Can Bees Teach Us About Sleep, Learning and Memory?

As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, we live in an exciting time for sleep research—it seems that every month, new studies are being published that provide us greater insight into the causes and treatments for various sleep disorders. And this month was no exception.

In a new article entitled, “Sleep-deprived bees have difficulty relearning”  in The Journal of Experimental Biology, researcher Randolf Menzel of the Institute of Biology in Berlin, Germany explains his four-decade study with bees, and what the results are teaching us about the effect of poor sleep on memory and learning.

The phases of sleep known as rapid eye movement (REM) and slow wave sleep (SWS) are involved in cognitive memory, such as learning motor skills and consciously remembering. As a result, restorative sleep not only rejuvenates us, it also helps consolidate memories.

To learn more about this relationship between the brain, sleep and memory consolidation, Menzel spent the last four decades studying honey bees. Why bees you ask? Well, according to Menzel, they are easy to train and well-motivated. Also, the human brain is too complex to dissect the neurocircuits that are linked to our memories. With bees, Menzel could identify the tiny circuits that control specific behaviors in their brains.

For the study, Menzel and his colleague, Lisa Beyaert, investigated the ability of bees to learn new routes from their beehive to a new feeding site, and second, the effect that loss of sleep would have on the bee's ability to learn the new route.

They provided a hive with a well-stocked feeder and trained the bees to visit the feeder and return home. To track the bees' flight during the experiments, the researchers used tiny radar antennas glued to the backs of the bees.

Once the researchers saw that the bees had memorized the route from the hive to home, they intercepted some of the bees at the feeder and transported them to a new location before releasing them again to find their way home. For the second part of the experiment, the researchers shook the bees awake every five minutes at night.

The researchers found that the insects could remember the way back to the hive after they had found it one time. However, when the scientists interrupted the bees’ sleep just after they had learned a new direct route, the bees were disoriented during the second attempt to return home.

Fewer than half the disoriented bees found their way back to the hive, and it took them twice as long as the bees with the usual amount of sleep. Menzel explained, "Without sleep, the bees are not able to consolidate the memory of the previous experiences with the new experience. Formation of the new memory is only possible during sleep.”

The well-rested bees, on the other hand, were able to find the direct way home after some brief training, but the sleep–deprived bees were disoriented and struggled to find their way. As in humans, sleep helps animals to store new experiences in such a way that earlier memories can be altered and supplemented. In other words, sleep helps us create new memories that override the previous memories.

So, what can bees teach us from Menzel’s study? That healthy, restorative sleep is vital to learning and consolidating memories. So get some good sleep tonight. That goes for you too, bees.

Read more about Menzel’s study in the article, “Sleep-deprived bees have difficulty relearning” in The Journal of Experimental Biology.

Veterans with Sleep Apnea: A Growing Human Issue

Whether or not you personally know someone who has served in Iraq, Afghanistan or someplace else on foreign soil, our returning veterans deserve our help and attention. While many have the scars of physical injury, many more veterans bear silent scars. A little known fact but of increasing concern in the medical community is that a growing number of veterans are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and its symptoms can be devastating for our returning war heroes as they readjust to civilian life

Consider these statistics: According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), one out of every five war veterans has been diagnosed with OSA — compared with only five out of 100 civilians in the general population. And between 2008 and 2010, the number of veterans who received medical benefits related to sleep apnea grew by 61 percent, from 39,145 cases in 2008 to 63,118 cases in 2010.

These numbers beg the question: Why do war veterans suffer from sleep apnea more than non-war veterans and civilians? Some VA doctors believe that it is due to the high number of repeat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan — soldiers are being exposed to higher levels of dust, smoke, stress and violence.

But what is at the core of this connection between war, OSA and other related conditions, such as daytime sleepiness, memory loss, a decrease in work productivity, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Researchers at the Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine are beginning to find out.

