March 2009 Archives

Insomnia has long been associated with poor health, including weight gain and even obesity. Now researchers at UCLA have found out why.

In a study to be published in the May issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology and currently available online by subscription, Sarosh Motivala, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, and colleagues looked at two hormones that are primarily responsible for regulating the body's energy balance, telling the body when it is hungry and when it is full. The study found that chronic insomnia disrupts one of these two hormones.

To date, no study has evaluated nocturnal levels of the two hormones, ghrelin and leptin, in primary insomnia patients. Ghrelin, a peptide secreted by the stomach, stimulates appetite and increases before meals. Leptin, which affects body weight and is secreted primarily by fat cells, signals the hypothalamus regarding the degree of fat storage in the body; decreased leptin tells the body there is a calorie shortage and promotes hunger, while increased levels promote energy expenditure.

In the study, researchers compared healthy sleepers with those suffering from chronic insomnia and measured the levels of the two hormones at various times throughout the night. They found that while leptin levels averaged out over the night to be roughly the same between the two groups, levels of ghrelin were 30 percent lower in insomnia sufferers.

On the face of it, a decreased level of ghrelin would seem to inhibit weight gain; it is an increase in ghrelin, after all, that stimulates appetite. But Motivala compared his findings with other, earlier studies on sleep deprivation and speculates that a switch may occur during the day: Sleep loss leads to increased ghrelin and decreased leptin, a "double whammy" that stimulates appetite. Motivala is currently working on a study to examine this switch.

"The current study shows that insomnia patients have a dysregulation in energy balance that could explain why these patients gain weight over time," said Motivala, who is also a member of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA. "This is an exciting finding because it highlights how diverse behaviors like sleep and eating are connected. We are just beginning to explore the possible consequences of these connections, but it is another example of the importance of a good night's sleep for the body."

For the study, 38 male participants were divided into two groups 14 insomnia sufferers and 24 healthy subjects. Both groups had similar ages and body weight. Both groups underwent polysomnography sleep studies that monitor brain waves. Circulating levels of ghrelin and leptin were measured at 11 p.m., 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Ghrelin levels across the night were significantly lower in insomnia patients, while leptin were not significantly different between the two groups.

The UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology encompasses an interdisciplinary network of scientists working to advance the understanding of psychoneuroimmunology by linking basic and clinical research programs and by translating findings into clinical practice. The center is affiliated with the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Source: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Sleep Disorders Medicine: Basic Science, Technical Considerations, and Clinical Aspects, Expert Consult by Sudhansu Chokroverty MD FRCP FACP releases on June 19, 2009.

Reviews
"The volume is clearly written, well illustrated, attractively produced, and benefits from a good index...The book will be of great interest to clinical neurophysiologists or sleep specialists and those in training in these subspecialties as well as to clinicians responsible for the care of patients with a variety of neurologic disorders that may lead to disturbances in sleep, including specialists in neuromuscular diseases. It can be strongly recommended." - Muscle and Nerve, review of the previous edition.

"Dr. Chokroverty invited many of the pioneers of progress in sleep medicine to contribute to the second edition of his book. Not surprisingly, it continues to be one of the best available reference works on sleep disorders. Most of the 35 chapters could stand alone as monographs worthy of separate publication. Indeed, despite the explosive growth that has occurred in information on sleep disorders, Dr. Chokroverty provides us with a comprehensive review of the wide spectrum of sleep pathology. Anyone with an interest in sleep disorders medicine should find this book helpful." - Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, review of the previous edition.

Can't sleep? Try some voltage.

Inspire Medical Systems Inc. has begun a human clinical trial of an implantable device that uses low levels of electricity to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a serious breathing disorder that prevents a patient from sleeping. The Brooklyn Park-based start-up, a spin off from Medtronic Inc., is developing a system (Inspire II) that continuously monitors a patient's breathing during sleep and then sends regular bursts of electricity to open up restricted airways.

Apnex Medical Inc. of St. Paul is also conducting a clinical trial of a similar therapy. The company claims its technology is easier to implant and more reliable than Inspire II.

