ANCSLEEP BLOG

Sleep fragmentation is exactly what it sounds like, fragmented sleep. Fragmented sleep is continually disrupted sleep due to a variety of causes. This is an issue because fragmented sleep leads to less time overall sleeping, and especially less time in more restorative stages of sleeping like deep sleep. It's important to determine the cause of fragmented sleep in order to begin a treatment or recovery plan for it. The interruptions are not considered a sleep disorder, but maybe the manifestations or symptoms of a sleep disorder, which is why it's so important to recognize if you have fragmented sleep and begin the work up to determine why.

Excessive daytime sleepiness is characterized by the strong urge to go to sleep during activities in which you should be alert and awake. Have you experienced excessive daytime sleepiness? If so, then your physician might recommend that you undergo sleep-related testing. One of these tests might be the multiple sleep latency test, or MSLT. This can help you measure daytime sleepiness. We will discuss what MSLT can diagnose, who would take the test, preparing for it, with expectations for it, and understanding the results.

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a chronic neurological disorder that is characterized by an insatiable desire to sleep that is not fulfilled by a regular night of sleep. Those with the idiopathic hypersomnia sleep for longer than the normal amounts of time of sleep each night. However, despite this, they still feel incredibly tired the next day. They may take long naps, but don't feel any better when they wake up. It is almost like they are experiencing untreatable sleep deprivation. Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms, diagnosis, and causes of idiopathic hypersomnia, and what you can do to treat it.

Although this may sound crazy, sleep apnea can occur in dogs. We normally focus on human sleep experiences, but so many people are intimately connected with their dogs, that they may be curious if their dogs have sleep disorders as well.

Individuals who have breeds like English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, chihuahuas, pugs, and cavalier King Charles spaniels are all dogs that have a higher rate of sleep apnea than others. Symptoms of sleep apnea in dogs appear similar to those experienced by humans with sleep apnea. However there is no formal classification system for sleep apnea as there is with adults.

Learning the signs of sleep apnea and dogs can help you recognize the signs to see if you should alert your veterinarian to help make any changes to your dog's sleep pattern.

Snoring may be a regular night time activity for you, and you may be at the point where you're wondering how to make it stop. If this is you, then you are not alone. Of adults between the ages of 30 and 60 years old, 44% of men and 28% of women snore. Over the age of 60, about half of all people snore regularly.

Snoring is the sound that happens when air passes through your airway when it's partially blocked. Tissues that are at the top of your airway, like you're arytenoids, can touch each other, vibrate, causing snoring.

Pretty much all adults snore occasionally. For most people, snoring is not really that embarrassing or problematic. However, for others, snoring can indicate a serious underlying health issue like obstructive sleep apnea. Different people snore for different reasons, but at the end of the day, each individual would probably rather learn how to stop snoring. Continue reading to learn what are some things that you may be able to do to help you stop snoring.

Painsomnia, or insomnia caused by chronic pain, is a reality for many Americans. One small injury can manifest into a chronic injury that disrupts your sleep for the rest of eternity. Dealing with this can be insufferable as painsomnia seems to be stealing almost an hour of sleep from individuals.

According to the Sleep Foundation, out of a survey of 1200 adults, 95% of them say that they have lost at least an hour of sleep due to pain in the past week. The vast majority say that pain can cost them at least two hours of sleep each night. On average, respondents say that they are losing six hours of sleep per week to pain. This averages out to nearly an hour, or 51.5 minutes each night of sleep lost to pain.

Adults who have pain averaged about 6.7 hours of sleep a night. This is below the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep that each adult should be getting every night. A majority of adults do not reach the seven-hour minimum, and due to other causes outside of pain. Adults who do have pain, however, are also dealing with pain on top of the normal interruptions to sleep. This means that they may be getting even less sleep that is required compared to adults who don't deal with pain. According to a study, 25.4% of adults experienced chronic pain. There was a higher prevalence in women and white adults. Continue reading to learn more about how to cope with painsomnia. 

Allergic rhinitis can affect up to one fifth of adults in the US, and it's probably more common in childhood. It is caused by a sensitivity to allergens that can include dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold, and allergic rhinitis. All of these can have a negative impact on one sleep and quality of life. Continue reading to learn more about how chronic rhinitis and allergens can negatively impact sleep, and what you can do about it to get a good night's rest.

Up to a fourth of the people in the United States experience excessive daytime sleepiness. Excessive daytime sleepiness is the sensation of feeling incredibly tired, as if you can't keep your eyes open. It is a symptom that can impact a person's daily life by impairing concentration, reducing their ability to perform well at work in school, and increasing the risk of accidents.

One way to determine if you have excessive daytime sleepiness is by using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The ESS is a tool that can help doctors determine if you have drowsiness that is of concern or is just a manifestation of poor sleep habits at night. This simple questionnaire is used to determine how a person's sleepiness affects their everyday life.

For people who are concerned about their ability to stay alert during the day, using the ESS, knowing how it works, and knowing what the results mean can help you learn more about your own health. It can also help you engage with conversations with your physician about what your symptoms mean and what to do next period continue reading to learn more about the ESS and how to use it in your journey towards getting a good night's sleep.

Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder in the United States. About 24 million people live with symptoms of sleep apnea without knowing that they have it. There are many individuals who will only be able to get diagnosed with an at-home sleep apnea test as they won't have access to a sleep center that does them.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where the muscles in the back of the throat relax, blocking the airway during exhalation. The body must then wake up briefly to begin breathing again. These awakenings are often unrecognized by the sleeper, but may be heard by bed partners or observers who witness the chocking, coughing, and snoring associated with sleep apnea. The sleeper may feel excessively tired during the day, have headaches, and find it hard to stay awake, but be unsure why.

Treating OSA can help relieve some of these symptoms, but also prevent the development of many serious diseases like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure. This is why diagnosing and treatment are extremely important. Continue reading to learn more about at-home apnea tests.  

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory disease of the spine. It is strongly connected to sleep, as the symptoms of AS - pain, stiffness, and depression - can severely disrupt sleep. 

AS is fairly rare, as only 0.2%-1% of people in the US have it. Up to 91% of individuals who have it report sleep problems. Restful sleep is important for everyone, and could really help limit the inflammation that worsens AS. Continue reading to learn more about the connection between sleep and AS.