Since the mid-2000s, WSU researchers have been studying 145 American immigrants who left Iraq before the 1991 Gulf War, and 205 who fled Iraq after the Gulf War began. All lived in the Detroit area at the time, and were asked about socio-demographics, pre-migration trauma, how they rated their current health, physician-diagnosed and physician-treated OSA, and any somatic and psychosomatic disorders.

The study’s lead investigator, Bengt Arnetz, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., School of Medicine professor of occupational and environmental health, and deputy director of the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at Wayne State said, “It may be the stress of war that leads to fractured sleep, and that no one had explored this possible link before, although basic research suggests it as plausible.”

The results of the study are published in the October 2012 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine in the article, "Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Health in Immigrants.” The research showed that those who left Iraq after the war began and suffered from mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, and self-rated their physical health as worse than their actual health, were 43 times more likely than pre-Gulf War immigrants to report OSA and later develop major chronic health issues, such as cardiovascular disease.

On the results, Arnetz said, “It's a known fact that the more exposure to violence you have, the more likely you are to report post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, and the worse your self-rated health is, the more likely your actual health will suffer in five to 10 years.” And I reiterate, those who were exposed to the violence of the war in Iraq were almost twice as likely to experience PTSD and depression, but also Obstructive Sleep Apnea and other chronic health conditions. I applaud Arnetz and his colleagues’ efforts, and encourage them to continue their studies so that we in the medical community can better understand, diagnose and treat war- and stress-related health conditions.

What about treatment? Diagnosing OSA in veterans can be trickier than non-veterans because of the possibility of other military-related medical conditions, such as PTSD. In addition, some military veterans suffering from OSA may underestimate the health benefits of restorative sleep, rather than be properly diagnosed and treated since its common during deployment to have fractured sleep patterns.

The good news is that there is more awareness of OSA than ever before, especially within the military. Back in February 2012, Ventus Medical, the company that makes Provent Therapy, announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved a multi-year, Federal Supply Schedule contract that would enable more veterans to get Provent Therapy treatment — a small, non-invasive nasal device for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

This is good timing, considering that a substantial percentage of veterans don't accept or adhere to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, even though it is a safe and effective treatment. According to Richard B. Berry, M.D., Professor of Medicine at University of Florida, "There is a great need for access to new, clinically-proven therapies—particularly easy-to-use treatments — for the increasing number of veterans with obstructive sleep apnea."

As more and more Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are realizing their post-war health problems, and because many Vietnam veterans are getting older, the number of veterans applying for OSA-related disability benefits will only continue to rise in the coming years. While OSA is a chronic condition creating a significant burden on the Veterans Healthcare System — the VA spends upwards of $500 million a year to treat veterans with sleep apnea — I believe that it is our duty as a nation to provide proper OSA treatment to our veterans to prevent additional chronic health issues. To read more about the study, go to the Wayne State University website.

Light from Tablet Computers May Delay Sleep, Especially in Teens

I admit I love my gadgets – especially my laptop and e-reader, I’m also, as a doctor, aware of the effects that the artificial light from these devices can have on our sleep, especially following prolonged and late-night use.

The artificial, short-wave light from TV and computer screens can suppress melatonin production and throw off circadian rhythm, preventing deep, restorative sleep. Prolonged sleep disruption may also lead to increased risk for diabetes and obesity.  A new study  released in late August reinforces my opinion with some data.

Researchers at the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY tested the effects of self-luminous tablets on melatonin suppression. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland at night and is involved in regulating our sleeping and waking cycles.

The study was funded by Sharp Laboratories of America and led by Mariana Figueiro, associate professor at Rensselaer and director of the LRC’s Light and Health Program. Co-authors of the study are LRC director and professor Mark S. Rea, LRC research specialist Brittany Wood, and LRC research nurse Barbara Plitnick.

For the study, 13 participants used self-luminous tablets to read, play games and watch movies. The participants were divided into three groups. The first group viewed their tablets through a pair of clear goggles fitted with blue light. This was the “true positive” group because blue lights are known to be a strong stimulus for suppressing melatonin.

