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The Sleep Blog

Expert articles on sleep health, sleep apnea, home sleep testing, and PAP therapy from our board-certified sleep medicine physicians.

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Can Sleep Apnea Cause Depression? The Bidirectional Link, Clues, and Next Steps

Sleep apnea and depression share symptoms and each raises the risk of the other. Learn why OSA is missed in depressed patients, what treatment changes, and where to get help.

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Showing 1 - 36 of 255 Posts

Sleep DisordersSleep Apnea

Asthma and Sleep Apnea: Why Nighttime Symptoms Overlap—and When to Test

Asthma and sleep apnea worsen each other in both directions. Learn how to tell nighttime wheeze from airway collapse, and when a sleep test is needed.

Sleep ApneaSnoring

Deviated Septum vs. Sleep Apnea: What a Blocked Nose Can—and Can’t Explain

A deviated septum blocks nasal airflow; sleep apnea collapses the throat airway. Learn how they overlap, when septoplasty helps, and when to get tested.

Sleep StudiesSleep Apnea

Can a Pulse Oximeter Detect Sleep Apnea? What Overnight Oximetry Can—and Can’t Tell You

A pulse oximeter reveals overnight oxygen dips and an ODI, but cannot diagnose sleep apnea alone. Learn what the 3% and 4% rules mean and when to test.

Sleep ApneaSleep Disorders

Waking Up Gasping for Air: Is It Sleep Apnea, Reflux, Anxiety, or Something Else?

Waking up gasping for air can signal sleep apnea, reflux, heart failure, or panic. Learn what separates them and which red flags need urgent care.

Night Guards for Bruxism: Stopping Sleep Teeth Grinding

Bruxism is sleep teeth grinding that wears teeth and causes jaw pain. Here is how night guards help, what triggers it, and its link to sleep apnea.

Mouth Taping for Sleep: Does It Work, and Is It Safe?

Mouth taping is trending for snoring and dry mouth, but the evidence is thin and it can be risky with sleep apnea. What experts say before you try it.

Magnesium for Sleep: Does It Actually Work?

Magnesium may modestly help sleep, mostly if you are deficient. Here is what the evidence shows, the best forms, safe dosing, and who should avoid it.

Sleep Paralysis: Why It Happens and How to Stop It

Sleep paralysis is a brief, harmless inability to move as you wake or fall asleep, with hallucinations. What causes it, and how to prevent it.

cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia

CBT-I: The First-Line Treatment for Chronic Insomnia

CBT-I is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, and works better long term than sleeping pills. Here is how it works and what a program looks like.

Circadian Rhythm: How Your Body Clock Controls Your Sleep

Your circadian rhythm is the 24-hour body clock that controls sleep and alertness. Here's how light sets it, the signs it's off, and how to reset it.

Sleep Hygiene: The Daily Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep

Sleep hygiene is the daily habits and bedroom setup that help you fall and stay asleep. Here are the routines that work, and the ones wrecking your rest.

Sleep Apnea and VA Disability Rating: A Veteran's Guide

VA disability rating for sleep apnea explained: the four rating levels, what documentation veterans need, and how CPAP affects rating.

Sleep Apnea and Dementia: The Cognitive Connection

Sleep apnea and dementia: what the research shows about cognitive decline, brain health, and whether CPAP reduces dementia risk.

Mouth Tape for Sleep Apnea: What the Evidence Actually Says

Mouth tape for sleep apnea: the clinical evidence, who should never use it, and what the research shows about mouth taping and OSA.

How to Prevent Sleep Apnea: Lifestyle Changes That Actually Work

Evidence-based prevention strategies for obstructive sleep apnea. Weight, sleep position, alcohol, smoking, and what does not work. From California sleep medicine practice since 1994.

Sleep Apnea and Anxiety: The Two-Way Link Between Disrupted Sleep and Mental Health

Sleep apnea raises anxiety, and anxiety worsens sleep apnea. Learn the science behind the link, the symptoms that overlap, and how CPAP helps both.

Sleep Apnea and Weight Gain: Why Untreated OSA Makes Weight Loss Harder

Untreated sleep apnea promotes weight gain through hormones, fatigue, and metabolism — and weight gain worsens apnea. Here is how to break the cycle.

Sleep Apnea and GERD: Why Acid Reflux Gets Worse at Night and What to Do About It

Sleep apnea and GERD make each other worse. Learn why nighttime acid reflux is a red flag for OSA, what the research shows, and how CPAP changes the picture.

WatchPAT Home Sleep Test: How It Works, Accuracy, and What to Expect

WatchPAT measures sleep apnea using peripheral arterial tone — a different technology than nasal-flow tests. Here is how it works and how it compares.

Morning Headaches and Sleep Apnea: Why You Wake With a Headache and What It Means

Waking up with a headache? It is a classic sleep apnea symptom. Learn why, how to tell it apart from other causes, and what testing actually involves.

Sleep Apnea and Atrial Fibrillation: The Cardiovascular Connection

Up to 50% of AFib patients have obstructive sleep apnea. Untreated OSA reduces ablation success, raises recurrence after cardioversion, and undermines antiarrhythmic medications. Treatment guide.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms in Women: Why It Looks Different and Gets Missed

Sleep apnea symptoms in women often look like insomnia, fatigue, depression, or headaches — not loud snoring. Up to 90% of women with OSA are undiagnosed. Screening guide and next steps.

GLP-1 Medications (Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound) and Sleep Apnea

Zepbound is the first FDA-approved medication for obstructive sleep apnea. Learn how GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce OSA severity, who qualifies, and why diagnosis comes first.

Can Untreated Sleep Apnea Be Fatal? What the Research Actually Says

Severe untreated obstructive sleep apnea raises all-cause mortality 2-3x, mostly through cardiovascular events. Treatment with CPAP or oral therapy reverses most of the risk.

How to Check Your Coverage for a Home Sleep Test

Step-by-step coverage check for home sleep apnea testing in California. CPT codes 95800, 95801, G0398. The exact questions to ask your insurer.

WatchPAT vs ApneaLink vs Night Owl: Home Sleep Test Devices Compared

Side-by-side: the three most common home sleep test devices. How each measures apnea, the ideal patient for each, and how we decide who gets which.

DOT Sleep Apnea Test for California Truck Drivers

FMCSA-compliant home sleep testing for California truck drivers. Chain-of-custody process, screening triggers, and how to test without missing a workweek.

Polysomnography vs Home Sleep Test: Which One Do You Need?

Side-by-side: in-lab polysomnography vs home sleep apnea test. Cost, accuracy, what each measures, and which the AASM recommends as your first study.

What Is Polysomnography? A Complete Guide to In-Lab Sleep Studies

Polysomnography records about two dozen sleep channels overnight in a lab. Here's what it measures, when it's medically necessary, and when a home test does the same job.