Do you have questions about Obstructive Sleep Apnea or CPAP treatment?  Is your equipment or mask not working or fitting properly? Or, perhaps you have questions about sleep studies or medical care for yourself or a loved one?

Join us for a free educational and social support group for people affected by sleep apnea. No matter who your doctor or DME supplier is, we’re here to help!

DeVilbiss Healthcare, Lincare and our medical specialists will be at the meetings to troubleshoot any problems and address your concerns.

Schedule

November 9, 2-5 pm, at the Starlight Medical Group office in Lutz.

December 3, 10 AM to noon, at the Starlight Medical Group office in Wesley Chapel.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Christy at 813-994-2729 or cmccluskey@starlightmedicalgroup.com

Light refreshments will be served.

For sleep labs like Starlight Medical Group, when discussing sleep apnea, it is typically from the point of view of a health care provider trying to explain the disorder, or how to treat it.

But what about the point of view of someone with sleep apnea? How does it affect their lives? What do they do differently? And most importantly, do they sleep better, and ultimately feel better, because they received treatment?

Check out the case of William Holloway of Abilene, Texas, and decide for yourself.

New findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association show that, over a five-year period, elderly women with sleep apnea are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia when compared to women without sleep apnea.

The main reason is because sleep apnea causes gaps in breathing, leading to lower oxygen levels in the blood, which can damage the brain and other organs. However, this does not mean that sleep apnea causes dementia, but dementia often develops due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. Many people with various forms of dementia also have sleep apnea. 

Earlier studies suggested oxygen therapy for patients with both Alzheimer's and sleep apnea might slow the mental decline, but this new research shows it might delay the onset or possibly prevent it all together.

Recent medical research has shown for the first time that sleep apnea is characterized by the breakdown of the inner walls of blood vessels (known as endothelial dysfunction) resulting in altered blood flow to the heart.

This study compared groups of healthy people, otherwise healthy people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and people with hypertension (or high blood pressure). Results showed that both the healthy people with OSA and those with hypertension had similar blood flow issues to their hearts, and all experienced significant improvement in endothelial dysfunction after 26 weeks of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

“While this study shows what happens to the blood vessels with sleep apnea,” says Robin Trupp, RN, PhD, “the good news is that wearing CPAP directly treats the cause,  allowing people with sleep apnea to get better sleep AND to improve their blood flow and blood pressure.”

Do you know that alcohol works against your getting a good night’s sleep? For many years, physicians would prescribe a “night cap” to patients having difficulty falling asleep, and many people today will have a glass of wine or beer shortly before bedtime.

While alcohol is a fast-acting sedative, it doesn’t help people get a restful sleep. Studies have also shown that alcohol has a stronger effect on women than men with the same blood-alcohol levels. Effects of alcohol on sleep include:

• Altering the quality of your sleep. Even if you sleep a full night after drinking, you may not feel rested in the morning. Alcohol lightens sleep.

• Disrupting the total time you are asleep. You may wake up frequently throughout the night and have problems falling back asleep as the alcohol works through your system.

• Increasing the prevalence of pre-existing sleep disorders. Millions of Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, which can intensify after alcohol consumption. Sleep apnea is a breathing related sleep disorder, characterized by heavy snoring and abnormal pauses in breathing. Moderate to large amounts of alcohol consumed in the evening can lead to a substantial narrowing of the airway, increasing the frequency and duration of breath holding episodes.

If you are having trouble falling asleep, here are some helpful tips that don’t involve alcohol.

• Develop a consistent sleep routine. Your sleep routine should be as consistent as your personal hygiene routine. Try to maintain a regular sleep/wake cycle by going to bed around the same time every night and waking up around the same time every morning (yes, even on weekends).

• Get moving! Exercise is a good way to reduce stress. Exercising in the late afternoon or early evening raises your core body temperature above normal. Your temperature will start falling by bedtime and this natural decrease in body heat helps initiate the sleep process.

• Let the light shine in the morning. While you probably know that light tells the brain it is time to wake up, it also helps set your internal sleep/wake clock. Try eating breakfast outside -- sunlight exposure for just 30 minutes in the morning should help you stay alert throughout the day.

• Kick your caffeine habit. It's no secret that caffeine is a stimulant. Avoid coffee, soda and tea after 2 p.m. If you need a natural boost, sip on a glass of ice water.

Source: Russell Rosenberg, PhD, Huffington Post

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour ¹. Symptoms include snoring and interrupted sleep.

An estimated 1 in every 15 Americans has sleep apnea. While this sleep disorder generally affects middle-age people, one example shows just how widespread sleep apnea is.

Recently retired NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, age 39, announced in May that he suffers from sleep apnea. O’Neal and his girlfriend Nikki “Hoopz” Alexander decided that he should seek treatment when Nikki would hear him stopping breathing during his sleep. A sleep study, known as a polysomnogram, was conducted where it was determined that O’Neal has sleep apnea.

This video, produced by Harvard Medical School, describes how Shaquille and Nikki decided to seek treatment and the sleep study process.

 1. "Sleep Apnea: What Is Sleep Apnea?". NHLBI: Health Information for the Public. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2009-05.