Do you wake up with air blowing into your eyes? Does your mask slide off during the night? You don’t have to live with these problems! If you have sleep apnea and are on PAP therapy it’s high time to stop dreading going to sleep every night. Just because you have to manage your sleep apnea doesn’t mean you have to live with discomfort brought on by mask leaks or pressure on your face. If you’re a side sleeper and have had trouble with your mask’s seal breaking and leaking, you should especially investigate purchasing the SleePAP Pillow. And if you’re a back or stomach sleeper, this pillow can also help provide neck support.

The SleePAP Pillow weighs in at three pounds and looks like a regular pillow, but for the concaved cut-out sides and bottom. The pillow is designed like this to keep your tubing and mask in place if you’re a nasal or a full face mask user. The cut-outs also prevent carbon monoxide build-up if the mask’s exhalation ports are blocked. It comes with its own all cotton white pillow case that can be removed for washing. We are offering the SleePAP Pillow at the discount price of $ 55 during the month of May 2012 for all of our blog readers. Email us for purchase details.

At Active Healthcare we want you to enjoy wearing your PAP mask every night so you can get maximum benefits of sleep. With more uninterrupted sleep you’ll have more energy and will have less risk for chronic disease such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

If you’re continually frustrated with your mask leaking and pressure, the SleePAP Pillow can definitely help you. Now is a great time to buy this product so you can receive FREE shipping on these products with your next resupply order.

Your Turn: For special PAP pillow users, how using it changed your experience with managing your sleep apnea?

We all know that police officers have tough jobs—we often take it for granted that they get enough sleep to patrol neighborhoods, stop crime, and write up long reports after a 12-hour shift. Recent findings from Brigham and Women’s Hospital discovered that 40 percent of police officers screened positive for sleep disorders, the most common being sleep apnea. Thirty-three percent of the officers had sleep apnea, 6.5 percent suffered from moderate to severe insomnia, and 28.5 percent of officers showed the signs of excessive sleepiness.

In addition, those in the study who screened positive for sleep apnea or for any sleep disorder also showed signs of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. This study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, strongly reinforces what I’ve been pushing for years: where you find sleep apnea you will also find its comorbidities: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and depression.

How many officers are doing their work with untreated and undiagnosed sleep apnea? How many are at an increased risk of a heart attack due to their untreated sleep apnea? How does their sleep apnea affect their reflexes as well as cognitive and driving abilities? In fact the study found that excessive sleepiness was quite common in police officers with almost half of them reporting having fallen asleep at the wheel. Twenty-five percent report that they fall asleep monthly. Twenty-five percent fall asleep once every thirty days! Let that one sink in.

What can be done to affect awareness and change?

Of all of the police officers surveyed in North America the Massachusetts State Police had the lowest percentages than most departments for sleep disorders. Years before, the Massachusetts State Police developed fitness programs to stave off obesity, which probably also lowered the prevalence of sleep apnea.

So much more needs to be done, but this survey opens up a host of questions such as, in what other professions are sleep disorders affecting employees? Healthcare, shift work, airline pilots, truck, train and taxi drivers—the list can go on and on. In fact, the 2012 National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Poll found that pilots and train operators are the most likely to report sleep-related job performance and safety problems.

To what extent is the company responsible for their employees’ sleep? What I’d like to see are more sleep awareness and fitness programs aimed at employees to make them aware of sleep apnea’s dangers. A workplace health and education program might be the event that saves someone from becoming another fatal statistic on the highway.

If you have other questions about sleep visit Active Healthcare for information and education. Sign up for our monthly newsletter Sleep EZzzz and keep up with our blog posts and follow us on Twitter and Facebook so you can take charge of your health through better sleep tonight!

Your Turn: What are your thoughts on sleep disorder education programs in the work setting?

Who hasn’t heard of the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin? Turns out this sentiment originally coined by Indian mystic and spiritual master, Meher Baba, is the best advice out there for your health. That’s easy, right?

Enter two Israeli doctors, Dr. Dina Eisen and Dr. Lilach Meltski who have developed a system called “Synapsot” or “Optimistic Health Promotion.” Synapses are the connecting points where the nerve endings meet and where the brain messages are passed along to the rest of the body. So in other words, synapses are where the inner and the outer worlds converse in our brains. We can choose our happiness and not go about life without a rudder. The Synapsot founders say that our thought processes control our happiness as well as our physical health. They were influenced by a study of 800 men with heart disease. The happier and more optimistic men had a 20 percent greater chance of outliving the grouchy ones.

This makes sense.