Both devices use neurostimulation -- electrical stimulation of the nerves -- to achieve the desired effect. Neurostimulation is a relatively new method to treat OSA, a condition that affects an estimated 30 million to 40 million people in the United States. OSA sufferers can't get enough oxygen during sleep, causing them to frequently wake up. Studies show that severe cases of OSA can even cause obesity, high blood pressure and cardiac arrest.

Investors say OSA is a vastly underserved market. For one thing, many people don't necessarily know they have it because the symptoms are seemingly harmless: snoring, daytime drowsiness. In 2006, only 17.4 percent of patients with moderate to severe cases of OSA received treatment, according to Canaccord Adams Investment Research. The group estimates the global sales of sleep-therapy devices will hit $3 billion in 2010 compared with $1.5 billion in 2006.

However, one medical expert says that the neurostimulation technology still needs additional testing and that some existing therapies are cheaper and probably more effective.

The most common and effective treatment for OSA is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), a mask-like device that keeps airways open by blowing air into a patient's nose and mouth during sleep. But many patients don't like the masks because they're bulky and unappealing, said Dr. John Trusheim, a neurologist and co-director of the sleep lab at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

A 2005 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine "demonstrated an increased risk of stroke and death from any cause among [OSA] patients despite the administration of various therapies," including CPAP.

Part of the reason, the study says, is patients don't use CPAP properly and other treatments don't work.

Born-again device

Inspire II's clinical trial represents a turning point for the company given its history, said CEO Tim Herbert.

"This is a real significant milestone," Herbert said. "It's really the restart of the project."

Medtronic, best known for its heart pacemakers, first started developing the technology in the early 1990s. But the original Inspire device had design problems: The leads (insulated wires) were not reliable. The system's sensor, which monitors breathing by measuring lung pressure, was located too close to the heart; signals from the heart were interfering with the sensor.

Researchers designed a more robust lead and moved the sensor to the side of the body. Acting on data from the sensor, an impulse generator stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which instructs the tongue to move forward. The movement opens up the airway.

But Medtronic eventually shelved the project and in 2006 spun off the business as Inspire.

At the time it lost interest in Inspire, "Medtronic didn't have a presence in the sleep market," Herbert said. But Medtronic now "recognizes the value of the technology and the necessity for the continued development of the therapy. It was aggressive in identifying an alternative approach resulting in the spinning off of Inspire."

(Last year Medtronic purchased Restore Medical Inc., another local start-up that is also developing devices to treat snoring and OSA.)

Medtronic kept a minority stake in Inspire and also does some contract manufacturing for the start-up. Dr. Glen Nelson, a former Medtronic vice chairman, joined Inspire as its chairman. Those factors helped Inspire raise around $6.2 million in venture capital from firms such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and U.S. Venture Partners, both based in Menlo Park, Calif.

"With Medtronic as an investor, we felt comfortable" with the technology, said Dana Mead, a Kleiner partner. Medtronic's involvement "would give me more confidence." Mead also said he liked the design changes and the Medtronic talent now working at Inspire.

Eventually, 30 patients around the world will be implanted with Inspire II, including at the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center at Hennepin County Medical Center. Herbert said he hopes to start a large-scale pivotal trial in the United States in 2010, the last step before the company seeks approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Crosstown competition

But Inspire has competition. Apnex is developing a similar device to stimulate the hypoglossal nerve. The company recently raised $16 million from New Enterprise Associates, Polaris Venture Partners, and Mike Berman, a prominent local medical device entrepreneur.

Apnex CEO Bob Atkinson said they had been watching Medtronic's work for years. The company decided to develop its own system in response to the design flaws that plagued the original Inspire device.

In addition to sturdier leads, Atkinson said Apnex's breathing sensor is more reliable because it uses a technique called "bio-impedance,'' which measures the lung's resistance to an electrical current. When a person inhales, the lungs fill with air, making it harder for an electrical current to pass through. Insight II, by contrast, monitors lung pressure.

Stimulating the hypoglossal nerve makes sense, said Trusheim of Abbott Northwestern, although "it would be hard for neurostimulation to supplant CPAP in terms of cost and effectiveness." Trusheim is not connected to either company.

