Eye lens discoloration linked to sleep problems

If you are experiencing sleep problems as you get older, it may be due to natural eye lens discoloration, a new study shows. The study was published in the September 1 issue of the journal SLEEP. Researchers found that as the eye lens that absorbs blue light becomes more discolored with age, the risk for insomnia increases.

The study involved 970 volunteers. They all had their eyes examined by lens autofluorometry. This non-invasive method determines how much blue light is being transmitted into your retina. Blue light is the part of the light spectrum that influences your normal sleep cycle by triggering the release of melatonin into the brain. Melatonin is the hormone that signals to your body when it’s time to be asleep or awake.

Volunteers were considered to have a sleep disorder if they said that suffered from insomnia often or if they bought sleeping pills in the last 12 months. About 82% of the volunteers confirmed that they had insomnia and used sleep medication.

Researchers used this data to find out that if the levels of blue light transmitted into the retina are low due to discoloration, there is a higher risk for sleep problems. Higher rates of sleep disorders were found in older volunteers, women, smokers, and diabetics.

Sleep quality improved after cataract surgery. As of yet, there is no other method that can improve the transmission of blue light into the retina.

Photo By: Emiliano

Read More

Sleep-disordered breathing and bedwetting could go hand in hand

Does your child have problems wetting the bed at night? Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) could be playing a role. A recent study, conducted on 5-10 year olds, searched for the link between SDB and tonsil and adenoid swelling in children with enuresis (bedwetting). The study also examined what part brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels play in measuring how severe SDB is in children have enuresis. BNP is an amino acid that is produced by the heart when the heart muscle cells have been majorly stretched.

There are two types of bedwetting. A child who is a primary bed wetter has not regularly stayed dry during sleep for 6 months straight. A person who is a secondary bed wetter has stayed dry for 6 months, but then starts bedwetting at least twice a week for about 3 months.

Surveys, taken by parents with 5-10 years olds, were reviewed for signs of SDB and bedwetting. The children with SDB were clinically examined. BNP levels were calculated in 33 children with SDB and wet their beds, and also in 30 healthy children who wet their beds.

Of the children studied, about 15% had primary enuresis, and about 47 children (30%) had SDB. However, there was a lower occurrence of SDB and bedwetting when age increased. BNP levels were much higher in children who bed wet. Thirty-three children with bed wetting problems and SDB underwent adenotonsillectomies. Twenty-nine children improved; 15 were completely cured. All of the children with enuresis and SBD who had the surgery showed a big decrease in daytime enuresis.

To find out more about SDB and bedwetting visit www.yoursleep.aasmnet.org

If you think your child may have a sleep disorder, visit an AASM accreditedsleep center.

Photo By: Steven Yeh

Read More

Sleep Complaints Common for Arthritis Sufferers

More than 10 million Americans with arthritis have regular sleep disturbances. National survey data shows an especially high rate among arthritis patients – nearly 23 percent. Only about 16 percent of people without arthritis have sleep-related complaints.

The study published in the October issue of Arthritis Care & Research analyzed findings from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. More than 23,134 American adults answered a variety of health-related questions. Topics ranged from diet and exercise, to substance use, sleep and chronic health problems.

Nearly 1 in 5 survey respondents said they had been diagnosed with arthritis. The study did not differentiate the two types of arthritis, inflammatory and non-inflammatory. Non-inflammatory arthritis is more common and is most often caused by aging and injury.

Patients with uncontrolled pain, depression and anxiety had the highest risk, the study found. Complaints included inability to fall asleep, interrupted sleep and daytime fatigue. The authors suggest pain and joint mobility limitations related to arthritis may predict sleep problems, rather than just a diagnosis.

Sleep disturbances are often neglected as symptoms of arthritis, the study concluded. The authors contend that doctors should ask arthritis patients about sleep problems, and provide treatment.

Read More

Workplace Disability & The Value of Sleep

The business cost of insomnia goes beyond loss of employee productivity. Workers with regular sleep disturbances go on disability more often and take longer to return to work.

A study published in the October, 2010 issue of the journal SLEEP investigated how insomnia impacts workplace health. Researchers found sleep disturbances predicted later workplace disability for mental disorders, physical illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders.

The study followed more than 56,000 active public employees in Finland for more than three years. Each of the government and public hospital employees was surveyed about sleep disturbances and preexisting health conditions at the start of the study. The authors used national records to identify which employees went on disability during the follow-up after three years.

