As people age, they often find a sound night’s sleep is harder to get. Sometimes this change is a natural result of aging, but now experts are learning that for the elderly, a lack of sleep might lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep apnea, a breathing disorder, can wake people from slumber tens of times an … Read More »
Picture the typical person with sleep apnea. Odds are, you just thought of a man. But studies show that almost one in two sleep apnea patients is a woman. How likely are women to have this disorder…and how often are they treated?
This is the first post in a two-part series about women and sleep apnea. The second post, The Health Hazards of Sleep Apnea in Women, looks at the causes and effects of sleep apnea in women. In this post, we investigate the differences in how women experience and report sleep issues and directly addresses the stereotype that sleep apnea … Read More »
The American Diabetes Association estimates that nearly 30 million Americans live with diabetes. Even more concerning, diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. The condition can be caused by an autoimmune problem, where the body attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin to keep blood sugar levels in check. This … Read More »
Sleep apnea can be frightening for the people who experience it as well as their partners, who watch as their slumbering companions suddenly stop breathing, choke and wake, sometimes dozens of times an hour. The worry is well-founded, because sleep apnea is more than a disturbance at night. Studies have shown that obstructive sleep apnea … Read More »
You’ve probably heard about the physical side effects of sleep apnea, like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. But obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can take as big a toll on the brain as it does on the heart. Changes in brain matter and damage to neurons caused by sleep deprivation can lead to memory … Read More »
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a serious medical concern. It is caused by the buildup of fat in liver cells and is commonly found in obese people and those with high cholesterol. It afflicts up to 25% of adults in the United States. It can lead to swelling of the liver, damage, and eventually liver … Read More »