A CPAP mask costs about $1,000. Inspire's Herbert says he does not yet have enough information but estimates the entire cost of the therapy, including the device and surgery, would approach $30,000.

And like any pacemaker, the device might interfere with MRI scans, Trusheim said.

Still, even 10 percent of OSA patients using neurostimulation would be an impressive number, he said.

"It's a big market," Trusheim said.

Article by Thomas Lee, Star Tribune.

Here's an interesting book, The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep, by William C. Dement and Christopher Vaughan.

 

Amazon.com Review
"We are a sleep-sick society," says William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. According to Dr. Dement, "sleep science" has yielded a great deal of scientific knowledge about sleep--yet the general public, and even doctors, aren't aware of it. Sleep disorders are routinely misdiagnosed or ignored, sometimes resulting in medical tragedy and death, frequently leading to chronic exhaustion. In The Promise of Sleep, Dr. Dement aims to remedy that by making the latest sleep information accessible to health professionals and lay readers. He describes the sleep cycle and gives a short history of sleep research. Then he dives into clear and detailed explanations of concepts and conditions we've all heard about, but that few of us understand: sleep debt, biological clock, circadian rhythm, insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy. He discusses why we need sleep (sounds obvious, but it isn't) and the role of dreams. After 300 pages of sleep facts, Dr. Dement teaches you how to "reclaim healthy sleep" in your own life. You learn to assess your personal sleep situation by keeping a sleep diary, measuring your sleep debt, and evaluating your risk of sleep disorders; find appropriate treatment; manage sleep crises; and adopt a "sleep-smart lifestyle." A three-week "sleep camp" program at the end helps you put all the strategies together. This book will put you to sleep--and that's meant as praise! --Joan Price

From Publishers Weekly
America is in the midst of an epidemic of sleep disorders, according to Dement, a sleep researcher since 1952, the founder the world's first sleep-disorder clinic and past chairman of a commission that presented a report to Congress in 1992, "Wake Up America! A National Sleep Alert." But for all the general population knows about the principles of healthy sleep, he laments, "I might as well have been running a chain of beauty parlors for the last four decades." However, anyone who even glances through this informative and impassioned volume will know that Dement hasn't spent his time hovering over a hairdryer. The subject may be sleep, but its treatment is not soporific; with the able help of Vaughan, Dement presents the results of his and others' lifework in pithy and accessible terms. Readers will be jolted awake by a multitude of facts (sleep apnea can lead to heart failure or stroke, fatigue caused the Exxon Valdez and space shuttle Challenger disasters and motorist sleepiness accounts for 33% of traffic accidents). Besides scientific data on sleep and much advice on sleep hygiene, there are self-tests for sleepiness as well as a scenario for a restorative "sleep camp." Appendices list sleep-disorder clinics nationwide, definitions of sleep disorders and Web sites. Dement offers an outstanding book on a surprisingly overlooked subject. Author tour. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

We spend up to a third of our lives asleep. Although some hard-driving people may view sleep as an inconvenience that curtails productivity and leisure activities, slumber is certainly no waste of time. In fact, sleep may play a more crucial role than diet or exercise in fostering optimal health.

A natural restorative, sleep offers an antidote to the damage done to our bodies during the day. It allows the body to replenish its immune system, eliminate free radicals, and ward off heart disease and mood imbalances. When sleep is disrupted--whether by lifestyle factors, insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, jet lag, sleepwalking, night terrors, hormonal imbalance, or some other disorder--emotional and physiological health suffers.

But you don't have to accept sleep deprivation and the ills that accompany it. Nor must you resort to pharmaceutical sleeping aids, which generally bring on their own set of disabling symptoms. Before you take a tranquilizer, which will invariably mask your symptoms, consider trying these seven natural remedies--they can gently and effectively help you snooze your way back to health.