Workers who had existing medical conditions, used prescribed pain killers or regularly performed manual labor were most likely to report severe sleep disturbance which occurred more 5-7 days per week.

Over the course of the study, 7 percent of the employees went on disability. About 1 in 3 never returned to work. Statistical analysis shows people who reported sleep disturbances had a higher likelihood of going on work disability and not returning to work. The results were adjusted for complicating factors such as shift work, depression and preexisting health problems.

Worker disability is only one of the business costs of sleep disturbances. Insomnia can also make you worse at your job.

Sometimes your job may be the source of the sleep problems. In 2009 the Sleep Education Blog reported on studies that tied high stress work and low social support at the workplace to long-term insomnia.

Read More

Is Sleep Apnea Risk Higher for Asians?

As obesity rates climb to epidemic levels in nearly every U.S. state, one population may need to be especially weary of a serious sleep disorder linked to weight gain. People of Asian descent tend to have more severe obstructive sleep apnea than Caucasians of similar age and BMI.

The findings are especially alarming because the Caucasians in the sample tended to be much more overweight than their Asian counterparts. Differences in facial bone structure appear to be the reason why Asians have a higher risk for OSA.

The findings were the result of a joint study between University researchers in Australia and China published in the August issue of the journal SLEEP. A sample of 74 Caucasian patients from an Australian clinic and 76 Chinese patients from a clinic in Hong Kong underwent a sleep study and a series of physical and x-ray measures.

OSA prevalence was similar for both populations, but Caucasians with OSA tended to be more overweight with a larger neck circumference. Chinese patients had smaller, more restrictive facial structures. When BMI measurements were similar the Chinese participants suffered from more frequent and severe breathing pauses during sleep.

The study may have some limitations due to the nature of the sample. The patients came from two very different environments and socioeconomic and culture backgrounds. Researchers caution that those factors influence the health and lifestyle habits that lead to OSA.

OSA isn’t the only sleep disorder influenced by race. An abstract presented at SLEEP 2010 showed black, white and Hispanic people all responded differently to sleep deprivation and insomnia.

Read More

Alcohol Use Risk Rises for Adolescents with Sleep Problems

Teens that develop sleep problems around the onset of puberty are more likely to use alcohol. A new study connects previous findings on adolescent sleep problems and alcohol use to puberty.

Some early-maturing adolescents develop “night owl” tendencies during the sleep pattern transition associated with the onset of puberty. Those individuals are most at-risk to develop sleep problems.

Separate research shows adolescents who hit puberty earlier than their peers are more likely to drink.

Survey data shows a clear link between those two groups. The early-maturing teens that get to sleep later were more likely to use alcohol.

The findings are in line with previous research on adults; Sleep problems can predict the onset of alcohol abuse.

The conclusion was based on questionnaires from a previous study involving Dutch school children. The authors narrowed down the field to only responses from adolescents ages 11 to 14. The findings were consistent across both genders and all education levels included in the study.

The findings will be featured in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. The abstract is available online prior to publication.

Photo Courtesy Paul Hocksener

Read More

Study: sleep problems increase risk for injuries at work

Managers take notice - sleep problems can cost businesses big bucks. New research indicates employees who have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep are more at risk for workplace injury.

In a study published in the May 1st issue of SLEEP, Canadian researchers found this was especially true for blue collar workers.

The authors pulled data from the 2000-2001 “Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle.”

The study only included survey participants who were 15 to 64 years old and worked full-time or part-time. Individuals who suffered non-work related injuries were excluded from the study.

Researchers identified 65,485 uninjured workers and 4,099 people who had a work-related injury in the past 12 months. Survey respondents were categorized by gender, job class, and hours per week.

Researchers focused on participants’ responses to the following fields:

“How often do you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep?”
“Number of hours spent sleeping per night”
“The frequency that sleep is refreshing”
“How often it is difficult to stay awake”
“Sleeping pills taken last month”

By analyzing each of these elements, the authors found those who reported problems sleeping were more likely to report work injuries. Women in this case were more frequently injured than men.

Workers who slept less than six hours per night were at higher risk for injury than people who slept 7-9 hours.

The most injury-prone industries for men were trade and transportation jobs; for women it was processing and manufacturing jobs.

Injury rates also spiked among shift workers. Those with rotating or split shifts were at highest risk.

