Iowa Sleep Blog

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…

2015 Sleep in America Poll Results

Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Two weeks ago, the National Sleep Foundation released the results from their annual poll, Sleep in America, which surveys the sleep health and behaviors of Americans. The 2015 poll found that pain is a key factor in sleep loss for a whopping 57 percent of Americans suffering from chronic or acute pain. After pain, stress and poor health were the next related concerns. The survey…

The Importance of Sleep for Athletes

Monday, March 16, 2015
To be one of the best athletes in the world we know you need to train hard and eat a balanced diet. But if you’re also not sleeping well, all this hard work is going to waste. For the world’s top athletes, one night of bad sleep could be the difference between a win and a loss. Sleep and athletic performance is especially critical this time of year, as the NCAA March Madness college…

Adjusting for Daylight Saving Time

Wednesday, March 04, 2015
With the month of March just beginning, many of us have begun dreaming of spring and with that comes the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, when clocks are adjusted one hour ahead. Daylight Saving Time was officially instituted in the U.S. in 1942, starting the second Sunday in March and ending the first Sunday in November, to better utilize the natural daylight by moving one hour from…

How Sleep Restores the Body

Monday, February 23, 2015
Although researchers aren’t exactly sure why different species have different sleep needs, we have learned there are many important things that happen in the body during rest. Each of the unique body systems perform tasks while we sleep that are essential to proper functioning. When you don’t get enough sleep, these jobs are not completed, making your body unable to operate at its highest…

Presidential Sleep Habits

Monday, February 16, 2015
Sleep Habits of Past Presidents Being the President of the United States is one of the most stressful jobs in the world. With the long hours, constant travel and tense situations, paired with busy schedules, many presidents choose to forgo sleep or sleep very little each night in order to get everything done. This President’s Day, learn about the poor sleep habits of these past…

Valentine's Day Gift of Good Sleep

Monday, February 09, 2015
 The Valentine’s Day gift of good sleep February is arguably the busiest month of the year, as many industries are starting their sales pushes and tax season approaches. This busy time can mean long hours at the offices, high stress levels and hours of lost sleep. When you aren’t sleeping well, it can affect almost every aspect of your body, such as your mood, diet, energy levels,…

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Monday, January 26, 2015
Des Moines Register: Find solutions for seasonal affective disorder Experiencing some “winter blues” is nothing new for natives of the Midwest. Maybe it comes about on a cold January morning, when it takes a little extra motivation to get out of a warm bed. These blues and their more serious form, called seasonal affective disorder, are a type of depression that is directly affected by…

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…

Technology that Can Help Your New Year’s Sleep Resolutions

Tuesday, January 06, 2015
On average, 45 percent of Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions, and one of the most popular is to sleep more or set a better sleep schedule. Many start out motivated in January, but find themselves losing steam by February and March. Set yourself up for success by using an app to help track your progress and keep yourself motivated when things get tough. Here are some of…