By 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.

The critical importance of sleep to good health and life was illuminated by the experiments conducted in rats by Rechtschaffen et al. In these experiments, total sleep deprivation resulted in the death of all rats within two to three weeks. Selective deprivation of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep also resulted in the death of the animals over a slightly longer period of time.

In human beings, there is also information on the long-term effects of insufficient sleep. An early study, conducted by Kripke et al, used information collected by the American Cancer Society on more than one million human beings. Mortality rates after six years of follow-up were significantly increased for people who had less than four hours or more than ten hours of sleep per night. These results were reconfirmed in a second survey of 1.1 million human beings conducted between 1982 and 1988.

The development of modern Sleep medicine is closely linked to the discovery of the electrical activity of the brain. Richard Caton was the first to record brain electrical activity of animals in England in 1875. The development of the electroencephalogram (EEG) in 1929, by German Psychiatrist, Hans Berger, allowed the examination of brain activity during sleep. In 1937, A. L. Loomis in the United States first documented the characteristic patterns of what is now called NREM sleep: vertex waves, sleep spindles, K complexes, and delta slowing. He divided sleep into five stages of increasing depth from A through E, which formed the basis for the current classification of NREM sleep.

Today, the advances in medicine over time have contributed significantly to the understanding of sleep and sleep research. There are few, if any, medical specialties that do not intersect with the past, present, and future understanding and study of sleep. Neurology, pulmonology, psychology, psychiatry, physiology, cardiology, otolaryngology, etc., are all integral areas of sleep study.

Waking up to the Problem

In addition to the major problem of sleep deprivation related to social or occupational activities, the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) lists 88 sleep-related disorders. In recent years, we have learned that sleep deprivation and undiagnosed sleep disorders are arguably some of the biggest health problems.

Although insomnia affects everyone occasionally, about one out of every three adults indicates it is a significant problem, and 50% of these persons consider it to be severe. Snoring is another highly prevalent condition that has been reported to disrupt the sleep of bed partners. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common category of sleep-disordered breathing and restless legs syndrome (RLS) is also highly prevalent conditions.

The treatment for sleep apnea is also non-surgical. It ranges between behavioral changes, dental appliances, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Behavioral changes refer to dealing with obesity and changing positions while sleeping, whereas dental appliances require equipments in order to help the person breathe properly.

There are a number of over the counter drugs available for the treatment of insomnia and other sleep related disorders. These contain sedatives or suppressants that slow down the activity of the central nervous system.

The Sleep Industry

During the last two decades, a strong diagnostic industry has been thriving to develop the sleep field including Neurovirtual / Sleepvirtual, Philips Respironics, Embla, and Cardinal Health. A number of foundations have been organized to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from sleeping problems and disorders. The National Sleep Foundation partners with many government agencies and organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Transportation to raise awareness of the importance of sleep and alertness.

The prevalence of sleep disorders within the population, combined with scientific progress in our ability to diagnose and treat these disorders, has created a tremendous demand for knowledgeable physicians trained in the area of Sleep Medicine. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is constantly working to raise the standard in the field of sleep medicine and fostering the development of scientific knowledge. In 2008, the AASM published a new scoring manual that seems to better reflect the weight of scientific evidence and expertise in the field of sleep.

In just a short time, a number of societies have developed across the US in the field of sleep medicine. For example, the Florida Sleep Consortium, Illinois Society of END Technologists, and the New Jersey Sleep Society are hosting sleep medicine events this year, and there are many others. Global leader Neurovirtual/Sleepvirtual based in Doral, Florida, is also advancing the field of sleep medicine with state of the art technology. The company is offering routine sleep acquisition systems specifically enhanced for artifact reduction, facilitated file transferability, and endless reading/scoring station connections. Neurovirtual is one of the key players in developing, manufacturing, and servicing high-technology medical devices used in the fields of neurology and sleep medicine in America.

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If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician.

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Tags: apnea, insomnia, REM sleep, sleep medicine, sleep study