Sleep is absolutely essential for your health and well being. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more.
Listen in as David Warren, BS, explains the importance of a good nights sleep and how healthy sleep tips and healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life.
Selected Podcast
The Health Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep
Featured Speaker:
David Warren, BS
David M. Warren, BS, RRT, is the Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics. Transcription:
The Health Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep
Melanie Cole (Host): Sleep is absolutely essential for your health and well-being. According to the National Sleep Foundation, up to 40 million Americans suffer from sort of sleep disorders. My guest today is David Warren. He's the Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics. Welcome to the show, David. Tell us a little bit about sleep apnea. People hear about it in the media, they don't know what it is. Tell us what it is.
David Warren (Guest): Sure, Melanie. As you said, there are quite a few Americans that chronically have a sleep disorder of some type, sleep apnea being the most common that is out there. This is a chronic condition that happens over time. People usually do not feel the effects within the first few years. It's usually many years of ongoing sleep disorders where they're feeling tired a lot during the day. They maybe have been witnessed stopping breathing during the night by their spouse or significant other, and they just don't seem to, no matter how many hours they sleep, ever really catch up and get good sleep.
Melanie: So, you said maybe it's felt or seen by their significant other. That certainly is a common way. What would they know about during the daytime or at night? Would they have any idea they've got it?
David: Sure. Most people complain that they feel extreme fatigue, meaning like if they have slept for even 10-12 hours at a time, they still feel tired during the day and maybe even feel like they have to take a nap to try to you know, bridge that gap of what they're not getting at night. A lot of that has to do with the cycles of sleep. There are different cycles of sleep that where we get more benefit from than others and we constantly drift in and out of what we call “lighter” cycles of sleep and to the deeper ones where we get the most benefit. If we're not getting into those deep cycles, which they call the “REM” cycles of sleep, that's where we're getting the most benefit or rest and to rejuvenate our bodies.
Melanie: What do you recommend as the first thing, the first line of defense, if somebody thinks that they have it? Should they go see a doctor? Should they try other things? And, what do you do for them if you do discover they have sleep apnea? How do you diagnose it?
David: Sure. One of the first things is providers are very in tune nowadays to be asking these types of questions. Some people will bring them up during their normal physical that they have yearly if they do consistently doctor, but a lot of them will kind of get cued from their provider asking them how they feel they're being rested. Are they feeling daytime sleepiness or extreme fatigue during the day, and then, kind of digging in deeper into what may be causing that. We do need a prescription from a provider in order to get qualified for a sleep study and there are certain criteria that do kind of help promote or kind of lead us down that direction of asking for a sleep study to be had.
Melanie: Let's discuss the sleep study. People think to themselves, "I can't do one of those. How am I going to actually sleep in one of those places?" So, tell us about a sleep study and how you actually get information on them.
David: Sure. In the lab here, we hook up a bunch of wires and that is really to monitor all of the aspects of our body during the course of the night. A lot of them are our brain wave activity, our eye movement, the respiratory movement or initiation of breathing, whether through the nose and mouth. We also are measuring if the legs are restless, as well as what's happening with our heart and monitoring that, as well. We try to put in an environment, kind of that hotel feel, where at least it's not your same bed, which is ideal, but at least it's more accommodating and most people don't have a tough time falling asleep. If they do, we do recommend sometimes that their providers, if they do have a tough time falling asleep, asking for some type of prescription for that night that they have their study.
Melanie: So, people can actually get a decent night's sleep--enough, anyway, for you to see what's going on?
David: Right. The American Academy of Sleep is who guides us in our criteria as far as what qualifies as a sufficient testing method and a lot of times, we have to record so many minutes of time. It's roughly around 200 or so minutes, at least, of good, quality sleep before it's considered a valid test.
Melanie: What would predispose somebody to having sleep apnea? Are there certain risk factors or behaviors, lifestyle things that people might do that might contribute to this?