The second “control” group viewed their tablets through orange-tinted glasses, which filtered out the short-wavelength radiation that can suppress melatonin. The third group did not wear any glasses or goggles. Each tablet was set to full brightness.

The results of the study were clear: After only two hours of exposure to electronic devices with self-luminous “backlit” displays, the participants’ melatonin levels were suppressed by about 22 percent. According to lead researcher Mariana Figueiro, stimulation of the circadian system to this level may delay sleep in those using the devices prior to bedtime, especially in teens.

The researchers also determined that the type of task being performed on the tablets also determines how much light is delivered to the cornea, and therefore the impact the self-luminous light has on nighttime melatonin levels. In other words, the researchers pointed out that it is important to measure how much light a person receives from the self-luminous device.

So, what can be done with this new information? How can we use it to improve our sleep and general health? One, we can all become more aware of how much time we—and our children—spend staring at our tablets, computer and TV screens late at night. As adults, it is up to us to monitor ourselves and our children, and have the discipline to turn these machines off at least an hour before bedtime.

LRC research specialist Brittany Wood said, “Technology developments have led to bigger and brighter televisions, computer screens, and cell phones. To produce white light, these electronic devices must emit light at short wavelengths, which makes them potential sources for suppressing or delaying the onset of melatonin in the evening, reducing sleep duration and disrupting sleep. This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night owls.”

Although pre-teens and teens love their late-night electronics, as parents, it is our responsibility to monitor our children’s computer use, or at the very least in older teens, educate them and make them aware of the potential; side effects of prolonged use.

Researcher Figueiro also feels that tablet display manufacturers can use this information to determine how their products affect circadian system regulation, and as a result, design more “circadian-friendly” electronic devices that could either increase or decrease circadian stimulation depending on the time of day. For example, screens that reduce circadian stimulation in the evening for a better night’s sleep, and increasing in the morning to encourage alertness.

Figueiro had another interesting idea about tablet light therapy: In the future, manufacturers might be able to use related data to design tablets that minimize symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, and sleep disorders in seniors. People might even be able to receive light treatments while playing games or watching movies, making light therapy much more enjoyable than just sitting in front of a light box.

Until manufacturers develop more “circadian-friendly” electronic devices that increase or decrease light exposure based on time of day, Figueiro offered several recommendations to reduce the effects of self-luminous tablet light on sleep, including dimming these devices at night as much as possible in order to minimize melatonin suppression, and, as I mentioned before, limiting the amount of time spent using these devices prior to bedtime.

Here’s another idea: Why not turn off the devices before bed, and pick up a good old fashioned paper book. You’ll be out like a light before you know it.

Read the full study entitled, “Light From Self-Luminous Tablet Computers Can Affect Evening Melatonin, Delaying Sleep.”

The Link Between Sleep Apnea and Cancer—Evidence is Mounting

September is back to school month for many of our children — it’s also a good time for adults to learn about health issues, so here is some information to help you become educated about the health risks associated with untreated sleep apnea. Evidence is mounting: severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be linked to a higher risk of dying from cancer.

The results of three recent studies in Spain were presented in early September at the European Respiratory Society’s (ERS) Annual Congress in Vienna. The data presented by the Spanish researchers reinforces the results of previous studies which show similar links between severe OSA and cancer death. 

While scientists have yet to prove 100% that sleep apnea causes a higher risk of cancer death, more and more studies are showing the link. When obstructive sleep apnea occurs, a person’s airway becomes obstructed during sleep, blocking air flow and causing the person to wake suddenly, often gasping for air. This can happen hundreds of times a night, causing a person’s blood oxygen level to drop abnormally low.

Many researcher theorize that the lack of adequate oxygen supply, known as intermittent hypoxia, caused by OSA causes increased vascular growth and tumor growth because poor breathing fails to oxygenate the cells sufficiently.

