DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What is the best way to eliminate insomnia? For almost a year, I've had trouble getting much sleep. I've tried over-the-counter medications, but they aren't very effective.

Topics: insomnia, sleep apnea, medication

Getting a solid night's sleep is crucial not only for feeling good the next day - there is increasing evidence that it may also protect against dementia, according to new research presented Tuesday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in London.

Topics: obstructive sleep apnea, alzheimer's

Sleep apnea is common — but rarely diagnosed — among black Americans, researchers say.

Topics: life with sleep apnea, health, african-americans

Sleep as a Priority

Topics: sleep habits

Since 1991, the National Sleep Foundation has conducted a national poll cataloging the state of sleep in America.  The Sleep in America®poll provides valuable information to the general public and sleep community on specific topics of interest such as: Children and Sleep, Women and Sleep, and Technology and Sleep.  We encourage everyone to prioritize their sleep for better health.

Topics: sleep habits

BBB Secure Your ID Day

Topics: BBB

Tonsils are one of the most misunderstood structures in the throat, not only by patients, but by many doctors as well. Traditional teaching states that tonsils are glands in the throat that help to fight infection. Because they are blamed for most cases of repeated throat infections, tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed operations in the United States. According to some pediatricians, many tonsillectomies today are being performed unnecessarily. Simultaneously, there are too many tonsils still left in place when in fact they should be removed. Here’s the reason why.

 

Topics: OSA in children, tonsils

Are you one of the 80+ million Americans who have a sleep disorder?  Do you know someone who may be suffering from some type of sleep deprivation?  If so, you are not alone. Approximately 70% of Americans suffer from sleep deprivation/disorder.  The top 3 commonly diagnosed sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy.

Topics: tired

Noise at night can be disruptive—or it can lead to better rest. These are some of the most potent sounds for sleep.

White noise

If you regularly struggle with insomnia, make sure you’re aware of these easy fixes. And if you’re trying to sleep in a loud environment, white noise might help you nod off more easily. A mixture of all sound frequencies at once, at the same level of intensity, white noise does a good job of masking other noises that can disrupt your sleep. Like a whirring fan or the hum of an air conditioner, white noise provides an even, steady stream of sound. In a study published in the journal Sleep Medicine, researchers at Brown University Medical School reported patients in a hospital intensive care unit awakened less frequently during the night with white noise present, because it decreased the difference between background noise and the “peak” noises that punctuated the hospital’s noise environment.

Ocean Sounds

It’s no surprise that ocean waves are a popular choice for soothing sleep sounds. For many people, the rhythmic crashing of water onto sand and rock can be meditative—and meditation carries some surprising health benefits. By creating a mental state of relaxation, contentment, and gentle focus, the wave sound can be deeply relaxing. In an interview with LiveScience, Dr. Orfeu Buxton, an associate professor of behavioral health at Penn State University, described how the sound of the ocean can promote sleep. “These slow, whooshing noises are the sounds of non-threats, which is why they work to calm people, “Buxton explained. “It’s like they’re saying: ‘Don’t worry, don’t worry, don’t worry.’”

Other water sounds

It’s not just ocean waves that can provide soothing sounds to go to sleep. Maybe it’s the light patter of a rain shower, or the steady flow of a running stream that helps you wind down at the end of a long day. One key to the power of water sounds to help us sleep, said Buxton, is the relatively gentle, gradual variations in the intensity of moving water sounds. Even more than volume, the abrupt, sudden presence of a noise can be jarring to sleep, Buxton and fellow researchers found in their 2012 study of how hospital noises disrupt sleep, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Topics: REM sleep, stress, sleep habits, wellness

As people age, they are more prone to developing conditions as their organs and senses mature. Diabetes and sleep apnea are two disturbing conditions that seniors should watch out. It has been reported that Diabetes and Sleep Apnea are correlated. Manifestations of clinical research revealed that approximately 48% of individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have displayed symptoms of sleep apnea, while 86% of obese people with type 2 diabetes are diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Topics: sleep apnea, diabetes