This Week's Sleep News, Dec 27 - Jan 2

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 SPECIAL  || Recalls, special announcements, breaking news, events
CHADD NYC presents "Delta Sleep Dysfunction," a webinar slated for Mon, Jan 4 from 6-730pm (ET) featuring Dr. Vatsal Thakkar. The free presentation ($10 donation requested) will discuss normal sleep architecture, the importance of delta (deep) sleep, the problems that arise from lack of delta sleep and the causes of delta sleep dysfunction. More info here

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 TOP TEN  || Sleep news picks this week -- newest to oldest
 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
1. JAN 1 || SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
Pharma Watch: A User's Guide to Sleeping Pills
Drugs
From the curator: If you read nothing else today, read this (well, this and the entry on public transporation in the Public Health & Safety section below.)

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
2. DEC 31 || ATTN
The Scientific Reason You Should Drink Coffee Before You Nap
Drugs
From the curator: I can personally vouch for this.

3. DEC 31 || FORBES
Tweak Your Tech To Improve Your Sleep (New Year's Revolutions, Part 2)
Technology

4. DEC 31 || MEDPAGE TODAY
Game-Changers in 2015 || SERVE-HF Upends ASV in Sleep Apnea: Study found mortality risk with adaptive servo-ventilation
Technology

5. DEC 31 || YAHOO!
Make Sleep a Priority This New Year
Lifestyle & Hygiene

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
6. DEC 30 || PLOS ONE
Is Zolpidem Associated with Increased Risk of Fractures in the Elderly with Sleep Disorders? A Nationwide Case Cross-Over Study in Taiwan
Seniors
From the curator: Very important! If you have elderly loved ones who qualify as major "fall risks," please-please-please review their sleep medications, especially dosages.

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 

7. DEC 30 || YAHOO! PARENTING
Why SIDS Skyrockets On New Year's Day
Babies
From the curator: SIDS is not just a mystery illness; it may perhaps also be the negative outcome for sleep hygiene decisions made by caretakers. Problems with drinking and smoking in particular increase SIDS statistics. 

8. DEC 29 || YAHOO.com
Here's Why You Want to Sleep More in the Winter
The Science of Sleep

9. DEC 28 || 10 MAGAZINE
Sleep Hygiene: Five tips for improving quality of sleep
Lifestyle & Hygiene

10. DEC 28 || YORKSHIRE EVENING POST
10 ways you can improve your sleep in the New Year
Lifestyle & Hygiene

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 WORLD  || International sleep news

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
DEC 27 || THE PROVINCE [CANADA]
Lack of sleep is hurting Canada's kids — and parents are drugging them to try to help out, new study shows
From the curator: My opinion, but: please make drugs the last resort, parents. Most sleep medications are not tested on young people, not even melatonin can be shown to be safe in the systems of young people.

DEC 27 || THE TIMES OF INDIA [INDIA]
Snoring could be a warning sign for heart ailments, say experts

DEC 28 || MALAYSIAN DIGEST [MALAYSIA]
Malaysian Parents Should Take Their Children’s Bedtime Seriously – Child Expert

DEC 29 || MONTREAL GAZETTE [CANADA]
Christmas Fund: Chronic illness prevents Gilles from working

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 NATIONAL  || Sleep news across the U.S.

DEC 29 || MIDDLETOWN TRANSCRIPT [DE]
Car overturns in crash after teen falls asleep at the wheel near Townsend

DEC 29 || WNDU [IN]
Tractor trailer crashes into median on the bypass just west of US 331: The driver claims that he was cut off by another vehicle, causing the accident. However, the indication is that he gently went off the side of the road before any crash, which is a common sign of falling asleep at the wheel

DEC 31 || CHICAGO TRIBUNE [IL]

Fired Western Springs police sergeant reinstated with back pay

DEC 31 || KHQ.com [WA]

Troopers: Man fell asleep at the wheel, caused crash that killed one of his passengers

JAN 1 || REPORTER-HERALD (CO)

