can be attributed to the brainstem. In MS the respiratory drive and the pathways that control upper airway muscles are disrupted due to demyelinating lesions that may form in the brainstem.

The risk of severe OSA is increased in MS patients due to several commonly used medications such as sedatives, opioid-based medications, and medications for muscle spasticity that worsen both OSA and CSA. Some physical characteristics such as obesity, increased neck size, male gender, and age of more than fifty can also put patients at higher risk for OSA.

Something that we should be worried about is the possibility of being undiagnosed and thus untreated. That is why you need to know the symptoms and risk factors related to OSA so that you could prevent all short-and-long-term consequences that may appear as a result of sleep apnea .

If you have been diagnosed with MS, it is recommendable to discuss the possibility of obstructive sleep apnea with your doctor. Even though snoring is the most recognizable symptom of OSA, you shouldn`t delude yourself into believing that you don’t have OSA if you don’t snore.

Fatigue and Cognitive Impairment

Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can lead to many life-shortening consequences such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, low levels of productivity, and worsened quality of life. Obstructive sleep apnea is known for exacerbating chronic symptoms experienced by people who suffer from MS. One of the most common symptoms is fatigue. Fatigue increasingly debilitating symptom that significantly lowers the quality of life.

Up to 70% of people with MS suffer cognitive impairment such as difficulties with verbal expression, thinking, information processing, and memory. Many of these symptoms have also been found in people who suffer from OSA.

Treatment Options

Symptoms that may appear if you suffer from sleep apnea are:

Cognitive disturbances
Pauses in breathing
Snoring
Daytime fatigue
Nighttime awakenings
Gasping or choking upon wakening

To diagnose sleep apnea an overnight study is needed. In the course of this study, your sleep and breathing are measured throughout the night. It is usually done in a sleep laboratory, but it can also be done with equipment that you can take home.

Fortunately, sleep apnea can be medically treated. Positive airway pressure therapy has so far been the most effective treatment for OSA. For this treatment, a mask is used. There is a wide range of mask choices and sizes, so together with your healthcare provider, you can find just the right one for you.

During the therapy air, a mask is used to blow air into the upper airway holding it open during sleep. There are different types of air pressure such as continuous positive airway pressure which is constant, bilevel positive airway pressure that includes different pressures when you inhale and exhale, or AutoPAP that is self-adjusting to your breathing.

Our physical and mental well-being largely depends on our sleep. The healthier our sleep is the better we feel. If we treat sleep disturbances, we may lessen the severity of the symptoms related to MS.

NightOwl Micro Home Sleep Test

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 04:59:51 GMT

Think you or someone you know might have Sleep Apnea?
Been avoiding getting diagnosed because of the complexities involved in getting tested or not wanting to spend the night at a Sleep Lab or do not want a device shipped to your home in what is still a covid-19 environment?
Unquestionably a new device called the NightOwl solves all these objections:
It’s small and easily applied to a single finger;
The single user platform remains in your possession with charges ONLY applied when a medical provider sends you an activation code;
Better yet this single micro device has 100 hours of testing capacity just for you.

Dispensed Right Out Of Our Office / Phone App Interface Uploads Data To The Cloud & Read By A Board Certified Sleep Physician

Reach out to RestfulSleep at 307.265.3595
Visit us at www.jbouzis.com or
Email us at jbouzis@aol.com for more information

– This Device & Process Is A Game Changer In The Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Sleep Apnea – PERIOD!

ApneaLink Air & NightOwl Sleep Study

Sat, 29 Feb 2020 05:04:49 GMT

Patient Micro Home Sleep Test (The NightOwl) Video Directions & Description

Patient Home Sleep Test (Resmed ApneaLink Air) Video Directions & Reporting

________________________________________________________________________________________

Snoring Can Be A Laughing Matter - Or Is It ?

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 16:16:06 GMT

Snoring (or sleeping next to someone who snores) is incredibly common. In fact, 45% of adults snore occasionally and up to 25% of Americans are habitual snorers. Snoring is more frequent in males and those who are overweight and as we age, our snoring typically worsens. Sometimes snoring points to a bigger problem: obstructed breathing and it needs to be evaluated to determine if it is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, but why is that so critical to One's Health? Click the picture below to learn of a tragic story that is not that uncommon ..................

How is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Different?

Snoring may be a sign of a more serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is where there are multiple episodes of breathing pauses greater than 10 seconds at a time. This results in lower amounts of oxygen in the blood, which causes the heart to work harder. It also disturbs the natural sleep cycle, which makes people feel tired and under-rested but that is far from a description of all the dangers of OSA.

Celebs With Sleep Apnea - You Are Not Alone

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 16:59:30 GMT

A-List Celebs Open Up About The Specific Health Issue They’ve All Been Struggling With For Years

For Content With Pictures Click Here

A-List Celebs Open Up About The Specific Health Issue They’ve All Been Struggling With For Years

By Emma Patterson

Of all the necessary bodily functions we go through each day, sleep is by far the most pleasant — for most people, anyway. Nighttime is supposed to be a tranquil time, but for some, sleep isn’t as easy as counting sheep. More and more people are spending the night staring up at the ceiling.

Sleep disorders are becoming more and more common, and they aren’t just something suffered by the Average Joe. Even celebrities toss and turn or, worse, are forced to contend with disorders like sleep apnea, a condition that’s more than just annoying — it can be positively deadly.

1. Regis Philbin has had heart disease and bypass surgery, which resulted in sleep apnea problems. Still, he’s one of the most personable celebrities we can think of, which makes him the perfect spokesperson for a (usually) preventable condition.

2. Shonda Rhimes always brings the drama on Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal , so when the show runner admitted to sleeping woes getting in the way of her work, fans were worried. Thankfully, she says that weight loss and treatment have helped lessen her symptoms.

3. Most people remember John Candy for his roles in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Splash , but the actor is also known for his premature death of a heart attack. It’s believed he suffered from sleep apnea related to his weight.

4. Roseanne Barr isn’t known for being shy, which made her sleep apnea diagnosis on her reality show “Roseanne’s Nuts” no surprise to viewers. Her then-husband even recorded her gasping for air throughout the night. She had surgery on her nose to help alleviate her symptoms!

5. Brett Favre’s sleep apnea may be what made him retire from the NFL. After a long career with the Green Bay Packers (and short stints elsewhere), he said, “How am I supposed to play the game the right way when I can barely get out of bed in the morning?”

6. When Jennifer Aniston was startled awake by her home’s security alarm, she certainly didn’t expect to find herself in her backyard! The inspiration behind America’s favorite haircut has definitely had some terrifying sleep walking-induced nighttime adventures.

7. He doesn’t have sleep apnea, but Jimmy Kimmel does struggle with a sleep disorder that must make hosting a last-night show even harder than it looks: Narcolepsy. He describes it as “just the inside of your head being tired.”

8. When Rosie O’Donnell was diagnosed with sleep apnea, she knew she had to educate her audience about the dangers of the condition. She brought a sleep medicine specialist onto The View , where they discussed sleep apnea and possible treatment options.

9. Quincy Jones, the record producer who worked with the likes of Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra, also has experience working though sleep apnea. Still, it hasn’t stopped him from garnering 28 Grammy Awards and 80 nominations!

10. Cocaine, heroin, diabetes — never a good combination, especially when you’re the iconic lead singer and guitarist of the Grateful Dead , Jerry Garcia. His sleep apnea only worsened over time due to his intense drug use, and it may have played a part in his death.

11. We all know that Leslie Knope could go days without sleeping, but her real-life counterpart isn’t so lucky. When Amy Poehler started falling asleep while standing up, she was eventually diagnosed with sleep apnea. She now sleeps with a CPAP machine.

12. Forty percent of men with Type 2 Diabetes also have sleep apnea. Such is the case with bassist, music producer, and American Idol judge Randy Jackson. Thankfully, a drastic lifestyle change including gastric bypass surgery significantly helped his symptoms.

13. Shaquille O’Neal wants fellow sleep apnea-sufferers to know that they aren’t alone — even 7-foot tall basketball legends suffer from sleep disorders. His wife described his sleep apnea as being when, usually after a deep snore, Shaq just stops breathing.

14. Fans were devastated when beloved Star Wars star Carrie Fisher passed away in 2016. Though a history of drugs and alcohol are believed to have contributed to her death, the coroner found that sleep apnea also played a major role.

15. Of all the celebrities on this list, William Shatner is perhaps the most private about his struggle with sleep apnea. But the phaser-wielding starship captain has been impressing fans with his leadership skills for so long, we don’t think a sleep disorder is going to change his image much!

16. One of the primary causes of sleep apnea is weight gain and unhealthy eating habits, and comedian Larry the Cable Guy has always been open about his struggles with the above conditions. He even joked about his sleep apnea by calling his CPAP machine his “buddy.”

17. Arianna Huffington is known as co-founder and editor of The Huffington Post , but did you know that her real passion is sleeping? Spurred on by her struggle with sleep apnea, her book The Sleep Revolution is about sleep’s influence on our overall happiness.

18. When untreated or combined with other conditions, sleep apnea can be deadly. This was the sad fate of NFL legend Reggie White, who died due to complications caused by sarcoidosis and sleep apnea.

19. It’s no myth that MythBusters co-host Adam Savage has dealt with sleep apnea in the past. But after losing 30 pounds and sleeping with a CPAP, most of his symptoms cleared up. He credits the CPAP treatment for helping him have normal sleeping patterns.

20. NFL star Ryan Jensen was so exhausted; he would sleep up to 10 hours a night…but he still felt tired. Thanks to a life-changing sleep study, however, Ryan was diagnosed with sleep apnea and started treatment with a CPAP machine.

Telemedicine Virtual Visits For Sleep Disorders

Sun, 03 Nov 2019 23:18:16 GMT

Sign up for free (below) then visit us at restfulsleep.sleeptm.com

Have Questions? Think You Or Someone You Know Has Sleep Apnea? Every Wonder Is Snoring Dangerous?
Click here To Request A Free Telemedicine Visit

Live in Wyoming? Request A Telemedicine Visit by Clicking Her e

Here Are Some Guidelines That Will Make Your First Encounter Easier

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or Sleep Disturbed Breathing (SDB)

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 06:14:05 GMT

The prevalence of any OSA is estimated to be 33.9% in men and 17.4% in women
25% on Avg.
5 in 11 adults have mild OSA while 75% of severe SDB cases remain undiagnosed
It's Epidemic

WatchPAT is an FDA-approved portable diagnostic device that uses the most innovative technology to ensure the accurate screening, detection, and follow-up of sleep apnea. Its ease of use is unparalleled in the marketplace and it is greatly complemented by the fact that WatchPAT testing is done in the comfort of your own bedroom; an environment that best reflects the pattern of your sleep habits.

How to operate the WatchPAT?

The amount of time people sleep varies from person to person. The WatchPAT is put on when you go to bed and runs ten (10) consecutive hours after turned on. You should take it off (without the need to be turned off) when you wake up in the morning and return it to the clinic for sleep data downloading. Thanks to WatchPAT’s automated data analysis, you don’t have to wait to get your diagnosis. Once you return the WatchPAT to your physician, you will receive an immediate detailed sleep report. This instantaneous report generation—compared to a lengthy wait in most hospital-based settings—allows you to initiate sleep apnea treatment the same day and without delay.

Sleep Apnea

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 03:16:35 GMT

What Are The Dangers - What Do I Need To Know ?

See 11 Sleep Apnea side Effects and The Video PPP Below

Power Point Video Link Click Here

The Foundation For Airway Health

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 14:46:09 GMT

The Mission of the Foundation for Airway Health is to help the public realize their maximum potential by championing the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of airway related disorders through collaboration, awareness, research, and education.

Our Vision: Lives transformed through optimal airway structure and function.

The Values of The Foundation for Airway Health Are:

•	Integrity: freedom from conflict of interest
•	Compassion for those manifesting the effects of poor airway health
•	Accessibility to care from a collaborative team of health professionals
•	Transparency in all Foundation activities
•	Collaborative collective action to change lives

FAH is Pioneering Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Education for Optimal Airway Growth, Development, and Function

Founded in 2012, the Foundation for Airway Health is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness with the general public and the healthcare industry. Through its initiatives, the Foundation seeks to highlight the role of airway in overall health and well-being for all, and educate clinicians to recognize the role and importance of optimal airway physiology and sleep in the areas of health, development, performance, and function.