How many times have you heard about when one partner of an elderly couple dies, the other spouse passes on soon after? On the other hand, you’ve also heard stories of how those stricken with cancer have been able to improve their condition through the power of prayer, laughter or positive attitude?

Dr. Eisen says that new synapses can be created throughout your life—the brain is flexible that way. So when we practice and repeat positive affirmations such as, “I am a powerful speaker and I am prosperous,” those statements will take over any pathways created by negative statements. Also, serotonin levels increase into the brain synapses every time you smile or when you tell someone “thank you” for even the smallest things.

Here are six tips to make YOU happier and healthier:

1.  Hug someone at least four times everyday
2.  Eat cashews, avocado, whole wheat, sweet potatoes and spinach—all increase your serotonin levels
3.  Keep in touch with your friends—hand-written notes are the perfect delivery system!
4.  Clean out the clutter in your house
5.  Pay it forward—do something nice for someone without quid pro quo.
6.  And lastly, get your six to eight hours of sleep every night! Your brain needs rest to make sure those synapses are operating at their fullest levels!

Your Turn: What other tips would you like to add for health and happiness?

I’ve posted many times on this blog ways to help you get to sleep faster and better, such as not exercising too late at night, restricting your caffeine intact or shutting off the laptop before bedtime. But I’ve found a few sneaky sleep stealers that you may not have thought of before. All of these culprits have a lot to do with the foods we eat or with eating too much of our favorite food at the wrong time.

Let’s find out what they are!

• Are you a late night eater? If so, your stomach is working overtime trying to digest that popcorn and Nutella sandwich you just ate. Your adrenals will be out of whack and these adrenals produce your hormones that help you regulate sleeping and waking. Your body should be regenerating cells and detoxifying, but instead it may be digesting your food.

• Get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. You’ll slow down your synapses and hormones that help you get to sleep if you don’t have enough of this nutrient in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as salmon, walnuts, canola oil, flaxseed, and flaxseed oil. You’ve heard it before that eating this nutrient will stave off heart disease—now you can stave off insomnia. Eat too many trans fats like French fries, donuts, cookies and crackers and your neurotransmitters won’t do their neuro-thing and your cells will start looking like a donut.

• Are you eating too many spicy foods? If so, cut back on your curry and hot peppers. Your metabolism is jumping since these spicy foods are acting like the caffeine you know you shouldn’t have before bedtime. Acid reflux can also make it more challenging to get to sleep. Too much beef can also force your digestive system to work harder when it should be in renewal mode.

• You may have a food sensitivity and not know it. Do you feel slightly sick anytime you eat soy, chocolate, nuts, wheat, corn or dairy? On top of feeling sick you may break out in hives when the food is trying to digest and then travel to other parts of your body. You may even have a weakening in your digestive tract lining. To know if you have a food allergy or not, keep a food journal that notes what you ate—even if it was three or four days ago since it’s possible for food allergies to give a delayed reaction.

I hope I’ve given you some food for thought (sorry, I couldn’t help it) about looking for different ways to get your 7-9 hours of shut-eye.

Your Turn:
What did I leave out? Please share any food-related culprits to sleep here!

Today is an important day for all of us at Active Healthcare. April 18, 2012 has been designated as Sleep Apnea Awareness Day. Thirty years ago Dr. Colin Sullivan, an Australian physician, published an article about his “CPAP Machine” in The Lancet. Sleep diagnosis and treatment has come a long way, but the problem remains that 80 % of people with sleep apnea still remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Help spread the word about the dangers of untreated sleep apnea. Encourage your family and friends to see if they are at risk. We’ve got a 10 second quiz on our website or have them contact us for information.

It’s very common with new PAP and veteran users to experience mask irritation to the point of wanting to quit the PAP therapy (NO!), but now it’s easier than ever to get comfortable with your PAP device and mask without spending a lot of money. If your nasal or your full face mask rubs your skin, try the ResMed Gecko Nasal Pad or the RemZzzs Mask Liners. If chafing was a problem before, you’ll look forward every night to your sleep knowing your mask won’t irritate your skin or leak. Another great thing about these two products is that they are affordable (cash price is $25) and it may be possible to obtain insurance coverage for them!

Gecko Nasal Pad

This polymer gel pad is soft, squishy (like Silly Putty) and is silicone-free. Simply place this pad across the bridge of your nose under your mask to prevent rubbing—there are no adhesives with this pad, but it will stay in place. One pad is good for 30 days (be sure to replace it on a regular basis) and you can easily clean it with soap and water. Placing this small pad under your mask every night is the answer to your skin irritation and mask leaks. Try these pads today—they come in small and large.

