Consumer Alert: Sleep Positioners for SIDS Caused Infant Suffocations

The Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission warn parents to stop using infant sleep positioners. The soft fabric devices claim to help babies safely sleep on their back, yet at least 12 children have rolled over and suffocated or became trapped between the positioner and the side of the crib. The federal agencies have received dozens of additional reports of

Consider your Sleep Before Springing for Free “Holiday” Coffee or Beer

September 29th is a special day for savvy savers. The date is dedicated to two free beverage-based holidays you’ve probably never heard of until today.National Coffee Day, presently the top trending topic on Google, is making mainstream headlines because everyone loves a good giveaway. Many Dunkin’ Donuts locations and regional coffee chains are offering free java to commemorate National Coffee

NTSB: Tired Trucker Caused Crash that Killed 10

The National Transportation Safety Board promises to turn up the pressure on the trucking industry, following a year-long investigation that ruled driver fatigue as the cause of a devastating semi crash on an Oklahoma highway. 10 people died, and five more were injured when Donald L. Creed, then 76, rammed through a line of cars stopped in traffic 90 miles northeast of Tulsa. Creed was apparently

Sleepless College Students Risk Academic Failure

The all-night cram sessions, after-hours parties and early morning tailgates that characterize the college experience leave little room for sleep. All the excitement and academic stress is putting college students at risk for sleep disorders.A study in the Journal of American College Health reports more than a quarter of students could develop at least one sleep disorder due to their lifestyle.

Gluten Intolerance Tied to Sleep Disorders

Special diet or not, sleep suffers with celiac disease. The digestion condition triggered by gluten intolerance is linked to a higher rate of sleep disorders.Intestinal damage from celiac disease prevents the body from absorbing key nutrients. Generally, people with celiac disease carefully manage their diets, avoiding foods like bread, pasta or any other foods containing wheat, barely or rye.A

Perceived Control is the Secret to CPAP

The answer to sleep apnea seems so simple on the surface. Get diagnosed and get set up with CPAP, the front-line treatment for the sleep disorder.The reality is many people give up on CPAP before seeing improvements in health, oftentimes because of comfort issues. These patients are putting their health at risk before giving the treatment much of a chance.So what’s the secret to CPAP adherence? A

Percy Harvin Sidelined Again with Migraines

After a 0-2 start to the season, things are looking bleaker by the day for the Minnesota Vikings. 40-year-old Quarterback Brett Favre is showing his age, and his primary target Sidney Rice won’t catch a pass until at least November.The latest let-down involves the feel-good story of the NFL’s season opener. NBC’s Andrea Kremer reported mid-game that Percy Harvin found the cure for debilitating

Childhood Money Troubles Lead to Insomnia Later

Times of financial uncertainty are understandably cause for insomnia. Worry about how to pay the mortgage and put food on the table kept many women awake in bed during the height of the recession in late 2008.In 20 years, many of their children will struggle to sleep, regardless of their financial state. Growing up in a family with financial difficulties raises the risk of insomnia later in life,

Most Americans Sleep with Cell Phones

Most American adults spend every waking moment connected…. and every nonwakeful moment it turns out. A Pew survey shows two-thirds of Americans sleep with their cell phones in their bed or on a nightstand.The set-up leads to a lot of late-night texting, talking or web surfing if it’s a smartphone. It’s bad sleep hygiene that could be promoting insomnia. A now infamous report the Sleep Education

Small Study Shows Soy May Help Postmenopausal Insomnia

Tofu may have little flavor, yet it can help older women better enjoy a good meal or dinner a conversation. Difficulty sleeping is nearly inevitable for most women post-menopause, and the fatigue it causes makes life less enjoyable.Brazilian researchers believe estrogen-like compounds in soy beans called isoflavones help older women sleep. Women who took the compound slept better and had fewer

FAA Proposal Targets Pilot Fatigue

In February 2009, the national discussion shifted when a red-eye flight suddenly came to a terrifying end. A regional commuter plane dropped from the sky onto a suburban Buffalo subdivision, claiming the lives of 50 people.A year-long investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed startled, confused pilots badly mishandled a cockpit warning and lost control of the plane.

