apnea

Neonatal monitor 'Babalung' could save preemies

Bioengineering students at Rice University have designed a $25 sleep apnea detector they hope to test on premature babies in developing countries this summer.

The Babalung Apnea Monitor was designed by Team Breath Alert-- a group of five female bioengineering undergrads as part of their senior year project. The project was inspired by estimates that almost half of babies born prematurely have apnea episodes and that caregivers in developing countries are less able to monitor them in neonatal units due to crowding and limited resources.

The system uses an elastic motion sensor embedded in a strap that surrounds the … Read more

For some with sleep apnea, patch proving good alternative to mask

With more than 18 million American adults suffering from some form of sleep apnea, and the bulky CPAP masks being such a nuisance that many of those prescribed it simply don't use it, a small and disposable sleep apnea device approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2008 is fast gaining steam.

Called Provent Therapy, the device is essentially a small patch consisting of one plug for each nostril that is held into place with hypoallergenic adhesive. The tech is simple: each plug provides enough air pressure to keep the airways open throughout the night.

This is a similar approach to Provent's larger cousin, the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask, which also uses pressure to prevent the airways from constricting. But each plug contains a tiny valve the size of a pinhole that, during the exhale, creates enough resistance to provide backpressure. This pressure dilates the muscles that typically collapse in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, causing the fits and starts that interrupt sleep.… Read more

The 404 865: Where we don our bedtime spanx (podcast)

The Sleep Doctor Michael Breus is back on the show to answer your questions about how sleep affects everything from your weight to your memory, and even your mental health. We never get enough time to talk to Dr. Breus, but today we pick his brain about waking up sleepwalkers, how to get your kids back on a summer sleep schedule, and the best natural sleep aid.

The 404 Digest for Episode 865

Rocked to sleep-- not just for babies anymore. Check out Dr. Breus's book, " The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight through Better Sleep" For-hire Brooklyn woman reads you bedtime stories. Go the ***k to sleep! Add Dr. Breus on Twitter!

Episode 865 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 593: Where we're living the hypnagogic dream with The Sleep Doctor (podcast)

The Sleep Doctor, Dr. Michael Breus, is back and we're ready to bombard him with our pressing questions about sleep apnea, lucid dreaming, snoring, sleep positions, sleep talking, morning breath, sleep aids, night terrors, bruxism, and more!

We kick off the discussion with the good doctor about the dangers of using a laptop or an iPad just before going to bed. Dr. Breus tells us those devices emit light similar to what you'd see on a computer or television screen, which can disrupt the body's ability to secrete melatonin, thus preventing a good night's sleep.

He … Read more

Got sleep apnea? Stimulate your tongue

If you're someone who's never had to deal with sleep apnea, as I am, it may come as a surprise to learn that the most effective--and frequently prescribed--device to treat the disorder, CPAP, is an enormous, unwieldy in-the-vein-of-a-bad-Halloween-costume mask that tends to find its way to such places as the closet, waste basket, or list of inventions to improve before you die.

So it is with great relief that I, even with my lack of sleep apnea, have been tipped off to a new technique currently being tested in Belgium that, if effective, could do wonders for those whose health can seriously suffer from sleep apnea.

ImThera, a privately funded start-up, has developed a tiny neurostimulator surgically implanted near the tongue that is programmed to essentially keep parts of the tongue awake enough to not block one's airway at rest.

Called Targeted Hypoglossal Neurostimulation (THN) Sleep Therapy, the technique consists of a small electrical device implanted under the skin near the lower jaw and along the Hypoglossal (12th cranial) nerve, then connected to a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG) implanted near the surface of one's upper chest. … Read more

Tired of snoring? All you need is heat

If we're honest, most of us are either snorers or sleeping next to one.

On a recent camping trip, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking we had a bear grunting just outside our tent; heart racing, I turned on my head lamp to investigate. Turns out my husband, who rarely snores, sounds like a bear when he does. I tossed and turned for an hour until finally shaking him awake to shut him up.

For couples dealing with this kind of sleep disruption on a regular basis, it's probably not a stretch to say … Read more

Where we can't keep our eyes open

EPISODE 93

Michael Breus joins us, author of Beauty Sleep and thesleepdoctor.com. We basically sit and bask in his sleep wisdom. Want to know how long is long enough, or how much is too much? Listen to Michael, he knows what's up. One of our most informative shows ever.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Smart pillow analyzes your sleep

Snoring can be serious business, whether it involves sleep apnea or spousal wrath. But to date, testing for sleep disorders has often involved a tangle of wires, sensors and face masks applied during an uncomfortable night's stay at a clinic.

Psychologists at the Hiroshima International University want to change all that with an analytical "electronic pillow" that's been given the decidedly Japanese-English name of "Don't You Think?" (We don't get it either, so don't waste any time thinking about it.)

The pillow is equipped with a device that "studies your … Read more