The FAH Seeks to Accomplish This Through:

•	Developing innovative public awareness campaigns
•	Advancing interdisciplinary collaboration
•	Developing educational materials for the healthcare industry
•	Providing multidisciplinary referral resources for optimal care
•	Promoting affordable airway care for all

The FAH is an inclusive organization, a partnership of the public, healthcare practitioners, corporate entities and industry organizations interested in learning, networking, and collaborating to foster optimal patient care. Our healthcare practitioner outreach extends to physicians, dentists, osteopaths, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, myofunctional therapists, nutritionists and more.

Link To The Airway Advocates Organizairion

The Role of Telemedicine in the Treatment of Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 15:50:57 GMT

Telemedicine makes medical expertise accessible to everyone, regardless of where they reside.

Dr. Bouzis and RestfulSleep provide Telemedicine Visits as an Origination Site (meaning in our Casper office) for visits with a Board Certified Physician ...................

How convenient would it be if getting medical consultancy did not have to mean getting an appointment, leaving your house and physically going to meet a medical professional? What if you could get medical advice while lying in your bed – or speak to an NYC doctor while you’re enjoying warm sunshine at the Miami beach? This dream is slowly and surely turning into a reality; the phenomenon is known as telemedicine.

Telemedicine makes medical expertise accessible to everyone, regardless of where they reside in the country – or even in the world. It is useful, secure, affordable, and practical, since it makes use of telecommunication technology to digitally bridge patients and providers, eliminating the need for face-to-face interaction. While telecommunication has been effective in treating common physical illnesses, there has been debate over whether it can treat more complex conditions like sleep disorders, which do not have consistent symptoms or standard medication.

The U.S. has a relatively high rate of sleep disorders, particularly insomnia. It is estimated that around 25% of Americans have insomnia each year, and almost 25% of these are complex cases that remain unresolved. Health professionals are now discussing how to cater to these problems through telemedicine. The topic was also addressed during the 2019 SLEEP Conference , where professionals discussed virtual care strategies as alternatives to in-person care for sleep-related medical conditions. They mainly reviewed studies that support the idea that connected health can help those suffering from sleep disorders by treating them within their homes with the help of online portals and apps.

Telemedicine Facets That Can Help Insomniac Patients

1. Video Consultations

These are the same as meeting a doctor in person and having a conversation with them, except that the meeting is done over a screen. People suffering from sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia can describe their symptoms to their doctors, and get advice and medication prescription over the online session.

2. Remote Patient Monitoring

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is considered effective in chronic patient management to help improve the quality of life and can be highly effective with sleep disorders. RPM has a number of features, including:

Sensors on a device that measures physiological parameters
Data repository that stores patient data obtained from the sensors
Diagnostic applications and analysis software
Treatment recommendations and intervention alerts from software and healthcare providers

Different combinations of these may be employed depending on the provider, the patient, and the medical condition.

3. Remote Care Management

Remote Care Management (RCM) programs are a significant part of value-based care. They entail managing sleep disorders through remote monitoring, care provision, and patient education. RCM programs can potentially increase the providers’ insight into the lives of patients, helping prevent chronic conditions from deteriorating.

4. Integration of Data from Patient Wearables

Patient wearables are devices worn on the body to monitor physical changes and obtain and integrate data to help physicians remotely monitor patients and suggest and sustain treatment plans. For sleep disorder patients, data from wearables is particularly useful, since a chosen device can measure bodily changes during the night, duration of sleep, duration of REM/deep sleep, and other factors that come into play in sleep problems.

Virtual Treatment for Sleep Disorders

Physicians are now discussing treatments for sleep disorders, particularly for insomnia, that can be deployed through virtual care. Among the most important and potentially effective solutions is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).

CBT for Insomnia

At the 2019 SLEEP Conference, the effectiveness of CBT for insomnia was discussed, specifically with regards to telemedicine. A study conducted to gauge the efficacy included 38 adults who have insomnia. Participants were randomly assigned six sessions of treatment, either face-to-face or through virtual care. They were required to maintain a sleep consensus diary throughout the treatment period, recording a number of measures of daytime operation, including fatigue, depression, anxiety, and overall functioning.

Todd Arnedt, PhD, co-director of the Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory at Michigan Medicine, said in a press conference, “The most surprising findings in the study were that, contrary to our hypotheses, participants who received CBT for insomnia via telemedicine rated therapist alliance similarly to participants who received face-to-face CBT for insomnia.” He added, “In addition, ratings of satisfaction with treatment were equivalent between face-to-face and telemedicine participants.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) describes the treatment as “[combining] behavioral strategies, such as setting a consistent sleep schedule and getting out of bed when struggling with sleep, with cognitive strategies, such as replacing fears about sleeplessness with more helpful expectations.”

It can be rightly concluded that telemedicine is indeed effective for insomnia treatment plans. Physicians hope to further this and include more treatments for various sleep disorders, eventually eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming face-to-face care.

Didge Project on Sleep Apnea

Sat, 28 Sep 2019 01:19:47 GMT

As Found In The New York Times

Greetings and W elcome to the Didge Project newsletter!

This week an article came out in the New York Times highlighting some shocking results about sleep apnea. The article states, "Over the course of the [9-year] study, people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea were nearly three times as likely to be diagnosed with depression, and almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety..."

We at Didge Project have had the opportunity to work with many people with Sleep Apnea due to the findings that playing didgeridoo can help to treat or mitigate the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Tied to Mood Disorders

People with obstructive sleep apnea were more likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety than those without the condition.

By Nicholas Bakalar

Sleep apnea may increase the risk for mood disorders, researchers have found. Obstructive sleep apnea, or O.S.A., is a sleep-related breathing disorder that has been linked to many other conditions, including cardiovascular disease, asthma exacerbation, glaucoma, erectile dysfunction and neurocognitive problems.

For the new study, in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery , researchers enrolled 197 Korean men and women diagnosed with O.S.A. and 788 people without the syndrome matched for age, sex, and health and socioeconomic characteristics. None of the 985 participants had been diagnosed with depression, bipolar illness or an anxiety disorder before the start of the study. The researchers followed them for an average of nine years.

Over the course of the study, people with O.S.A. were nearly three times as likely to be diagnosed with depression, and almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety as those in the control group. Women with O.S.A. were more likely than men to develop a mood disorder. The reason for the association is unknown.

The researchers had no information about the use of positive airway pressure devices or oral appliances used to treat sleep apnea, so they could not determine whether treatment would reduce the risk. Still, they write, “studies that investigate O.S.A. management and the risk of developing affective disorders may yield strategies for effective prevention and intervention practices.”

OUT OF BREATH: A PROMOTIONAL VIDEO FOR A DOCUMENTARY FEATURE ON SLEEP APNEA

Fri, 27 Sep 2019 06:28:44 GMT

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the medical field’s forgotten disease. How and why did this happen?

TYPE : Documentary Feature
GENRE: Documentary
STATUS: Development

SYNOPSIS

Nearly one billion people suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. A 40 year old device is the only widespread treatment option. Why do medical students get minimal training and fewer doctors enter the field? This film will explore personal stories of lives shattered and expert testimony on the reasons professionals ignore this disease.

ARTISTIC STATEMENT

I’ve been living with the disease for most of my adult life, which has given me an intimate understanding of how it's impacted the lives of so many people and the passionate motivation to tell this story in a way that will be both personal and epic in its scope. As my prior work reflects, my films speak on multiple levels at the same time in order to reach deeply into their subject matter. They are layered and nuanced so that they cover more than just their apparent topic. This film will have a feeling of being both in the trenches with its characters and also grand in scale. It will help the viewer identify with those who suffer from OSA while also probing some of the larger societal issues that have shaped policy about OSA and that have created obstacles to its being better known, better studied, better diagnosed and better treated. The film will be exploring: - the personal journey of individuals who are struggling with sleep deprivation and the impact it has had on their lives, family and careers. - the societal impact of OSA as portrayed by news reports and other archival material. - Current activities to demonstrate the prevalence of OSA (i.e. specific public events, conventions, etc.). - Engaging and revealing discussions between pre-eminent and charismatic sleep experts, providing an insider’s view into the workings of the medical field as it relates to OSA. The film will create an experience for the viewer in which they can feel the emotions of its characters and the frustration of the experts who are dealing with the controversy surrounding this underexposed public health epidemic that silently ruins and even takes so many lives.

KEY CREW

George T. Nierenberg - Director / Producer

GEORGE T. NIERENBERG is an acclaimed Director/Producer whose career has spanned the worlds of independent features, network, and cable television. His award-winning film, Say Amen, Somebody (originally released theatrically by United Artist Classics) was celebrated at major film festivals including Telluride, New York, Toronto, London, and Cannes. It was named “One of the Ten Best Films of The Year” by People Magazine, Siskel and Ebert and Rolling Stone, among others. His Emmy-winning film No Maps on My Taps received a theatrical release before airing on PBS, cable and international television. Mr. Nierenberg’s Emmy nominated That Rhythm, Those Blues opened at the Telluride Film before airing on The American Experience. He has produced, directed and developed projects for CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, AMC, Bravo, Nickelodeon, Sony BMG and National Geographic Explorer. Nierenberg film’s Say Amen, Somebody and No Maps on My Taps are currently being re-released theatrically by Milestone Films.

FILM ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. John Remmers
Dr. Colin Sullivan
Dr. Charles Czeisler
Mark Rosekind, Ph.D.
Dr. David Rapoport
Dr. Naresh Punjabi
Dr. Barbara Phillips
Dr. Gilles Lavigne
Lt. Col. Phillip Neal

Connect With The Filmmakers:

Contact By Email

Make a Contribution
It's tax deductible!

ACCOLADES

IFP Fiscal Sponsorship Program 2019

Nierenberg’s SAY AMEN,SOMEBODY & NO MAPS ON MY TAPS are currently being re-released theatrically

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All Things Sleep TM - from the "Why" for patients to the "Why" for your doctor.

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 14:15:46 GMT

Here You Will Find Various Descriptions Of The American Academy Of Sleep Medicine's Telemedicine App - from how it works to the why you may need it …………………...

Convenience

AASM SleepTM gives you broader access to sleep specialists. It eliminates the time-consuming commute, waiting room and inconvenient scheduling.

Secure Video Portal

Receive personalized care through real-time interaction with your provider. Telemedicine provide face-to-face care without needing to be in the same building.

Security

AASM SleepTM keeps your confidential health records safe. Data encryption, two-step login verification and secure file storage ensure your privacy.

Specialized Care

Sleep is a medical issue which extends far beyond Monday-morning tiredness. Don't ignore the symptoms of unhealthy sleep. Get the best care, from leading sleep medicine specialists.

Sleep Tracking

Track and monitor your sleep habits through AASM SleepTM’s integrated sleep diaries. Fill out sleep questionnaires as assigned by your provider. Enter your daily sleep times or import sleep data from your wearable device (e.g. FitBit).

Sleep telemedicine is even more accessible! Download the app and schedule your first APP-ointment from your mobile device. Why use AASM SleepTM?

Your health is important, and so is your time. Remove the hazards and inconveniences of traveling to a sleep provider. AASM SleepTM is a secure video portal that allows you to receive sleep care from a distance without sacrificing any quality. Select your sleep provider based on merit rather than location.

Here Are Some Guidelines That Will Describe What To Expect When Scheduling Your First Encounter

Wyoming Women's Expo 2019

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 05:56:50 GMT

To Download a Sleep Screener Select Either a PDF or Word Format Below Complete & Return To:
RestfulSleep, 130 North Ash, Suite 202, Casper, Wy. 82601
PDF
Sleep Screening & Consultation
Word
For Further Information As To How & Why To Get Screened For Sleep Apnea Scroll Further Down This Page

Healthy Start and Sleep Apnea at The 2019 Wyoming Women's EXPO

HealthyStart™ Straight Teeth. No Braces. “As CEO of HealthyStart ™ and a mother of 3, my goal and desire is to provide every advantage for your child to allow them to live healthy and happy lives. There is a silent epidemic effecting 9 out of 10 children. This epidemic manifests itself in a variety of symptoms that can easily be overlooked, misdiagnosed, and most unfortunately left untreated. It is critical that we as parents evaluate our children’s sleep and breathing habits.

The Healthy Start system identifies these symptoms and evaluates the underlying root cause. This non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive, and natural treatment plan addresses the root cause of Sleep Disordered Breathing, promotes proper oral habits, develops the airway, proper jaw development and will result in straight teeth without braces.