Sweating off Insomnia Works, New Study Contends

The benefit of exercise for insomnia continues to be a hotly debated topic in the sleep research community. Recently, several high-profile reports have come to conflicting conclusions on whether a workout routine can promote sleep.The latest published study by Northwestern University researchers shifts the argument back in favor of exercise for insomnia. The article concludes that older adults

TED Talks Sleep, Circadian Rhythms

The far-reaching, free exchange of ideas known as TED takes on sleep and circadian rhythms in the latest streaming TEDtalk.In the video, environmental journalist Jessa Gamble shares some things she picked up while living in the 24-hour darkness of northern Canada in the wintertime. Gamble praises the benefits of setting an early bedtime, and waking for a couple hours in the middle of the night,

Sleep Disorder Shares Blame for Early Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes early in life is commonly associated with obesity, but in many cases there may be another factor at play. Obstructive sleep apnea, a common untreated sleeping disorder in teens, can contribute to the onset of diabetes.A study in the September issue of SLEEP reports sleep apnea worsens insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes as well as metabolic

Many Non-Depressed Insomniacs Have Suicidal Desires

Insomniacs have no shortage of alone time. Countless overnight hours are spent pondering, obsessing and agonizing over the inability to sleep and the stressful things in your life. This endless introspection may give rise to momentary suicidal desires.The two-way relationship between sleeplessness and mental health disturbances is well documented at this point. Insomnia is both a symptom and a

My Child Snores, is it Sleep Apnea?

Snoring is especially prevalent in adults and a surprising number of their children also “saw logs.” Sleepeducation.com reports between 10 and 20 percent of American children snore. Children in China have similar snoring rates, a study included in the September issue of the journal Chest reports.A survey of more than 6,000 school-aged kids found approximately 1 in 10 Chinese children snore

Depression, Mental Distress May Start with Short Sleep

A variety of everyday problems can be maddeningly difficult on little sleep. Minor conflicts may cause a sleep-deprived person to feel frustration, anger or even sadness. Slight disruptions become emotional eruptions in the absence of restful sleep.For teenagers and young adults who already grapple with heightened hormones, a string of sleepless nights can turn them into walking time-bombs.

Vikings Receiver Harvin’s Health Woes Stem from Sleep Apnea

At 5’11’’, 184 lbs of solid muscle and the ability to complete the 40 yard dash in less than 4.4 seconds Percy Harvin, the explosive wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, doesn’t have the obvious warning signs of obstructive sleep apnea that NFL coaches and trainers can easily identify. Most players in the league who’ve been diagnosed with the sleep disorder have massive bodies with excess

Study Links Sleeping Pills to Mortality

Sleeping pills lengthen your slumber and may shorten your life, a Canadian report claims. The 12-year study linked hypnotic class sleep drugs and anti-anxiety medications with long-term mortality. Consumption of sleeping pills or anxiety relieving medications was associated with a 36 percent higher death risk, the study concluded. Respondents to a large Canadian National Survey who said they used

Strange Midnight Binges Haunt Sleep-Eaters

Most people scoff at the thought of eating a blend of raw bacon, egg shells and coffee grounds. People with sleep related eating disorder are no different, yet they consume such sickening concoctions without thinking twice. Or thinking at all, for that matter.SRED involves unconscious compulsive binge-eating in the middle of the night. Sleep-walkers rapidly prepare and consume whatever they can

Long and Solid Nighttime Sleep Helps Solve Childhood Obesity

The battle against childhood obesity begins not in the school lunchroom but in the bedroom. When infants and toddlers lose sleep early in life they gain weight that can last a lifetime, a new University of Washington study reports. Regular, lengthy nighttime sleep encourages healthy development.Young children are nearly twice as likely to become obese or overweight by the age of five when they

Sleepy Teens Eat More Fatty Foods and Snacks

Poor sleep habits go hand-in-hand with unhealthy diets for teenagers. A new study shows teens that sleep less than eight hours on weeknights usually eat more fatty foods and snack more often than their well-rested peers.The high-fat, snack filled diet is a recipe for obesity, especially as female teens as researchers discovered through data analysis.Short sleep durations may cause a number of

Chronic Insomnia a Death Risk for Men

Consider seeking cognitive-behavioral therapy for long-term insomnia, especially if you are a male. New research shows men who consistently get less than six hours of sleep are four times more likely to die.A long-term mortality study published in the September issue of the journal SLEEP demonstrates why identifying and treating insomnia early on should become a top health priority.The study