Do you know that it is a serious medical condition? Narcolepsy affects an estimated 1 in 3,000 Americans. And living with the disease is very challenging. You may have heard of narcolepsy before or recall a movie character hysterically falling asleep while walking. Our favorite TV dad, Homer Simpson, was diagnosed with narcolepsy in the premiere … Read More »
25-30 percent of children suffer from some form of sleep disturbance such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, sleepwalking, bed wetting or night terrors. 2-3 percent of children have sleep apnea. While many childhood sleep issues are not cause for concern, a disturbance that reduces your child’s quality or quantity of sleep on a regular basis can lead to more … Read More »
All PAP machines (CPAP, bi-level or BiPAP, APAPs, etc.) use a filter to clean the ambient air (fancy way of saying regular room air) before it is blown through the tubing and into your airway. Replacing the filter is the only type of maintenance that needs to be performed on your CPAP machine (not including the … 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 »
The National Sleep Foundation is celebrating its annual Sleep Awareness Week © March 6th through March 13th, to raise awareness of the health benefits of sleep and its importance to safety and productivity. We’ve compiled a list of ten of the most important things you should know about sleep. Learn more and spread awareness about sleep … 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 »
Were you recently diagnosed with sleep apnea or have a family member who just started using a CPAP device? You’re not alone. In addition to an estimated 20 million Americans who have sleep apnea, there are lots of celebrities (both men and women) who have also publicly shared their struggles with the disease. Who do you … 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 »
Out-of-network services: a nasty surprise ($150 vs $1,200) A study from the Kaiser Family Foundation of Americans who had trouble paying their medical bills found that 32% received care from an out-of-network provider that insurance wouldn’t fully cover and 21% of respondents did not know that their provider was out of network. Why is it important to choose an … Read More »
If you’ve received a new PAP device to treat your sleep apnea in the past 12-18 months, you likely have a device that can be enabled to wireless transmit your usage data to your smartphone, your physician, your medical equipment provider and even your health insurance company. Why? How? What does this mean for patients and their … Read More »
