Latest news with #sleepmedicine
WIRED
an hour ago
- Health
- WIRED
The Hyperflexible People Who May Help Unlock Better Sleep Apnea Treatments
Jul 30, 2025 5:00 AM Patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome are six times more at risk for the sleeping disorder. Now scientists are studying them in hopes of finding remedies beyond the CPAP machine. A CPAP machine with a clear mask ready for sleep therapy. Photograph: Getty Images In 2023, Mitchell Miller, a sleep medicine doctor based in Clearwater, Florida, received a visit from an unusual patient. While Miller is accustomed to seeing people with sleep apnea—a persistent condition in which people stop breathing dozens or even hundreds of times during the night, causing disturbed sleep and daytime exhaustion—it is most common in men, particularly those who are overweight or obese and in their forties and fifties. This patient was a 33-year-old woman of slight build who was also suffering from the telltale signs of daytime fatigue. Unlike Miller's usual patients, she had Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), the medical term for a group of genetic disorders that affect the strength and elasticity of various muscles, joints, and tissues, often bestowing individuals with exceptional flexibility. EDS is estimated to affect 1.5 million people worldwide, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. One of the lesser-known health conditions associated with the disorder is sleep apnea: Patients with EDS face a sixfold increased risk compared to the general population. 'We rely on muscle tone and elasticity to maintain our airway while asleep,' says Miller. 'EDS causes increased laxity or looseness in various tissues, including the throat or the tongue, which makes them more prone to blocking the airway during sleep.' Tests revealed that Miller's patient was experiencing up to 24 apnea events per hour. While five or fewer events per hour is considered normal, patients with moderate to severe apnea can experience 15 to 30 or more disruptions. But knowing the underlying cause of her trouble gave Miller an idea: by implanting a device in the patient's chest, he could send mild electrical pulses to a nerve controlling tongue movement—pushing it forward and keeping the airway open during sleep. The results of this experimental therapy, known as hyperglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS), were so remarkable that Miller felt compelled to publish the case study. One of the advantages of HGNS is that once implanted, a patient can turn the device on themselves before going to sleep using a remote control, then switch it off in the morning. Miller's patient 'had a complete resolution of her sleep apnea,' he says. Two years on, she remains symptom-free. In recent years, the need for better approaches to treating sleep apnea has become increasingly apparent. Studies have linked uncontrolled apnea in midlife to a range of chronic diseases including stroke, sudden heart failure and hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and even dementia. While the gold standard therapy is a ventilator-like device known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine—which pumps air into the throat to keep the airway open—research suggests only 30 percent of people are able to keep using CPAP long term due to factors including claustrophobia from needing to wear a mask in bed or difficulty sleeping due to the machine's persistent hum. Miller says that his patient initially tried CPAP therapy but could not tolerate it. 'There's definitely a need for less cumbersome treatments,' says Thomas Gaisl, a pulmonologist at University Hospital Zurich studying sleep apnea. 'Most people would be more willing to take a pill than use CPAP on a daily basis.' But the search for such a pill—or indeed any treatment as effective as CPAP—has proved challenging. Dozens of drugs have failed to show efficacy in clinical trials, and while HGNS was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014, Miller says that its rollout has been limited, as many doctors are uncertain about the risk-to-benefit trade-off. 'The device is quite costly, and the implantation requires a surgical procedure,' he explains, which comes with added risk to the patient. 'As with any new technology, there is often a lag in acceptance from both the medical community and insurers.' It's unlikely that a single therapy will be found as an alternative to CPAP, Gaisl argues, because sleep apnea isn't one single disease—rather, a diverse cluster of conditions. Obesity is known to be one of the major risk factors—and the weight-loss drug tirzepatide has recently been licensed as a sleep apnea therapy—because excess fat around the neck and upper body can obstruct the airway and cause pauses in breathing. But there are many other causes, some of which are only recently coming to light. Researchers are now beginning to understand the impact of ethnicity on sleep apnea, for example, with patients in Asia at heightened risk. Sleep apnea is resultant of 'a mosaic of different things, not just obesity,' says Gaisl. 'We're increasingly seeing that different subgroups benefit most from more personalized approaches.' This recognition has led researchers to focus more on the EDS population. Gaisl estimates that simply having EDS is equivalent to increasing your BMI by 11 points in terms of the likelihood of developing sleep apnea. That's because the genes linked to EDS affect the structure of so-called 'matrix proteins' like collagen and elastin, which provide the framework for the body's connective tissues—everything from skin to tendons, muscles, and ligaments. 