Here is your chance to become published! As you can see, we have been fortunate to receive some excellent, high quality articles from physicians and sleep techs writing about their experiences and sharing their knowledge about the sleep industry. We feel that everyone has a story to share or suggestions to make that will help others in their careers and improve the science of sleep. Please let us know if you would like to contribute to this site; we welcome your submissions! Additionally, we are looking for suggestions from the community regarding what topics you would like to see covered or stories in which you would be interested. (more…)
Archive for March, 2010
We’re Looking for Your Articles & Suggestions
Monday, March 29th, 2010Back to School: Time to Adjust Your Biological Clock
Monday, March 29th, 2010By Dr. Geraldo Nunes Vieira Rizzo
Today´s young students have at least two good reasons to remember the North American Thomas Alva Edison. The first reason is the fact that he was a brilliant student and the greatest inventor of all times. Many of his teachers believed that he had a dysfunctional brain disease, since he always wanted to know the reasons of the facts and demanded detailed explanations of what was taught. Besides that, he invented the electric light bulb and introduced on October 21st, 1879 the Modern Age of the Light. (more…)
Dealing with Patient Anxiety
Monday, March 29th, 2010Sleep Tech Tip of the Week
by Steve Ferrin, RPSGT from Lourdes Sleep Center
A common problem facing many sleep technologists today is patient anxiety over wearing that “scary looking contraption on their face”. This is to be expected. Unless you’re a welder, scuba-diver, or a fire-fighter, most of us do not wear bulky equipment on our face, much less to sleep in. So, how does one overcome this anxiety? The first, and most obvious, choice is desensitization.
When desensitizing a patient, it is important to have a good mask choice. Let the patient try on a variety and see which one they prefer. Mask sizing is important, as an ill-fitting mask will lower compliance. Once a proper mask has been found, letting the patient lay there with air running through the mask is often the next step. Allow the patient to get used to this “strange sensation”. It is at this point that it is absolutely critical to LISTEN to the patient. Is the patient getting too much air, or not enough on this trial? (more…)
Oddly enough, it works!
Monday, March 22nd, 2010Sleep Tech Tip of the Week
by Michael Miller, RPSGT
Most of my professional career has been spent working third shift as a sleep technologist. The biggest challenge that I faced while working nights was enduring the exhausting schedule that can accompany having a career in sleep medicine. Working as a sleep technologist, my life revolved around sleep in one way or another: either watching someone else’s or attempting to achieve adequate sleep of my own. Periodically, I would suffer from transient insomnia, especially when I was switching from my work schedule to my personal schedule. I was acclimated to sleeping better during the daytime hours so that when I tried to fall asleep at night I would often experience difficulties. At one point I was prescribed sleep medication but found that I could not fall asleep naturally and actually began relying on the medication to achieve any sleep whatsoever. (more…)
SLEEP MEDICINE – THEN AND NOW
Friday, March 19th, 2010By Ed Faria and Lenneice A. Drew
In recent years, we have learned that sleep deprivation and undiagnosed sleep disorders are arguably one of our largest health problems. During the last two decades, a strong diagnostic industry has been thriving to develop the sleep field including, but not limited to, Neurovirtual, Philips Respironics, Embla, and Cardinal Health.
A Look Back
Sleep Medicine is a specialty in the field of medicine; sleep disorders have become a public health concern and sleep science has earned its spot as an important area of research. The American Medical Association recognized sleep medicine as a specialty in 1996. However, take a look back, and you will find the history of sleep medicine is relatively short and most of the individuals involved with its development are still living. (more…)