Iowa Sleep Blog

Sleep Apnea Support Groups

Monday, September 14, 2015
Even though sleep is something that is seen as a universal, it can be hard to admit that you’re having problems with falling or staying asleep at night. Support groups are a popular method of education and support for a variety of health and wellness related topics, one in particular being sleep apnea. For many with sleep disorders, attending support groups and connecting…

How to Wake Up Refreshed in the Morning

Monday, August 24, 2015
We’ve all woken up feeling like our heads had just hit the pillow every once in a while. And that makes it hard to look forward to waking up when you’re always tired in the mornings. While lack of enough sleep and lack of quality sleep are typical culprits of waking up feeling tired, there are a number of tricks you can try to help jumpstart your day and make it easier to…

Tips for Traveling with CPAP Equipment

Monday, March 30, 2015
Spring and summer vacations are right around the corner, but don’t let packing your CPAP machine slow you down. CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure, is a popular way to treat obstructive sleep apneas- and over 28 million people suffer from OSA each night. These machines are usually compact in size and feature a hose that runs to a mask that the sleeper wears to…

Sleep and Heart Health

Monday, February 02, 2015
Many people don’t realize the side effects of poor sleep and that sleep plays a big part in the health of your heart. Recent studies have shown that getting less than six hours of sleep each night increases your chance of developing risk factors for heart disease, which is no joking matter. In the United States, heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women, but…

Signs It’s Time to See a Sleep Doctor

Thursday, January 22, 2015
Signs it’s time to see a sleep doctor Sleeping is a natural function of the body, so it can be hard to tell when your “simple” sleep troubles are actually more complicated sleep disorders. Many don’t even realize their poor sleep can affect other aspects of their health such as their overall heart health, managing diabetes and controlling body weight. Many times, these sleep disorders…

ADHD or OSA?

Monday, January 19, 2015
Many are quick to call a child’s hyperactivity or lack of focus in the classroom Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In fact, 11 percent of children ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD since 2011. If your child is having a hard time staying focused during the day, the real problem may be what happens at night. While obstructive sleep apneas seem like a sleep problem only for…

Sleep Well, Be Well

Monday, November 24, 2014
Promising to get more sleep each night is a popular New Year’s resolution, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until January to start. There are many small lifestyle changes that you can make now to improve your sleep habits. The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project began in 2013 by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research…

How Treating Sleep Disorders Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

Friday, May 30, 2014
If your family has a history of heart disease, it’s more important than ever to be aware of sleep disorders and their side effects. Although the connection between sleep disorders and heart conditions is not fully defined, there is a relationship between the two. Sleep disorders have been associated with heart conditions such as congestive heart failure, hypertension, stroke, cardiac…

What Would You Give Up in Exchange for a Good Night's Sleep?

Monday, April 21, 2014
About one in five adults fail to get enough sleep, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which recommends adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested. If you’re not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, you’re likely to experience excessive daytime sleepiness, as well as negative moods, fatigue, forgetfulness, drowsy driving and even…