'Collagen is an integral part of almost all tissues, including those which form the airway,' says Karim Ghobrial-Sedky, an adjunct professor at Drexel University and a sleep specialist who has treated EDS patients with sleep apnea. 'In EDS, it's this abnormality in collagen which makes the airway more prone to collapsing when the person is taking a breath.' Because of this, researchers believe that EDS sleep apnea patients are especially suited to treatments targeting muscles in the tongue and throat—like Miller's HGNS, or a newer drug combination under development by a company called Apnimed. Based on the discovery that two compounds, atomoxetine and aroxybutynin, could work in synergy to improve upper airway muscle tone and reduce airway muscle relaxation during sleep, Apnimed has been shown in a clinical trial to reduce instances of sleep apnea by 56 percent. 'People with hypermobility are a prime target cohort for these kinds of therapies,' says Gaisl. While EDS was long considered rare, recent studies suggest genetic hypermobility may affect as many as 1 in 500 people, with women disproportionately affected. Gaisl believes the underlying biology behind these conditions also offers clues for explaining other subtypes of sleep apnea. In his view, the genetics of EDS actively mirrors the damage which other people are inadvertently inflicting on their matrix proteins through behaviors and environmental stresses like smoking, chronic inflammation, excessive dietary sugar and the aging process itself, heightening their risk of sleep apnea through midlife. 'EDS is a kind of natural experiment which is giving us insights into some of the key biological mechanisms behind sleep apnea that are masked in the general population,' says Gaisl. Such individuals could benefit more from targeted therapies like HGNS or Apnimed's drug combination, compared with patients whose apnea is primarily driven by weight gain or underlying breathing abnormalities. Newer diagnostics are applying AI algorithms to patients' sleep data, pinpointing key patterns that suggest a specific type of airway collapse. In the future, these tools could help clinicians to identify such people both faster and more accurately, as well as individuals with undiagnosed hypermobility. These insights could then be used to tailor their treatment. As researchers learn more about the role of matrix proteins in EDS-related sleep apnea, it could even pave the way for entirely new treatments in future. Matrix proteins 'really point to the importance of collagen in maintaining the airway during sleep,' says Gaisl. 'This opens up a new avenue for therapeutics which perhaps target how the connective tissues are impacted over time, causing sleep apnea—treatments which could ultimately benefit a much broader range of patients.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Sleep Doctors Have Surprisingly Good News If You Like To Fall Asleep Watching TV
Let's just say that many sleep hygiene tips are far from tempting. For example, there's waking up at the same time every day (no thanks, I like to sleep in on the weekends!). There's also avoiding caffeine close to bedtime (what about my emotional-support Diet Coke?). The good news is, another key example has recently been debunked (to a certain extent). It's watching — or even more so, listening — to a TV show before bed. 'Many people ask me if falling asleep while watching TV is alright,' said Dr. Emma Lin, a board-certified pulmonologist, sleep medicine specialist and co-founder of 'The reality is, it is just right for some individuals.' Typically, we hear it's important to avoid screens before bed because they emit blue light, which can suppress the production of melatonin and disrupt our circadian rhythms (or our bodies' 'internal clocks'). This can make our bodies think it's time to be awake. But according to sleep doctors, it's not that simple. Ahead, they explain how watching TV before bed can actually be beneficial, and how to do it right. Watching TV Can Become Part Of Your Bedtime Routine One more piece of sleep advice you've probably heard, for context: to have a bedtime routine. That might look like showering, taking your medication, brushing your teeth and hopping under the sheets. A routine helps with sleep because, over time, your brain associates the two. For some people, TV is a part of that process. 'Their brain learns to associate it with falling asleep, so trying to sleep without it brings on anxiety,' said Dr. Chester Wu, the medical advisor at Rise Science who's double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. 'It's not that TV is helping them sleep — it's that it's become a part of their wind-down habit.' Having TV as a part of your routine is even more 'OK' if it's paired with other healthy sleep practices. 'I've often recommended that watching TV before bed (when paired with other tailored and effective sleep strategies) can be a helpful part of a nightly routine,' said Dr. Michael Gradisar, the head of sleep science at Sleep Cycle. TV Screens May Not Be The Problem We Thought Blue light, blue light, blue light … as much as we hear about it, it's not necessarily the thing that keeps you awake. 'While blue light from phones or screens is often blamed for poor sleep, my research has shown that the biggest disrupter is actually delaying bedtime,' Gradisar said. With that said, watching TV may be a better option compared to scrolling on your phone. 'Of the screen-based activities people engage in before bed, watching TV is the least disruptive,' Gradisar said. 