Students Welcome

This blog is being developed as part of a masters class assignement. My hopes are that this blog will grow into a tool that can be used by general consumers as well as Respiratory Care practitioners and students. Students will be asked to check the blog for assignments, respond to class questions, and assist me in compiling an informational resources for persons suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Sleep deprivation is rampant

A large proportion of the American population is sleep deprived. Partially due to the high paced lifestyle we live but also because of a variety of sleep disorders. Many people are unaware that they may have a medical condition causing their sleep deprivation. Think you might be sleep deprived?

The EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE is a great evaluation tool.
In contrast to just feeling tired, how likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations? Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation.

0 = Would never doze
1 = Slight chance of dozing
2 = Moderate chance of dozing
3 = High chance of dozing


Situation Chance of Dozing


Sitting and Reading _________

Watching TV _________

Sitting inactive in a public place (i.e. theatre) _________

As a car passenger for an hour without a break _________

Lying down to rest in the afternoon _________

Sitting and talking to someone _________

Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol _________

In a car, while stopping for a few minutes in traffic _________

A score of greater than 10 is a definite cause for concern as it indicates significant excessive daytime sleepiness. *

* These results should be reviewed with your primary Doctor.

For more information regarding sleep deprivation go to http://www.sleepnet.com/disorder.htm

Sleep Disorder Categories

Did you know there are more than 70 different sleep disorders. Most of these conditions can be generally classified into one of three categories:

lack of sleep (e.g., insomnia),
disturbed sleep (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea), and
excessive sleep (e.g., narcolepsy)

In most cases, sleep disorders can be easily managed once they are properly diagnosed. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. It occurs more often in women and in the elderly. The amount of sleep that a person needs to function normally depends on several factors (e.g., age). Infants sleep most of the day (about 16 hours); teenagers usually need about 9 hours a day; and adults need an average of 7 to 8 hours a day.

For the purposes of this blog my intent is to concentrate on disturbed sleep and the treatments available for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) check out the following reference sites:

http://www.neurologychannel.com/sleepdisorders/index.shtml

http://www.sleepeducation.com/

Sleepy Time

A collection of suggestions for achieving a good nights sleep.