RemZzzz Mask Liners

Think of these mask liners like coffee filters—they keep the “grounds” of noise and leaks out of your mask. They also help absorb facial moisture and skin oils. The very thin cotton fabric even feels a bit like a coffee filter. Place one liner over the forehead stabilizing bar and the other over the nose/mouth area. You’ll soon experience a decrease in mask “burping” from the air leaks, red skin from irritation and the constant bother of readjusting your mask every night. The liners come in six different sizes (S, M, L) for the full face or nasal mask and they arrive 30 in a pack for a 30-day supply.

At Active Healthcare we want you to enjoy wearing your PAP mask every night and the Nasal Pad and Mask Liners can really help. Now is a great time to purchase them since there is FREE shipping on these products with your next resupply order.

Your Turn:
How has the Gecko Nasal Pad and/or the Mask Liner changed your experience with managing your sleep apnea?

We all want to be happy and healthy, but what does happiness look like? And how do we get there? Lack of sleep and extreme fatigue due to sleep apnea can lead to depression and weight gain. Treating your sleep apnea can lead to a new and refreshed you.

Getting your seven to eight hours of sleep at night is crucial to your good health and happiness. If you have trouble sleeping your work will suffer, you’ll be more vulnerable to drowsy driving, and your body’s heart, circulatory, and nervous systems will start to break down. Sleep apnea may be at the root of your sleep issues: did you know that of the 20 million people who have sleep apnea, 75 percent don’t know they have it? The gold standard for treatment is a PAP (positive airway pressure) device which keeps your airway open with a gentle stream of air delivered via a mask.

Many of our sleep apnea patients tell us how much happier and healthier their lives became after they underwent a sleep study and started their PAP treatment every night.

One of our recent patients, Roland says, “In the distant past, there were times when it seemed that life was not worth living. I went to sleep feeling like a zombie, and woke up feeling the same way. Before I connected with Active Healthcare, my treatment options were mixed and not helpful. Now I’m aware that we are all on the same page, I feel fine, and I’m grateful to these good people.”

Scott says, “The results of PAP for me have been just exactly what I hoped they would be. My energy is restored, I am now awake, feeling rested after a good night’s sleep, ready for an active day.”

And Robin says, “I don’t often mention this, but I’ve fought depression my entire life and since I’ve been using this PAP device, the issue is not even on my radar. I have never before felt this normal. It’s incredible. I’m taking my medications, but it’s time for me to taper off.”

It’s always tough knowing that there’s no cure for sleep apnea, but by using your PAP device every night, you can achieve good health and consequently happiness. Speaking of happiness, Drs. Dina Eisen and Lilach Meltski of Israel have developed a system, called “Synapsot” that promotes good health through happiness:

Here are some of their tips:

Hug someone at least four times a day—the contact will benefit both the hugger and the huggee.

Say “thank you” even for the smallest things. This will create new synapses in your brain and improve your attention. Synapses are the connecting points where the nerve endings meet and where the brain messages are passed along to the rest of the body.

Maintain a strong circle of friends—social support is key. Get social support from your friends, family and our free Active Healthcare-sponsored free sleep apnea learning events to stick to your PAP plan.

Eat these foods which support happiness: cashews, avocado, whole wheat, sweet potatoes and spinach.

And finally, what I always like to cheer for: getting seven to eight hours a sleep a night!

No, happiness and health don’t come in a bottle you can buy at the store, but they are something you can introduce into your by making positive changes like I’ve mentioned above. Find your happiness by tackling each of these tips, one step at a time. By starting slowing and with great intention, you’ll be more likely to stick to your plan and find great joy in your life.

Your Turn: What’s missing in this list? What happiness and health tips would you like to share with us today?

It should come to no surprise that if you have allergic rhinitis you also suffer from poor sleep. Sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose will cause you to perpetually wake up dozens of times a night and then have trouble getting back to sleep. You may also have trouble concentrating, remembering important facts and feel drowsy when your allergies act up. Like sleep apnea sufferers, allergy suffers also experience daytime drowsiness, poor job performance, sleep disruption, drowsy driving and chronic fatigue.

What should you do to relieve your symptoms so you can get your energy back with optimal sleep?

Try using

• a nasal saline spray to relieve dry, irritated nasal passages
• drink plenty of water
• a humidifier which puts moisture back into the air
• a HEPA air filter that removes large particles of dust, pollen and mold
• vacuum more frequently
• clean your curtains, remove stuffed animals and old carpets
• change your mattress if it’s over five years old and then cover the mattress with a dust mite-resistant casing
• ventilate moist areas in your home such as bathrooms or basements. These would be the best places to use a dehumidifier.