'TV is a passive device compared to phones.' Additionally, the light may not be as bright, and therefore as problematic, as we thought. Lin said if the screen isn't super bright, and the content isn't disturbing, 'there's a negligible effect.' Gradisar agreed. He pointed to a 2024 study in Sleep Medicine Reviews that found light emitted from screens is not intense enough to disrupt sleep. TV Time Can Reduce Nighttime Anxiety Feel more anxious at night? Perhaps you can't stop thinking about all you have to get done tomorrow, or you keep having 'cringe attacks'? If so, you're not alone: According to survey findings published by the American Psychological Association, 43% of people have lain awake at night due to stress. Watching TV can get your mind off your worries, allowing your brain to slow down and drift off. But again, it just comes down to timing. 'Watching TV or listening to a podcast as a wind-down routine can be perfectly fine, especially if it helps reduce nighttime overthinking, as long as it doesn't cut into the number of hours of rest you get,' Gradisar said. Lin agreed, with an additional point. 'If what you watch is calm, something you've watched before, it can wind down your brain,' she said. 'That gets you asleep sooner.' TV Isn't Necessarily The No. 1 Answer To Your Sleep Woes, Though However, it's essential to note that other studies have found blue light (or just bright light) from screens to be harmful. Wu said that a TV screen in a darkened room — the latter of which is ideal for sleep — creates more circadian disruption than the same screen in a bright environment. There's also the psychological or sociological piece to consider: We stay up watching TV because, well, we want to stay up watching TV. 'This includes staying up later than planned or engaging in revenge bedtime procrastination, which is when you try to reclaim personal time late at night,' Wu said. And that's a good example of another one of his points: Your sleep may be disrupted more than you realize. 'Even if you don't feel wired after watching TV, it may still impact your sleep quality in subtle ways,' Wu said. (Hello, 'junk sleep.') Follow These Best Practices From Doctors If you're going to fall asleep to a TV show, Lin and Wu suggested following this advice: Set a sleep timer so the TV turns off after 30 to 60 minutes Angle the screen away so it's not directly shining on you Stick to familiar, low-drama, soothing shows Turn down the volume Use night mode or dim your screen Don't wear headphones — sound coming directly into your ears keeps your brain more awake Try blue light-blocking glasses Practice other healthy sleep habits (such as sleeping in a cool, dark room; exercising; avoiding caffeine; and keeping naps to around 20 minutes) Set boundaries around screen time and bedtime Go to bed at the same time every night The bottom line: Listen to your body and watch its patterns. 'If you sleep with [the] TV on, track whether you feel more or less rested on certain nights, or notice differences in how easily you wake up,' Wu said. From there, stick with what works. If you're used to sleeping without a TV or a screen, that may be your best bet. If TV is a part of your nighttime routine, consider following those earlier best practices to ensure it's as least harmful as possible. Related... Hot Sleeper? These 14 Genius Products Can Help You Get Better Rest If You Struggle To Fall Asleep, You Might Have This Specific Type Of Insomnia 'Orthosomnia' Might Be Ruining Your Sleep. Here's What You Should Know.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I'm a Psychiatrist. There Are Common Myths About Sleep That Are Preventing You From Being Well Rested.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. If you've struggled to fall asleep, you may have tried a slew of tips and tricks: blackout shades, leaving your phone in another room, avoiding screens before bed, and keeping your room at a cool temperature at night. Perhaps you've indulged in new sheets or a special mattress or a wearable sleep tracker, too. Maybe these things have helped. Maybe they haven't. But there's another, more powerful approach to insomnia that's based on decades of research—and you might not even have heard of it. It works by changing our habits, questioning ideas that degrade our sleep, and bolstering our body's sleep drive. If its name is a bit of a mouthful, or its acronym a bit obscure, it makes up for it by sheer effectiveness, helping most people with insomnia slumber more contentedly. This treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, is recommended by experts as the first and best treatment for insomnia, over and above sleeping pills, in part because its benefits last longer, compared to medications. It helps people fall asleep faster, spend more of the night sleeping, and feel happier with their sleep. And most people, in any case, say they'd rather try behavior change for insomnia versus a drug (which is perhaps why all those wellness sleep-hygiene tips persist). As a psychiatrist who has done extra training in sleep medicine, I've seen CBT-I work. About 10 percent of U.S. adults—or about 25 million people—suffer from insomnia, giving CBT-I vast potential. But there's a bottleneck: Traditionally, a clinical psychologist or therapist with extra training in CBT-I delivers the treatment over the course of multiple one-on-one there were just 659 behavioral sleep specialists throughout the entire U.S. as of 2016 (the most recent survey I know of). And fewer than 10 percent of clinical psychology training programs teach CBT-I. So