1. Improve your diet
What you eat definitely influences the quality of your sleep. Fortunately, you have a great deal of control over these factors even though it can sometimes be hard to exercise. Here are the golden rules for a sleep-conducive diet:
• Avoid alcohol consumption or curtail it markedly.
• Avoid caffeine in all forms.
• Identify and eliminate allergenic foods. Common culprits include wheat, eggs, and chocolate, as well as milk and corn.
• Eat to boost levels of tryptophan, a building block for melatonin. To do that, eat an evening or bedtime snack consisting primarily of carbohydrates, but with a small amount of a food rich in tryptophan like turkey, chicken, eggs, dairy products, nuts and seeds, soy products, oatmeal, or bananas.
• Eat more raw vegetables and salad greens.
• Eat whole grains and high-fiber foods, and avoid sugary or processed simple carbohydrates. Whole grains contain many B vitamins, which act as natural sedatives for calming irritability and tension that may hinder deep sleep.
• Eat more protein during the day in the form of moderate amounts of lean meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, brown rice, beans, and avocados. Protein is digested more slowly and doesn't cause an insulin spike, which may interfere with sleep.
• Eat a wide variety of foods to ensure that you are getting sufficient nutrition.
• Be aware of the fat content of foods. Incorporate healthy fats such as olive oil and flaxseed oil, which contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
• Take 1 gram of niacinamide (vitamin B3) at bedtime. This is useful for those who fall sleep easily but awaken and cannot get back to sleep.
• Take 500 mg of chlorella or other algae products at bedtime, as a source of tryptophan.

2. Detoxify your body
Increasingly, researchers have identified toxicity as the predisposing factor in a long list of acute and chronic illnesses, including sleep disorders, environmental illness, chronic fatigue, degenerative diseases, and cancer. "The current level of chemicals in the food and water supply and the indoor and outdoor environment has lowered our threshold of resistance to disease and has altered our body's metabolism, causing enzyme dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances," says Marshall Mandell, MD, a pioneer in environmental medicine.

Detoxification of the colon and liver can play an important role in both preventing and healing many of these conditions. There are two basic approaches to colon cleansing: taking herbs and supplements and internally bathing the colon via enemas or colonic irrigation. The cleanse formulas we recommend include Ultimate Cleanse from Nature's Secret; Whole Body and Colon Program made by the Pure Body Institute, and Cleanse 28 available from Arise and Shine Herbal products.

Colon-cleansing supplements can work quite well, but someone who has a more toxic colon might benefit from augmenting these formulas with enemas or colonic irrigation. Using either of these therapies at the very beginning of any colon-cleansing program may help achieve better results more quickly. The number and frequency of colonics or enemas needed will vary depending on the condition of the colon and the nature of the overall cleansing program. It's not unusual to require anywhere from 6 to 18 treatments, which can be given daily or weekly. Your colon therapist should be a trained, licensed professional, though they need not be a doctor.

Annual liver-cleansing treatments can also help prevent an excess buildup of liver toxins. It is surprisingly easy to use nutrients and herbs like dandelion root, Oregon grape root, and chlorophyll to safely and effectively cleanse these organs. "Liver flushes are also used to stimulate the elimination of wastes from the body, to open and cool the liver, to increase bile flow, and to improve overall liver function," says herbalist Christopher Hobbs, LAc.

Finally, yeast overgrowth causes a lengthy and diverse list of allergic reactions, ranging from sleep disturbances, fatigue, and digestive difficulties to joint pains, food cravings, and emotional problems. Chlorophyll, probiotics, garlic, and caprylic acid can help against candida.