OTC medications such as Benadryl can cause more sleep disturbances because they treat the obvious symptoms and not the fatigue. Some decongestants and antihistamines may also perpetuate drowsiness, appetite loss and irritability. Seeing an allergist to give you allergy shots may be a way to change your immune system’s response to the triggers. These triggers include ragweed, pollen, dust mites, animal dander and more. Avoiding multi-cat households and staying inside an air conditioned house on heavy pollen days may also help. Your allergist can develop for you an allergy treatment plan if all of your triggers can’t be avoided.

Allergy season is here. Be kind to your body and treat your allergies seriously—your body will thank you for the much needed rest!

Your Turn: Do you suffer from allergies and sleep loss? Tell us about it here.

It is a powerful statement when the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that, “Sleep, like food and water, is essential for life” on every single one of their recently released sleep individual state fact sheets. Now the public has easy access to sleep facts for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

The fact sheets show that the consequences of too little sleep include heart disease, depression, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and drowsy driving. They also state the reasons behind our lack of sleep includes reliance of electronic devices, sleep disorders, medications and medical conditions. The CDC recommends adults get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

The sheets also give the following tips for maintaining sleep hygiene (all of which I have posted before in this blog):

• avoid large meals at bedtime, as well as alcohol, nicotine and caffeine
• go to bed and rise at the same time every night
• don’t exercise too hard at night
• the bedroom should be not too hot or cold and it should be dark and quiet
• remove all TVs, computers and other gadgets (I’m talking to you, iPad!)
• the bed should only be used for sleeping (and sex—not mentioned!), not for reading, listening to music or watching TV

Most importantly the sheets give tips on what to do if you think you may suffer from a sleep disorder.

They are:

• You frequently snore and can’t get to sleep
• You have unpleasant tingling in your legs
• You suffer from excess daytime sleepiness

And if you do identify with any or all of the above, then the CDC recommends you see a physician, practice good sleep hygiene and/or keep a sleep diary that you would show your physician.

The sheets show, and this is really fascinating stuff, the prevalence of insufficient rest or sleep of the state’s population broken down by gender, race, age, race/ethnicity, education, employment status, marital status, children and BMI (Body Mass Index). That pretty much covers it all!

Looking at North Carolina and South Carolina, I found it interesting that the Fayetteville, NC region had a 30-33% greater prevalence of insufficient sleep, while the Columbia, SC region had a 28-28.2% greater prevalence of insufficient sleep.

These fact sheets will help medical providers, non-profits, and anyone who cares about the quality of sleep direct these resources to those in need. What a tremendous amount of data to have at your fingertips to help people take back their sleep.

Your Turn:

Take a look at the CDC’s sleep fact sheets for your state. What did you discover as you studied your sheet?

Is it taking you hours and hours to get to sleep? Even when you’re dead tired? If this sounds like you, then look no further than your iPad. Sleep researchers at UCLA have noticed that the blue light from the iPad’s screen may contribute to insomnia. This is because evolution has forced our brains to say, “It’s morning!” with the introduction of bright light. When the bright light comes in, our brains stop producing the hormone melatonin, which induces sleep. Soon our circadian rhythms become jarred by this artificial light at the wrong hour, leading us to stay up when we should be catching some ZZZs.

Our children can also be affected by iPad and laptop use—is it taking them longer to fall asleep and are they perpetually cranky in the morning? First, make sure that their devices are kept out of their bedrooms at night. Make sure you are always firm with them when they should turn off their computers and when it’s time for lights out.

So if our high tech gadgets such as the iPad and smart phones are messing with our sleep, what are we going to do about it short of abandoning them?

• Try to not use your iPad or laptop within two hours of going to bed. Instead, how about reading with a “real” book or a Kindle, which doesn’t emit a bright light directly into your eyes like the iPad. The iPad also requires more concentration than a book and you can be more easily distracted by apps and Facebook.

• Keep your iPad out of your bedroom. Instead of using its alarm to wake you up, how about using your more conventional bedside alarm?

• Reset your laptop or iPad’s dimmer settings or try a free downloadable program called F.lux. F.lux makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.

• Use your computer more heavily in the morning than late at night—train your brain to stop checking email after 8pm and then stick to it.

There still needs to be more research done on the link between iPad and insomnia. We still don’t know if iPad use may worsen in those who are prone to insomnia. But in any case, we all need to be aware that the iPad is a fun gadget and it can definitely keep us up at night.

Your Turn:

What insight would you like to add from this post? If you are an iPad owner, have you ever experienced insomnia? What tips do you have that aren’t listed here that can help relieve others of device-induced insomnia?