there just aren't enough providers—not close to enough. The good news is that the core strategies of CBT-I still work when delivered by a digital app, or even, to an extent, by self-help booklets. So anyone who puts these principles into practice is likely to get some relief—maybe even someone reading this article. The 'cognitive' element—the C in CBT-I—seeks to dispel unrealistic ideas about sleep, pessimism about our power to improve our sleep, and the rush to blame sleep problems when we don't feel good. The theory is that certain beliefs—like the idea that we need eight hours, or that a bad night's sleep guarantees a lousy next day—worsen worries about sleep. These worries seem to activate our stress system and make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, triggering a vicious cycle of pessimism about sleep that makes sleep poorer. CBT-I tries to put a stop to this. It really is a myth, by the way, that everyone needs their eight hours. The experts recommend seven, not eight, as the minimum number of hours for an adult. And it's also a myth that something is wrong if you don't sleep straight through the night. In clinic, I've found that some patients get relief just from learning that waking up once or twice during the night is part of normal, healthy sleep. A 2014 study that looked at the sleep diaries of 592 adults without sleep disorders found an average of 1.4 awakenings per night. But it's not just how you think. It's also what you do. And while CBT-I does include sleep hygiene tips like avoiding caffeine and bright screens before bed, these maneuvers haven't been found to work well for insomnia, at least not on their own. CBT-I's main behavioral directives—the B in CBT-I—are probably less familiar: cutting back on time in bed, changing your habits for getting in and out of bed, and waking up at the same time each day (no matter when you fall asleep). It may seem kind of ironic to ask someone trying to get more sleep to cut down on their time in bed. But restricting time in bed is one of the most powerful levers we have to make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. In traditional CBT-I, the person with insomnia brings a two-week sleep diary to one of those all-too-hard-to-find behavioral sleep specialists, who tallies up how much time that person is sleeping every 24 hours, on average. Then, the dissatisfied sleeper adjusts their time in bed to that number. If they were, for instance, spending nine hours in bed each night, but only sleeping for six and tossing and turning for three, they'd start going to bed later, getting up earlier, or both, thus trimming their time in bed down to six hours. The idea is to work with your body and what it's currently capable of, rather than clinging to the wish for longer sleep when it just isn't happening. Cutting back on time in bed works partly through mild sleep deprivation, which makes you sleepier. And when you're sleepier, it stands to reason, you sleep more easily. (Just note that if you need to drive or operate heavy machinery, you should cut back on time in bed gradually, and track your daytime sleepiness. It's never safe to drive while sleepy.) As treatment progresses, if the once fitful sleeper finds they're sleeping longer and more easily, they extend their time in bed to match their newfound sleep ability. By doing this, you can actually train your body over time into getting more sleep, with small gains in average length of sleep at the end of a course of traditional CBT-I, and with sleep time continuing to increase, for some, even weeks or months after the end of active treatment. If you find yourself balking at the idea of cutting back on your time in bed abruptly, there's a gentler way called sleep compression. This cuts back on time in bed more slowly, by 15 to 30 minutes each week, until sleep improves. With sleep compression, you can also stop, or reverse course and extend time in bed again, if you start to feel sleepier during the day. In one study, sleep compression and sleep restriction racked up similar gains in sleep satisfaction at 10 weeks. So, you cut back on time in bed. But the hypothetical patient who was getting six hours of sleep still wouldn't force themself to stay in bed for six hours no matter what. This brings us to the next behavioral prong of CBT-I: changing your habits for getting in and out of bed. Since 1972, when the pioneering sleep psychologist Richard Bootzin first proposed these instructions in a case report, they have been thoroughly investigated in different variations. Two key instructions are: Don't go to bed until you feel sleepy (even if it's already your new, sleep-restricted bedtime), and don't stay in bed if you can't sleep. If you can't sleep, try a relaxing low-light activity like reading, or listening to music or a podcast in the living room—and then return to bed when you're ready. The classic thinking is that this breaks the association with bed as a place of frustration, and restores it as a cue for slumber. It's also possible that it simply encourages the kind of sleep that's most likely to succeed—that is, going to sleep when you're sleepy, rather than trying to sleep whenever you just really wish you could fall asleep. (If you can't or just don't want to get out of bed, by the way, a couple of older studies do suggest that doing the same kind of relaxing low-light activities in bed when you can't sleep might still help with insomnia, at least to some degree.) No matter when you end up going to bed, or how often you wake up during the night, CBT-I also teaches patients to get up at (roughly) the