Obstructive sleep apnea

If you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, one of the treatment options is oral appliance therapy. Oral appliance therapy isn’t suitable for all sleep apnea patients. To get the most effective care, patients should use a CPAP machine. But if patients find CPAP machines to be too noisy, uncomfortable, or difficult to use, oral […]

When it comes to staying healthy, most people think of eating a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise. But did you know that the quality of your sleep also plays a critical role? Millions of people suffer from sleep-disordered breathing, like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). And if left untreated, these issues can lead to serious […]

As the Covid pandemic continues, we’re finally getting studies about how obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects Covid-19. The short answer is “very badly.” A recent study from scientists in Iceland has clarified the link between OSA and severe Covid-19 outcomes. Until now, it’s been hard to be sure how much OSA affects Covid-19 outcomes because […]

A recent study looked at the link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), type 2 diabetes, and financial status in a group of 209 patients. The study, published in the journal Chronic Illness, found that financial hardship associated with managing these conditions had a large impact on the overall quality of sleep. The researchers wanted to […]

There’s been a wave of interest in oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea after the big recall of CPAP machines last summer. One group particularly interested in appliances are long-distance truckers.  Truckers with moderate to severe OSA are required to comply with their treatment plan to drive. If they are not meeting thresholds for […]

Several recent studies have shown that, when it comes to OSA, diabetics are at a higher risk for complications, especially in their eyes. Untreated sleep apnea increases the risks for several kinds of diabetic eye disease, including macular edema and diabetic retinopathy. In October 2021, a presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists Annual […]

A recent study published in the journal Sleep Medicine examined how tonsillectomy and adenectomy surgery affects children with extreme sleep apnea. This surgery is often the first line of treatment for children with obstructive sleep apnea.  However, because it’s performed under general anesthesia, it can be especially dangerous for children who already have breathing problems. […]

Yet another study has shown a clear link between getting screened and treated for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and better mental health. Scientists at the University of Turku in Finland studied patients diagnosed with sleep apnea and followed them for three years after diagnosis.  All patients were screened for depression and anxiety at the start […]

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine examined how different structural issues affect the severity and treatability of obstructive sleep apnea in adults. The study compared adults with and without epiglottic collapse and looked at obesity, the severity of apnea, and response to treatment.    What makes OSA caused by epiglottic collapse special?  […]

Before you can get a good night’s sleep, you have to fall asleep. And for some kids, falling asleep is hard to do. When we fall asleep, we enter Stage 1 Non-REM sleep. This is the doorway between sleep and waking. Our heartbeat and breathing slow down, our eye movements slow down, our muscles relax, […]