According to the renowned Cleveland Clinic, Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD) is defined as “a sleep disorder that affects people who frequently rotate shifts or work at night. Shift workers schedules typically go against the body’s natural Circadian rhythm, and individuals have difficulty adjusting to the different sleep and wake schedule. SWSD consists of a constant or recurrent pattern of sleep interruption that results in insomnia or excessive sleepiness. This disorder is common in people who work non-traditional hours, usually between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m”.

The most common symptom of SWSD is excessive sleepiness. Other complaints from shift workers include:

• Insomnia
• Disrupted sleep schedules
• Reduced performance
• Difficulties with personal relationships
• Irritability/depressed mood
• Difficulty concentrating
• Headaches
• Lack of energy

Unfortunately, there are some significant consequences from SWSD. Those consequences can include:

• Increased accidents
• Increased work-related errors
• Increased sick leave
• Increased irritability, mood problems, etc.

Coping with SWSD

Because it is difficult to prepare for sleep during the day, shift workers must make sleep a priority. In order to prepare for daytime sleep, include both your mind and body. In essence, make your body and mind think it’s ready for sleep. Tips include:

• Minimize exposure to light as best you can in order to avoid activating your internal “daytime clock.”
• Follow bedtime rituals and try to keep a regular sleep schedule – even on weekends.
• Go to sleep as soon as possible after work. It is important to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day.
• Create a “while at sleep-quiet zone” while at home. Have family members refrain from listening to music, watching TV, vacuuming, dish washing, and other noisy activities during your sleep time.
• Turn your phone on mute or vibrate. Or wear earplugs and an eye mask. Turn off the doorbell.
• Avoid long commutes if possible. Not only does it take time away from sleeping, the risk for accident increases exponentially.
• You should not work more than 4 12hr shifts in a row. That should be followed with at least 48 hours off from work.
• Try to maintain an exercise routine which will help with both fitness and quality sleep.
• If possible, short naps can effectively combat fatigue and work related accidents.
• In the hours close to betime, avoid alcohol and any caffeine related products.
• Finally, get enough sleep during your days off to help make up some of the sleep deprivation your body is feeling.

With the globalization of the US economy, the workforce is being forced to adapt to changing schedules. Although shift work can make a business more productive, it can be difficult on swift worker’s minds and bodies. It can also play havoc on normal daily activities and interactions with family and friends. It is, thus, more important to deal positively and knowledgeably with the circumstances and build positive sleep routines. It may also make sense to be tested for sleep disorders such as sleep apnea which can contribute to increased risk factors such as hypertension, weight gain, stress and stroke.

In a ground-breaking new study published in the February 15, 2011, issue of the journal Cancer, researchers from University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, found that individuals who averaged less than 6 hours of sleep at night had an almost 50% increase in the risk of colorectal adenomas compared with individuals sleeping at least 7 hours per night. Adenomas are a precursor to cancer tumors and, left untreated, they can turn malignant.

Of the 1,240 patients in the study, 338 were diagnosed with colorectal adenomas at their colonoscopy. The patients with adenomas were found in general to have reported sleeping less than 6 hours compared to those patients without adenomas (control) patients, and the association between amount of sleep and adenomas remained even when adjusted for family history, smoking, and waist-to-hip ratio.

Although why fewer hours of sleep may lead to colon cancer is unknown, Li Li, MD, PhD, the study’s principal investigator and family medicine physician in the Department of Family Medicine at UH Case Medical Center and associate professor of Family Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine said theories include that less sleep may mean less production of melatonin, a natural hormone that in animals has been linked to DNA repair, or that insulin resistance may underlie the link between sleep disturbance and cancer development.

Thompson, C. L., Larkin, E. K., Patel, S., Berger, N. A., Redline, S. and Li, L. (2011), Short duration of sleep increases risk of colorectal adenoma. Cancer, 117: 841–847. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25507

• Quit Smoking: Cigarette smoke irritates your mouth and throat, which can further exacerbate your sleep apnea.
• Weight Loss: Losing weight may be the single most important lifestyle change you could make, both for your overall health and for the treatment of sleep apnea. Losing weight is a daunting task and any patient should be sure to use a safe and effective exercise regimen.
• Avoid Alcohol and Sedatives: Alcohol and sedatives relax the muscles in the throat, which makes sleep apnea more severe. Alcohol should not be consumed for at least 4 hours before going to sleep. If your doctor prescribes you with a sedative, you should tell him/her that you have sleep apnea.
• Side/Stomach Sleeping: Many patients find that sleeping on their back triggers sleep apnea. By sleeping on your side or your stomach, you may find that the apnea is lessened.

