March News from National Sleep Therapy

NST Celebrates National Sleep Awareness Week

Set yourself up for good nights and great days with 5 tips from the National Sleep Foundation!

Stick to the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body's clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.
Avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can't fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.
Exercise daily. Even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.
Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

Listen to National Sleep Therapy President Eric Cohen on WBZ Radio

In February, National Sleep Therapy President Eric Cohen and patient 'Big Mike' Katz, former national bodybuilding champ, were the featured guests on the popular 'Jordan Rich Show' on WBZ Radio (1030 AM), New England's biggest radio station. 'Big Mike' talked about his victory over sleep apnea and the difference a good night's sleep has made in his life. Jordan Rich's long-running program is heard in 38 states and Canada on Friday and Saturday nights from midnight to 5 AM. To listen, click here:

NST Success Stories

"Thanks to CPAP, we're sleeping together again!"

Four years ago, when Nydia Glander was 72 and traveling in pain with Don, her husband of 52 years, a health scare convinced her to visit her doctor upon their return home.

A stress test led to a sleep test, which showed Nydia had sleep apnea with over 400 apneas (breathing cessation/gasping for air episodes) in a 5-hour period - not a restful night! These episodes may not awaken the person, but they do prevent deep REM sleep that's so vital.

Like Nydia, most of the estimated 20 million Americans with sleep apnea don't know they have it. They may be in bed for 8 hours each night, but are puzzled by chronic fatigue and other health issues brought on by lack of sleep. Snoring is the most visible (audible) symptom.

"My snoring was so bad, it drove Don to sleep in another room," say Nydia, a Cuban native. The couple who met in high school in Indiana and married while in college, lived in several states due to Don's work. Nydia used her native Spanish to work as a translator for a big pharmaceutical maker, and since retiring, works as a translator for her County Health Dept., translating materials for Hispanic residents in the Myrtle Beach area.

"My mother was a snorer and I'm sure she had sleep apnea, though it wasn't a named malady yet," she says. "I'm sure many of my relatives have it, and the few who were tested and tried using CPAP gave up too soon. So when I was diagnosed, I promised Don and myself that I would succeed and beat this fatigue. It's tricky getting used to the mask, and I had to convert from a stomach sleeper to a back sleeper," Nydia smiles. "But I put my mind to it." Read more on the NST Blog>

Question:

I've been experiencing nasal congestion and discomfort at night while using my CPAP. What can I do to alleviate this?

Answer:

About 50% of patients experience difficulties with stuffiness and congestion which is usually due to a nasal reaction to the airflow. These symptoms often decrease with continued use. You might also experience: itching, runny nose, nose bleeds, and nose dryness.

Some treatments you may want to consider include:

Making sure your humidifier is working as it adds moisture to the air minimizing the irritation to the nasal lining. Saline nasal spray or gel can further help with moisturizing the nasal passages.
Using Nasal/Sinus Irrigations in prepackaged solutions and irrigation bottles (such as SinuRinse), or a Neti Pot.

If these don't help, talk with your doctor about:

Nasal sprays (eg: Flonase, Nasacort, Rhinocort, Nasonex) which have anti-inflammatory effects and can reduce swelling and congestion.
Oral anti-histamines such as Claritin, Benadryl or Allegra, etc. as these can be especially helpful in individuals with allergies.
Oral Decongestants such as Sudafed.

What to do When You Have a Cold

CPAP use can be problematic when you have a cold, especially if nasal congestion and/or cough are severe. Decongestants can be helpful temporarily, but if symptoms are severe and refractory, then going without CPAP for a few days may be the only option.

Have a question? Send us an email.

(See note about email in footer below.)

Former Bodybuilding Champ Mike Katz Advises Sleep Apnea Patients

National Sleep Therapy's CPAP Talk-Live! Event Draws Sleep-Deprived from 8 States

A former international bodybuilding champ who was diagnosed with sleep apnea 10 years ago fielded a range of heavyweight questions during a recent 'CPAP Talk - Live!' virtual support session that drew people with sleep issues from eight states. Participants represented all of New England plus Virginia and Maryland.