same time each day. And there are two reasons why this matters. First, the later and the more often you sleep in, the more you tend to push back your body's internal biological clock—known as the circadian clock—which pushes your body's internal bedtime later too, making it harder to fall asleep when you want to. The second reason is that getting up later and keeping your bedtime the same shortens the length of your day, which means less time awake building up your drive to sleep, and less success at bedtime. If you woke up at noon, for instance, and then tried to go to bed at 6 p.m., you just wouldn't have built up enough sleep drive yet. And the same idea applies to more subtle shortening of the span of daytime wakefulness, like waking up late or napping. CBT-I works well. But no single treatment works for everyone, and no treatment is free of hazard. In particular, those at high risk of falls should skip getting out of bed when they can't sleep. And again, please don't drive if you're experiencing daytime sleepiness. Sometimes, too, insomnia is the harbinger of a different problem. So if your sleeplessness is unrelenting, you're waking up at night gasping for air (a symptom of sleep apnea), or if you have the strong urge to move your lower limbs at night (an ailment called restless legs syndrome), please look up a sleep specialist who can help get you a diagnosis and hopefully some relief. In the meantime, tell your friends about CBT-I. More people should know.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Beyond melatonin: How doctors and sleep experts really recommend you overcome jet lag
Whether you're flying across the country or across the globe, that mind-melting, time-warping experience can leave even the most seasoned traveler wrestling with a serious case of jet lag. An honest-to-goodness (albeit temporary) sleeping disorder, jet lag strikes when your body's internal 24-hour clock (aka your circadian rhythm) gets completely out of sync with your new time zone. The result? You feel like you've sprinted directly into a wall of bone-deep fatigue and exhaustion. "Jet lag usually occurs when you travel across more than two time zones," says Dr. Joyce Adesina, a sleep medicine specialist with Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles. "So you're either experiencing some sort of insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness because of this trip." But that's not all — other symptoms can include feeling disoriented, changes in appetite, digestive issues or shifts in your menstrual cycle. Headaches and irritability are also common. Even the idea of jet lag is enough to keep some would-be vacationers home: A 2024 survey discovered that one in five U.S. travelers would actually bow out of a trip if they thought jet lag was going to get the best of them. But there's no need to panic: There are plenty of expert-backed, scientifically-valid jet lag remedies to help nearly every traveler. Here's what you need to know — and how to get over jet lag. You know how you often feel tired, headachy and even a little disorientated during or immediately after a long flight? That's not jet lag; it's something called travel fatigue, and it strikes thanks to a combo of icks like low humidity, dehydration, low air pressure and sleep loss. Jet lag, on the other hand, occurs in the next few days after your flight. The symptoms are similar and often go hand in hand, so many people refer to the entire post-flight travel experience as jet lag. The severity of your jet lag is affected by several factors. Age: While everyone is susceptible to jet lag, research shows that people over the age of 60 experience circadian changes that can make it more difficult to recover from jet lag. Number of time zones: Generally, the more time zones you travel across, the longer it'll take to recover. There's actually a rough formula: Expect about one day of recovery for each time zone you cross. "If you are going from the West Coast to the East Coast of the United States, then it'll take about three days to adjust, since there is a three-hour difference. If you are going across seven time zones, it will take a week," says Bryce Mander, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California, Irvine, School of jet lag affects everyone differently. "There are some people who travel one time zone, and that really bothers them. It really is very disruptive to their entire routine, to their sleep, to when they feel good. And there are other people who can travel for four or five hours, and it's not a big deal for them," says Jamie Zeitzer, PhD, co-director of the Stanford Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. Destination: Your body's natural clock actually runs slightly longer than 24 hours, which means it's easier to stretch your day out than to compress it. That's why traveling west (where you "gain" time) feels more natural than traveling east (where you "lose" time), according to research. Sleep before travel: If your sleep is not great in the days leading up your flight, you're at a higher risk of getting jet lag after traveling. First, the bad news: You can't eliminate jet lag completely. However, that doesn't mean you're destined for fatigue-fueled travel. "There are essentially two cues that can help you swing your circadian rhythm and soften the effects of jet lag," says Dr. Sam Kashani, an assistant clinical professor of sleep medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "One is bright light exposure, and the other is strategically timed melatonin." The timing of each is key to your jet lag