David: Yes, there are. Obviously, those that work swing shifts, body types, if one is over obese or has a large neck circumference, that's certainly are indicators. It doesn't mean that they have sleep apnea, but that does tend to go along with higher risk. Obviously, those that have had cardiac conditions such as heart failure, tend to have a higher likelihood of undiagnosed sleep apnea, we've found through studies. So, it is important that when they are testing these folks, they're asking those types of questions, looking at their body weight, their neck circumference, their lifestyle, what they do for a living. Those all kind of predispose sometimes for a higher risk.
Melanie: So, what do you do to treat them, and what are some of the therapies that you might use?
David: Sure. Well there are some good hygiene tips, just for getting, trying to get a consistent night of sleep, even if it's not sleep apnea and those are pretty, I would say, common sense, but, yet, we tend to live in this digital world where we are constantly in touch with one another. So, one of the things that we find a lot is, people take their tablets, their cell phone, their smart phones to bed with them and are constantly being bombarded by not only the light of that device, but also it's kind of triggering our brain to kind of stay awake here because we're thinking while we're doing it. TVs obviously being on. Everyone has different habits, but they do recommend trying to keep the bedroom as being for sleeping and those types of activities. Not eating large meals before you go to bed, avoiding caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime, and, of course, nicotine, as well.
Melanie: So, what about C-PAP, people hear about that in the media? What is that? What is it intended to do?
David: Sure. C-PAP is an acronym that stands for “continuous positive airway pressure” and, basically, if someone does test positive for C-PAP, it's probably the gold standard and still the most common type of way that we can treat sleep apnea. Basically, it's a machine with a mask and tubing that helps blow air into the airway to help keep that airway open or patent. Some people that are on the lighter end of having sleep apnea do benefit, too, from having what is called a “dental appliance”, and that is a device that is fitted by a sleep apnea trained certified dentist that would fit a mouth guard that helps keep aligned the jaw so that the tongue does not fall back in the back of the throat.
Melanie: Do any other type of lifestyle things seem to help, David? Like melatonin or any of those more all-natural pillows? Any of those things make a difference?
David: Sure. They do. I think the environment is important. Melatonin, you brought that up, is a common thing that sometimes is lacking for folks, but the big environment is are you having that where noise is trying to be eliminated, the light, especially from devices such as a cell phone or a Kindle or TV is being eliminated because even children are getting into the habit of, unfortunately, going to bed with these new electronic devices that we use day long, but we're kind of finding that a lot of people are continuing that all the way up until they do actually go to sleep.
Melanie: So, finish it up for us and wrap it up with some of your best, healthy sleep tips. It's so important, as you say, in this day and age of electronics and so many other things going on in people's lives, turning off our mind and getting a really good night's sleep.
David: Well, as I mentioned, Melanie, some of the big things for good sleep hygiene is you know, trying to go to bed at the same time each night, and getting up at the same time each morning. It's just a normal cycle that our body can try to get into, which helps. Also, as I mentioned before, not eating a large meal or snacking hard before you go to bed because that does tend to keep us awake subconsciously before we go to bed. We talked about avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, nicotine, also setting up that sleep environment so that it is proper or meant for sleep. Turning off the TV, not taking your cell phone or iPad or other devices with you to bed, and then, really just meant to be that kind of quiet unwind time and getting ready to prep for a good night's, restful sleep. And, then, if they do have issues that you’re finding, you really should seek out your provider to find out if you're a candidate for having a sleep study done.
Melanie: David, if you can't sleep, should you lay there in bed, rolling around trying to sleep or do you recommend people get up out of bed?
David: Well, the biggest thing is probably what' kind of making you awake, and I guess if it's a consistent thing, then that's more of a question that you should seek out to a provider. If it's happening here and there, because stress is another factor we really didn't talk a lot about, during different periods of our life, obviously, we have stress and that’s common, but excessive stress can tend to make us stay awake and not being able to fall back asleep rather easily if we do wake up during the sleep. So, it is another factor that we didn't talk about too much in this interview until now but, certainly, it leads to people having issues with their sleep. If people are having consistent concerns with their sleep, they certainly should seek out medical advice in talking to their provider.