Please join me in my mission to educate ourselves as parents to ensure our children a lifetime of health, happiness, and success.” ~ Leslie Stevens, CEO

Why Get Screened For sleep Apnea

Dr. Prach and Dr. Bouzis enjoyed the opportunity to share with the attendees of this year’s Wyoming’s Expo not only information on Sleep Apnea but also how we can now give children a “Healthy Start” in growth and development that not only lessens the chances of having sleep apnea as an adult but also decreases their chance of needing complex orthodontic treatment as young adults.

With sleep apnea being so dangerous and estimated to affect from 30 to 40 million Americans while remaining 90% un-diagnosed, Dr. Bouzis has generously offered to do no charge consultations for all 89 of those that showed an interest in doing so by checking the appropriate box at our booth at the expo. The reality is that we couldn’t call ourselves very good “health care providers” if we selected only one winner. We do however ask that you complete the SNORING AND SLEEP APNEA SELF-EXAMINATION CHECK LIST so that we may prioritize the consultation visits for those with the most risk and severity to be seen first - download the one page screener by clicking either a pdf or word format, then print and return to our office.

Once completed, the questionnaire can either be scanned or alternatively take a clear photo of it with your cell phone and email it back to jbouzis@aol.com or you can simply m ail it back to us at RestfulSleep, 130 North Ash, Suite 202, Casper, WY. 82601.

To Be Transparent - The Prioritization Process will be as follows:

The First Parameter to be considered will be the individual’s degree of risk.
The Second Parameter to be considered, for those with equal risk, will be the order in which the screeners are returned – they will be date stamped the day they are received.

Naturally, it is well known that not everyone that checks a box at a meeting, convention or in this case an Expo has the need or intention of following through and as a result there will be those that wish to decline this opportunity. I would urge you either not to do so or if you simply feel this is not pertanant to your situation feel free to pass the screener on to a loved one, family member or someone you may know because with Sleep Apnea affecting 20-25% of the population, yet it remaining 90% undiagnosed, it can be said that "we all know someone suffering with Sleep Apnea even if they themselves have not yet been diagnosed".

Below are listed some of the chronic health issues that are associated with having Sleep Apnea

Shaq / Sleep Certified / Dental Sleep Practice Interview

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 03:14:54 GMT

Get Diagnosed Today

MedMark Media Founder and DSP Publisher Lisa Moler sits down with Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal to discuss his struggle with OSA and how he is fulfilling his dream of spreading awareness of this life-threatening condition. Shaquille O’Neal’s powerful athleticism and personality have made him one of the world’s most recognized celebrities. He undoubtedly is an MVP, and now has added MVS (Most Valuable Sleeper) to his long list of accomplishments. He met with MedMark Media Publisher Lisa Moler to speak candidly about his personal issues with sleep and how he sought the help he needed for his sleep apnea.

Lisa : I know that you derive inspiration from quotes. Which ones have been “life changing,” and why? Shaq : One of my favorite quotes is from General Dwight Eisenhower. “The greatest leaders are the ones smart enough to hire people smarter than them.” After I read that quote, that’s how I started handling my business affairs. I don’t know it all, but I do like to know people who know it all.

Lisa : Tell us about your sleep journey. Shaq : Some years ago, I was part of a Harvard sleep apnea study. Dr. Charles A. Czeisler, who did a lot of research with sleep apnea, let me know the warning signs, and that I had severe sleep apnea. At the time, I thought, ‘I’m Shaq; it’s not going to happen to me. I am one of the world’s greatest athletes to ever play the game.’ Sleep apnea is very serious. I know for a fact that I stop breathing 72 times per hour.

Because of the sound of the air from the CPAP, even when I was tired, it would take me another hour to get to sleep. And then when I talked, I sounded like Darth Vader! I didn’t like it.

Lisa : Tell us how you finally came to be treated for sleep apnea, and why is it so important for you to spread the word on sleep apnea awareness? Shaq : One day after retiring from basket- ball, I gave my mother a lot of gifts – my way of thanking her. She said, ‘I don’t want these, Baby; I love you very much. What have you done to brighten up someone else’s day?’ And it hit me; that’s my mission after I retire – make people smile and let them know I care about them. So this is my way to help. A lot of times, you need that ‘higher voice’ to tell you. I didn’t pay attention, even when I was in the Harvard study, and then, I heard ‘the higher voice.’ One day, I was on Instagram, and someone sent me this really brash message – ‘ Do you want to die ?’ I thought the guy was threatening me. It was Dr. Jonathan Greenburg, who said, ‘You have sleep apnea.’ We started talking, and I went to his office. We discussed that when we stop breathing in the night, the heart has to work extra hard and, over the course of time, one day your heart is going to say, ‘I can’t handle this anymore.’ He had a device called the ZYPPAH®. Basically, it is an oral appliance that stops your tongue from falling back and blocking your airway. With this device, I get nice uninterrupted REM sleep. So, now, if I can be the higher voice to help people be aware; I’m 47, have six children, and I’m starting to come on the other side of the hill. The ‘D-word’ always scares me, so to prevent it, I’m trying to do better. I had all the toys like the CPAP machine, but I didn’t use it all the time.

Lisa : Your son, Shareef, snore-shamed you on social media! How did you feel about that? Shaq : He caught me sleeping, and I am a heavy snorer, everyone knows I snore. Doctors say if you have an 18-inch neck or bigger, you probably will be a snorer and have sleep apnea. My neck is 21 inches, and therefore, I have struggled with this issue for a long time.

Lisa : Big, small, young, or old, sleep apnea doesn’t discriminate. It is an epidemic and a deadly disease. Bringing awareness through DSP has been my focus since I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 5 years ago. I completely fell out of bed one morning at 2 a.m. because I had stopped breathing. I had every symptom of a heart attack, and my brain didn’t wake me up until I fell. It was very scary. You said you tried a CPAP; what was your experience with that? Shaq : It is just too loud. After working all day, when I sleep, I want complete darkness and silence. I have puppies and they know that when Daddy goes to sleep, don’t even …………….. People ask me what I want to be remembered for, and the answer is simple; I just want people to say Shaq was a nice guy. No one cares about what I invested in. People will remember that when they met Mr. O’Neal, he was nice to their kids – end of story.

Lisa : Thanks for joining us, Dr. Greenburg , what made you contact Shaq and offer him your help? Dr. Greenburg: Many people think, as Shaq did, ‘It is not going to happen to me.’ The impact of sleep apnea – strokes, heart attacks, the correlation with Alzheimer’s, and the fact that these people have a 4 times increased risk of cancer (as some studies are now showing), this is no joke, and yet so many people are not being treated. If we don’t get a good night’s sleep, we wake up grouchy; we snap at people; we’re not very nice or friendly, but if we get a good night’s rest, our nature is different – we’re patient, understanding, giving and, on top of that, we are also adding quality and years to people’s lives. I couldn’t think of a better person than Shaquille to help change the planet for the better.

Lisa : Dr. Greenburg, tell us about how your company, Sleep Certified , is working to change the trajectory of OSA in our country? We are educating the public, creating that demand for treatment, and then, training the dentists to treat those patients properly and at the highest level. To achieve those goals, we created Sleep Certified® (sleepcertified.com), an online educational platform that trains dentists and their staff on how to treat sleep apnea at a high level. Sleep Certified creates nine levels of certification so that we can be very transparent with the consumer on the dentists’ expertise level, not only on their training, but also on their five-star reviews. The patients can go online to our Sleep Certified map, see what level that dentist has achieved, and then, choose the best dentist for them. That’s the whole goal – to be able to provide an inexpensive and accessible platform and to bring those dentists training so that they can actually handle the influx of patients they will be seeing. We are incredibly excited. This is about changing people’s lives.

Lisa : Shaq, there are not a lot of celebrities who say, ‘I have this issue,’ and bring it to people’s attention like you did. Shaq: I’m not a celebrity – just a young kid that listened to his parents. Lisa : Just a regular guy! I am so excited to be on this journey with you, and hope we can get together again and have another chat. It is truly ALL of our missions to help educate our dental audience on the importance of properly diagnosing OSA, what to look for in breathing-airway issues, delivering proper treatment, and just how critical your everyday role is in helping to save lives. Join the team, become the MVP of your practice, and put some serious Shaq-style slam dunk on this epidemic! And, as always, for all information on dental sleep, please visit DentalSleepPractice.com. And for more information on Dr Greenburg and Sleep Certified, please go to www.sleepcertified.com .

Keep making our world smile! This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.NBA MVP Shaquille O’Neal, MedMark Media Publisher Lisa Moler and Dr. Jonathan Greenburg. That’s my mission after I retire — make people smile and let them know I care about them. With this device, I get nice uninterrupted REM sleep. So, now, if I can be the higher voice to help people be aware, then, that’s what it’s all about. “ “
DSP | Fall 2019
COVER STORY
11DentalSleepPractice.com

Access To 1000's Of Pages Of Archived Research Articles On Sleep Disturbed Breathing And Sleep Apnea

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 06:31:23 GMT

Click Here To Download A Spread Sheet (12.31.2019) With Abstracts And Available Subject Matter On Sleep, Sleep Apnea & The Related Health Risks Associated With Poor Sleep Especially Sleep Apnea. Save the Spread Sheet to your hard drive and follow the directions provided. You can hover over the dots in order to see a short abstract of the article or click to open the file. Note: in order to open the files you will need a password for access. Please email Dr. John L. Bouzis at jbouzis@aol.com with Requesting Password in the subject line and then in the email provide your contact information with a brief description of what you are looking for and why and we'll get back to you.

Scroll Down To Statistically See The Risks Of Untreated Sleep Apnea and /or How To Schedule A Virtual Telemedicine Diagnostic Visit

We Also Provide Telemedicine For Diagnosis And Follow Up

Click Here To Schedule

For A Description Of How To Request A Telemedicine Appointment click here

Sleep Medicine At Northwestern Medicine

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 01:02:39 GMT

Dr Vikas Jain, MD.

Content and Overview From Northwestern Medicine's Web Site:

What Is Sleep Apnea?

The conditions often referred to as sleep disordered breathing (SDB) include a group of medical conditions that are associated with abnormal breathing that occurs only during sleep and not wakefulness. There are several types of sleep disordered breathing including:

Obstructive sleep apnea
Central sleep apnea
Complex sleep apnea
Hypoventilation syndrome

SDB has been shown to contribute to the development of hypertension and high blood sugar. These abnormalities drive an increased risk of developing heart attack, heart failure, stroke and diabetes. Other medical conditions can worsen when associated with SDB, including retinal disease, gout, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease and many more.

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes interruptions in breathing during sleep. It is more likely in people who snore loudly, are overweight, have high blood pressure or have some abnormality in their nose and throat.

During apnea, the oxygen level in the blood falls. This causes the patient to awaken slightly (without knowing it) so that breathing can resume. Apnea can last from just a few seconds to over a minute and it can occur many times during the night.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects more than 18 million people. OSA occurs when the airway is blocked during sleep. No air moves in or out of the lungs. The blockage may be caused by the tongue or the soft part of the mouth falling over the airway. If OSA is left untreated, the low oxygen level may harm the heart and other organs.

Central sleep apnea

Central sleep apnea is a disorder in which your breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep. Central sleep apnea occurs because your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing.

Complex sleep apnea

Complex sleep apnea is another sleep disorder in which repeated central apneas (more than five an hour) occur and for which there is not a known cause.

Hypoventilation syndrome

Hypoventilation syndrome is a condition in some obese people in which poor breathing leads to lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide levels in their blood.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Telemedicine For Sleep Apnea With RestfulSleep

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 02:54:27 GMT

Schedule An Appointment Today

We Can Help You Get Diagnosed And Treated For Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Schedule Your Sleep Telemedicine Appointment With Dr. John L. Bouzis

Does your bed partner constantly nudge you at night to stop snoring? Have you ever wondered if you have sleep apnea, but taking a trip to the doctor is out of the way? Telemedicine is as effective for sleep apnea care as visiting your doctor’s office, a new study suggests.

A study of 60 adults found that telemedicine is an effective option for sleep apnea care. Patient satisfaction was high for telemedicine. People enjoyed the convenience of a live, video visit with a sleep doctor. AASM SleepTM is a new telemedicine system that will soon bring the expertise of sleep specialists to you.