Along with these lifestyle changes, your doctor will most likely recommend a sleep apnea device and mask to wear during the night. The most important thing to remember about wearing a sleep apnea mask is compliance; you have to wear it regularly for it to have any effect. Finding the right mask for you is imperative, since having a comfortable mask means you will be willing to wear it every night. There are many masks out there, so the biggest question is which one you should choose.

Fisher & Paykel’s Zest nasal CPAP mask is very popular and comfortable, combining a new Easy-Clip Silicone Seal and Advanced Air Diffuser with proven FlexiFit technology, which guarantees comfort, ease of use and reliability. The inner Auto-Contouring Foam Cushion automatically adjusts to nasal and facial contours without the need for complicated adjustments. The outer Easy-Clip Silicone Seal provides a perfect seal, which stops any air from your CPAP machine from leaking out, which guarantees effective treatment.

The Advanced Air Diffuser on Fisher & Paykel’s Zest nasal CPAP mask disperses airflow away from the sleeper and sleep partner and minimizes noise. The new breathable elastic headgear is specially designed to maintain a comfortable, firm seal, while Fisher & Paykel’s Glider Straps and Clips distribute pressure equally across the face and automatically adjust the mask alignment during sleep.

Along with lifestyle changes, finding the most effective and comfortable mask is imperative. Fisher & Paykel’s Zest nasal CPAP mask is comfortable and practical and may be the right mask for your needs.

It has been reported that up to 90% of people who have Sleep Apnea don’t even know they are afflicted by it! Usually it is the bed partner whom notices the person struggling to breathe. Most of the afflicted don’t remember waking up or gasping for air. This is what can make Sleep Apnea life-threatening. The following blog post discusses sleep apnea and how CPAP equipment can provide relief.

The typical Sleep Apnea patient has a few characteristics which make them more prone to Sleep Apnea. Some of the causes and risk factors include;  Being overweight(although many are within their standard body weight), large neck circumference, large tonsils or adenoids, deviated septum, receding chin, frequent nasal congestion or relaxed throat muscles, smoking and disorders of the Endocrine system(Hypothyroidism and Acromegaly). Additionally, Sleep Apnea tends to be a genetic disorder and run in families. If you have one or more of these conditions, it’s useful to speak with bed partner about your sleep patterns throughout the night. Below is a list of warning signs and symptoms for you both to take into consideration:

· Frequent silences during sleep due to breaks in breathing (apnea)

· Restless tossing and turning during sleep.

· Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs

· Loud snoring – Almost all people who have sleep apnea snore, but not all people who snore have sleep apnea.

· Sudden awakenings to restart breathing or waking up in a sweat

· Excessive Daytime sleepiness and feeling unrefreshed by a night’s sleep, including falling asleep at inappropriate times, having problems with memory and concentration, and experiencing personality changes.

If any of these warnings signs are typical or noticeable by you or your bed partner, it is recommended that a discussion with your doctor would be the first step to diagnosis. If the doctor suspects that Sleep Apnea could be disturbing sleep patterns, a sleep study will be ordered. If it is determined that the person is diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, the most frequently prescribed treatment is a sleep apnea CPAP machine and CPAP mask. Although sleep apnea CPAP equipment takes a time to get used to wearing, it typically has dramatic and positive impacts on the patients quality of sleep and, for many, considered a life saver! Learn more about Sleep Apnea CPAP by visiting our website.

They said, “people with severe breathing disorders during sleep were more likely to die from a variety of causes than similar people without such sleep disorders. The risks are most obvious in men aged 40 to 70, Naresh Punjabi of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and colleagues found”.

Punjabi’s team studied 6,400 men and women for an average of eight years. The team reported, “Those who started with major sleep apnea were 46 percent more likely to die from any cause, regardless of age, sex, race, weight or smoking”.  This can be found in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine. This complete article can be found here:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090818/sc_nm/us_sleep_death

The American Sleep Apnea Association states:

“Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea, as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.

Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences”.

1. Do you need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning?

2. Do you get drowzy while driving short distances or while waiting at traffic lights?

3. Do you run out of steam in the middle of the day?

4. Are you irritable and agitated? (Ask your spouse)

5. Are you a light sleeper and wake up easily at every noise?

6. Do you snore?

If you answered “yes” to even some of these questions, you are probably lacking sleep. If you’re still not sure, try sitting in a comfortable chair in a darkened room for five minutes. If you can’t do this without falling asleep, it’s a sign that you need more sleep.

Contact your physician and ask for a sleep study. If your doctor prescribes a CPAP machine, contact us today at The CPAP Shop.

The majority of respondents from four countries indicated that their lack of sleep has negatively affected their work performance. “On average, each estimated 6.2 days per year were impacted by inadequate sleep — costing companies around the globe millions.” (WSJ)

Wall Stree Journal resports that according to this survey:

• Americans are more likely than other nationalities to lose sleep through stress at work with 30 percent citing it as the reason they wake up during the night
• The average amount of time it takes Americans to fall asleep — at nearly 26 minutes – is more than any other country surveyed — and American men lead the world in snoring with 29 percent snoring every single night.
• 70 percent said that their work suffered because of lack of sleep
• The number one symptom of this lack of sleep was less patience, followed closely behind by less enthusiasm and concentration

Read more about the survey at Wall Street Journal.

Sufferers of sleep disorders can use Respironics CPAP machines to aid them in getting the suggested 8-hours of sleep.

The first officially recorded patient suffering from obstructive sleep apnea was identified 128 years after the first description of an OSA patient became public.  Charles Dickens described a young man named Joe with symptoms of OSA in his 1837 book entitled The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

In 1918, Sir William Osler coined “Pickwickian,” based upon Dickens’ book to describe obese, hypersomnolent patients.  Osler was described as a reader of Charles Dickens.  In 1956, Dr. Robin Burwell coined “Pickwickian Syndrome” to describe obese, hypersomnolent patients with respiratory and cardiac failure.

Medical literature indicates that the phrase “obstructive sleep apnea” was first used in 1965 in research by, independently operating, French and German researchers.

Although the modern phrase of obstructive sleep apnea is just over 45 years old, there is no doubt the condition has existed for millennia.  Some reports indicate that OSA was considered a part of one’s character.  Those lacking modern-day knowledge considered sufferers of chronically severe snoring as being possessed by demons.

Of all the sleep-disorders, obstructive sleep apnea is the most common.  The throat contains many muscles and soft tissue that surround and protect the airway from damage.  As the muscle tone degrades or weakens, the soft tissue begins to block the airway.  As the airway becomes blocked the individual begins to snore as air is inhaled and exhaled.

Mild snoring typically offers no reason to have deep concern.  Chronic or loud snoring indicates that a problem may exist.  Common symptoms of OSA go far beyond simple snoring.  Restless sleep, sleepiness during the day, depression, congestive heart failure can occur.

A condition called hypoxemia, low blood oxygen often occurs as a result of the OSA sufferer ceasing to breathe during sleep.  In 1981, to combat this situation a device called a CPAP machine was invented by Colin Sullivan and Associates in Sydney, Australia.  The CPAP machine introduces a continuous positive airway pressure into the OSA sufferer’s airway to prevent the collapse of the airway’s soft tissues.

Since 1981, many companies have engaged in the manufacture of CPAP machines and the continued research and development to find effective, non-invasive methods of treating OSA.  Those companies include Phillips-Respironics, ResMed, Fisher and Paykel and many others.

To date, three types of CPAP machines have been developed.  They include the standard CPAP machine, Auto CPAP machines (APAP) and the highly advanced BiPAP machine .  As previously described the CPAP provides a continuous positive pressure which is determined by a sleep study.  The APAP functions by automatically providing the patient with the proper level of inhalation pressure which may vary during sleep.  It also can function similar to a BiPAP in that exhalation pressure can automatically reduce to make the experience more comfortable.  The APAP also typically have a feature which can eliminate the auto feature so it functions like a standard CPAP.  The BiPAP provides a bi-level pressure which increases air pressure during the inhalation period and reduces the air pressure during the exhalation period based upon programmed requirements.  The more sophisticated BiPAP ST will actually provide timed breathes.