3. Reset your body clock
The body clock and circadian rhythms primarily determine our sleep-wake patterns. When these functions are thrown off course--by jet lag or shift work, for example--sleep problems ensue. Other factors, including inadequate exposure to light, improper diet, pharmaceutical drugs, electromagnetic fields, and stress can impair the pineal gland's ability to produce the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, drastically altering sleep patterns. You can reverse sleep problems caused by disrupted circadian rhythms if you take the following steps to reset your body clock.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Exercise, and spend more time outdoors.
• Get bright light therapy. The premise behind light therapy is simple: Get more light exposure during the day (which inhibits melatonin secretion) and less at night (which stimulates secretion). This allows the body to naturally reset its sleep-wake rhythms. One way you can increase exposure to bright light in the day is by going outdoors for one hour or more each day. Or install full-spectrum light bulbs in your home and office. Additionally, you may consider using a light box; these specially designed devices use full-spectrum fluorescent lights to simulate early-morning sunlight. Light boxes typically cost $100 to $450. Most standard therapy protocols recommend 10,000 lux (units of illuminance) for at least 30 minutes daily or 2,500 lux for at least two hours
• Try magnets. Controlled use of magnetic fields can benefit those who suffer from sleep disorders by reversing the detrimental effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (emanating from electrical appliances around us) on the pineal gland. Commercially available, negative-polarity mattress pads are the easiest way to use magnet therapy for sleep disorders. You simply place the pad on top of the mattress (for maximum strength) or between the mattress and box spring. However, mattress pads can be costly, and your doctor may determine that magnets placed on your eyes or abdomen will be more effective for your condition.
• Supplement with melatonin. This hormone effectively relieves insomnia (including cases associated with jet lag and shift work), sleep-phase syndromes, and REM behavior disorders in all age groups. Melatonin has also been found to significantly increase deep sleep, REM sleep, and sleep efficiency (time spent in sound asleep), all without the "hangover" or stupor effects common with other over-the-counter and prescription sleeping aids.

People taking this hormone generally need to experiment with different dosages before finding the right one for their needs. For sleep onset and other types of insomnia, the standard dosage of melatonin is between 0.2 mg and 10 mg taken approximately 30 minutes before bedtime. Seek out a source of bioidentical melatonin, which is exactly like the melatonin the body produces.

A cautionary note, however: The long-term effects of melatonin supplementation are unknown. As with any hormone-replacement therapy, there is a chance the endocrine system could stop producing its own melatonin. We advise against self-dosing melatonin supplements on a long-term basis or in certain conditions without first consulting a healthcare practitioner who can monitor your levels of melatonin.

Additionally, while melatonin has been shown to be very safe in short-term use, pregnant women and people with severe allergies, severe mental illness or depression, autoimmune diseases, and immune-system cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia are advised to avoid melatonin supplements since the hormone may exacerbate these conditions.

4. Resolve emotional issues
Stress is a common part of everyday life, but it can become harmful to the body when it is prolonged or chronic. It affects the body in very real physical ways by influencing the immune and endocrine systems. One result can be poor sleep quality, restless nights, and development of sleep disorders. A number of studies have also found a connection between stress and disturbed sleeping patterns. One study, for example, indicated that on average 41 percent of insomnia cases were related to stress or other emotional factors.
Fortunately, mind-body medicine offers many methods for reducing stress or enhancing your ability to cope with it, including meditation, biofeedback, counseling, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, guided imagery, cranial electrical stimulation, flower remedies, and acupuncture.

And take heart insomniacs--just as stress and sleep problems can create a terrible negative feedback loop, the opposite is also true. Many mind-body techniques for stress reduction have also been proven to improve sleep. In 1995, a panel of the National Institutes of Health announced that their review of the clinical data showed that meditation and other relaxation techniques (such as biofeedback and hypnosis) can be effective treatments for insomnia and chronic pain.

5. Protect yourself from environmental factors
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs), a type of low-level radiation generated by computer monitors, televisions, fluorescent lights, electronic devices, and sometimes wiring, are generated when electric currents flow through wire coils. Researchers once thought EMFs, especially very low frequency and extremely low frequency EMFs, were harmless because they were of such low strength compared to other forms of radiation, such as those from a nuclear reactor or X-rays. But now, as technology proliferates and people use more electronic devices, some researchers suspect EMFs are contributing to a subtle assault on people's immune systems and overall health.

EMFs interact with living systems, affecting cell division and multiplication, enzymes related to growth regulation, and the functioning of the pineal gland, which regulates the sleep hormone, melatonin. Evidence of a connection between melatonin and EMFs gets stronger with each passing study. For example, in 1996 a team of researchers found that blood melatonin levels in female rats decreased after exposure to 50 hertz magnetic fields, about the same frequency as most household appliances. The greatest concern about EMFs is not from a one-time use of a hair dryer or an hour in front of a computer, but from cumulative exposures: continuous high levels of EMFs hour after hour, day after day.