The study involved 60 patients from outpatient centers who were at least 30 miles from the main medical center. Patients were chosen at random for a telemedicine or in office treatment plan. The results show there were no significant differences in dropout rates, positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy adherence, or functional outcome changes between patients in each group of the study. Patients in the telemedicine group also expressed high satisfaction with their care. They especially liked the convenience of a live, video visit with a sleep doctor. Seek a doctor’s advice if you have an ongoing sleep problem or are unable to sleep 7 hours or more per night. Make your choice convenient by using telemedicine.

AASM SleepTM is a new telemedicine system that will soon bring the expertise of sleep specialists to you. Telemedicine is improving how you receive your sleep care.

RELATED ARTICLES

Telemedicine: Tell your sleep doctor about AASM SleepTM

Download SleepTM for your mobile device Here ...............

Telemedicine

Patients and doctors are busier than ever before. Both are leveraging technology to stay on track with deadlines, goals, and organization. One of the newer tools for use on both sides is telemedicine.

Telemedicine is a virtual, secure, video conversation platform that allows you to see your doctor from almost anywhere. Usually requiring only an internet connection, a web cam, and PC or laptop, telemedicine gives you more convenient access to providers who would have been out of reach.

Sleep Medicine and Telemedicine

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recognizes that telemedicine represents the future of health care. In order to effectively reach people who are in rural areas, or just too busy to make it to their doctor, we have created a telemedicine platform for you to connect with sleep specialists.

AASM SleepTM is a robust system that allows you to track your sleep patterns, request telemedicine appointments, send secure messages directly to your doctor, and much more. You can get started by creating a free account to begin using the sleep diary and sleep tracking features. You also can find a sleep provider and request a video visit using AASM SleepTM.

Download SleepTM for your mobile device Here ...............

There is yet another do-it-yourself fad that deserves the attention of dental professionals: Sleep Appliances.

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 05:33:39 GMT

In the midst of concerns about direct-to-consumer orthodontics , there is another do-it-yourself fad that deserves our attention: sleep appliances. A myriad of mandibular advancement appliances designed to treat sleep-related breathing disorders have flooded the market during the past few years. Dentists have their work cut out for them deciding which appliance they believe will best treat their patients’ conditions. However, there have also been a number of direct-to-consumer appliances that customers can order online or purchase in a local pharmacy. These are sometimes affectionately referred to as the “boil-and-bite” category.

There are some procedures patients can do for themselves (e.g., non-prescription-strength whitening), and there are some procedures that are best left to trained professionals. Fortunately, there aren’t any DIY tooth extraction kits being sold in stores, and I don’t foresee that happening anytime soon. That’s because the dangers of someone removing their own tooth are obvious. But when it comes to tooth movement or opening an airway, the perils of unsupervised dentistry become murky and can take years to present themselves. That does not make them any less dangerous, however.

Here are some of the concerns our profession has with DIY sleep appliances:

1. Ineffective management of sleep apnea —Without the supervision of dental or medical professionals, a boil-and-bite appliance may be improving snoring without actually treating the sleep apnea. Thus, the improvement of a symptom leads the person to believe the condition is cured.

2. Bite changes —It is known that oral appliance use can lead to changes in occlusion . Not all of these changes are necessarily harmful, but it’s important for them to be monitored by a dentist. If someone uses a DIY appliance and fails to adequately cover all occlusal surfaces of his or her teeth, then long-term use of the appliance could lead to more severe bite changes.

3. Appliance fracture or inability to be used —Professional appliances are custom made to each case, ensuring proper thickness of material and adaptation to the dentition. Boil-and-bite appliances are more likely to be fragile and/or poorly adapted to the teeth, thus increasing the likelihood of fracture or dislodgement during sleep.

4. TMJ issues —Patients with underlying TMD should proceed with caution when using an oral sleep appliance. A dentist will establish a baseline for range of motion, muscle health and soreness, and other signs of TMJ function or dysfunction. Without monitoring TMJ health prior to and during appliance use, a DIY customer may introduce or exacerbate a TMD.

These and other concerns are not just speculation; I have witnessed all of the aforementioned scenarios in my practice when patients have used DIY sleep appliances. Our profession should seek to educate the public about these dangers and push back on companies that neglect their customers’ safety.

These dangers should also serve as a wakeup call to dentists who are treating sleep-related breathing disorders without proper training. If you’re making appliances for your patients, you should consider partnering with a company such as SleepArchiTx , who can train you and your team to diagnose, treat, and bill medical insurance. You should also consider membership in a group such the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine to further your clinical knowledge.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

How To Interpret An IN LAB MATRx Study For Sleep Apnea

Sun, 19 May 2019 06:06:19 GMT

Dr. John Remmers Shares The Meaning Of A Sleep Study To Determine If An Oral Appliance Will Effectively Trreat your Sleep Apnea

MATRx In Lab Sleep Study An Overview

Sun, 19 May 2019 05:57:17 GMT

An Overview By Dr. John Remmers, The Developer Of The MATRx In Lab Sleep Study Technology For Determining The Most Effective Position For An Oral Appliance For Treating Sleep Apnea.

MATRx Plus: An In Home Test And Fitting For Oral Appliance For Patients Rather Than CPAP

Sun, 19 May 2019 05:43:16 GMT

An in-lab study that not only determines if you have sleep apnea or not but also determines the setting for an Oral Appliance while predicting its effectiveness .....

The Case For The Didgeridoo For Sleep Apnea

Sun, 19 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Last time we got the ball rolling on how the MyApnea.org community could provide a forum for sharing and testing new solutions to the challenges of living well with sleep apnea. This time we would like to share an experiment people with sleep apnea did to see if playing the didgeridoo helped their breathing and tell you more about how to put an N of 1 experiment together.

Understanding Sleep Disordered Breathing - Sleep Apnea

Sat, 11 May 2019 15:36:26 GMT

What It Means To Your Health

What Actually Happens When You Have Sleep Apnea? The Effort To Breath And Catch A Breath & How It Effects Our Health!

Reviewing A Pulse Oximetry Report

Sat, 11 May 2019 15:18:52 GMT

Blood Oxygen Levels / Understanding Your Numbers And Their Importance To Your Health

The Equipment Used For Testing - High Resolution vs Less Sophisticated Devices

Report Overview

Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) And What Exactly Is That ? Does It Relate To AHI?

The Cycling Time Percent

The Cycling Severity Index

The Saturation Baseline Drift

The Desaturation Severity

Overview Of The SatScreen Pulse Oximetry Reports

Sat, 11 May 2019 15:16:05 GMT

Information One Needs To Know About Oxygen Levels

It's A Matter Of Life & Breath

Inspire Medical Implant System

Sat, 11 May 2019 01:04:20 GMT

A Treatment Alternative To CPAP

Dr Jay Khorsandi from Snore Experts on KTLA News

Sat, 11 May 2019 00:24:40 GMT

Debunking Sleep Myths

Dr. Jay Khorsandi has progressed down a path of education and clinical experience with one goal in mind: To get his patients sleeping better and ultimately feeling better. For almost 20 years, Dr. Khorsandi has been improving the lives of patients whether it was fixing a chipped tooth on a bride the day of her wedding to extracting an infected tooth on near-term pregnant woman in desperate pain or helping a patient get a new job and partner in life from his confident new smile. Over the last 5 years he has focused his attention on something many of us take for granted. Our sleep. For patients that are suffering from snoring, sleep apnea and it’s many related problems, Dr. Khorsandi has incorporated an integrative approach to look at numerous factors while using cutting-edge technologies to help you sleep better, feel better and live a healthier life.

What are dreams for?

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 17:33:12 GMT

A handful of theories predominate..........

Sigmund Freud famously contended that they reveal hidden truths and wishes. More recent research suggests that they may help us process intense emotions, or perhaps sort through and consolidate memories, or make sense of random neuron activity, or rehearse responses to threatening situations. Others argue that dreams have no evolutionary function, but simply dramatize personal concerns.

Despite being largely unsupported by evidence, Freud’s view maintains a strong following around the world. Researchers found that students in the U.S., South Korea, and India were much more likely to say that dreams reveal hidden truths than to endorse better-substantiated theories. Relatedly, people put great stock in their dreams: In the same study, respondents said that dreaming about a plane crash would cause them more anxiety than an official warning about a terrorist attack.

Even if dreams can’t foretell the future, they seem to expose our shared fascinations. The majority of dreams occur during REM sleep cycles, of which the average person has four or five a night. Eight percent of dreams are about sex, a rate that holds for both women and men, though women are twice as likely as men to have sexual dreams about a public figure, while men are twice as likely to dream about multiple partners. Anxiety is also rife: A study of Canadian university students found the most common dream topics, apart from sex, to be school, falling, being chased, and arriving too late for something.

Dr. Jay Khorsandi with Snore Experts - Snoring & Sleep Apnea on Fox News

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 15:03:18 GMT

30% Of Those That Snore Have Sleep Apnea - But Even Snoring Alone Creates A Health Problem As Snoring Can Affect The Carotid Artery: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255459.php

Read How Snoring Itself Can Affect The Carotid Artery: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255459.php

Shaq, Dr. Greenburg and Sleep Apnea

Sun, 27 Jan 2019 07:49:52 GMT

Changing the awareness of Sleep Apnea

What A Partner In This Cause

Sleeps 6

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 21:58:38 GMT

Volkswagen's Sleep Apnea and Snoring Solution

Often times when Sleep Apnea has not yet been diagnosed and treated this remains the result.

Sleep Apnea and Brain Health

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 13:17:11 GMT

Once again researchers have found evidence of the critical role quality sleep plays on our overall health...……..

Addressing the common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) could have huge implications for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sleep apnea which, left untreated, can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes and other ailments, to Alzheimer’s disease - researchers continue to discover why we need to sleep. Now investigators from the Intramural Research Program (IRP) of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) are saying feeling excessively sleepy during the day could be a sign of increased risk for the brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to a new study published in the September 25, 2018 issue of the journal Sleep , older adults who felt sleepy during the day when they wanted to be awake were almost three times more likely to have deposits of beta-amyloid—the protein that clumps in the brain as part of Alzheimer’s pathology. The research team was led by Dr. Adam Spira of Johns Hopkins University and included Dr. Murat Bilgel, Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, Dr. Susan Resnick and Dr. Eleanor Simonsick.

Using Neuroimaging Substudy data, researchers looked at the reported daytime sleepiness levels and napping habits of 124 cognitively healthy men and women and then matched that information with PET and MRI scan results from an average of 16 years later. The BLSA is America's longest-running study of human aging. Between 1991 and 2000, BLSA participants were asked “Do you often become drowsy or fall asleep during the daytime when you wish to be awake? (e.g. falling asleep watching TV or reading).” They also were asked, “Do you nap?”

Shaquille O'Neal Joins Zyppah Sleep Certified

Sun, 21 Oct 2018 15:12:02 GMT

We are very excited to be able to make the long-awaited announcement of NBA Champion "Shaquille O'Neal" joining Zyppah Sleep Certified as our Brand Ambassador!

We are very excited to be able to make the long-awaited announcement of NBA Champion "Shaquille O'Neal" joining Zyppah Sleep Certified as our Brand Ambassador!

There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to create a national advertising campaign that will bring awareness to the public on the importance of recognizing and addressing their Snoring & Sleep Apnea issues and finding a Sleep Certified Dentist in their area for those solutions. In the very near future..... Zyppah & Sleep Certified Dentists will be a household name! *See official announcement below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - ZYPPAH ® Signs Shaquille O'Neal as its Global Brand Ambassador

Company enlists NBA Legend and TV personality to help continue its mission of bringing “Happy Z’s” to millions of snorers around the world.

CALABASAS, California - (October 16, 2018) – ZYPPAH, a company dedicated to improving the sleep health of everyone in the bedroom, today announced that NBA Legend and TV Personality, Shaquille O’Neal will serve as their new global ambassador.

ZYPPAH offers the only snoring solution with a patented tongue band, and a network of respected Sleep Certified® Dentists to help people who snore or suffer from obstructive sleep apnea to sleep better and live healthier lives. “While often overlooked or thought of as funny, snoring is a serious problem that affects approximately 90 million Americans. Chronic snoring can lead to a variety of ailments from high blood pressure to diabetes,” said Dr. Jonathan Greenburg, CEO, and Founder of ZYPPAH®. “We partnered with Shaquille O’Neal to help elevate the awareness of this very common issue and lead consumers to a life-improving solution.” Having been diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2011 by Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine, O’Neal knows firsthand the impact that snoring and sleep apnea can have on one’s quality of life and relationships. "Before being diagnosed, I didn’t realize I had sleep apnea or how serious its effects could be,” said O’Neal. “Not only did it scare me, but my snoring was causing those around me to suffer. I met with Dr. Greenburg multiple times to find a solution and he introduced me to my ZYPPAH snoring device. It works for me and now I want to help others.”

