FitSugar

DrSugar Answers: Sleep Apnea?

DrSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:00:00 PDT

DrSugar is in the house and answering your questions.

Hey DrSugar,
I am a very healthy person. I eat healthy, I am of normal weight, no health conditions and I exercise regularly; however, recently, I've been waking myself up with a snort - I guess like sleep apnea. Why is this happening and should I be concerned?
Sleepless Sugar

Does this happen to you too? To hear what DrSugar has to say,

read more. Let's start at the beginning. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is defined by pauses in breathing during sleep, and it is considered a serious disease because it can lead to a form of heart failure. Obesity is the most important risk factor for the development of sleep apnea. However, it is still possible to develop sleep apnea if you are of normal weight like you are. Risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea also include a wide neck circumference, high blood pressure, smoking, having a narrow throat, and being older than 40. I was recently told by a sleep medicine specialist that 3 questions should be used to screen for sleep apnea: Do you snore loudly? Does your bedroom partner notice periods of pauses in breathing? Do you experience excessive daytime sleepiness? If you answered yes to these questions then further investigation involving a sleep study may be indicated to determine whether you truly have sleep apnea. With regards to your waking yourself up with a snort, this may or may not indicate sleep apnea. The definition of sleep apnea requires an average of five apnea events per hour of sleep. It is actually more common to not notice these episodes than it is to be completely awoken by them, which is why sleep apnea is often diagnosed by a bedroom partner. If you answered yes to the questions above I would recommend seeing your doctor and asking about the possibility of taking a sleep study. More info can be found at the American Sleep Apnea Association. If you have a question for DrSugar, send me a private message here and I will forward it to the good doctor. DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Kiddie Wellness: Sleep Apnea

LilSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:00:57 PDT

Some kids can't get a good night's sleep and it isn't because they aren't in bed. Children with large tonsils are having them removed due to sleep apnea, which one doctor describes as laying down and trying to breathe through a straw. As a result, tired children have mistakenly been diagnosed with learning disorders like ADHD.

5 Reasons to Work Your Abs

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:30:00 PDT

Maybe you've been neglecting your abdominal muscles recently because you're still trying to get rid of that layer of fat covering them. Well, just because you can't see how strong they are does not mean you shouldn't strive for a strong midsection.

Here are my top five reasons for working on your abs:

The 'Core' Reason: A strong midsection helps your entire body function in everything you do from exercising to sitting at your desk at work.
The 'Disease Fighting' Reason: Studies have shown that individuals with a large waistline (stomach obesity) have the highest chances of developing fatal diseases, like heart disease.
The 'Aches and Pains' Reason: Your midsection can absorb stress and strain from the activities you do. Furthermore, strong abs can help put an end to back pain.
The 'Gotta Get Your Z's' Reason: Obesity, particularly abdominal and upper body obesity, is one of the most significant risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - a condition that can cause a person to stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep.
The 'Aesthetic' Reason: Let's face it -- Tight abs are hot.

Convinced yet? Good, now here is a great video to get you started.

Source

7 Tips to Wake Up and Get Out of Bed Fast

Emily Co — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:05:15 PST

You're late to work, again. No matter how much you reason with yourself, your lateness is probably due to the fact that you couldn't get out of bed. It's always unpleasant to drag yourself out of bed, so here are some tips to help you wake up alert and get you out of bed quickly:

Assess your health. Your drowsiness in the morning might be health-related. Perhaps you need a better diet and exercise plan or maybe you have sleep apnea. If you've been doing everything right, go to a doctor for an expert opinion.
Coffee on your bedside table. This is for extreme cases, but leaving some coffee or another caffeinated drink like Mountain Dew on your bedside table might be a good way to get yourself out of bed.
Place your alarm clock strategically. If you place your alarm clock across the room or outside your door, this might force you walk to the clock to shut it off.

Read on for more tips.