All Blog Posts (1,413)

By Dr. David O. Volpi

It is common knowledge that untreated sleep apnea can have dire health effects, but researchers in England found out that loss of sleep also increases a person’s risk of nodding asleep at the wheel, and getting in a car accident. That endangers not only the person suffering from the sleep disorder, but any person driving around them at any given…

There have been multiple studies published in the last few years regarding the effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep disorders on children and teens.

In early 2013, Penn State researchers published the results of a study showing that children who have learning, attention and/or behavior problems may in fact be suffering from a condition known as excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) —…

If you, or someone you know, have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you’re probably familiar with a treatment called CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

While some people find the mask worn for CPAP treatment uncomfortable—more on that later—it has been proven to be a highly effective way to keep the airways open that become obstructed in sleep apnea patients, and reduce or prevent snoring and paused breathing.

There’s a new study that found that CPAP…

A new study published in the January issue of Laryngoscope adds to growing evidence that the Pillar Procedure is an effective treatment for reducing snoring and mild-to-moderate sleep apnea.

Snoring due to OSA

One of the causes of snoring and sleep apnea is a relaxation of the muscles at the back of the throat — known as the soft palate — that blocks the airway…

It has been common scientific knowledge for some time that when we sleep, our brains consolidate the information we subconsciously absorb during the day, and process it into explicit, conscious knowledge.

Both children and adults do this, but a new study out of Germany shows that during sleep, children’s brains convert subconsciously absorbed information — known as implicit learning — into active, useful knowledge even more effectively than adult brains do.

The…

Over the past three years, I have been writing the Wake Up! You’re Snoring blog with two main objectives: first, to educate you, the public, about sleep disorders, and second, to provide compelling reasons—preferably scientific evidence—why a person who may have a sleep disorder should get diagnosed and, if necessary, properly treated.



There is no shortage of scientific studies being released on a regular basis showing links between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia,…

Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit presented findings from a study showing that snoring is a bigger risk factor for heart disease, including stroke and heart attacks, than being overweight, having high cholesterol, and even smoking.

The study, which was submitted to The Laryngoscope journal, and presented last month at the Triological Society Combined Sections…

Here is a fun and meaningful "Nighttime Sleep Saver Ritual" (my own name for an exercise that I had put together for my mother).

Background

My dear mother has RLS, and finds it very difficult to get consistent and deep, quality sleep. Her meds for her ailment do cause her to get sleepy, but they seem to wear off and she'll only be able to sleep a few hours at a time, after which…

Sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia, are much more than a personal “bedroom” issue.

According to research at the University of Bergen (UiB) in Bergen, Norway, it is estimated that the repercussions of sleep disorders cost businesses at least $18 billion a year in lost productivity and avoidable accidents.

And a September…

Chalk another one up for the benefits of sleep. Researchers at the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have found that getting more sleep improves daytime alertness and reduces pain sensitivity in healthy adults.

The study was led by Timothy A. Roehrs, Ph.D. of the Sleep…

In early October, the Canadian Stroke Congress updated their stroke care guidelines to state that proper diagnosis and screening of sleep apnea is critical to stroke prevention.

The Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care was first released in 2006. This is the fourth update to the guidelines, and the first time the best practice guidelines have included a section on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA is a breathing disorder that causes a person’s breathing…

In early October, the Canadian Stroke Congress updated their stroke care guidelines to state that proper diagnosis and screening of sleep apnea is critical to stroke prevention.

The Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care was first released in 2006. This is the fourth update to the guidelines, and the first time the best practice guidelines have included a section on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA is a breathing disorder that causes a person’s breathing…

Most people consider sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, snoring and poor quality sleep an adult health issue, but research is mounting that young people may suffer from sleep disorders as much as adults do.



Earlier this year, Penn State researchers published the results of a study which showed that children who have learning, attention and/or behavior problems may be suffering from a condition…

HOUSTON, May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Snoring Center(SM), the nation's leading provider of minimally invasive, office-based treatment for snoring and sleep apnea, is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Paul Fulmer, MD as head of The Snoring Center's Houston office and its new Austin office, which is slated to open in October…