Melanie: Thank you so much for being with us today, David. It's great information. You're listening to Aspirus Health Talk and for more information, you can go to www.aspirus.org. That's www.aspirus.org. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.
The Health Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep
Melanie Cole (Host): Sleep is absolutely essential for your health and well-being. According to the National Sleep Foundation, up to 40 million Americans suffer from sort of sleep disorders. My guest today is David Warren. He's the Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics. Welcome to the show, David. Tell us a little bit about sleep apnea. People hear about it in the media, they don't know what it is. Tell us what it is.
David Warren (Guest): Sure, Melanie. As you said, there are quite a few Americans that chronically have a sleep disorder of some type, sleep apnea being the most common that is out there. This is a chronic condition that happens over time. People usually do not feel the effects within the first few years. It's usually many years of ongoing sleep disorders where they're feeling tired a lot during the day. They maybe have been witnessed stopping breathing during the night by their spouse or significant other, and they just don't seem to, no matter how many hours they sleep, ever really catch up and get good sleep.
Melanie: So, you said maybe it's felt or seen by their significant other. That certainly is a common way. What would they know about during the daytime or at night? Would they have any idea they've got it?
David: Sure. Most people complain that they feel extreme fatigue, meaning like if they have slept for even 10-12 hours at a time, they still feel tired during the day and maybe even feel like they have to take a nap to try to you know, bridge that gap of what they're not getting at night. A lot of that has to do with the cycles of sleep. There are different cycles of sleep that where we get more benefit from than others and we constantly drift in and out of what we call “lighter” cycles of sleep and to the deeper ones where we get the most benefit. If we're not getting into those deep cycles, which they call the “REM” cycles of sleep, that's where we're getting the most benefit or rest and to rejuvenate our bodies.
Melanie: What do you recommend as the first thing, the first line of defense, if somebody thinks that they have it? Should they go see a doctor? Should they try other things? And, what do you do for them if you do discover they have sleep apnea? How do you diagnose it?
David: Sure. One of the first things is providers are very in tune nowadays to be asking these types of questions. Some people will bring them up during their normal physical that they have yearly if they do consistently doctor, but a lot of them will kind of get cued from their provider asking them how they feel they're being rested. Are they feeling daytime sleepiness or extreme fatigue during the day, and then, kind of digging in deeper into what may be causing that. We do need a prescription from a provider in order to get qualified for a sleep study and there are certain criteria that do kind of help promote or kind of lead us down that direction of asking for a sleep study to be had.
Melanie: Let's discuss the sleep study. People think to themselves, "I can't do one of those. How am I going to actually sleep in one of those places?" So, tell us about a sleep study and how you actually get information on them.
David: Sure. In the lab here, we hook up a bunch of wires and that is really to monitor all of the aspects of our body during the course of the night. A lot of them are our brain wave activity, our eye movement, the respiratory movement or initiation of breathing, whether through the nose and mouth. We also are measuring if the legs are restless, as well as what's happening with our heart and monitoring that, as well. We try to put in an environment, kind of that hotel feel, where at least it's not your same bed, which is ideal, but at least it's more accommodating and most people don't have a tough time falling asleep. If they do, we do recommend sometimes that their providers, if they do have a tough time falling asleep, asking for some type of prescription for that night that they have their study.
Melanie: So, people can actually get a decent night's sleep--enough, anyway, for you to see what's going on?
David: Right. The American Academy of Sleep is who guides us in our criteria as far as what qualifies as a sufficient testing method and a lot of times, we have to record so many minutes of time. It's roughly around 200 or so minutes, at least, of good, quality sleep before it's considered a valid test.
Melanie: What would predispose somebody to having sleep apnea? Are there certain risk factors or behaviors, lifestyle things that people might do that might contribute to this?
David: Yes, there are. Obviously, those that work swing shifts, body types, if one is over obese or has a large neck circumference, that's certainly are indicators. It doesn't mean that they have sleep apnea, but that does tend to go along with higher risk. Obviously, those that have had cardiac conditions such as heart failure, tend to have a higher likelihood of undiagnosed sleep apnea, we've found through studies. So, it is important that when they are testing these folks, they're asking those types of questions, looking at their body weight, their neck circumference, their lifestyle, what they do for a living. Those all kind of predispose sometimes for a higher risk.
