Tag Archive - Sleep Apnea

5 Health Risks Associated With Lack of Sleep

April 23, 2012 in Lifestyle Tips, Sleep Apnea with 0 Comments

While many may put sleep on the back burner due to a hectic life schedule, sleep is just as important as a healthy diet and fitness plan. Lack of sleep can lead to serious health risks including:

  1. Hypertension – Individuals with diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea are between 2-3 times more likely to develop hypertension*
  2. BMI >30 – A Body Mass Index of over 30 is considered obese.
  3. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness – With obstructive sleep apnea, sleep patterns are disrupted, resulting in excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day.
  4. Snoring/gasping for air – Extra tissue in the back of the airway can collapse or partially block the airway during the night, causing repetitive drops in blood oxygen levels. 
5. Cardiovascular disease – The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with heart failure is estimated at 40% to 70% **

Take the Epworth Sleepiness scale to rate your level of sleepiness, then join St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center and Dr. Terry Peery, Neurologist and Board Certified Sleep Physician, this Thursday, April 26th from 6-7:30 pm to learn more and determine your risk and treatment options. Our free Sleep Disorders Seminar will be held at the St. David’s Health and Wellness Center at the Chasco Family YMCA. Please join us by registering at 512.478.3627 or 1.888.868.2104.

Holly Krivokapich
Health and Wellness Coordinator
St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center

*Peppard,P., et al., NEJM 2003;342:1378-1384 

** Javahari, S., Cur Treat Options in CV Med 2005;7:295-306 & Sin., D., et al., AJRCCM 1999;160:1101-1106

 

4 Telling Signs That You are Not Getting Enough Sleep

April 16, 2012 in Community, Lifestyle Tips, Sleep Apnea with 0 Comments

We are thrilled to bring you the first St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center seminar of the year regarding Sleep Disorders.

  1. Do you snore loudly while sleeping?
  2. Do you feel excessively tired during the day?
  3. Have you been told you stop breathing or choke loudly while you are asleep?
  4. Do you have a history of hypertension or Type 2 Diabetes?

If so you may not be getting the amount of sleep you need. Lack of sleep is a more serious condition than just feeling sluggish. It can lead to more serious health risks.

Join St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center and Dr. Terry Peery, Neurologist and Board Certified Sleep Physician, on Thursday, April 26th from 6-7:30 pm to learn more and determine your risk and treatment options. Our free Sleep Disorders Seminar will be held at the St. David’s Health and Wellness Center at the Chasco Family YMCA. Please join us by registering at 512.478.3627 or 1.888.868.2104.

Download the Event Flyer

Holly Krivokapic
Health and Wellness Coordinator
St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center

The Importance of Sleep

April 4, 2012 in Lifestyle Tips, Sleep Apnea with 0 Comments

Healthy Sleep Crusade

The Healthy Sleep Crusade is an initiative to drive urgency, awareness and action around sleep apnea, a disorder affecting nearly one in five people.

Research has clearly shown that restful and regular sleep is just as important to their patients’ health as exercise and a balanced diet.

Overcoming a sleep disorder and getting a good night’s rest has many benefits for overall health and quality of life. Sleep is important for learning and forming memories. Getting a good night’s sleep can give you more energy, and can increase your productivity and safety throughout the day. Perhaps most importantly, healthy sleep can greatly reduce the risk of serious health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and depression.

Although sleep is critical to good health, many people do not get enough quality sleep. For some people, this lack of sleep is by choice. For other people, the lack of sleep may be from:

  • A change in the body’s natural clock. Shift work and jet lag are examples of things that can lead to this kind of sleep loss.
  • Taking certain substances, like drugs or alcohol, that can make sleep less restful.
  • Trying to sleep in a place that is not relaxing (too hot, too noisy).
  • A sleep disorder, like sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

Up to 20% of adult Americans have sleep apnea, but as many as 90% of them are undiagnosed.

“Obstructive sleep apnea is now recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is important that those who experience consistent inadequate sleep receive treatment to prevent the development and progression of heart disease and other chronic medical conditions.”

Stanley Wang, MD, JD, MPH
Cardiologist, Austin Heart

Visit HeartHospitalofAustin.com and take our Simple Sleep Test. This is a brief online test that will help determine if you would benefit from an overnight sleep study.