ZYPPAH offers 6 unique styles/colors of snoring devices which are available on their website www.ZYPPAH.com for less than $100. Through their network of Sleep Certified® Dentists and Physicians at www.SleepCertified.com , fully customizable sleep apnea solutions that work with or without a CPAP machine are available. Sufferers of sleep apnea can visit a Sleep Certified® Dentist to determine if the cost for a ZYPPAH professional appliance is covered by their health insurance provider. In the coming months, ZYPPAH will roll out a national public awareness campaign across TV, print, and digital featuring O’Neal and Dr. Greenburg.

ZYPPAH Media Relations:

Daniel Kaufman, (818) 292-8532 or wecare@zyppah.com

ZYPPAH Investor Relations:

Owen Gonzales, (818) 292-8532 or investornews@zyppah.com

Shaquille O’Neal Media Contact:

Haley Steinberg, (646) 612-7439, hsteinberg@abg-nyc.com

About ZYPPAH:

ZYPPAH , Inc. is an A+ rated BBB accredited company, with thousands of five-star customer reviews for ZYPPAH anti-snoring solutions. ZYPPAH® is the parent company of Sleep Certified® Dentist and Physician referral and training portal. All of ZYPPAH products are safe and effective, manufactured in the USA, BPA free, and cleared by the FDA. Dr. Jonathan Greenburg, Founder, and CEO, and inventor of the ZYPPAH devices, which are the only ones that use a patented stabilizing band for the tongue, which is the root cause for snoring. Other solutions for snoring do not specifically address the tongue, and therefore may not work as well or at all. Clinical testing performed by an independent party on ZYPPAH devices show that the tongue band is a clear differentiator over other snoring mouthpieces that do not offer this component.

About Shaquille O'Neal:

Shaquille O'Neal is a four-time NBA Champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP. The retired, 15-time NBA All-Star was named as both one of the highest ranked athletes in the NBA and most influential in sports. With a PhD in Leadership and Education, this iconic marketing and social media marvel is ranked among the "100 Most Creative People in Business" by Fast Company Magazine . As a celebrity, athlete, business professional and comedian, O'Neal has an enormous and devoted fan base across a variety of demographics. Visit Shaq.com ; follow @Shaq on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

About Dr. Jonathan Greenburg :

Dr. Greenburg, a licensed dentist for over 30 years, began treating patients exclusively for snoring and sleep apnea ten years ago. He invented ZYPPAH hybrid oral appliances after 8 years of research and development. He has a bioengineering degree from Syracuse and his doctorate from NYU. He theorized that oral appliances on the market had failed to correctly stabilize the tongue and were sporadically effective. His invention specifically addresses the tongue, the primary cause for snoring and sleep apnea. Dr. Greenburg also is the owner of five Southern California snoring and sleep apnea treatment centers, SnoreExperts ®, is married, and has two children.

The Sleep Forum

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 03:36:47 GMT

A Place To Learn All Things Sleep

SLEEP is important for your physical and mental health, well-being and production. And it is something we all need and do!

The Sleep Forum is a publication dedicated to reporting exclusively on SLEEP. From homeopath solutions to lifestyle changes, from pharmaceuticals to medical devices, we are here to give you the most up to date views, research and solutions to sleep challenges and achieving healthy sleep. The Sleep Forum recognizes that many variables affect the sleep you get every day. Work, travel, kids, elderly parents and more. Through personal interviews and podcasts, original articles, studies and news releases, we will provide you with the latest trends and technologies in the sleep industry as it relates to work, travel, generational, and overall well-being.

Dental sleep medicine is an area of dental practice that focuses on the use of oral appliance therapy to treat sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Dentists work together with sleep physicians to identify the best treatment for each patient. The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) is a professional society for dentists who help patients control snoring and obstructive sleep apnea through the use of oral appliance therapy.

If you have trouble tolerating continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy or prefer an alternate treatment for sleep apnea, talk to an AADSM dentist today. Oral appliance therapy can help you and your bed partner get a good night’s sleep, and it will improve your health and quality of life.

Link To The Sleep Forum 

Dream Station

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 04:56:02 GMT

Dream Station and Dream Wear By Respironics - The face of sleep apnea will never be the same. The images speak for themselves !

Central Sleep Apnea

stafbouz@aol.com (Heather Powell) — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 07:16:04 GMT

What is it ?

So, its a long story, but in October 2016 I started having severe difficulty sleeping. I'm a chronic asthmatic, so difficulty sleeping isn't something I'm new too, but this was different. Despite not feeling congested or having a chesty cough etc.., at the exact moment of falling asleep, I would stop breathing. I would then wake up in order to breathe, then fall right back to sleep, only to have the exact same thing happen, sometimes going on for hours every night. I have gotten used to getting up and trying to function on just 3/4 hours sleep, sometimes for weeks on end.

This has been going on for 15 months now, with some periods of respite now and then, and it's starting to really impact my quality of life in a very negative way. Over the past few weeks, I have been feeling exhausted and anxious, and have taken myself to the hospital twice feeling like I was on the brink of a full-blown panic attack, due to sleep deprivation, something I have never done before.

Obviously, when I first started having these problems, I attributed them to my chronic breathing problems, and spent the next year trying various inhalers, nose sprays, anti-histamines and anti-inflammatories to treat this, all under the supervision of a doctor, of course. I also had to use sleeping pills (normally night-time cough/cold medicine that didn't require prescriptions) every few days when things were getting really bad, but it was the only way I could get to sleep at night. Predictably, they left me waking up in the morning feeling lousy.

Things have been getting worse over the past 3/4 months, so I decided to ask my Dr. for a CPAP machine, which he approved after giving me a Sleep Test , more on the results of that later. So two weeks ago a started using a CPAP , an automatic Philips Respironics, top of the line machine apparently. I also got some sedatives to get me through the first few nights as I was feeling anxious and panicky due to the sleep deficit on which I had been operating for weeks.

Over the past few days, I have stopped using the sleeping pills as I have started feeling less panicky and only ever viewed them as a very short-term solution, while I got adjusted to pressurized oxygen. This week, I have started going to bed with just the CPAP machine, after having adjusted the settings to minimum pressure 10 and making sure the mask fit right. And the same thing keeps happening.

The best way to describe it is that your body "forgets" to breathe when you are in the transitional stage between wakefulness and sleep , and you have to wake up in order to breathe. I find myself feeling nice and sleepy (without taking any sedatives/sleeping pills), perfectly comfortable wearing the mask and receiving pressurized oxygen, but that even with the CPAP, my brain isn't sending signals to my respiratory system, forcing me to wake up every time I need to breathe.

After researching my symptoms, I came across a very specialized form of sleep apnea called Sleep-onset Central Apnea or Transitional Central Seep Apnea , and reading the symptoms, it sums up EXACTLY my experience. Namely, inability to take breath during the transitional stage of sleep and having multiple sleep apneas and the onset of falling asleep, that a CPAP can't necessarily fix.

Now back to the results of my sleep test: Another thing that is consistent with my symptoms and sleep-onset central apnea, is that hyperventilation or " Cheyne Stoking Breathing " occurs during sleep, as well as a significant drop in the level of oxygen in the blood. My sleep report described both of these symptoms, and also a lack of actual snoring, which is also consistent with central sleep apneas in general.

I've had to start taking the sleeping pills again and am worried that, after reading what I have read online, that there is very little known about effective treatments for this specific kind of apnea. Treatment normally involves going to see an army of expensive specialists who will require lots of expensive tests just to confirm the diagnosis, and none of whom can guarantee any effective treatment.

This sleep-onset central apnea has been causing lots of damage to my life for over a year now, but I always felt optimistic a solution would be found. The CPAP machine (which cost £1,000 out of my own pocket) was my last resort and had really hoped it would make things better for me. I'm now starting to feel apprehensive about my job, my future and whether taking sleeping pills and spending my days feeling like a zombie may be the best I can hope for. At the moment, it feels like it's either that or being sleep deprived and panicky.

I really, really would appreciate absolutely any insights/advice/experiences that anyone may have had with central sleep apnea, in particular, sleep-onset/transitional, as my apneas happen at this stage in the sleep cycle, rather than during deep sleep.

"Sleep-onset central sleep apnea is not uncommon phenomenon, and is usually regarded as a normal sleep pattern."

https://www.e-jsm.org/journal/view.php?number=91

If you're waking up because of it, it may be that the machine's response to your apnea is the culprit. The Respironics machines send a single 2cm pulse of air lasting one second after you have had an apnea for ten seconds, in order to detect if your apnea is central or obstructive. That can be enough to wake you while you're transitioning into sleep.

The Resmed machines use a different method. They send a 1cm oscillating pulse starting a 4 seconds and continuing until the apnea stops. With Resmed, if you enable a timed ramp (not an auto ramp), the pulsing won't occur at all until the ramp time is over, which can allow you to avoid the pulsing until you get to sleep. You can disable the pulsing entirely if you have a ResMed BiLevel in Bi-level mode and turn Easy-Breathe OFF. Even in Bi-Level mode, you can set the pressure to be the same, so that the machine is essentially as CPAP. Depending where in the sleep cycle the Central Events are occurring an Adaptive Servo Ventilation (ASV) may be required as an alternative to your CPAP or APAP. ASV is a non-invasive ventilatory treatment option created specifically for the treatment of adults who have obstructive sleep apnea and central and/or complex sleep apnea. It's one of the newer positive airway pressure (PAP) units on the market that continuously monitor the patient's breathing problems.

Sleep is a very complex issue and is not only variable from individual to individual but also variable from night to night for the same individual. Central Apneic events often can initially occur as a result of starting on a CPAP but usually go away or are reduced to insignificance after several weeks of use. Sleep Onset Central Events are a little different in that by definition they occur while trying to get to sleep - the problem often being that getting to sleep can occur over and over for those with fragmented sleep in that they can continually wake up which then creates the situation that they are continually returning back to the beginning stages or "Sleep Onset". There are so many occurring individual variables - so research and learn what you can but don't try to sort this out on your own - often times a referral to a sleep specialist is recommended as the best choice since they deal with this everyday in their practices.

Should You Choose Dental Implants or Dentures in Casper?

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 20:01:00 GMT

Erin Prach DDS Blog

If you’re looking to replace missing teeth, you’re already on the right track to preventing long-term damage related to tooth loss! Over the years, dentistry has significantly advanced, providing consumers with many viable options to replace teeth. Many people are aware of traditional dentures in Casper, but more and more people are also considering Dental Implants

To help you make a more informed decision, take a moment to consider the pros and cons of both from a dentist. If you specifically have questions about dentures, schedule a free consultation through this limited time offer !

MATRx Plus Home Sleep Test

Sat, 08 Sep 2018 05:09:02 GMT

A New FDA Approved Test For Obstructive Sleep Apnea That Also Determines Those That Are Candidates For Oral Appliance Therapy

Does your bed partner complain of your snoring?
Are you tired during the day?
Do you have high blood pressure?
Are you looking for a CPAP alternative?

Find out if your sleep apnea can be treated with a simple oral appliance.
It all starts with a MATRx test. – watch this video to learn more!

Sometimes, it’s About the Little Things

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 16:13:00 GMT

“My dog Sully had not stayed in bed the whole night because of my snoring…now that I have my ProSomnus device, he stays the whole night” The post Sometimes, it’s About the Little Things appeared first on ProSomnus® Sleep Technologies.

The Role Of Smartphone Apps In Treatment Of Snoring And Sleep Apnea

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 15:10:00 GMT

Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and loud and persistent snoring are a common problem among many people. In sleep apnea, a person’s breathing stops and starts when he or she is sleeping. This can disrupt a person’s quality of sleep and

cause a number of adverse health issues. Snoring is noisy breathing that occurs as a result of a deviated nasal septum, tonsils, blocked nose, and so on.

Both snoring and sleep apnea can affect the quality of a person’s life. They can cause extreme tiredness and fatigue in the morning, which in turn has an impact on a person’s work and social life. Experiencing inadequate sleep due to sleep apnea and snoring can also lead to drowsiness during the daytime, and increase the chance of road accidents if a person falls asleep behind the wheel.

Before the rise of the internet and technology, the only way patients could be treated for sleep disorders was to stay awake the entire night and then go to a sleep clinic the day after where their quality of sleep would be analyzed and a diagnosis can be given.

