Sunday Respiratory Video

We celebrated World Sleep Day 2013 on 15 March 2013!

Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) describes people who stop breathing while they are asleep and then suddenly start breathing again. It is thought to affect up to 5% of people in Europe.
In adults, the cause is muscular. During sleep, the larynx relaxes so completely that it blocks the airway, preventing the person from breathing.

World Sleep Day 2013: make some noize for sleep disorders

Dear Respiratory friends, 

congrats with World Sleep Day 2013!!! 

An epidemic?

According to recent research, approximately 50 percent of older adults report difficulty sleeping. But sleep problems in older adults are less a result of aging itself and more related to other conditions that may accompany aging.

Respiratory disorders, changes in circadian sleep cycles, medical and psychiatric illnesses, and increased medicine use all can contribute to poor quality sleep in this growing population.

Poor sleep doesn’t only mean that half of all older adults are a little more tired during the day, though. There are more serious consequences related to overall health and well being. Sleep disturbances have been shown to contribute to decreased quality of life, more symptoms of depression and anxiety, slower reaction times, memory problems, issues with balance and vision increasing risk of falls, and even death.

The good news

If you’re an older adult, good quality sleep is within reach.

It might mean talking with your doctor about your medications, going to bed and waking up earlier because your body’s circadian sleep cycles have shifted, or getting treatment for other conditions that are interfering with your sleep.

Some sleep disorders, such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, are more common in the elderly. But with diagnosis and specialty care, these issues can also be treated and even prevented.

The truth is that in healthy older adults, sleep problems are rare.

If you or a loved one is struggling with sleep and have attributed it to aging, there is hope — and better health — by seeking treatment from your doctor or a sleep medicine specialist.

World Sleep Day Welcome by Antonio Culebras from Cordie INC on Vimeo.

Sunday Respiratory Video

World Sleep Day 2013 will be celebrated this Friday 15 March!

This educational video is provided to you by the European Respiratory Society. It demonstrates how to set up and perform a polysomnography commonly referred to as "sleep study".

World Sleep Day 2013 on Respiratory Decade and the return of daylight saving time

World Sleep Day is an annual event, intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, social aspects and driving. 

This weekend marks the return of daylight saving time for most of the United States. To help ensure a smooth transition to the new time, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends that you begin to adjust your sleep schedule a few days prior to the beginning of daylight saving time.

AASM offers the following tips to help you cope with the upcoming change to daylight saving time:

• Try to go to bed 15 or 20 minutes earlier each night before the time change. This will give your body a chance to adjust.
• Begin to adjust the timing of other daily routines that are “time cues” for your body. For example, start eating dinner a little earlier each night.
• On Saturday night, set your clocks ahead one hour in the early evening. Then go to sleep at your normal bedtime.
• Try to go outside for some early morning sunlight on Sunday. The bright light will help set your “body clock,” which regulates sleep and alertness.
• Be careful when driving or operating machinery if you feel drowsy on Sunday.
• Stick to your bedtime on Sunday night to get plenty of sleep before the workweek begins on Monday.