To limit your exposure, try the following:
• In the bedroom, place all electric devices at least 3 feet from the bed, including lamps, alarm clocks, televisions, and heaters. (You may even want to try turning off all circuit breakers before going to bed for three nights to see if there is any improvement in your sleep.) Unplug electric blankets before you get in the bed.
• In the bathroom, avoid or reduce use of a hair dryer. Use a safety razor instead of an electric one.
• In the kitchen, don't stand in close proximity to the microwave, dishwasher, or other appliances while they are in operation. Consider converting to a gas range if your stove is electric.
• Vacuum cleaners and portable electric heaters generate fairly strong EMFs, as do power tools.
• Turn off computer monitors, TVs, and other electronic devices when not in use.
• When possible, avoid or minimize proximity to transmission lines, especially high-voltage lines.
• Optimize the flow of qi in your bedroom by applying feng shui principles when decorating and arranging furniture. For example, the bed should be diagonally across the room from the entrance so that people in the bed have a full view of anyone entering.

6. Balance your hormones
The word hormone comes from the Greek hormon, meaning "to stir up." Hormones are released by the various endocrine glands in the body in order to regulate energy production, growth, sexual development, stress responses, and many other functions. Because minute quantities of hormones can "stir up" so many activities in the body, when they are thrown out of balance the results can affect the entire body. Hormonal imbalances often manifest as insomnia and other sleep problems. Key factors that can upset hormone levels include thyroid dysfunctions, perimenopause and menopause (in fact, disturbed sleep is one of the complaints that cause women to seek treatment for menopause and perimenopause), and andropause (the male form of menopause). Although hormone levels generally decline as a result of aging, they can also be affected by dietary choices, mineral deficiencies, environmental toxins and synthetic chemicals, medications, smoking, and stress.

Rather than artificially manipulating your estrogen levels with synthetic hormones and ignoring the reasons behind any imbalances, it is more valuable to determine why you have hormonal imbalances in the first place. Depending on the reason, restoring hormonal balance may be more effectively achieved with dietary changes, nutritional supplements, natural progesterone cream, herbal therapy, or traditional Chinese medicine tailored to the specific factors causing the imbalance.

7. Correct structural imbalances
Physical stress and muscular tension may be keeping you awake at night as well. While exercise and physical activity are important components of any healthy lifestyle, they are an absolute necessity for people who suffer from sleep disorders. Researchers have consistently found that people leading more sedentary lives have a higher incidence of insomnia. Your exercise program should target flexibility, circulation of blood and lymph fluid through cardiovascular and strength-training programs, and relaxation. Exercises from the East, such as qigong and yoga, increase flexibility and also help relax an anxious mind. Don't worry though: You don't need to run marathons or lift weights to benefit from regular exercise.

Daily workouts should be augmented by various forms of bodywork, such as chiropractic, massage, acupressure, or other physical therapies that promote relaxation and improve the circulation of nerve impulses, blood, and lymphatic fluid.

As you implement these seven steps, be aware of which therapies and approaches seem to help you sleep. You have very little to lose and a great deal to gain--not just sound, restorative sleep, but overall health and well-being as well. Good night.

By Herbert Ross, DC, with Keri Brenner, LAc. Excerpted from Alternative Medicine magazine's Definitive Guide to Sleep Disorders: 7 Smart Ways to Help You Get a Good Night's Rest (Celestial Arts, 2007). 

AmericInn(R) International, LLC officially kicks off "Sleep Better America," the hotel chain's new sleep advocacy and awareness campaign, with the launch of http://www.sleepbetteramerica.net. The new Web portal is designed to educate consumers about sleep-related issues with timely information, tools, tips, product reviews and clinical data from sleep-related studies.