recovery. Light is your secret weapon for beating jet lag because it directly controls your circadian rhythm. Here's how it works: Light exposure suppresses melatonin, the hormone your body naturally releases about one to three hours before bedtime. By strategically timing when you get light, you can actually shift your internal clock. The key is matching your light exposure to your travel direction. The exact timing will depend on how many time zones you're crossing and your desired sleep schedule at your destination, but here's the gist, according to Kashani: Evening light usually helps you adapt to a later time zone after traveling west, whereas first-thing morning light can help you adjust to an earlier time zone after traveling east. If it's not sunny or bright outside when you're trying to make these adjustments? Adesina recommends considering a light box for boosting exposure ... or sunglasses when you need to avoid light. Light directly affects the melatonin your body releases — and since melatonin is what signals sleepiness, taking melatonin supplements at strategic times may also help shift your internal clock. "For jet lag, you must take melatonin across multiple days at low doses —1 to 3 milligrams or less — at least three hours before [your desired] bedtime, and after you take it, you need to stay awake until your desired bedtime," says Mander. (Some experts even suggest taking melatonin a few days before your trip.) That said, melatonin is not a sleeping pill. Instead, melatonin can improve certain symptoms of jet lag, like alertness, and reduce daytime sleepiness, but it might not help shorten the time it takes for jet-laggers to fall asleep. Remember, if you're considering taking any supplements or medication to help with your jet lag, consult your doctor first. (Learn which melatonin supplement might be right for you.) The easiest way to figure out your light exposure and melatonin timing is to use a jet lag calculator, such as the one on says Kashani. Use the tool to start shifting your schedule before, after or during your flight. The calculator considers factors including your departure and arrival locations, flight times and your typical sleep and wake schedule. You can also choose whether to incorporate melatonin into your adjustment plan. There's also an option to include melatonin as part of your adjustment plan. Another option is the Timeshifter app, favored by Mander, that formulates a personalized jet-lag recovery plan, that includes advice on when to abstain from caffeine and when to sneak in a cat nap. There are other ways you can get over jet lag. You can get a jump start on adjusting your circadian rhythm by gradually shifting your sleep schedule at home a few days before your flight. Traveling east? Hit the sack 30 minutes earlier each night until you're one to two hours ahead. If you're traveling west, do the opposite — go to bed 30 minutes later. "Since it takes a number of days to adjust to a new time zone based on how many time zones you cross, if you're going on a short trip, try to stay on your home time zone [schedule] to minimize jet lag," says Mander. The reason? Shifting to a new time zone on a brief getaway means you'll be more jet lagged coming home than you would have been had you stayed on your home time zone. No matter how much you want to devour that in-flight meal, think about what time it is where you're heading before you do, says Rebecca Robbins, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and sleep scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "This will help you make good decisions while you're traveling, like maybe forgoing a meal that's being served on the plane and getting something at the airport instead." Keep that mentality when on the ground too. "It's always best to eat on the schedule of your destination," says Adesina. That means don't eat lunch at breakfast time or vice versa. All those cues help you reset your internal clock." Beyond food, be careful with caffeine. Adesina recommends avoiding caffeine after midday in the time zone of your new destination. And since both caffeine and alcohol can disrupt sleep, consider sticking to water on long flights. One key for mitigating jet lag is to arrive at your destination as rested and relaxed as possible, which can be tricky with air travel. That's why Robbins suggests bringing familiar comfort items from home on your flight — things like a cozy shawl, a trusted eye mask or earplugs you've already tested at home, noise-canceling headphones and a high-quality travel pillow. These small touches can make a real difference in your travel experience. Research supports this approach: A small study of competitive cricket players found that better sleep quality during flights (with fewer disruptions) helped with jet lag recovery. If you can swing it, consider booking a seat with more leg room. (Those cricket players snoozed well in business class.) Zeitzer, who once flew business class to Korea, agrees: "I have to say, jet lag is a lot less bad when you're flying business class. You have all this physical space. You have mental space. You're eating better. You're more relaxed." The only downside? "Now that I know how good the other half has it, when I have to fly economy to Korea, the jet lag is worse!" While not worrying about jet lag is easier said than done, mindset can make a difference. "The more you worry about it, the worse that it's going to be," says Zeitzer. He says to look for ways to reduce that anxiety to make it easier for you to travel. Plan your strategy: Use Sleepopolis jet lag calculator or the Timeshifter