Thankfully, people with sleep apnea can be treated using multiple methods. One of the most effective is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which generates a stream of air to keep the upper airways open during sleep.

Let’s look at some recent sleep apnea and cancer studies out of Spain. Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Garcia from La Fe University Hospital in Valencia, Spain, and his fellow researchers studied more than 5,600 sleep apnea patients from seven different sleep clinics in Spain. The researchers measured the severity of a patient’s sleep apnea, based on the number of times during the night that a patient’s blood oxygen level dropped below 90 percent oxygen saturation.

The results of the study showed that people with sleep apnea who spent more than 14 percent of their sleep time with oxygen saturation levels below 90 percent not only had severe sleep apnea, but were approximately double the relative risk of dying due to cancer than people without sleep apnea. The researchers also found a significant increase in the relative risk of dying from cancer in people with less severe sleep apnea. This association was even higher in men and younger people.

Lead researcher Dr. Martinez-Garcia stated that the results do not mean unequivocally that sleep apnea causes cancer—it means the researchers found an association between the two disorders. However, the results of the experiment add to growing evidence that there is a clear link between sleep apnea and cancer mortality. 

Research from two other Spanish studies presented at the European Respiratory Society’s Annual Congress showed an increase in cancer incidence in humans, as well as an association between sleep apnea and the spread of cancer in mice.

The second study showed an increase in all types of cancer in people with severe sleep apnea, even when other factors such as age, sex and weight were taken into account. In a third study, Spanish researchers used mice to study the spread of melanoma skin cancer, and whether this was associated with sleep apnea.

The results showed that the spread of cancer was more abundant in mice that had experienced low levels of oxygen as in sleep apnea, than those who breathed normal air during the experiment.

According to the study’s lead author, Professor Ramon Farre from the University of Barcelona in Spain, the results of the mouse study strongly suggests a link between sleep apnea and the spread of cancer, and encourages further research to better understand the links between sleep apnea and cancer.

I agree with Professor Farre that these recent studies offer compelling evidence, and it is our responsibility in the medical and scientific communities to continue researching and testing to better understand the link between sleep apnea and cancer. 

Read the full study, Sleep Apnoea Linked with Increased Risk of Cancer Death.

Less Than Six Hours Sleep/Night Increases Strokes

Lack of sleep and an increase in strokes. According to new research, the two conditions are very connected, even in otherwise healthy adults.

In early June, the University of Alabama at Birmingham released the results of a study that regularly sleeping less than six hours a night significantly increases the risk of stroke symptoms in middle-age to older adults who are of normal weight and at low risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). That’s worth repeating: Less than six hours of sleep per night increases the risk of strokes in adults of normal weight and not at risk for OSA.

It seems that under six hours of sleep per night is the critical variable, but why? Let’s take a look at the study. The University of Alabama researchersfollowed 5,666 people  for up to three years who had no history of strokes or stroke-like symptoms, transient ischemic attacks (when blood flow to the brain stops for a brief period causing stroke-like symptoms), or high risk for OSA at the start of the study.

For a period of three years, the researchers followed and studied the subjects’ first stroke symptoms, stroke risk factors, depression symptoms, demographic information and other various health behaviors. What they found was—after adjusting for body-mass index (BMI)—there was a strong association between daily sleep periods of less than six hours and a greater incidence of stroke symptoms for middle-age to older adults, even beyond other risk factors. Interestingly, the researchers did not find any link between short sleep periods and stroke symptoms in overweight and obese participants.

Still, the connection between short sleep and strokes is worthy of great attention from the medical community and general public. I agree with the Alabama study’s lead author, Megan Ruiter, PhD., who said, “The results of the Alabama study provide a strong argument for increasing physician and public awareness of the impact of sleep as a risk factor for stroke symptoms, especially among persons who appear to have few or no traditional risk factors for stroke.”