Learn more about the dangers of drowsy driving and the worst professions for sleep.

Read More

Fatal familial insomnia: a genetic death sentence

There are genetic diseases and then there is fatal familial insomnia. It’s an excruciating death sentence with no cure and no treatments. Doctors can’t even temporarily relieve the suffering caused by months without sleep. For the unlucky few on this earth who inherit fatal familial insomnia conscience reality is no different than dreams and nightmares.

Little is known about fatal familial insomnia. The research is limited to its rare occurrences. Only about 40 families in the world are known to carry the genetic mutation linked to the disorder. For those families, their curse is a dark secret, a time bomb set to detonate sometime mid-life.

Fatal familial insomnia is a prion disease, the same classification as mad cow disease. The genetic mutations cause abnormal proteins to build up in the brain, destroying nerve cells and leaving sponge-like holes.

It’s a progressive disease. At first the symptoms resemble insomnia. Then it causes profuse sweating, accelerated breathing and heart rate and fever. Soon the sleep cycle breaks down, and the boundaries blur between wakefulness, REM sleep, and short-wave sleep. Death occurs after eight to 72 months, either due to a secondary infection or coma.

The disease can be traced back to 18th century Venice to a wealthy and respected doctor, educated by the disciples of Galileo, known as Subject Zero. In his book ‘The Family That Couldn’t Sleep’, Author D.T. Max wrote the doctor found he could stay up all night playing cards or studying medicine. He started sweating more and more, his servants would bring him fresh shirts every day. Months later, he was dead.

His children shared the curse. For each of them, it started with the typical symptoms of insomnia: trouble getting to sleep, and waking up early. That never stopped. Then there were cognitive problems not unlike dementia. By the ninth month of not sleeping, they were dead.

For centuries, this mysterious pattern would repeat itself. Once a prosperous family, Subject Zero’s descendents fell on hard times, poorer and unable to marry because the community learned word of the strange deaths.

Some migrated to other parts of Italy and Europe. Others went to America.

Scientific researchers discovered fatal familial insomnia in the 1980’s, when a descendent of the family named Silvano checked into the sleep clinic at Italy’s Bologna University.

Silvano, once an energetic playboy in his early 50’s, who never had any problem sleeping, suddenly took on the appearance of a sickly old man. His motor skills were staggered and his brain function was unusual. Silvano was neither asleep nor awake.

National Geographic obtained video from the clinic:

Silvano offered his brain to researchers after he slipped into a coma and died. Most of what we know today about fatal familial insomnia is because of Silvano’s offer.

Learn more about fatal familial insomnia on sleepeducation.com.

Read More

World Kidney Day: Sleep & Kidney Disease

Today is World Kidney Day to focus attention on chronic kidney disease.

The NIDDK reports that chronic kidney disease affects about 23 million adults in the U.S. Damaged kidneys fail to properly remove waste and extra water from the blood. The most advanced stage of the disease is kidney failure. This also is called end-stage renal disease.

Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. High blood pressure is the second-leading cause.

Chronic kidney disease also runs in families. Your risk is higher if a family member has it. And the risk is much higher in African-Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics.

Kidney disease also is a “silent” disease. You are unlikely to notice any symptoms in the early stages. But your doctor can detect it with a blood or urine test.



Research has found many links between sleep problems and kidney disease.

A study published last month indicated that self-reported "poor" sleep quality was common in people with chronic kidney disease. Poor sleep also was linked to lower quality of life scores.

In January a study reported that impaired sleep quality, mood and alertness were associated with advanced chronic kidney disease. They also were linked to dialysis dependency. The dialysis population demonstrated the highest day-to-day variability in these scores.

Last September a study found that nearly 40 percent of children with chronic kidney disease had a sleep disorder. Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements were most common.

In August a study found that people with kidney failure had frequent periodic limb movements during sleep. These movements caused almost 15 arousals per hour of sleep.

Previous research also has found that obstructive sleep apnea is very common in people with kidney failure. One review estimated that the rate of sleep apnea in people with kidney failure is 10 times greater than in the general population.

Treating kidney failure by dialysis can be exhausting. Last year the Sleep Education Blog reported that some dialysis clinics now offer to perform the treatment while you sleep.

Get help for a sleep disorder at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Read More

Sleep Disorder Symptoms for National Sleep Awareness Week

The annual National Sleep Awareness Week begins today. It ends next weekend when we set our clocks ahead one hour for daylight saving time.