Today, innovations in modern technology have made it possible to detect one’s quality of sleep through many different apps that you can easily obtain on a smartphone.

We have entered an era where virtually everything can be tracked using smartphone apps and electronic wearables. One can track their heartbeat, the number of steps taken, amount of calorie intake, and a number of other things with the help of the numerous apps available on the market.

So, it is only natural that we can use smartphone apps to help treat conditions like sleep apnea and snoring.

How Do Smartphone Apps Help You With Sleep Disorders?

There are a number of very unique smartphone apps on both iOS and Android devices. These apps have features that can track variations in a person’s sleep. For instance, an app called the Apnea App sends out sound waves that are inaudible. These sound waves are reflected by our bodies. As the sound waves bounce back, they record a number of parameters such as body movements, breathing rhythm, and more.

Based on these parameters, the app gives readings that are taken into account during treatment.

There are a number of sleep trackers that can track the different cycles of sleep. If patients wake up in the middle of their sleep cycle, they can simply log in when they get up and what time they went back to bed. The sleep tracking app can help provide enough data to indicate whether or not a person is experiencing similar symptoms to those who are suffering from sleep disorders.

This app can save a lot of time and effort involved with scheduling tests and many of the apps available can provide results with up to 90 percent accuracy. You can choose from a range of apps and check for features that suit you best.

Contact Our Office

Sleep disorders are a very serious problem and it is best to get it diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. A sleep disorder can endanger your life and adversely affect the lives of the people around you.

What is Sleep Apnea Animation

Sat, 11 Aug 2018 17:39:01 GMT

And What are the results of having it?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is when your breathing is blocked
Central Sleep Apnea is when your body stops trying to breath.
Depending on the Severity of your disease you can stop breathing from 30 to over 100 times per hour.
The Informational Video below describes the dangers of Sleep Disordered Breathing.

Broadband Users Sleep Less!

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 20:52:00 GMT

A recent study found that folks with high speed internet sleep 25 minutes less on average than those that don’t. Although not surprising, it speaks to the challenges of managing sleep deprivation, drowsiness and sleep apnea today. The post Broadband Users Sleep Less! appeared first on ProSomnus® Sleep Technologies.

Sleepy Drivers Risk Crash

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 10:15:00 GMT

A recent article by Jeff Rogers DMD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA in Sleep Review reveals the alarming increased risk of car crashes due to sleeping just 1-2 hours less than ideal. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 1 in 10 crashes were caused by drowsy drivers. Today, most states have ‘distracted’ and ‘drunk’ driving laws,

but none have ‘drowsy’ statutes. Bus and truck drivers, FAA pilots, boat captains and many other ‘alert critical’ jobs have testing and compliance guidelines that ensure a well-rested operator is in command. Rest well and drive safely. It is estimated that over 20% of the adult US population has some sleep disorder. See you physician or dentist to find out how you can be tested. The post Sleepy Drivers Risk Crash appeared first on ProSomnus® Sleep Technologies.

Berkshire Center for Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine

Sun, 29 Jul 2018 01:57:57 GMT

Berkshire Center Link
29 Church Street, Suite 101
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Click Above To Follow The Link

Like Minded Sleep Centers Blog

Dental Sleep Medicine is an emerging field in dentistry that offers patients an another treatment option for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Working with your physician and sleep specialists, oral appliance therapy can be a valuable way to open and stabilize the airway while you sleep. Each prospective patient must first obtain a medical diagnosis and sleep study. As with Craniofacial Pain management, a comprehensive evaluation and examination is performed to determine if an oral appliance is appropriate and effective. Careful monitoring and periodic testing is paramount in a patient achieving an improved night’s sleep.

Snoring may be a sign of the more dangerous Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Sun, 29 Jul 2018 00:31:39 GMT

SNORING IS YOUR WARNING SIGN THAT YOU COULD HAVE THE MORE DANGEROUS SLEEP APNEA

• Do you snore loudly, or have you been told that you snore at night?

• Does your snoring offend others and keep them from sleeping restfully?

• Has anyone noticed that you stop breathing during sleep?

• When waking up, do you feel tired, fatigued or not up to par?

• Have you ever dozed off or fallen asleep while driving or at work?

• Are you having trouble losing weight?

• Are you having to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom?

• Do you have high blood pressure, diabetes or a history of stroke/heart attack?

Should Sleep Tests Happen at Home or in the Lab?

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Although that can depend heavily on the individual patient's needs and even though In Lab Studies, or PSG's are the Gold Standard, home sleep studies in most cases are preferred due to not only being done in the comfort of your home but are also less expensive and provide several consecutive nights studies in order to better account for the night to night sleep variability that we all demonstrate.

New findings about patient satisfaction with sleep tests reveal that our previous assumptions may need to be revisited :

Patients can be diagnosed with sleep apnea at home using a home sleep apnea test (HSAT) or in the sleep lab with polysomnography (PSG). Several studies have found that medically uncomplicated patients at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea that get diagnosed either way have similar CPAP adherence and patient-reported outcomes. For this reason, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that either method can be used in these types of patients.

A team of MyApnea researchers and patients wanted to learn more about this topic. In a structured research setting, patients do well with both types of diagnostic tests. But what about in the real world? Are patients equally satisfied with both options?

The surveys you complete here at MyApnea.Org ask about your experience getting diagnosed and treated outside a structured research setting, in the real world. Survey responses were analyzed from 2563 MyApnea members regarding satisfaction with sleep study experience. The results of these surveys showed that patients who had their studies in-lab were more likely to be satisfied with their experience than patients who had a home sleep test. Specifically, 71% of patients who had their studies in-lab were satisfied with their experience versus 60% of patients who had a home sleep tests. These new results suggest that the comparison of in-lab PSG to home-based tests needs to be re-examined. More “real-world” studies assessing patient preferences and satisfaction regarding sleep apnea care are needed. You can read more about these published research findings .

The MyApnea research team wants to thank you for your contribution. We were able to learn something new about sleep apnea diagnosis because you completed the research surveys. Together, we are helping the sleep apnea community continue to learn and improve. Our research team just launched new surveys. Contribute to new research today by visiting the research page !

Eight Times More People Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea This Year Than Last Year!

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 15:21:00 GMT

It is about more than just feeling tired. According to fairhealth.org;
More males (65%) than females (35%) are affected.
Most likely ages are 41-70 (74%).
ID, IA, MD, AK and UT are the top five states.
Top associated diagnoses were diabetes and hypertension.
You may not have to wear a CPAP! There are Proven Oral Appliance Options!
The post 8 Times More People Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea This Year appeared first on ProSomnus® Sleep Technologies.

Alcohol: Sleep Aid or Sleep Hindrance?

Wed, 23 May 2018 21:21:00 GMT

It’s not rocket science: a good night’s sleep makes you feel good, energetic, and productive, while a poor night’s sleep often makes you feel anxious, foggy, irritable, or even downright sick. And, in fact, it’s true that sleep is inextricably linked to a number of health factors. People who get enough sleep typically maintain and […] The post Alcohol: Sleep Aid or Sleep Hindrance? appeared first on Sleep Dallas Blog.

,,,,,,, lose weight more easily, have better memory and cognition, and are more productive. They also reduce their risk of depression, heart disease, stroke and diabetes as compared to those who do not get enough sleep. Sleep is so important that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes insufficient sleep as a ‘public health problem.’

Among the many factors that affect sleep quality and duration, one frequent struggle that Americans face is an inability to fall and/or stay asleep. As a result, they turn to a variety of strategies to de-stress and relax into a state of mind that is conducive to falling asleep. One of the most common of these strategies is enjoying a nightcap (or two!) in the evening hours or just before bed.

A depressant, alcohol helps induce a state of relaxation and drowsiness, which explains why up to 20% of the population uses it as a sleep aid. In a 2013 review on the connection between sleep and alcohol, which covered twenty-seven studies, the general consensus was that alcohol reduces the time it takes to fall asleep. That does not, however, mean that it will help you get quality rest. With regards to sleep, alcohol is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Sleep problems associated with alcohol consumption

Numerous studies have shown that alcohol has a profound effect on our sleep and sleep quality. Below are a few of the significant ways that it can negatively modify or influence our natural sleep habits.

Alcohol inhibits REM sleep – – As the body metabolizes alcohol, we spend more time in deep, slow-wave sleep and less time in REM sleep. While that may sound like a good thing, it’s actually a modification of our biologically driven sleep architecture, which is fine-tuned to meet the needs of our mental and physical health and well-being. REM sleep is vital for restoring the mind and helping to process memories and emotions.

Alcohol interrupts naturally occurring sleep patterns — Alcohol also affects our circadian rhythm, which operates as the body’s biological clock by alternating our cycles of sleepiness and alertness. The consumption of alcohol interferes with how the clock synchronizes itself, meaning you might find that you wake up earlier in the morning, you sweat during the night, and/or you’re more likely to snore.

Alcohol can potentially exacerbate breathing problems — Alcohol causes our muscles to relax beyond the point they would sans alcohol, including the muscles in our throat that keep our airway open. For anyone with a sleep breathing condition such as persistent snoring, UARS, or sleep apnea (diagnosed or undiagnosed), this is particularly worrisome for your ability to get quality sleep.

In addition to the above, alcohol can also lead to frequent waking to get up and use the restroom and an increased risk for sleepwalking and sleep eating.

Does all this mean that you shouldn’t enjoy a drink prior to bed? Not necessarily. Many of the negative effects of alcohol on sleep can be greatly reduced or eliminated by changing the amount you consume at one time and by increasing the amount of time between your last drink and your bedtime.

With or without alcohol consumption as a consideration, if you think you might be suffering from a sleep breathing condition such as persistent snoring or sleep apnea, contact Dr. Kent Smith of Sleep Dallas or a sleep expert in your area who can help you diagnose and treat your condition.

New MyApnea Surveys: Leveraging data to improve lives

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 04:00:00 GMT

The MyApnea surveys have been updated to be more responsive to questions patients and researchers are interested in. Whether you are updating your surveys or completing them for the first time, sharing data is incredibly valuable to the research community. People contribute to society in many ways. Some people give to charity, others volunteer, still others take care of family members in need. When you fill out these anonymous surveys, it should feel the same way. You are making a positive contribution to society that will help others. One day, it may even help you or family members who also have sleep apnea.

The surveys may be completed from your smart phone, tablet or computer. When you complete the surveys, you will be entered into a $50 gift card sweepstakes. Plus, you will receive a personal sleep report that you can print and share with your health care provider.

Thank you for your important contribution!

Key Findings from Our 2018 Dallas Sleep Survey

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 07:06:00 GMT

It is well-researched and widely accepted that sleep is a major contributing factor to overall health and wellness. Yet, when compared to other factors like diet and exercise, it is an often overlooked or compromised priority that takes a backseat in the cadence of our daily lives. According to the the Center for Disease Control […] The post Key Findings from Our 2018 Dallas Sleep Survey appeared first on Sleep Dallas Blog.

and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. In Dallas, the 2017 American Fitness Index report showed that only 67 percent of Dallas area residents were getting the recommended minimum of seven or more hours of sleep per day — one of several factors contributing to Dallas ranking 38th of 50 on the index, which measures health and community fitness at the metropolitan level in the United States.

Furthermore, the CDC regards insufficient sleep as a ‘public health problem’. Studies have shown a number of serious impacts of not getting enough quality sleep, some of which include:

Increased risk of death or injury due to drowsy driving
Increased risk of workplace accidents, resulting in death or injury
Increased risk of developing a host of comorbidities, such as depression, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes

In an attempt to bring awareness to the issue, Dr. Kent Smith of Sleep Dallas invited Dallas area residents with sleep challenges to participate in his 30-Day Sleep Challenge, in which they would prioritize sleep by implementing strategies to improve sleep hygiene, sleep quality and sleep efficiency. Prior to the 30-Day Sleep Challenge, all participants completed a pre-assessment sleep survey to measure the current state of their sleep quality and efficiency, as well as their personal sleep habits. Key findings from the pre-assessment study, which have been detailed in the survey’s Executive Summary, reveal some interesting data about the state of sleep in Dallas.

Most notably, the pre-challenge survey discovered that nearly two-thirds of the study respondents do not meet the recommended minimum of seven hours of sleep on weeknights. Additionally, the study showed that participants continuously engage in electronic device usage one hour prior to bedtime – a known factor impeding sleep quality.

