Does your child snore? Wake up!

A new study sends a wake-up call to parents of snoring children.

Kids really should not snore. Sure the occasional cold or allergy will cause congestion and that may make for a stuffy nose and hence snoring, but in general it is not a good thing. Research is now discovering that children who snore can have a serious sleep disorder, sleep apnea. Recent research has shown that kids with undiagnosed apnea are at a higher risk for both behavior and learning problems.

Pediatric Neurologist, Eric Saslow, M.D., says, "It may well be that some people who are thought to have ADD or learning disabilities have more importantly a sleep disorder."

Not only do children with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea have significantly lower scores on IQ, memory and language skills tests, but these data suggest that untreated childhood sleep apnea could permanently alter a developing child's learning potential. So if you are a parent and you notice that your child stops breathing at night when sleeping or even if they snore and stop snoring for brief periods of time and then seem to sputter and gasp, even only 1 time per hour, notify your doctor right away.

Also remember many doctors have not been trained in identifying sleep disorders in kids, so you may need to see a specialist.

Related Topics: 5 Natural Remedies to Stop Snoring, Sleepy Teens: Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep?

Technorati Tags: snoring children, sleepy teens, snoring

Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4 Week Program

Good news! The book is now available and you can order it today from Amazon.com. I'd love to get your feedback.

The Mattress Question

What are you buying and is it worth it?

Again Consumer Reports to the rescue. I am always pleased when they come out with new reviews (in all areas) especially in sleep products. The focus this past month was the mattress, that big rectangle you end up paying thousands for and continue to ask yourself why!!

In truth, I have started to work with some of these companies and I have learned a bit:

1. Sales, Sales, Sales: Wait for them. If you pay full price I have some land in Tucson to sell you. There are always potential big discounts on mattresses so wait it out.
2. Names do not mean a thing. Sure, the brands can have some significant differences but within the brand you can find the exact same mattress in one store and another with a different name, so buyer beware. There are some significant differences between brands.
3. Do you get what you pay for? According to CR, of the brands they tested there was no one brand that was preferred over another. But be careful, cheaper is not better. Many of the less expensive ones are made of less expensive materials, in some padding is so thin that you can feel the springs.
4. Consider the "maintenance factor". Today's mattresses are usually padded only on one side, so flipping them is not needed but rotating is necessary. Also be careful of the padding since it can make some up to or over 20 inches thick (sheets must be the "deep pockets" type to accommodate for this).
5. Increases in technology are helping. We see now that there are real stain resistant mattresses (Simmons has one that has Teflon in it and you can zip it off and put it in the washer!)

Bottom line: In 7 years your mattress will double in weight due to sweat, dust mites and oil from your skin ( YUCK), so plan to get a new one every 5-7 years and you should be in good shape.

Special Buying tips:

• Lie on it for 15 minutes in every position to see if it is comfortable
• Check for a 30-day money back guarantee ( it usually does not include the delivery fee.
• Make sure to get a mattress which supports you, not too firm and not too soft.
• Remember, you and your bedpartner may need different things. One size may not fit all!!

For more on this subject see my new book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's Guide to Better Sleep and Better Health, available tomorrow, September 21st on Amazon.com.

Related Topics: Can a Mattress Improve Your Health?, Coping with Couples' Different Sleep Needs

Technorati Tags: mattress, better sleep, sleep doctor

How to Sleep in the Summer Heat!

I just read a fantastic article posted on the National Sleep Foundation Website for tips on Summer Sleep. There is a huge problem this year with the added heat. Summertime everywhere has been a bear so trying to keep cool this summer and into the early fall can be a challenge.

There was a great summary in Sleep Review Magazine so let me give you some of the quick tips:

1. Start by avoiding excessive heat build up in the body. Avoid hyperthermia by reducing your activities and drinking plenty of water including drinks that replace electrolytes.
2. Falling asleep and staying asleep requires the body to lower its internal temperature, no doubt this process may take longer after physical activity, so try to finish activities several hours before bedtime.
3. Watch out for hidden areas of heat in your home.
   
• Use blinds to keep out sunlight during the daytime.
  
• Keep windows tightly closed if the temperature outside is hotter than indoors.
  
• Leave windows open at nighttime when the temperature drops, and use a fan to circulate cool air if you lack air conditioning.
  
• Wear light bed clothing or nothing at all. Choose pajamas that draw away moisture.
  
• Take a cool shower or bath before going to bed. This can make you feel more comfortable before curling up on a hot night.
• Since cooler temperatures help us sleep, use an air conditioner if you have one.
  
• Make sure to sleep in the coolest room in the house, too. For some, that means the basement.
  

The NSF cautions people to watch their summertime diets and avoid hot and heavy meals, particularly near bedtime. Instead, try to eat cool, refreshing foods that replace lost water like fruits and vegetables.

For more on this subject see my new book: "Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's Guide to Better Sleep and Better Health", available Sept 21st on Amazon.com.

Pricey Sheets: Do You Get What You Pay For?

Bogus thread counts and high prices just do not make a better sheet.

I recently read a report at ConsumerReports.org on these very issues and here is what I learned:

• The right way to add up the "thread count" is to add up all of the horizontal and vertical threads in a square inch of fabric.
• It is hard to get more than about 450 threads in any square inch.
• Many companies count "plies"--very thin yarns that make up a single thread and jack up the price
• If you are just going by thread count then I would not bother above 450
• Most sheets that they tested needed ironing to look best
• Unusual fibers for sheets: satin, silk, Sateen may require more care
• Buttons on a pillow case can leave an imprint on your face (this would be a great episode of Seinfield or Office)
  
• Seams in the sheets can also drive a person crazy.
• There are no federal standards required when processing the raw materials in sheets so you never know how much formaldehyde or chlorine you may be sleeping on!!
• Consumer Reports tested 20 different sheets and found that those priced at $35 fared about as well as those at $385, so be careful what you pay for, because you might not get it.

You more interested in learning about sheets? I have an entire section of my new book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health on the sleep environment.

Related Topics: WebMD Video: What's Your Sleep Personality?, Back to School; Back to Sleep

Sleep Apnea and Sexual Function

A very interesting study was recently performed in a hospital in Turkey to see whether there was a relationship between sleep apnea in women and lowered sexual function. This issue has been known to be true in men, but not yet studied in women.

The Study:

25 women , with an average age of 48 with an average marriage length of 26 years who were having intercourse 3 times per month found that as their Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) became more and more severe (the number of times per hour that they stopped breathing worsened) that there was a negative impact on all areas of sexual function except for pain and enjoyment.

Although this seems obvious, it should be important to those who are untreated for apnea, because not just their physical health but their sexual health is affected by OSA.

I talk more about this in my new book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's Guide to Better Sleep and Better Health, available Sept 21st on Amazon.com.

Related Topics: Troubleshoot Your Sex Life, Sex Saboteurs (WebMD Video)

Technorati Tags: obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, sexual dysfunction