Why does coffee help us start the day? Caffeine is a tricky substance. To our brains, caffeine looks like adenosine, a compound consisting of adenine (one of the four building blocks of DNA) and ribose. As it is created in the brain, adenosine binds to the adenosine receptors, causing drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity. Caffeine is … Read More »
What are the different types of sleep centers that offer diagnostic testing for sleep disorders and what are the benefits of each?
Busy professionals experience many pressures that impede their ability to obtain optimal amounts of sleep. Working according to shift patterns, working across different time zones simultaneously and international travel¹ are all common causes of sleep loss. In addition, the use of artificial lighting and hand-held technologies at night², ever increasing pressure to perform (and to … Read More »
A study published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine tested the effects of CPAP therapy on heart disease. Positive Airway Pressure devices, called PAP, deliver pressurized ambient air through a delivery system (tubing and mask), to eliminate apnea events during sleep. PAP, including CPAP, BIPAP, Auto-PAP, and ASV-PAP, is the most effective treatment for … Read More »
Do you have a new PAP machine and no longer need your old machine? Do you have an extra mask or tubing for your old machine that you never used? Would you like to donate your unused or gently used equipment? Chances are, if you’ve been using PAP therapy for more than a couple of years, … Read More »
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a circuit in the brains of mice that regulates their sleep-wake cycle. As many as 25-30% of Americans suffer from chronic insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night (learn more about insomnia here). Louis de Lecea, PhD., professor of psychiatry … Read More »
We’ve covered the effects of using electronics before bed in several blog posts (check out the most recent one here). According to some doctors, drinking alcohol before bed may be even more disruptive to your sleep. Learn about the effects of alcohol on sleep.
I have good news for you. Musicians aren’t the only people who can look cool wearing tinted glasses … inside … at night. According to research, exposure to artificial light at night can disrupt our sleep. Blue wavelength light, the kind that comes from TVs, iPads, and smartphones, is especially harmful to circadian rhythm function. So, … Read More »
It’s well known that there’s a correlation between sleeping patterns and marijuana usage. Research shows that there are some strains that work better at inducing sleepiness or lowering pain and stress symptoms. This alone makes marijuana an appealing alternative or last resort when nothing else works. Those who are turning towards marijuana to cure insomnia, … Read More »
A study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined the unauthorized sales by private individuals of secondhand CPAP devices. While most health insurance plans cover CPAP (learn more here about coverage for these devices), the average cost of a device for those without insurance or with a high deductible … Read More »
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