The "Sleep Better America" Web site centralizes unique sleep-related content for consumers who want to improve their sleep quality on the road or at home. Sleepbetteramerica.net gives visitors access to one of the country's top sleep experts, Dr. Christopher Drake, a bioscientific investigator at Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit.

Dr. Drake will contribute articles, provide data from his own sleep studies and answer one consumer question that's submitted to sleepbetteramerica.net each week. In addition to Dr. Drake's contributions, sleepbetteramerica.net will provide visitors with seasonal sleep information, sleep tips for travelers, event highlights, reviews of new sleep products, the latest in sleep news and links to other relevant Web sites.

"We want sleepbetteramerica.net, and the entire 'Sleep Better America' campaign, to provide consumers with reliable information for dealing with personal sleep issues and concerns," said Dr. Drake.

AmericInn Hotels, known as the "quiet hotel" chain due to its trademarked construction process called AmericInn SoundGuard,(TM) is sponsoring "Sleep Better America" and its corresponding Web site to build awareness of how important a good night's sleep is to living a productive life.

"The launch of 'Sleep Better America' signifies our true commitment to providing all consumers -- not just AmericInn guests -- with tools and resources they need to sleep better and live healthier lives," said Arnold Angeloni, CEO of AmericInn. "We're proud of the expertise that AmericInn has cultivated regarding our quiet room environments over the years, and 'Sleep Better America' is the culmination of our hard work."

Every AmericInn property is built with the AmericInn SoundGuard(TM) process, which uses masonry block filled with sound-deadening foam, thick drywall and concrete slab floors to reduce noise between rooms. Carpeted floors, insulated corridor walls and guest room doors with thresholds and sweeps also help minimize noise.

SOURCE AmericInn International, LLC

The current economic downturn has hurt more than America's wallets--it's hurt sleep habits as well. According to the National Sleep Foundation's annual Sleep in America poll, nearly one-third of Americans have lost sleep due to economy-related concerns. With Americans everywhere facing the dangers of sleep loss, SleepQuest is renewing its commitment to educate about health risks stemming from sleep disorders like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

In conjunction with National Sleep Awareness Week (NSAW) March 1-8, SleepQuest has launched a new communication effort to illustrate the importance of healthy sleep.

"It's imperative that we get primary care physicians to look at sleep as being as much a part of total health as nutrition and exercise," said Robert Koenigsberg, President of SleepQuest. "We can give physicians the tools they need to easily screen, diagnose and treat sleep apnea--helping cut the risk of stroke and heart disease associated with chronic sleep loss for more than 30 million Americans."

SleepQuest has begun using two new programs to inform the Primary Care Physician (PCP) community about the dangers and prevalence of sleep apnea. A new online multimedia presentation, along with a new book by Dr. William Dement (SleepQuest's Chief Scientific Advisor and widely acknowledged to be the father of sleep medicine) offer essential information to the PCP.

"It's about creating an awareness of just how important sleep is in our everyday lives," said Lori Schulman, SleepQuest's Director of Contracting. "In time, we want doctors to view OSA and other sleep disorders just as they do other chronic health concerns like asthma."

Spreading awareness about home sleep testing and treatment options is key to SleepQuest's continuing efforts to promote the crucial role sleep plays in total health.

"We're really hoping that our work will spur a renewed dialogue between patients and health care providers about sleep," said Koenigsberg. "Dr. Dement reminds us that sleep, exercise and nutrition are equally important parts of our lives. Through our efforts we hope to show physicians how to identify sleep-related health risk and understand the different ways they can directly help their sleep apnea patients."

SOURCE SleepQuest

Wish you were able to sleep in more often? Not so fast. New research shows that getting more than the recommended eight-a-night could be just as harmful as getting too little. While scientists at the University College London Medical School found that getting fewer than six hours of sleep a night increased the risk of dying from heart-related diseases by 110 percent, snagging nine or more hours of shut-eye increases a person's risk of dying by the same amount--in this case from noncardiovascular causes. Not enough subjects fell into this latter category for researchers to offer explanations, so until more research rolls in, aim for that golden number of six to eight hours of sleep a night. By Meghan Rabbitt, Courtesy of Natural Solutions.