Solutions unmasked for patients with sleep apnea

JAN 1 || WBRC (TN)
Driver charged after car crashes into Mt. Juliet home

JAN 2 || FOX SAN ANTONIO (TX)
Driver falls asleep at the wheel, rolls car over embankment

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 PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY  || Community health: epidemiology, transportation, industry, education

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
DEC 30 || POLITICO
Asleep at the wheel || The federal agency overseeing America’s trains has been too slow to address medical conditions that have caused a series of deadly accidents, watchdogs say
Public Health & Safety
From the curator: The only other thing you should read today besides the top article on sleep medications at the top of this curation.

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 BUSINESS & WORKPLACE  || Workplace safety, corporate news, the business of sleep
DEC 27 || VAN WINKLE'S
New Website Connects Patients with Sleep Doctors for Live Consultations

DEC 29 || BUSINESS WIRE
Read It and Sleep! New research from Sleep Number shows Sleep Number products improve sleep quality (press release)

JAN 1 || THE HINDU BUSINESS LINE
Online sleep start-up Sunday aims to disrupt the offline sleep market 

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 THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP  || Scientific research and basic sleep health resources

DEC 28 || THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Seeking the Gears of Our Inner Clock

DEC 28 || THE NEWS TRIBE
Are you a victim of restless legs syndrome?

DEC 28 || SCIENCE ALERT
What's it like to wake up with sleep paralysis?

DEC 29 || AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

Clinical report reviews noninvasive respiratory support modalities

DEC 29 || UPI
Sleep, wake, activity cycle linked to bipolar disorder

DEC 31 || HLNTV.com
Wakey, wakey: New hope for insomniacs?

JAN 1 || DISCOVER
Sleep Deprivation Alters Brain Connectivity

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 TECHNOLOGY  || Devices and tools for diagnosing and treating sleep health issues

DEC 29 || MEDICAL DAILY
Airbus's New Plane Promises To Reduce Jet Lag

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 DRUGS & THERAPIES  || Pharmacology, therapeutics, alternative medicine

DEC 28 || SPORTAL
Katusha doctor claims use of sleeping pills worse than doping in cycling
Drugs

DEC 30 || THE NEW YORK TIMES
Ask Well: Does Melatonin Aid Sleep?
Drugs

DEC 31 || ST JOE CHANNEL
Dangerous Mix: Alcohol & No Sleep
Drugs

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 

DEC 31 || US NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Too Often, CPAP Is Only Sleep Apnea Treatment Offered
Drugs
From the curator: As a patient, you have a right to demand all the options available to you as well as seek a second opinion.

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 CULTURE  || Cultural and social expressions and discussions about sleep

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
DEC 30 || UNION LEADER
Patient set for medical center sleep study gets unexpected visitor Christmas Eve
Holidays
From the curator: Let's start off the New Year with a sleep lab story we can all get behind. 

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 LIFESTYLE & HYGIENE  || Helps for patients and clues for sleep self-improvement

DEC 27 || ATTN:
How To Beat Jet Lag

DEC 28 || CARE 2

Why a Regular Sleep Schedule Benefits Your Health

DEC 28 || VAN WINKLE'S
The Best Sleep Positions for a Bad Back, Knee or Shoulder

DEC 30 || US NEWS & WORLD REPORT
To Sleep Better, Stay Cool and Cut Clutter

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 FAMILY  || Sleep health through the lifespan: pediatrics, womens health, family health, eldercare

DEC 28 || CARTHAGE PRESS
Message from Mercy: Sleep health and you -- Millions of older Americans look back on the days in the distant past when they were getting a good night’s sleep
Seniors

DEC 28 || THE HEALTH SITE

9 causes of snoring and sleep apnea in kids
Kids

DEC 28 || WINK NEWS
Smartphones and sleep problems in teens
Teens

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 

DEC 29 || NJTV ONLINE
Sleep Study Finds Texting Source of Sleep Deprivation in Teens
Teens
From the curator: Parents, this is YOUR wake-up call. I have teens, too, and we have rules. It's not impossible to bring your teens on board with better phone habits if they understand the price they will pay if they don't get their sleep. That extra hour of sleep in the morning for those districts which have successfully delayed bell times won't matter much if Jr. is up all night texting anyway.