It looks like the medical community is taking this message to heart. Another study announced in late July is going on at the Alberta Health Services and the University of Calgary.  There, Dr. Patrick Hanly of the university’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute is leading a study to learn more about the physiological connection between sleep apnea and stroke—specifically, the brain’s blood flow response in people with and without sleep apnea.

For the study, participants with sleep apnea stay overnight in the sleep laboratory at Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre, where their breathing and cardiovascular responses are continuously monitored while they sleep. The next day, their brain blood flow response to reduced oxygen levels is assessed while they are awake. Then, the participants receive supplemental oxygen during sleep for two weeks, and are tested again to see if their cerebral defense mechanisms have improved. The researchers are also studying people without sleep apnea to see if their cerebral defense mechanisms function better than in those with sleep apnea. Hanly and team’s theory is that it is the lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, that people with sleep apnea experience during sleep that impairs the body’s normal defense mechanisms in the brain. A better understanding of this connection will lead to better prevention and treatment strategies.

I applaud the work of the Alabama and Calgary researchers. It’s time we all wake up to the health benefits of more–and better—sleep.

For more information, read the University of Alabama at Birmingham study, “Under 6 Hours of Sleep Tops Risks for Stroke in a Low-risk Population.”

How Do You Know if You Have a Sleep Disorder

Many people experience some occasional difficulty sleeping and/or daytime fatigue. But how do you know if your sleep problem is temporary and can be fixed with some simple behavioral changes, or if it is a legitimate disorder such as snoring, sleep apnea, sinusitis or nasal obstruction that should be diagnosed and treated properly?

That is one of the most common questions we get here at Eos Sleep.

The first thing you can do is take an honest look at your lifestyle habits. Are you watching TV or on the computer too close to bedtime? Consuming too much caffeine during the day? Taking a medication with sleep-related side effects? Is there something particularly stressful going on in your life that needs to be addressed?  Are you exercising enough to help relieve tension and anxiety? The good news is that many sleep “issues” can be remedied by making some common sense behavioral changes.

However—and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it at this point—persistent sleep problems left untreated can lead to myriad health problem, including memory and concentration problems, increased risk of high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke and heart attacks, depression, diabetes and sexual dysfunction. Severe cases of sleep apnea can even be fatal.

Besides these sobering health risks, an untreated sleep disorder can also be the root cause of poor performance at work or school, car accidents and other activities that require focus and concentration.

New research is exposing the societal risk that can result from untreated sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. The National Sleep Foundation’s 2012 “Sleep in America” poll, which focused in on the sleep habits and performance of transportation workers, states that about one in 10 Americans are likely to fall asleep at an inappropriate time and place, such as during a meeting or while driving.

Other results of the study: About one-fourth of polled train operators (26%) and pilots (23%) admit that sleepiness has affected their job performance at least once a week, compared to about one in six non-transportation workers (17%).

Even more concerning: One in five pilots (20%) admit that they have made a serious error and one in six train operators (18%) and truck drivers (14%) say that they have had a “near miss” due to sleepiness.

The numbers are in: Sleep problems are prevalent in our society, and people need to wake up (no pun intended) to the symptoms and risks associated with them. Some common symptoms of sleep disorders include:

•    Trouble falling asleep at night
•    Waking throughout the night
•    Chronic snoring
•    Morning headaches
•    Poor memory
•    Daytime sleepiness/falling asleep during the day/low energy
•    Bad moods/irritability
•    Increased depression
•    Trouble concentrating/driving/making decisions

Keep in mind that symptoms vary between disorders, whether it’s snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, nasal obstruction, narcolepsy or some other sleep disorder,  so it pays to do some research based on what you are personally experiencing. If you experiencing one or more of the above symptoms on a regular basis—meaning, more than once in a blue moon—it is imperative that you see a qualified sleep doctor, and get diagnosed and treated properly. The good news is there are multiple options and minimally invasive techniques available today to treat your sleep disorder.