app to determine when to get light and/or how much melatonin to take before, during and after your flight. Start shifting early: Try adjusting your wake time and bedtime in the days prior to your travel. The jet lag calculator or app can help. Get your melatonin: Talk to your health care provider about possibly taking a low-dose melatonin supplement, like Thorne Melaton-3, our pick for the best overall melatonin supplement. Pack comfort items: Stash items in your carry-on bag that help you feel relaxed such as a travel pillow, earplug or eye mask. Consider Travelrest's Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow, Loop Quiet 2 earplugs and the Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask. Watch what you consume: Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can mess up sleep. And drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Eat strategically: Start eating on your new schedule as soon as possible, which means you'll need to be mindful of the time airplane meals are served. And when you are eating during travel, have light meals to help avoid digestive issues. Stay comfortable: Make sure to stretch, move about the cabin and engage in relaxing activities on board, says Mander. Use your comfort items to help you relax. Get the right light: Again, turn to your jet lag calculator or app to determine the best times to get light. Use a light box or wear sunglasses if needed. (Try Ray-Ban Wayfarers or Quay After Hours sunglasses.) Settle in smart: Take a shower once you arrive and a quick 20-minute nap if needed — only if it's at least eight or more hours before your planned bedtime. Eat and drink on schedule: Have meals according to the new time zone. Get plenty of water to stay hydrated. Take melatonin, if planned: Follow your calculator or app guidance for timing — and your health care provider's advice. Exercise outdoors: The fresh air and natural light exposure can help adjust your internal clock, Robbins suggests. Keep it simple for short trips: If your trip is brief, consider staying on your home time zone schedule. Stay positive: Worrying about jet lag doesn't help. Try to relax and enjoy your trip! Joyce Adesina, MD, sleep medicine specialist with Keck Medicine of USC Sam A. Kashani, MD, assistant clinical professor of sleep medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Bryce Mander, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine Rebecca Robbins, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and sleep scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston Jamie Zeitzer, MD, co–director of the Stanford Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences sleep medicine at Stanford University Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Have Sleep Apnea Or Suspect You Do? Certain Pillows Might Help
The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted. Sleep apnea — a disorder in which one's breathing is interrupted for seconds or minutes at a time during sleep — affects people of all ages, genders and body types, according to Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a sleep medicine physician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Yet more than 80% of sleep apnea cases remain undiagnosed, she said. 'The most common symptom of sleep apnea is loud, persistent snoring,' Gurubhagavatula noted. However, because of the unconscious nature of sleep, it can be tricky to determine whether you snore, much less experience sleep apnea episodes, unless a family member, roommate or partner notices. However, if you notice yourself waking up gasping or choking, or even frequently using the bathroom at night, these can all constitute sleep apnea symptoms, too. The interruptions in breathing that occur with sleep apnea 'lead to frequent drops in blood oxygen levels, severely disrupting sleep quality,' explained Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and head sleep expert at Wesper. The consequences of such diminished sleep quality can be dire, affecting daytime hours and the broader constitution of one's life emphasized Gurubhagavatula. 'For about half of those with sleep apnea, symptoms worsen when sleeping on their back,' explained Rohrscheib. This is called positional sleep apnea, she noted, and occurs because sleeping on your back can actually block your airway. Specifically, gravity can cause your tongue to fall into the throat during sleep, obscuring the airway, both experts said. 'Patients with positional sleep apnea often benefit from sleeping on their side or elevating their head,' added Rohrscheib. 'For people with mild sleep apnea, sleeping with a firm, elevated pillow might improve their respiration, as softer pillows that are thinner tend to promote airway blockage.' If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, seek evaluation by your doctor or a specialist from an AASM-accredited sleep center. A healthcare professional can order you a sleep study, which often can be done right at home. 'Those with positional sleep apnea may still experience breathing disruptions, though typically to a lesser degree than when sleeping on their back,' Rohrscheib noted, and 'not everyone with sleep apnea will see improvements by changing their sleep position.' It's best to consult with a sleep specialist about whether positional therapy makes sense for you. Tempurpedic Switching to a side sleeping position with an appropriate pillow can be helpful if you have mild or positional sleep apnea, in which the disorder worsens during back sleeping. 