DEC 29 || SCIENCE NORDIC

Teens with ADHD need more sleep
Teens

DEC 30 || DAILY MAIL
Why you really ARE more tired than your other half - and what you can do about it
Women

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 MULTIMEDIA || Sleep health education and issues captured in graphics, photos, audio, film
 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
DEC 28 || BĒHANCE
NHS Insomnia Awareness Campaign
Awareness poster concepts
From the curator: Nice work here.

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
JAN 1 || FREAKONOMICS
The Economics of Sleep, Part 2
(here is Part 1 from last July)
Podcast episodes

From the curator: Good information if you are trying to educate yourself. Big business is looking closely at this data as well.

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 FIRST PERSON  || Individual accounts of living with sleep disorders

 CURATOR'S CHOICE 
DEC 27 || THE GOOD MEN PROJECT
The One Question to Ask Yourself to Be a Better Man: We men are especially guilty of taking our “no pain, no gain” culture a little too far—especially when it comes to sleep
Editorial
From the curator: Being sleep deprived is no longer a macho badge of fortitude but a big red flag. Be the smart guy and get your sleep. 

DEC 27 || NORTHWEST FLORIDA DAILY NEWS
LETTER: Let students sleep
Letter to the Editor

DEC 30 || ESQUIRE
Here Are My Secrets To Kicking Seasonal Affective Disorder
Essay

JAN 2 || HUFFINGTON POST HEALTHY LIVING
Inspiration in Insomnia: Resolving to Turn Dreams Into Realities
Essay

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 DREAM LIFE  || The art and science of dreaming

DEC 30 || DIGITAL JOURNAL
Sleeping on your left side increases chance of nightmares

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Have a sleep-related news tip? Share it here!

WOMEN & SLEEP: 14 of our best previous posts relevant to women and sleep

SHC has been publishing some great content on the subject of women's sleep health going back as far as last June.

Please scroll through this custom archive of 14 previous posts to find links relative to sleep health which are of special interest to women.


June 6, 2014
INSOMNIA CENTRAL || Can Insomnia Lead to High Blood Pressure?

July 5, 2014
SLEEP DISORDERS 101 || What is jet lag disorder?

September 14, 2014
SLEEP Rx || Mother's Little Helper: Things you should know

October 18, 2014
CPAP Central || A Season for Masks: Smaller Might Be Better

October 29, 2014
MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Research shows that women have the scariest nightmares... Why?

January 5, 2015
Sleep Hygiene Tip of the Week || Foods that can help you sleep better

January 12, 2015
ALTERNATIVES || Aromatherapy

January 26, 2015
ALTERNATIVES || How meditation can help

February 17, 2015
ALTERNATIVES || Valerian, aka "Nature's Valium" -- safe to use, effective? You be the judge

February 25, 2015
ALTERNATIVES || The calming powers of magnesium

February 28, 2015
ALTERNATIVES || Guest Post: Using yoga to achieve relaxation, sleep and stress management [David Schaar]

March 16, 2015
INSOMNIA || Drugs and Sleep: If you have been taking Ambien (zolpidem) long-term (since before 2013), please read this

March 24, 2015
INSOMNIA || Why is it linked to depression?

April 15, 2015
JUST BREATHE || Upper airway resistance. It's a thing. And it matters.

INSOMNIA || Drugs and Sleep: If you have been taking Ambien (zolpidem) long-term (since before 2013), please read this

Many people who have been taking the "Z-class" hypnotic sleep aid known as Ambien (generic: zolpidem) for insomnia over the last few years may be taking too much.