Melanie: So, what do you do to treat them, and what are some of the therapies that you might use?
David: Sure. Well there are some good hygiene tips, just for getting, trying to get a consistent night of sleep, even if it's not sleep apnea and those are pretty, I would say, common sense, but, yet, we tend to live in this digital world where we are constantly in touch with one another. So, one of the things that we find a lot is, people take their tablets, their cell phone, their smart phones to bed with them and are constantly being bombarded by not only the light of that device, but also it's kind of triggering our brain to kind of stay awake here because we're thinking while we're doing it. TVs obviously being on. Everyone has different habits, but they do recommend trying to keep the bedroom as being for sleeping and those types of activities. Not eating large meals before you go to bed, avoiding caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime, and, of course, nicotine, as well.
Melanie: So, what about C-PAP, people hear about that in the media? What is that? What is it intended to do?
David: Sure. C-PAP is an acronym that stands for “continuous positive airway pressure” and, basically, if someone does test positive for C-PAP, it's probably the gold standard and still the most common type of way that we can treat sleep apnea. Basically, it's a machine with a mask and tubing that helps blow air into the airway to help keep that airway open or patent. Some people that are on the lighter end of having sleep apnea do benefit, too, from having what is called a “dental appliance”, and that is a device that is fitted by a sleep apnea trained certified dentist that would fit a mouth guard that helps keep aligned the jaw so that the tongue does not fall back in the back of the throat.
Melanie: Do any other type of lifestyle things seem to help, David? Like melatonin or any of those more all-natural pillows? Any of those things make a difference?
David: Sure. They do. I think the environment is important. Melatonin, you brought that up, is a common thing that sometimes is lacking for folks, but the big environment is are you having that where noise is trying to be eliminated, the light, especially from devices such as a cell phone or a Kindle or TV is being eliminated because even children are getting into the habit of, unfortunately, going to bed with these new electronic devices that we use day long, but we're kind of finding that a lot of people are continuing that all the way up until they do actually go to sleep.
Melanie: So, finish it up for us and wrap it up with some of your best, healthy sleep tips. It's so important, as you say, in this day and age of electronics and so many other things going on in people's lives, turning off our mind and getting a really good night's sleep.
David: Well, as I mentioned, Melanie, some of the big things for good sleep hygiene is you know, trying to go to bed at the same time each night, and getting up at the same time each morning. It's just a normal cycle that our body can try to get into, which helps. Also, as I mentioned before, not eating a large meal or snacking hard before you go to bed because that does tend to keep us awake subconsciously before we go to bed. We talked about avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, nicotine, also setting up that sleep environment so that it is proper or meant for sleep. Turning off the TV, not taking your cell phone or iPad or other devices with you to bed, and then, really just meant to be that kind of quiet unwind time and getting ready to prep for a good night's, restful sleep. And, then, if they do have issues that you’re finding, you really should seek out your provider to find out if you're a candidate for having a sleep study done.
Melanie: David, if you can't sleep, should you lay there in bed, rolling around trying to sleep or do you recommend people get up out of bed?
David: Well, the biggest thing is probably what' kind of making you awake, and I guess if it's a consistent thing, then that's more of a question that you should seek out to a provider. If it's happening here and there, because stress is another factor we really didn't talk a lot about, during different periods of our life, obviously, we have stress and that’s common, but excessive stress can tend to make us stay awake and not being able to fall back asleep rather easily if we do wake up during the sleep. So, it is another factor that we didn't talk about too much in this interview until now but, certainly, it leads to people having issues with their sleep. If people are having consistent concerns with their sleep, they certainly should seek out medical advice in talking to their provider.
Melanie: Thank you so much for being with us today, David. It's great information. You're listening to Aspirus Health Talk and for more information, you can go to www.aspirus.org. That's www.aspirus.org. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.