Sleep on the Government's Agenda
Has someone been falling asleep in Congress?I was delighted to hear that Florida Congressman Gus Bilirakis has just introduced a sleep apnea awareness resolution to the House of Representatives. The goal is to raise public awareness of this serious condition and encourage all Americans to educate themselves - and others - about the consequences and potential treatments of sleep apnea. Perfect timing given the fact the President is about to focus on health care.
I’ve been talking about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for years trying to raise awareness and help people successfully treat it. Some basic facts about OSA:
- OSA afflicts more than 12 million Americans.
- OSA is characterized by repeated stops and starts of breathing during sleep when throat muscles relax and block the airway.
- Snoring is often a sign of OSA.
- When left untreated OSA can trigger a variety of health problems, from cardiovascular challenges to mood and memory problems.
Don’t have OSA? Don’t think it affects you? Well, consider the fact that people with OSA experience fragmented sleep, which makes for chronic daytime drowsiness. So imagine all those drowsy drivers sharing the same roads as you. Think about all the long-term health care costs that can be saved by treating OSA patients successfully.
Currently, the CPAP machine is the gold standard for treating OSA. But there’s also an association between OSA and weight, as studies have shown that OSA decreases with more physical activity and less weight - a message that the health care industry would do well to support.
Kudos to Congress for not falling asleep at the wheel, so to speak, on this issue. I just wonder, though, how many of our Congressional leaders suffer from OSA? Those long sessions probably can be tiring and tedious, certainly not the place were you want to be caught nodding off. And luckily, this is one issue immune to the politics of partisanship. All of us can benefit, from the floors of Congress to the streets of America.
Nelma commented:
Machine is big and loud. Need to visit Clayton facility. Call for aoetinpmpntEdgar[] Reply:July 11th, 2011 at 4:54 pmEdgar,Thanks again for reading our post. I'll have one of our sleep specialists get in touch with you with more information.[]
Monir commented:
Hi,My mom was recently diognased with severe sleep apnea. She has been fitted with two different masks (nasal pads, and nasal mask) over the past couple of weeks and is still complaining of the feeling of pressure building up to the point of burping as well as EXTREME anxiety with relaxing with her gear on to fall asleep. She is beyond frustrated and exhausted and is longing for a good night's rest. Any thoughts, suggestions on these issues would be greatly appreciated.Thank you![] Reply:January 7th, 2011 at 8:02 pmYour mother’s experiences are not unusual for a new CPAP user. Learning to breathe out against the pressure takes some time to learn. Most CPAP machines have a “ramp” feature which allows a slow build up of pressure while the patient is falling asleep. I would make sure your mother is utilizing her ramp feature. (Most CPAPs allow a maximum of 45 minutes of ramp time.) It is challenging to sleep wearing a mask and headgear. Some suggestions would be to make sure she is tired and ready to go to sleep before she puts on the CPAP. Sometimes patients find it useful to wear the mask around the house while watching television or reading to get used to the feel of the mask. Remind your mother this takes a commitment on her part, but it is well worth the health benefits she will be gaining. Patience is the key.[]