This oversight could easily happen: a patient is given a prescription for Ambien that they just refill "as needed." If they are still receiving a dose that matches their pre-2013 dosage, and they are female, their doctor and/or pharmacist may not have noticed and changed the order to match new regulations.

In 2013, the FDA reduced the standard dosage of Ambien by half specifically for women to account for side effects that left regulators concerned about morning-after impairment, especially behind the wheel of a car. The typical 10mg dosage (labeled Ambien, Edluar or Zolpimist) and the 12.5mg dosage (labeled Ambien CR) were reduced to 5mg and 6.25mg, respectively, after concerns that these psychoactive drugs were causing patients to get into automobile accidents several hours after the effects of the drug should have worn off.

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If you take any of these versions of Ambien as needed for insomnia, and you are female, please confirm you are receiving and using the updated dosage. If not, contact your doctor and/or pharmacist to inquire into why you are still receiving the same dosage. The concern is less about side effects and more about public safety; all patients using these medications need to be warned of their impact on day-after driving, not only to protect themselves, but to protect those on the road.

The FDA, in January 2015, launched a new draft of guidelines for pharmaceutical companies to consider when developing psychoactive drugs like Ambien, which can increase the likelihood of driving impairment. The agency is now recommending "driving studies" be added to drug development requirements in order to evaluate a patient's ability to operate a motor vehicle several hours after taking the drug.

Learn more here

Insomnia Central || The "walrus"* in space

You'd think it's plenty quiet and dark in space... so how does it happen that astronauts struggle with insomnia?

All living things (including humans, plants and animals) have photoreceptors which recognize the difference between light and dark cycles. These light cues (known in the sleep world as zeitgebers), help us to stay awake during the day and to fall asleep at night. Melatonin production in the brain increases as the sky darkens in the afternoon, then drops off dramatically with the first peek of daylight in the morning.

Astronauts, however, have a different relationship with sunrises and sunsets while working on the International Space Station, where the sun rises and sets every 90 minutes. This rapidly shifting rhythm of light to dark can seriously impose itself on the human circadian system, which is entrained to 24-hour days. Over time, this can lead to hormonal confusion in the brain and, ultimately, insomnia for these space walkers.

Insomniac astronauts are not a good idea. What this could mean is that, during their waking hours, these sleep-deprived astronauts may share a common risk-taking behavior with long-haul truckers, bus drivers and airline pilots: drowsy driving. Lack of quality sleep can result in poor judgment, inability to achieve an appropriate level of alertness in emergency situations, even the opportunity to "sleep drive" (like sleepwalking, but while driving).

Most astronauts end up taking Ambien (aka zolpidem as a generic) to regulate their sleep cycles and comply with their daily requirement of 8.5 hours of sleep, but Ambien can leave them with a foggy morning-after hangover that can impair their performance nearly as much as sleep deprivation. It can also be to blame for some unusual behaviors that can occur while asleep which are typically hallucinatory in nature and may resemble sleep walking.

So which is better... sleep deprived astronauts or hallucinating ones?

Dr Charles Czeisler, a Harvard Medical School sleep expert who co-authored a recent article for Lancet about the problem of sleep for astronauts, said: "Future exploration spaceflight missions to the moon, Mars, or beyond will require more effective countermeasures to optimize human performance by promoting sleep during spaceflight... These may include modifications to schedules, strategically timed exposure to specific wavelengths of light, and behavioral strategies to ensure adequate sleep, which is essential for maintaining health, performance and safety."

So really, the answer is neither. Humans need sleep, even and, perhaps, especially, those who don't have their feet solidly planted on the terra firma.

Read more:

• Sleeping pills in space: Astronauts are regular users || USA Today
• What it's like for astronauts to sleep in space || The Atlantic
• Sleep, the final frontier: Astronauts suffer serious insomnia while in space - and it could be putting their lives in danger || The Daily Mail (UK)

*Ambien is popularly referred to as "the walrus" after a comic strip artist began to write about Ambien experiences in which a "walrus" told him things while he was under its influence.