Who’s Suffering More from Lack of Sleep—Men or Women?

This week, I was interviewed by WCBS-TV New York for a news segment called, “Sleep: the Battle of the Sexes.” The topic was one I am very familiar with: People suffering from lack of sleep, and how it can affect daytime mood, mental acuity, job performance and relationship intimacy.

The show drilled down a bit farther and asked: who is more likely to suffer from a sleep disorder, men or women? And of the two genders, which performs better despite a lack of sleep?

What we know is that men and women have different circadian rhythms. According to an article by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,  “The circadian rhythms of melatonin and body temperature are set to an earlier hour in women than in men, even when the women and men maintain nearly identical and consistent bedtimes and wake times. Moreover, women tend to wake up earlier than men and exhibit a greater preference for morning activities than men.”

In other words, women tend to go to sleep and wake up earlier than men. We also know thanks to a Penn State study that women need 6.8 hours of sleep per night, while men require just 6.2 hours. While scientific studies are interesting, there is a discrepancy between these numbers and what I am seeing in my office at the Manhattan Snoring and Sleep Center.

Based on the facts, one would think women are getting to sleep earlier and sleeping longer than their male counterparts. But are women getting the sleep they need? In my anecdotal opinion, they are not, and they are suffering quietly for it. In our society, men are stressed out, but women are really stressed out. The physical demands of balancing career and family, along with the mental strain of worrying about finances and future is taking its toll on the women in our society. 

Don’t get me wrong, men worry and suffer from sleep disorders too. But they seem more willing to speak up and seek treatment. Women, on the other hand, being the selfless caregivers they are, stay focused on others and what needs to be done and power through their day. Which explains another Penn State study that found sleep deprived women made fewer mistakes compared to men in a series of computer tasks. It seems that, although women need more sleep, they do better without it because, for better or worse, they’re just more used to it.

Whether a man or woman is suffering from a lack of sleep, the fact is that a sleep disorder can lead to negative health issues, including an increased chance of hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis and inflammatory disease.

In addition to personal health issues, a sleep disorder can wreak havoc on a relationship. The partner of a patient once shared with me how his snoring and sleep apnea had impacted their relationship. It led to weeks without quality REM sleep, and she said it left her feeling groggy with low energy, cranky, unable to concentrate for long and she was more prone to getting sick. His constant snoring caused her to start sleeping on the couch, which led to resentment, lack of intimacy and loss of connection.

I have made it clear in previous blogs that I am not a marriage counselor or relationship expert. But I can tell you unequivocally that, if you or your partner snores or suffers from a lack of sleep on a consistent basis, it will negatively affect your relationship.

In the end, circadian rhythms and who performs better and the sex of the person with the sleep disorder doesn’t matter. What matters is getting it treated and keeping the relationship healthy.

This also bears repeating: Turn off the TV when you go to sleep. Falling asleep with the TV or computer on interrupts deep REM sleep because the light from the screens interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that tells our bodies when it’s time to go to sleep. Do yourself a favor and turn off the TV, computer and lights at night. Your brain and body will thank you for it the next day.

To watch “Sleep: The Battle of the Sexes” on CBS2 New York, click here.

Irene’s Lessons

Hurricane Irene

In the days preceding Hurricane Irene, many East-coasters, myself included, experienced some sleepless nights. Preparing for the worst, it was hard to get the thoughts out of my head as I ran through the checklists of tasks to secure the house, and provisions to buy for the days we expected to be out of power.

Thankfully no one I know had any major damage to their homes. In fact, it seemed that almost immediately after the winds died down, there was an upside to the calm after the storm. As our workplace got back to normal, a business acquaintance of mine was still without power. She told me an interesting anecdote of her experience after the hurricane. She has realized, even though power hasn’t been restored yet in her home, there was a  benefit to the storm after all—she’s feeling more rested than she has in years.