Download the 2018 Dallas Sleep Survey Executive Summary Dallas Sleep Study Executive Summary

Learning More About Sleep Apnea In Women

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Dr. Katherine Sharkey is a sleep medicine physician from Brown University and member of the Society for Women’s Health Research Sleep Network. She discusses sleep apnea recognition and treatment with a patient and a sleep technician. They discuss the challenges that women with sleep apnea often face, since the stereotypical patient is male (but that’s changing!). They also talk about how difficult adjusting to CPAP can be. Getting treated for CPAP can require patience to find the right solution that works.

Sleep scientist and clinician Dr. Katherine M. Sharkey, who specializes in women’s health research, understands this well. “The poster person in someone’s head is a 60-year-old obese man. They’re not thinking of a young, marathon-running mom as someone having sleep apnea,” said Sharkey. Nor, necessarily, are primary-care professionals, who may hear from their patients accounts less disturbing than Foisy’s perilous driving and draw different conclusions.

“Not everybody says ‘I’m falling asleep during my commute,’” said Sharkey, associate professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the school’s assistant dean for Women in Medicine and Science. “With some people, it is more mood or irritability, or they’re having trouble word-finding,” Sharkey told The Journal. “I think if a woman goes and says that to her primary-care doctor, they’re going to say, ‘Oh, you’re really stressed.’ Or they’re more likely to get treated for depression or something like that.” Scientists today see quality sleep and proper circadian rhythm — essentially, the body’s 24-hour clock that regulates alertness and sleepiness — as a necessity, not an amenity. Apnea is one of several sleep disorders — insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy are others — that can prove harmful to men and women.

“In the past decade, rapid advances have been made in our understanding of the science of sleep and circadian rhythms and their essential role in health, well-being, safety, and productivity,” writes the Society for Women’s Health Research , headquartered in Washington. “The game changer is the mounting evidence that sleep and circadian rhythms regulate nearly all biological and behavioral processes, from molecules, single cells and [hormone] systems to whole body physiology and functions.” In other words, poor or inadequate sleep can negatively affect the whole being.

Obstructive sleep apnea, which Foisy experienced, happens when a person’s upper airway becomes blocked, stopping or reducing the flow of air. Causes can include a person’s unique anatomy, or medical conditions such as obesity, endocrine disorders and some genetic syndromes. (“Central sleep apnea” occurs when breathing signals from the brain are not sent.) Women lag men in recognizing and reporting for a multitude of reasons, according to Sharkey. For example, she says, “There’s the bias of, ‘Do I want people to know I snore? It’s not ladylike. It’s embarrassing.’”

Foisy overcame such inhibitions when she first sought medical attention in 2010, when she was a single mother with a 3-year-old. The condition was confirmed after a night in a Massachusetts sleep lab, during which her sleep patterns, brain waves, blood-oxygen levels and other vital signs were monitored. She began sleeping with a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine, which keeps the airway open with a continuous flow of air delivered by tube to a face mask. But that early-era device was loud, uncomfortable and cumbersome, and eventually Foisy stopped using it. “Very primitive in terms of technology,” she said. “The mask was a challenge to fit right and cleaning was a pain.” Years later, she met Sharkey in a social setting, and they became friends. The doctor persuaded her to resume treatment — with one of today’s smaller, quieter and smaller CPAP devices that are easier to transport and clean.

Sharkey practices at the Brown Medicine Sleep Center in West Warwick, which features two sleep labs. The word “lab” is something of a misnomer: while the sleeping body is indeed monitored, the space resembles a comfortable hotel room, with bed, television, wall art, night table, chairs and soft lighting. And it’s quiet.

Chris Ruzzo, registered polysomnographic technologist, is master of this realm. She has been monitoring people with sleep issues for almost 35 years, and during that long career has accumulated great wisdom along with her technical expertise.

“You brain is like a computer: it needs to defrag itself” during restful sleep, Ruzzo says. “With fragmented sleep, your body wants to wake you up. But your brain’s trying to say, ‘Hey, I need to do what I need to do.’ But your body is saying, “Hey, I need to breathe.” There are no facile fixes. As Ruzzo put it, “You can’t take a pill and call it a day.”

And while other treatments are sometimes indicated, a CPAP device is typically preferred. Ruzzo recalled the days when health professionals “treated people who were on ventilators because they were so ill” and spoke of the evolution of a CPAP machine from Goldbergian contraptions to today’s miniature versions. “They have travel CPAPs that are the size of your cellphone,” she said. Foisy has been a beneficiary, as evidenced during a recent trip that she, her son, and her partner and two of his young children recently took to theme parks in Florida.

“We were doing 10 to 15,000 steps a day, three kids running around, going through the parks,” she said. “I wore it every single night — and every single morning, I woke up between 5 and 6 o’clock on my own saying, ’I’m done sleeping, I’m rested, I’m ready to get up and face the day.” And not just vacation days, Foisy told The Journal. “Boy, do I notice a difference when I don’t use it for a night or two,” she said. “I wake up in a haze, tired and begrudgingly starting my day — in contrast to this morning, when I woke up fully rested, ready to tackle the day after a full night of healthy breathing and sleep.”

Is it apnea? What to do?

Daytime clues

Feeling depressed, anxious, irritable or impatient
Feeling tired, drained or lacking energy
Feeling sleepy or falling asleep at the wrong time or place
Forgetfulness, foggy or fuzzy thinking, trouble with focus and concentration
Accident proneness

Nighttime clues

Frequent or loud snoring, gasping, or snorting sounds
Difficulty falling asleep or frequent awakenings
Restless sleep or changes in dreaming
Frequent bathroom visits at night
Nighttime heartburn

What to do

“Sleep apnea is treatable. It is important to start a conversation with your health-care provider to discuss whether you are at risk for sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.”

Oral Appliances: An Experienced Dentist Shares Her Perspective

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 05:00:00 GMT

A dentist explains how oral appliances work, their role in treating OSA, and how to find a safe & comfortable device

Many MyApnea members have expressed interest in learning more about oral appliances, also known as “dental devices.” We asked a dental specialist to share her knowledge. In this blog post, Dr. Demko explains what oral appliances are, how they work, and their role in treating sleep apnea. In short, oral appliances are a good treatment option, but partner with your sleep doctor and a qualified dentist for best results.

Written by Gail Demko, DMD, Expert Advisor to the FDA and Associate editor of the Journal of Dental Sleep Medicine

Oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea has existed for almost 35 years. The most common oral appliance moves the bottom jaw forward so the bottom front teeth are level with the upper front teeth. To do this, the appliance uses the upper teeth as an “anchor” to move the jaw forward. The device looks like two dental retainers connected with a hook, a bar, a strap or some other connector. The FDA has cleared more than 100 oral appliances for treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

How oral appliances work: The idea of using oral appliances to move the bottom jaw forward come from work done in 1909 by the German orthodontist, Emil Herbst. Orthodontists began using these devices as “functional appliances” in the 1970s. These functional appliances were developed to move the jaw permanently forward in young patients with an undersized lower jaw. Appliances work because the tongue and the sides of the throat are attached to the bottom jaw. When the bottom jaw is moved forward, the tongue moves forward too and the sides of the throat open the upper airway sideways. This treatment often works well for patients who have sleep apnea largely due to having a small throat size. Those patients have too much soft tissue in too small an area or have a highly collapsible airway (throat area). Oral appliances do not work for everyone. Research consistently shows that only 50% of patients who get oral appliances can totally control their sleep apnea with this treatment alone.

Role of oral appliances in treating sleep apnea: Even though there are drawbacks to using oral appliances, patients often prefer them to using CPAP. While the devices may be less effective in eliminating breathing pauses (apneas) than CPAP, many patients report using the devices for more time at night than CPAP. Some research shows that over the long term, oral devices may improve many symptoms and signs of sleep apnea. Many people who travel a lot find benefit in using these devices. Young people often prefer them because of their social situation (living in a dorm or dating).

Possible side-effects and precautions: These devices are not usually used in patients younger than 18 who may still have a growing jaw bone. They also have the possible side effect of permanently moving an adult patient’s jaw forward. Since the teeth are used to anchor the oral appliances, tooth movement may also happen. Side effects are normally small, and often do not impact function. But, when the patient is not working with a qualified dentist, the side effects can become quite pronounced. Remember: all medical treatments have side effects. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disease that can increase risk for sleepiness related accidents, high blood pressure, and other health problems. Patients with sleep apnea should be followed by their health care providers to make sure their disease is being well treated.

Work with a dentist to find a safe, comfortable device: Because there are side effects, especially in young people, it is important that oral appliances are only used with the supervision of a qualified dentist. A dentist well-trained in treating patients with sleep apnea understands that adjustments to the appliance are needed if the teeth start to shift. Research studies have shown that patients are totally unaware of changes in tooth position until the changes are very advanced. A trained dentist would be able to detect these changes in time to adjust the device and prevent major problems.

A properly adjusted oral appliance is not uncomfortable. A qualified dentist must adjust any appliance to find the proper fitting, even for devices available over-the-counter. If an oral appliance is uncomfortable, it is not fitted correctly. Custom fitted appliances made by a qualified dentist are twice as effective as oral appliances that are bought online or in-store. The main advantages of custom fitted appliances are that they are more comfortable, they do a better job of holding the bottom jaw forward, and they have a longer life-span. If you were successful with an appliance you fit yourself, then an appliance made by a qualified dentist will also be successful. If you were not successful with an appliance you fitted yourself, this does not automatically mean a custom fitted appliance will fail. Also remember: medical insurance only pays for custom fitted oral appliances.

Oral appliances and CPAP: Oral appliance therapy may be used with CPAP to improve treatment. Alternating between using CPAP and an oral appliance is an option for those who remove their CPAP mask in the middle of the night. A lot of research has tried to find out which patients respond best to oral appliances. Unfortunately, there is no answer yet. So, it is generally recommended that most people with obstructive sleep apnea try CPAP first. This is because CPAP is currently the most effect treatment for sleep apnea. However, oral appliances are the second most effective treatment and could be a good option for many patients who do not tolerate CPAP well. Since oral devices are covered by all major medical insurance providers, even Medicare, you can freely choose your treatment, guided by a discussion with your sleep physician, the level of your sleep apnea, and your dental condition.

For help finding a qualified dentist, you can ask your sleep physician or you can go to the website of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine .

The question of the role of oral appliances for sleep apnea treatment is important. There are research studies examining the effect of oral appliances on symptoms (sleepiness, alertness, sleep quality) and long-term health problems, such as high blood pressure. We need more research to learn how patient feedback and preferences can help guide sleep apnea treatment plans. Let us know your thoughts: how can doctors and dentists work with patients to better understand how to treat sleep apnea?

Attention women, and those who love them!

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 05:00:00 GMT

We patients recently rolled up our sleeves right alongside researchers, clinicians, and the Society for Women’s Health Research to create a toolkit about women and sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a sneaky but potentially deadly problem. And women in particular don't get diagnosed as quickly or as often as men.

One of the primary issues many of us patients talk about is the problem of getting our sleep disorders diagnosed before they have done too much damage. Sleep apnea, as you know is a sneaky but potentially deadly problem. And women in particular don't get diagnosed as quickly or as often as men. That may all be about to change, and YOU can help make that happen!

Two things for you:

We patients recently rolled up our sleeves right alongside researchers, clinicians, and the fabulous people at the Society for Women’s Health Research . The result of our collaboration — and we’re proud of it! — is this downloadable toolkit we'd love you to use.
Use it for yourselves; use it for your loved ones whose sleep you think may need attention; use it with your primary care providers to help get a conversation started about your sleep!

Dr. Katherine Sharkey, one of our collaborators on the Toolkit, wrote a blog post at Psychology Today about this issue. We encourage you to read and share it, too. She understands the incredibly wide range of impacts sleep disorders can have on women. Best of all to this writer, she is one of the physician/researchers who "gets" how frustrating it can be to get the right diagnosis for women's sleep apnea symptoms. As one of the patients in the collaboration, I am relieved to find more and more physicians and researchers who "get it."

So in summary:

Healthy sleep is fundamentally important to our bodies and our brains. Women’s sleep apnea is under-diagnosed, and we are happy to share this toolkit and the blog post information.
Patients often give each other the best help. Let’s help each other, and our providers, to recognize sleep apnea in women. Let's help each other get diagnosed so we can start doing something about it -- before it causes even more health problems.
Help us spread the word, would you? Share it any way and on any social media platform you like, and give us your feedback!