'Typically, someone with positional sleep apnea will benefit more from a pillow that allows them to sleep comfortably on their sides, such as a medium firm memory foam pillow," said Rohrscheib. Based on Rohrscheib's advice, we selected Tempurpedic's beloved memory foam pillow, which is designed to comfortably support your head and neck during side sleeping. $119+ at Tempurpedic Large: $66 at Amazon Amazon This popular contoured side sleeping pillow is another solid option based on Rohrscheib's recommendation. It's so important for any good side pillow to support the space between your shoulder and head as closely as possible, yet that distance is unique to each person depending on their particular physical makeup, according to sleep brands like Tempurpedic. After all, shorter folks may have different head-to-shoulder widths than taller people. As a result, it can be advantageous to choose an adjustable pillow, like this one. Oeko-Tex-certified and made out of memory foam, the pillow provides four different heights for you to choose from to help achieve optimal profile support while helping minimize neck strain. Another plus is that this option comes in a travel size for easy portability. $37+ at Amazon Amazon For folks with positional sleep apnea, "The simple practice of sleeping on their side or stomach can help keep the airway open throughout the night," noted Gurubhagavatula. A concave contoured pillow, like this bestselling one that HuffPost selected, may help side sleeping feel comfier by providing additional support. Made with memory foam, the pillow is designed to ergonomically cradle the head at a 15-degree angle while supporting the natural curve of the neck and shoulders. This option features convenient removable inserts, too, so you can adjust it to your ideal side profile width. If you'd like the pillow to be even taller than the available inserts allow, the company says you can even contact them for an additional insert. $40 at Amazon Amazon Both Gurubhagavatula and Rohrscheib recommended wedge pillows for folks with mild or positional sleep apnea, since this kind of pillow helps encourage sleeping with the upper body elevated. "A wedge pillow that allows [patients] to sleep at a 45-degree angle ... reduces the risk of soft tissue blockage in the back of the throat" and thus helps improve respiration, explained Rohrscheib. Based on the experts' input, we think this bestselling memory foam wedge pillow is a great option. Available in tons of different sizes, including options that span your whole headboard, the adjustable pillow is plenty versatile (and surprisingly chic thanks to its Jacquard pillow cover). It's designed to help with snoring and encourage more comfortable sleep, but can also be used for back support while reading or watching TV or for elevating your feet or legs after a long day. $37 at Amazon Amazon If you already know you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine to assist with nighttime breathing, you might benefit from a pillow that's designed specifically with CPAPs in mind. "There are ... pillows made for sleep apnea patients that use other therapies, like CPAP," noted Rohrscheib. This Contour CPAP Max pillow, which HuffPost selected, is one such option. The adjustable, orthopedic pillow sports side cutouts to help minimize leaks from your mask and prevent your mask from moving around. Its concave center cradles your head while providing facial support to help facilitate comfortable airflow and side positioning. With the pillow's three removable layers, you can add and subtract inserts to achieve an ideal height for your side profile. Available in original and cooling versions, the pillow even has a tether for attaching your machine's hose to further minimize shifting of your mask. Original: $60 at Amazon Cooling: $60 at Amazon Amazon This popular, firm Lunderg memory foam pillow, which HuffPost also chose, is also designed for folks with sleep apnea who use CPAP machines. Designed to reduce mask air leaks, the pillow's two sides offer different thickness levels to accommodate differing side profiles; the pillow also comes with an additional removable insert for further customization. The piece also includes two pillowcases (one of which is cooling)! $79 at Amazon $79 at Walmart Amazon In previous HuffPost reporting, a sleep medicine physician recommended using a full-body pillow to make side and stomach sleeping easier while providing additional pressure-relieving support. Based on this advice, we selected this popular adjustable full-body pillow from Pharmedoc. The piece is customizable, so you can opt for its full U-shaped style, or detach one of its legs for a C-shape, and use the removed part for additional support between your legs or behind your head. It also comes with a heat-absorbing cooling cover. $40 at Amazon Amazon A sleep medicine physician also previously told HuffPost that a small pillow in between the knees can help align the spine for more comfortable side sleeping. Based on this suggestion, we think this orthopedic knee pillow from Luna is a solid option. Contoured into an hourglass shape and made with memory foam, the knee pillow is designed to support your body while adapting to your particular shape and maintaining breathability with its cooling fabric. Designed to help align the spine, the sleep tool helps reduce pressure in the neck and shoulders while distributing your weight more evenly in the side sleeping position. $21+ at Amazon The Highest-Rated Pillows On Amazon For Every Type Of Sleeper The Very Best Pillows For Stomach Sleepers, According To Experts If You're Desperate For Better Sleep, This $30 Gadget Could Be A Game-Changer