She was surprised by this considering the anxiety and frustration she’s been going through learning to live with no electricity. However with a few questions about her normal sleep routine, I realized she had gotten into some bad habits and they had been getting progressively worse. For example, her bedroom contains her computer and television. She had been in the habit of before bedtime getting on the computer, checking email and instant messaging or surfing. This was causing her to go to bed later and later. With the need to conserve her cell phone battery, she put that down as well. Without the electronics to distract her for hours, she began going to bed at a decent hour. The result has been a bedtime of a reasonable hour, as opposed to her average time of 3 a.m.

When I asked if she usually fell asleep with the TV on, she admitted she felt she couldn’t go to bed without it. This is one of the worst habits one can have since not only does the TV interrupt deep REM sleep with noise throughout the night, but it is now understood from recent research that the light from the screen can interfere in the production of the hormone, melatonin, which is the natural sleep aid the body creates to tell us it’s time to go to sleep. As a result of the dark and quiet, she’s receiving a deeper, more regenerative sleep.

The dryer, cooler nights we’ve been experiencing in the New York area has also aided her in sleeping more deeply. Falling asleep in a dark, quiet, and cool room is ideal for the most regenerative sleep possible. Over the past few days, she has reset her internal sleep clock. Falling asleep when she feels sleepy and sleeping deeply throughout the night has allowed her to wake up on her own without the aid of an alarm clock, feeling rested and alert throughout the day—the very definition of restorative sleep. Learning the how good she feels after just a few night’s rest, she’s determined not to fall back on bad habits.

She cites some other important benefits as well. For example, the neighborhood children are playing together outside instead of through their gaming headsets. Irene has given her hours of one-on-one time with her son. Instead of computer, TV and video games, they’ve played board games and talked. Her son was set to start high school this week, and since that is delayed, she feels she’s been grateful for a few more summer days together before the hustle of the school year begins.  

Unobstructed by light pollution, the other night they watched the clear night sky together, and talked about constellations they could never see before. Many of us on in the tri-state region were very lucky that we had no damage. Some lost everything. Some of us simply lost power for a few days. As frustrating as that can be, as some still wait for the lights to come back on, maybe we can thank Irene for some gifts.

Loud Snoring Predicts Metabolic Syndrome

Add “metabolic syndrome” to the growing list of health risks and symptoms caused by or linked to snoring. In a study just released in the December issue of the journal SLEEP, it was found that adults were two times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome if they snored loudly during sleep.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of combined risk factors that indicate a person may have an increased chance of developing coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. The syndrome is becoming common in the United States and is related to obesity. Two of the most common risk factors associated with the syndrome are extra weight around the middle of the body (central obesity), and insulin resistance, in which the body cannot use insulin effectively.

Led by researcher, Wendy Troxel of the University of Philadelphia, the study followed 812 adults (ages 47-74; 36% African American; 67% female) in an "ongoing, community-based prospective." This was the first prospective study to link metabolic syndrome with snoring, as well as with the sleep disorders difficulty falling asleep (DFA), unrefreshing sleep and insomnia. Those studied were free of metabolic syndrome at the start, had completed a baseline sleep questionnaire, and participated in a metabolic syndrome evaluation three years after the baseline. A subset of 290 participants were measured for their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) using a portable monitor.

The study examined the risk of developing factors of metabolic syndrome according to participant’s individual snoring and sleep symptoms and insomnia. Sleep complaints have been highly prevalent with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and interestingly, 14 percent of the participants developed metabolic syndrome while they were participating in the study.

The results of the study indicated that those who snored loudly were twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome, and also predicted specific metabolic abnormalities such as hyperglycemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Even when adjusted for AHI or the number of metabolic abnormalities at baseline, loud snoring remained a significant predictor of metabolic syndrome, whereas difficulty falling asleep, unrefreshing sleep and insomnia had less significance. It is believed that evaluating sleep symptoms will help physicians identify patients at risk for developing metabolic syndrome.

To read more about the research results, visit SLEEP.