The history, symptoms and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea have a long history even if the medical records have a short history.  Understanding the significance of the disease and getting treatment can help improve one’s disposition, well-being and overall quality of life.

Author:

The CPAP Shop (http://www.thecpapshop.com) a provider of CPAP products including CPAP machines, BiPAP machines, and Auto-Adjusting CPAP machines.  Our goal is to educated the general public about the negative consequences of untreated sleep apnea

Snoring is a result of an obstruction of airflow while breathing. The respiratory structures in the back of the nose and mouth will vibrate causing the soft to loud vibratory snoring sound. This occurs while sleeping because the muscles and soft palette in the throat collapse causing airflow to be restricted.

In recent years, medical professionals have linked the adverse effects of snoring to sleep apnea. Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder that is characterized by brief pauses in breathing while asleep. Each pause or episode is called an apnea and lasts long enough so that one or more breaths are missed. These apnea episodes tend to happen numerous times throughout the course of sleep. For some severe suffer’s, the number of apneas can reach over 100 per hour. Obviously given these symptoms, Sleep Apnea can, at the very least be damaging to a person’s airway and even potentially be fatal. Treatment by a physician or sleep professional should be sought immediately to confirm the diagnosis and treatment.

There is no simple cure for sleep apnea or snoring. Many people have to live with these disorders their entire lives while others may develop as one age’s or gains excessive weight. A person can help to prevent sleep apnea and snoring by maintaining a healthy diet, a good exercise regime and staying within a safe weight zone.

There are several treatments for sleep apnea; the most widely recognized and most common being the use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine, commonly known as a CPAP machine. The CPAP machine delivers a continuous and sometimes variable flow of air pressure through a tube which is connected to mask that is worn during sleep. This positive airflow pressure into the nostrils and mouth (if using a full face mask) helps to keep the airways open so breathing is no longer impaired. This CPAP treatment for sleep apnea is considered by many experts to be the most effective treatment for sleep apnea.

When the CPAP mask and CPAP machine are used properly, the success rate for treating sleep apnea and snoring is quite high. Except for the most severe cases, the CPAP machine generally eliminates the need for other treatments including surgery.

Some of the most common symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea may include:

• Does your loud snoring wake you up and disturb your family?
• Do you have excessive daytime sleepiness?
• Do you have problems with your memory or concentration?
• Do you wake up with a headache?
• Does your partner notice episodes of not breathing which can occur between 5 and 50 times an hour?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might have sleep apnea and should talk to your doctor about completing a sleep study. If it is determined that you do indeed have sleep apnea, a CPAP machine will likely be the optimal treatment. Once the CPAP machine is configured for your particular situation, becoming compliant with the machine will provide for a restful night’s sleep and enhance your quality of life.

So, how much sleep is enough sleep?

Most people never think about how much sleep they need each night to feel their best, they just know that they don’t get enough. The number of hours needed for sleep depends on your body’s circadian rhythm, or your biological clock’s sleep-wake cycles. Every night when you sleep your body goes through several cycles of sleep. Each stage of sleep lasts approximately 90-110 minutes and consists of 2 major stages; Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). The America Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) further divides NREM into N1, N2, and N3 stages, the last of which is also called delta or slow-wave sleep (SWS). This is when you’re in your deepest sleep; the most difficult to wake from. This stage is commonly when sleep walking and bedwetting will occur.

The typical sleep cycle stages are in the order of;
N1 – N2 – N3 – N2 – REM

Age plays a factor!

What is the recommended number of hours you should be sleeping per night? As noted above, elderly people will require less sleep than younger people. That being said; as newborns, we essentially are continually cycling between asleep and wake states, neither diurnal nor nocturnal. During the first year, this pattern starts to condense into a single sleep period.

• At year one, the child will typically sleep 10 hours a night.
• By age 4-5, the child will actually sleep between 11-12 hours per night.
• At age 10, the child will begin sleeping about 10 hours a night again. This should continue into the teenage years.
• Adults typically need 7-8 hours per night, and that number will decrease as you age. However, even seniors should try to maintain 6-7 hours per night.

Not getting the appropriate amount of sleep per night can seriously inhibit your functionality throughout the day. If you have trouble sleeping you may want to consult with your doctor, who may recommend you have a sleep study done.