You’re probably aware of common sleep problems such as insomnia, nightmares and snoring. But there are many other sleep disorders that can affect your sleep and your health.

Here are some of the symptoms of other sleep disorders:

• Loud snoring, silent pauses & snorting: Loud snoring is a common warning sign for obstructive sleep apnea. The snoring ends with a silent pause when breathing stops. Then a choking or snorting sound occurs when breathing resumes.


• Grinding teeth: Grinding or clenching your teeth during sleep is a symptom of bruxism. It can damage your teeth and cause jaw discomfort or pain. The sound also can disturb the sleep of your bed partner.


• Jittery legs: Having a strong urge to move your legs while resting is a sign of restless legs syndrome. This urge to move the legs grows worse at night and eases in the morning.


• Frequent leg or toe movements: The repeated flexing or tightening of a leg or toe during sleep is a sign of periodic limb movement disorder. The movements can disrupt your sleep and disturb your bed partner.


• Sudden collapse: “Cataplexy” is a unique symptom of narcolepsy. It involves a sudden loss of muscle tone while you are awake. Your head may drop, or your knees may buckle. You may completely fall out on the floor. Episodes of cataplexy tend to be triggered by a strong emotion such as laughter or surprise.


• Temporary paralysis: Being unable to move as you are waking up or falling asleep is a sign of recurrent isolated sleep paralysis. It may feel like an unseen weight is on you. Sleep paralysis also can be a symptom of narcolepsy.


• Nightly binge eating: Compulsive binge eating that occurs during the night is a sign of sleep related eating disorder. The eating tends to occur when you are only partially awake. You may wake up in the morning and discover that half-eaten food is scattered all over the place.


• Violent dream behavior: People with REM sleep behavior disorder act out vivid, action-packed dreams while they sleep. They may shout, punch, kick, run and even jump out a window. Injuries may occur to the dreamer or a bedpartner.


• Head banging: Head banging, body rocking and head rolling in bed are signs of sleep related rhythmic movement disorder. It is common in healthy infants and children.

Get help for these and other sleep disorders at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Read More

Sleep & Epilepsy

A new study evaluated daytime sleepiness in people with epilepsy.

The study involved 83 people who have epilepsy. They were compared with 80 healthy controls. Participants completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and an overnight sleep study.

Results show that people with epilepsy had a much higher level of daytime sleepiness than controls. They also spent less time in the stages of deep, slow-wave sleep and REM sleep. These changes were unrelated to the use of antiepileptic medications.

Epilepsy is a condition that involves recurrent seizures. A seizure is a temporary disturbance in brain function. It occurs when groups of nerve cells in the brain produce abnormal and excessive electrical impulses.

The AASM reports that stress and sleep deprivation are two factors that may trigger seizures. Some types of epilepsy tend to occur only or mainly during sleep. This may cause severe sleep disruption. As a result poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness may occur.

Sleep disorders also may worsen seizures and complicate their treatment. A study in the journal Sleep found that daytime sleepiness in people with epilepsy may be related to obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome. Treating OSA with CPAP therapy may improve seizure control.

The CDC estimates that more than two million people in the U.S. have epilepsy. New cases are most common among children and older adults.

Conditions that may lead to epilepsy include oxygen deprivation and stroke. But a specific underlying cause is unidentified in about two-thirds of cases.

A recent journal article provided an overview of sleep and epilepsy. Learn more about sleep disorders at Sleep Education.com.

Read More

Sleepless in Brazil

A new study shows that Americans aren’t the only people who have sleep problems. The study surveyed Brazilian adults about their sleep complaints. The results were published last week in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

The study involved a random sample of 2,110 adults from 150 cities in Brazil. Surveys were conducted during face-to-face interviews.

Results show that 63 percent of people had at least one sleep complaint. Sleep problems significantly increased with age. Insomnia and nightmares were more common in women; snoring was more common in men.

Insomnia was the most common complaint overall; it was reported by 33 percent of people. Twenty-nine percent of people reported having a problem with snoring.

Nightmares were reported by 22 percent of people. Twelve percent reported having a problem with “kicking legs.” This could be a sign of either restless legs syndrome or periodic limb movements.

Six percent of people complained of “breathing pauses” during sleep. This is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea.

The authors estimate that more than 79 million people in Brazil have sleep disorder complaints.

Image by Kaysha

Read More