Category: General

October is SIDS Awareness Month

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS, is the name for sudden and unexplained death of an infant younger than a one year old. It is estimated that each year over 7,000 babies die from SIDS in the United States It strikes families of all races, ethnic and socioeconomic origins. Determining the cause of SIDS baffles scientist all over the world. Even though we don’t have solid answers yet, doctors have isolated several risk factors that may play a role in SIDS, such as: stress in a normal baby, caused by infection or other factors, a birth defect, failure to develop and or a period of rapid growth when babies are especially vulnerable.

Ways to prevent SIDS:

–          Place babies on their back to sleep- this is the safest position for a baby to sleep in, placing them on their stomachs or sides nearly doubles the risk of SIDS.

–          Avoid sleeping with your baby in the same bed – even if it’s just a day nap.

–          Avoid smoking cigarettes during and after your pregnancy ,  protect your baby from second-hand smoke

–          Keep soft objects, toys, and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleeping area- those items could potentially cover your baby’s face and cause suffocation.

–          Place your baby on the firm surface, such as safety-approved crib mattress cover with fitted sheet

–          Avoid letting your baby overheat during sleep- Dress your baby in light sleep clothing and keep room at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult.

–          Make sure that your baby can move arms and legs freely during sleep.

For more information about crib safety visit: http://www.cpsc.gov/

To learn more about SIDS click on the link below:

http://www.babycenter.com/baby-sleep-safety


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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

The Dangers of Drowsy Driving

This scenario may seem all too familiar, driving back from work, coming home from long weekend at the beach, and feeling tired but pushing through another 2 hours when you’ve already been driving for 6. Most of us drivers have been there, but many people do not realize the dangers of drowsy driving. Driving drowsy increases the likelihood that you will be involved in an accident, and the chances that you could be seriously injured or killed while driving.

Scientists compare driving tired to driving drunk, because, like alcohol, excessive sleepiness slows down our reaction times, decreases overall awareness and impairs judgment. Despite the dangers, an alarming 41 % of drivers admitted to having fallen asleep while driving, according to study released by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Most of us know not to drive drunk or let a friend or a family member get behind the wheel while intoxicated, many of us don’t seem to act as responsibly when it comes to drowsy driving. Tiredness can be hard to recognize, even for the person driving, so here are some signs to look out for (from the National Sleep Foundation):

  • Turning up the radio or rolling down the window to stay awake
  • Impaired reaction time and judgment
  • Decreased performance, vigilance and motivation
  • Trouble focusing, keeping your eyes open or your head up
  • Daydreaming and wandering thoughts
  • Yawning or rubbing your eyes repeatedly
  • Drifting from your lane, tailgating and missing signs or exits
  • Felling restless, irritable or aggressive

There are a number of ideas being recommended to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel: drinking coffee , listening to the radio, pinching yourself are all quick fixes that are only short term, the fact is that the only remedy for avoiding drowsy driving accident is getting adequate amount of sleep.

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Could Snoring Help Burn Calories?

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, snoring may actually have a positive effect on a person’s well being.  Studies show that people who snore burn more calories than their less noisy counterparts. Obesity is a major factor in the development of respiratory disturbances in sleep patterns. It is not clear whether weight gains interferes with breathing , or rather changes in breathing adversely affect the metabolism, resulting in increments of weight and complicating the treatment of these frequently co-occurring conditions.

At the University of California in San Francisco, Dr. Eric J. Kezirian and his team studied 212 adults with symptoms of respiratory disorders associated with sleep. Participants underwent physical examinations, their medical history was taken into account and their sleep was monitored using a polysomnograph. The participants resting energy expenditure (REE) was also tracked using a device called an indirect calorimeter; the calorimeter measures oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, which can be used to determine resting energy expenditure in calories per day.

It was calculated that among the participants, the average REE is 1766 calories per day. In people with more severe breathing disorders who ranked higher on the scale of sleep apnea or shallow breathing burned 1999 calories, while people without such problems averaged 1626 calories.

Although this may be some what good news, snoring is still an unhealthy habit. Habitual snorers can be at risk for serious health problems associated with heart dieses and diabetes.

An estimated 30 million Americans snore. Figures show that smokers are almost twice as much likely as non-smokers to snore because their airways get inflamed and blocked. Other factors which can make snoring worse include being overweight, drinking alcohol, consuming sleeping pills and sleeping on your back. Research also shows that people who sleep with pets such as dogs tend to have a higher risk of snoring.

Try following behavior changes to help treat the problem:

–          Lose weight

–          Avoid drinking alcohol before bed,

–          Establish regular sleeping patterns,

–          Sleep on your side rather than on your back – if it’s hard for you to adjust, try the “tennis ball trick” (attach a tennis or similar sized ball to the back of your pajama top)

–          Keep your bedroom air moist

–          Quit smoking

–          Elevate the head of your bed up four inches to ease breathing

If you know any remedies or have suggestions on how to help ease snoring , please share in the comments below

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.