ANCSLEEP BLOG

Cognitive decline and sleep apnea are two health concerns that affect millions of people, especially as they age. While cognitive decline typically refers to a gradual reduction in memory, thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities, sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes interrupted breathing during sleep. Recent research suggests that these two conditions may be more closely linked than previously thought.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what cognitive decline and sleep apnea are, how they are connected, and what can be done to protect both brain function and sleep health.

As parents embark on the rollercoaster journey of raising infants, few challenges are as universally experienced as sleep disturbance. From midnight cries to restless nights, understanding the factors contributing to infant sleep disturbance is key to helping both parents and their little ones find a restful night's sleep. In this blog post, we'll explore the intricacies of infant sleep, common causes of sleep disturbance, and practical tips for promoting a more peaceful slumber.

If you’ve noticed that your partner has been struggling with sleep, it’s natural to be concerned. Sleep issues can significantly impact overall health, well-being, and quality of life. One effective way to address these concerns is through a sleep test, which can diagnose underlying sleep disorders and lead to effective treatment. However, persuading a partner to undergo a sleep test can be challenging. Here are some practical tips to help you approach the conversation and encourage your partner to prioritize their sleep health.

This is not an ad for inspire, simply an informative article about this device. 

For individuals battling sleep apnea, a good night's sleep can often feel like an elusive dream. However, with advancements in medical technology, innovative solutions like the Inspire Sleep Device are changing the landscape of sleep apnea treatment. In this blog post, we'll delve into what the Inspire Sleep Device is, how it works, and the potential benefits it offers to those seeking a more restful and healthier night's sleep.

Sleep apnea is a common yet often undiagnosed sleep disorder that affects people of all genders and ages. While it is widely known that sleep apnea predominantly affects men, women are not immune to this condition. In fact, sleep apnea in women is more prevalent than commonly believed. This blog post aims to shed light on the unique challenges women face when dealing with sleep apnea, exploring its causes, symptoms, and the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment.

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.  

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder in which the back of the throat collapses, blocking the airway. This leads to multiple cessations of breathing throughout the day, that requires the body to wake up momentarily to begin breathing again. These pauses are known as apneic events, and one can experience several hundred of these a night.

The impact of this disease is poor sleep, chronic sleep deprivation, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and just an overall poor quality of life. The gold standard for treating sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. This therapy is a machine that blows air into your lungs when you exhale to keep the tissues from relaxing.

The CPAP machine can be uncomfortable, requires a lot of maintenance to keep it clean and sanitized, and often can be a bit cumbersome. Therefore, there are alternatives to using a CPAP machine, like surgery. There are various surgeries to improve your sleep apnea, but the decision to have surgery comes with more risks that moderate treatment. Continue reading to learn more about surgery for sleep apnea, and what exactly that may entail. After reading this article, you may have more information for a clear conversation with your doctor about what the best move is for you.  

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder. It involves several episodes of apnea throughout the night, or episodes of complete cessation in breathing. To receive this diagnosis, one must undergo a sleep study where one of the parameters is apnea-hypopnea index, or AHI. It's important to understand what this is and what is measures so you're more knowledgeable about your sleep study results. 

At night are supposed to breathe anywhere from 12-20 times per minute. When we breathe less than that rte, our brain does not receive the appropriate amount of oxygen that it needs. These breaths need to be deep and filling our lungs about 6 liters, which is the average volume of air in our lungs following an inhalation.  

When we have a really shallow breathing episode, that is called hypopnea. Any time we breathe slower than what we are supposed to, that is called bradypnea. Both of these put our bodies at risk for receiving a suboptimal amount of oxygen at night. Too many episodes of hypopnea mixed with apnea - episodes of complete cessation of breathing - can lead to a diagnosis of sleep apnea. 

Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that requires immediate treatment to avoid long-term sequelae. Continue reading to learn more about hypopnea, and determine if you need further work up for your sleep challenges.

Apnea is the term for brief pauses in breathing. In children, these events can be common, and very scary for parents. It's important to know common causes of apnea in children, so parents and practitioners know when to be concerned, and when not to be. Pauses in breathing, cyanosis (turning blue), unresponsiveness, are all signs to look out for and can determine the severity of the issue. Here are possible causes of apnea in children and neonates.