This article was written by Si Baker-Goodwin, EdD, former psychologist and former co-chair of the MyApnea Multi-stakeholder Engagement Panel.

College & Pro Sports Are Taking Sleep Seriously

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 19:11:00 GMT

Lebron James has reported to ESPN that he sleeps an average of 12 hours each night. Usain Bolt, Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova average ten. By comparison, the average American sleeps seven hours. Reflecting on that simple fact stresses the importance of sleep for the body’s overall performance — the body recovers during sleep, and professional athletes strain their bodies to the limit every day.

Athletes and the Importance of Sleep Education

Clearly, sleep is necessary, not optional, for sports players to perform in the mind-boggling manner we see on TV. While coaches have recognized for some time that sleep is important for players’ performances, there has recently been an increased focus on sleep education that is changing the way professional sports view the issue. The NCAA Board of Governors named adequate sleep, nutrition and performance as a top priority for college athletes this year.

In May, the new Interassociation Task Force on Sleep and Wellness , which is made up of coaches and student athletes, as well as leaders in sleep research, sports medicine, sports psychology, academic advising and mental health, convened for the first time at the NCAA’s headquarters in Indianapolis. The Association’s mission is to change the current culture around sleep, so college athletes and coaches no longer leave quality sleep out of nutrition and wellness routines. Among other goals, the task force aims to create sleep guidelines that can be distributed to college athletic departments nationwide.

Why Professional Athletes Need Sleep

And the issue has recently gained awareness in professional sports, too. Dr. Charles Czeisler, a recognized expert for professional sports teams and the director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard, has attempted to bring to light the importance of sleep for athletes in recent years. He has addressed that players who don’t get a full night’s sleep after practice will never be able to form long-term memories.

Sleep is what turns new memories into long-term ones as the brain rebuilds itself after a long day. Without that process each night following a day’s practice, athletes will never properly file away the facts from that day or integrate lessons into existing knowledge.

Furthermore, prolonged sleep deprivation has been shown to have devastating effects on the body and overall health. While everyone is susceptible to the consequences of sleep deprivation, athletes are particularly at risk due to the amount of stress they put on their bodies during their careers.

How NFL Players Are Fighting Sleep Apnea

For the Pro Player Health Alliance (PPHA), tackling sleep apnea in pro athletes is their mission. Founded in 2012, the alliance is made up of David Gergen, CDT and President of the PPHC and a practicing dental lab expert for over 25 years, as well as former NFL players, including Roy Green, Derek Kennard, and Mike Haynes. Each player in the alliance has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and have been successfully treated using oral appliance therapy. Most notably, former NFL wide receiver Roy Green insists that his sleep apnea condition contributed in large part to the multiple life-threatening episodes he suffered prior to his diagnosis.

In one interview with Gergen, Green said, “I’ve had two strokes and two heart attacks previously. There’s no question in my mind that… the fact that I wasn’t getting enough oxygen, I wasn’t sleeping, that I was tired all the time, that definitely played a part in it.”

The PPHA is dedicated to increasing awareness of sleep apnea in professional football players so they can get treatment and have a better quality of life. The PPHC has visited schools and held meet-the-players and other events for fans, all to promote the alarming prevalence of sleep apnea in football players. One study found that 60 percent of NFL linemen and 46 percent of players in other positions suffer from the disorder.

The American Sleep and Breathing Academy

David Gergen is also CEO of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy (ASBA), which was founded to improve patient care through “education for sleep professionals, sleep centers, patients and the community at large.” The nonprofit’s goal is to strengthen the sleep profession via a multidisciplinary approach, focusing largely on the awareness of oral devices as treatment.

In an interview with the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, Mike Haynes said, “I think that if players knew the importance of sleep, they would want to improve it. I think that they just don’t know. They think five or six hours of sleep is fine, and if they are on time, they are ok.”

He goes on to say that he thinks oral appliance therapy is the best way to treat sleep apnea in players, as they’re used to mouthguards.

Gergen, along with Sleep Dallas’ Dr. Kent Smith, who is President of ASBA, and members of the PPHA have recently visited Washington, D.C. to present to a Caucus Committee of the U.S Senate about the effectiveness of oral appliance therapy as a treatment option for sleep apnea. The organization continues to lobby in D.C. for the issue.

Gergen says, “The goal is to make oral appliances the true benchmark for mild to moderate sleep apnea,” according to a press release by the American Sleep and Breathing Academy.

What This Means For the Rest of Us

The recent shift in awareness about sleep deprivation and how it affects athletes’ performances is a positive one for sleep education across the board. Whether you’re training for the playoffs or sitting at a desk, poor sleep wreaks havoc on the body. It impedes your brain’s reaction time, drains focus and memory, and affects decision making skills. Quality sleep is absolutely critical for overall health and wellness, and will help ensure your life is as full and productive as possible. The post College & Pro Sports Are Taking Sleep Seriously appeared first on Sleep Dallas Blog.

Hybrid Oral Appliance Therapy Advances Sleep Apnea Treatment

Tue, 28 Jan 2014 20:55:00 GMT

Dr. Jonathan Greenburg, DDS Snoring and Sleep Apnea Expert January 28, 2014 Hybrid Oral Appliances represent the latest advancement in treating patients who cannot tolerate a CPAP machine or have mild to moderate Sleep Apnea. Unlike their predecessors that only advance Read More...

Dr. Jonathan Greenburg, DDS

Snoring and Sleep Apnea Expert

January 28, 2014

Hybrid Oral Appliances represent the latest advancement in treating patients who cannot tolerate a CPAP machine or have mild to moderate Sleep Apnea. Unlike their predecessors that only advance the jaw, Hybrid Oral Appliances combine mandibular advancement with advanced technology to open the airway by stabilizing the tongue.

While countless patients have had success with Hybrid Oral Appliance therapy, the most important step anyone can take is to get tested for Sleep Apnea. Perhaps you don’t tell your partner about their snoring or you even sleep alone because you’re embarrassed about your own snoring but make no mistake, Second Hand Snoring impacts the entire family and untreated Sleep Apnea is life threatening.

Did you know that it has been estimated that between 30-50% of Americans snore at one time or another? Now, let’s be clear, snoring does not automatically mean you have Sleep Apnea, but generally speaking, there may be a connection, something worth checking out. Snoring can be caused by a variety of factors, not the least of which is being overweight (With America’s ever-expanding waistline, there is definitely a link here.) and Second Hand Snoring is a very real phenomenon we discovered by treating thousands of patients and learning that one snorer regularly impacts the quality of sleep for those nearby. Like second hand smoke, Second Hand Snoring is a very real concern for snorers and the people that live with them.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder that causes a person to temporarily stop breathing while they’re sleeping. “It occurs when the muscles relax during sleep, causing soft tissue in the back of the throat to collapse and block the upper airway. This leads to pauses in breathing that last at least 10 seconds during sleep. Most pauses last between 10 and 30 seconds, but some may persist for one minute or longer.” (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Sleep Apnea can affect anyone at any time. And about 80 percent to 90 percent of adults with OSA remain undiagnosed. Do you see now why it’s important to warn loved ones if they’re snorers? Is snoring is a nuisance? Yes. Can it ruin your love life? Maybe. Does it drive families crazy? Yes. But it also may be a sign of something more serious. While the total number of deaths due to or thought to be related to Sleep Apnea are hard to come by, research cited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that left untreated, Sleep Apnea can lead to:

Cancer, an increase in risk more than 4 times
Increased risk of stroke
High Blood Pressure
Higher rate of death due to heart disease
Heart Attacks
Diabetes due to impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance
Impaired concentration
Falling asleep at work or behind the wheel of your car
Mood changes
Gastric Reflux (GERD)
Increased risk of being involved in a deadly motor vehicle accident
Weight gain and the inability to lose weight

Yes, it’s much more serious than you think.

The good news is that both snoring and Sleep Apnea are very treatable with Hybrid Oral Appliance therapy and that has helped more people want to seek treatment and a better quality of life. Your entire family will benefit as long as you get tested and treated by a reputable Sleep Apnea Specialist.

There is hope and proper testing and treatment has transformed entire families; however, it starts with a simple test. Get tested today by a Sleep Apnea Specialist and sleep better tonight.

– Dr. Greenburg

Dallas Sleep

Sleep Apnea - The Silent Killer We Ignore (An Interview With Dr. Suzanne Thai)

What Sleep Test Is Best For Me Given My Circumstances?

Home vs. In-Lab Sleep Test Click Here

What Is Informed Consent In Healthcare?

SleepSat BLE Oximetry

Over Night Testing For Sleep Apnea From Diagnostics To Testing Your Therapy, Whether It Be A CPAP Or An Oral Appliance, For Efficacy ... Wearing The BLE ...

Daphne Sleep

Complete The Fields Below To Receive A No Obligation Digital Screener For Sleep Apnea ...

Fitting a myTap Oral Appliance & Morning Aligner For Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea - What Are The Symptoms d

.... Good Sleep Simply Makes Us A Better Version Of Ourselves !

What is the Frequency of Sleep Apnea? c

And What Happens During Your Sleep - the airway collapses causing your blood oxygen levels to drop, followed by a disruption in your sleep as you awaken to catch your next "life saving breath", and this can occur over and over all night long ...

What Are The Three Types Of Sleep Apnea? b

Obstructive - Central - Mixed-Complex

Have Questions? Find Answers HERE

What Exactly Is Sleep Apnea? a

Changing Sleep with a "Sleep Navigator" & a "Post Discharge Sleep Care" plan ...

Prefer to watch a detailed presentation as described by Robert Miller, RPSGT? Click HERE - Or - Scroll Down For a quick pictorial overview prior to the presentation ...

Avant Sleep Appliance

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Drowzle Digital Sleep Screener

"DROWZLE" - what is it ? A Free Digital Sleep Analyzer As Described In The Short Video Below

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– This Device & Process Is A Game Changer In The Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Sleep Apnea – PERIOD!

Monitor Blood Oxygen Levels With Over Night Oximetry On Your Cell Phone

Over Night Pulse Oximetry - Measure Your Health, Wellness & Exercise

The Link Between Sleep Apnea and MS

Up to 60% of people who suffer from MS experience some sleep disturbances that contribute to MS-related fatigue.

NightOwl Micro Home Sleep Test

Dispensed Right Out Of Our Office / Phone App Interface Uploads Data To The Cloud & Read By A Board Certified Sleep Physician

– This Device & Process Is A Game Changer In The Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Sleep Apnea – PERIOD!

ApneaLink Air & NightOwl Sleep Study

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Telemedicine Virtual Visits For Sleep Disorders

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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or Sleep Disturbed Breathing (SDB)

Sleep Apnea

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The Foundation For Airway Health

The Mission of the Foundation for Airway Health is to help the public realize their maximum potential by championing the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of airway related disorders through collaboration, awareness, research, and education.

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Didge Project on Sleep Apnea

As Found In The New York Times

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All Things Sleep TM - from the "Why" for patients to the "Why" for your doctor.

Here You Will Find Various Descriptions Of The American Academy Of Sleep Medicine's Telemedicine App - from how it works to the why you may need it …………………...

Wyoming Women's Expo 2019

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Shaq / Sleep Certified / Dental Sleep Practice Interview

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Access To 1000's Of Pages Of Archived Research Articles On Sleep Disturbed Breathing And Sleep Apnea

We Also Provide Telemedicine For Diagnosis And Follow Up

Sleep Medicine At Northwestern Medicine

Dr Vikas Jain, MD.

Telemedicine For Sleep Apnea With RestfulSleep

We Can Help You Get Diagnosed And Treated For Obstructive Sleep Apnea

There is yet another do-it-yourself fad that deserves the attention of dental professionals: Sleep Appliances.

How To Interpret An IN LAB MATRx Study For Sleep Apnea

Dr. John Remmers Shares The Meaning Of A Sleep Study To Determine If An Oral Appliance Will Effectively Trreat your Sleep Apnea

MATRx In Lab Sleep Study An Overview

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MATRx Plus: An In Home Test And Fitting For Oral Appliance For Patients Rather Than CPAP

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What It Means To Your Health

Reviewing A Pulse Oximetry Report

Blood Oxygen Levels / Understanding Your Numbers And Their Importance To Your Health

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Prefer to watch a detailed presentation as described by Robert Miller, RPSGT?
Click HERE - Or - Scroll Down For a quick pictorial overview prior to the presentation ...

"DROWZLE" - what is it ?
A Free Digital Sleep Analyzer As Described In The Short Video Below