The Sleep Disorders Toolkit

While the pathophysiology of idiopathic hypersomnia is unknown, emerging science suggests that nighttime sleep dysfunction may contribute to daytime sleepiness in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia. A systematic review and meta-analysis that included 10 studies found that, on average, several sleep architecture hallmarks were different in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia relative to controls...

People with idiopathic hypersomnia face a significant disease burden. Idiopathic hypersomnia is associated with challenges that impact daily living activities, such as limitations at school, work, interpersonal relationships, and social activities. Various impairments include  Impacts on attention and cognition, which can be characterized as “brain fog” The burden of memory problems and a feeling...

This episode also provides valuable advice for sleep techs dealing with patients wanting to use mouth tape during in-lab sleep studies. DeNike underlines the importance of ensuring patients have a healthy nasal passageway and clarifies the role of mouth tape as a supportive accessory, not a standalone treatment. This episode is sure to provide you with a deeper understanding of mouth taping during...

The differential diagnosis of idiopathic hypersomnia is challenging for several reasons. Its hallmark symptom, excessive daytime sleepiness, is a common symptom of many disorders, and ts ancillary symptoms also overlap with other disorders. A lack of validated biomarkers adds to the challenge. Assessing for key symptoms and medical history is a first step to help identify patients presenting with...

Sleep specialist Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, is our guest and chair of the Count on Sleep Tool Development and Surveillance Workgroup for The Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Indicator Report , which provides an in-depth analysis of the symptoms, risk factors, prevalence, and burden of obstructive sleep apnea and serves as a resource for both the public and the health care communities on the importan...

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders, 3rd ed, lists the criteria needed for a diagnosis idiopathic hypersomnia. For a diagnosis of idiopathic hypersomnia, the following must be met: o excessive daytime sleepiness daily for at least 3 months o cataplexy is not present o multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) shows <2 or no sleep-onset REM periods (SOREMPs) if the rapid eye movement (R...

Excessive daytime sleepiness is an essential feature of idiopathic hypersomnia, but other key symptoms and aspects of the medical history are crucial when evaluating patients who present with excessive daytime sleepiness. Patients with idiopathic hypersomnia commonly report the following symptoms in addition to excessive daytime sleepiness: severe and prolonged sleep inertia, long and unrefreshing...

Join Sleep Review ’s Sree Roy in conversation with sleep expert Russell P. Rosenberg, PhD, and primary care physician Paul Doghramji, MD, FAAFP about managing insomnia in primary care. They share insights from an expert consensus group and answer the questions: What are the challenges that prevent insomnia from being diagnosed in the primary care setting? Can you provide practical advice on how to...

A large proportion of mental health professionals misunderstand the nature of sleep problems in mental health patients, according to sleep specialist Barry Krakow, MD, who has worked in the field of sleep research and clinical sleep medicine for more than 30 years. Such professionals view sleep issues as a symptom of mental health disorders, rather than as a distinct disorder that needs to be addr...

For #sleepawarenessweek (March 12-18, 2023), Sleep Review is joined by sleep psychologist Jade Wu, PhD, DBSM. She is the author of Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications . She is also a Mattress Firm Sleep Advisor. Sleep Review’s Sree Roy and Dr. Wu discuss common #sleep myths including: -What is the most damaging sleep myth you have heard? -What is one sleep m...

While the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends a sodium intake of less than 2,300 mg/day, about 9 of 10 American adults exceed that limit. Increased sodium intake is believed to have a direct effect on a variety of negative cardiovascular outcomes such as coronary heart disease, left ventricular hypertrophy, and stroke. Recognizing the impact of dietary sodium on diseases like hyp...

The prevalence of certain comorbidities is higher in people with narcolepsy compared with matched controls—both at diagnosis and at prolonged follow up. Comorbidities that are more prevalent in patients with narcolepsy include psychiatric and sleep conditions, as well as cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions. Hypocretin (orexin) dysfunction in patients with narcolepsy may partially explain...

For supporting material on this episode, visit:  The increased frequency of comorbidities among people with narcolepsy should be thoroughly reviewed while creating individualized management strategies. Comorbidities that are more prevalent in patients with narcolepsy include psychiatric and sleep conditions, as well as cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions. Hypocretin dysfunction in patien...

For most people with narcolepsy, management plans require implementation of ongoing pharmacological therapy to keep symptoms under control. Patients may also need substantial lifestyle adjustments, such as maintaining nocturnal sleep hygiene and regular scheduling of daytime naps. Narcolepsy management plan development should consider balance between the tolerance to available medications and impa...

Mayoor Patel, DDS, MS, is the owner of Atlanta-based Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Center of Georgia and co-editor of the new textbook Dental Sleep Medicine: A Clinical Guide. He speaks with Sleep Review about medical and dental comorbidities of obstructive sleep apnea, continuing education for dentists, and offers several resources for dentists who want to learn about sleep medicine. Sree Ro...

For supporting material on this podcast, visit: https://sleepreviewmag.com/sleep-disorders/hypersomnias/narcolepsy/narcolepsy-across-the-lifespan/ Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder for which there is no known cure. The onset of symptoms can begin at any age but frequently occurs during childhood or adolescence. This condition continues to impact patients throughout their lifetime. Management...

Temitayo Oyegbile-Chidi, MD, PhD, became board chair of the National Sleep Foundation board of directors, on July 1, 2022. She speaks with Sleep Review about advocating for sleep on Capitol Hill, sleep health equity concerns, Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, and more. Sree Roy of Sleep Review and Oyegbile-Chidi discuss: -You are a neurologist as well as a sleep and epilepsy specialist. How did your...

Jennifer L. Martin, PhD, became president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) board of directors on June 6, 2022. She speaks with Sleep Review about the challenges faced by people with insomnia disorder in accessing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and pharmaceuticals to treat the sleep disorder, as well as posits several solutions. Sree Roy of Sleep Review and Martin...

Mitchell Levine, DMD, ABDSM, was recently installed as president of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM). In an interview with Sree Roy of Sleep Review, he discusses how COVID has changed the practice of dental sleep medicine, the role of telehealth, a consensus statement about oral appliance compliance, oral appliance monitoring sensors, what he wants to see in dental sleep medic...

Ben Wipper is a current medical student at Harvard Medical School. He graduated from Williams College in 2019, and over the past two years has been a part of the Sleep Disorders Clinical Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Ben has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed research articles relating to restless legs syndrome and other sleep disorders.   Link to the study the inte...

Sleep Review’s Sree Roy chats with circadian health fan Jay Pea about the science and politics of standard time and daylight saving time—and their impacted on sleep and overall health. You can visit https://savestandardtime.com/ and follow @savestandard on Twitter and other social media for more information. You can also text “SST” to 50409 to remind lawmakers they can end Daylight Saving Time wit...

Adhering to CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure for sleep apnea is a challenge for some patients. But perhaps none moreso than commercial truck drivers, who sometimes face impossible scenarios in which using the device means that the truck won’t start in the morning—due to the truck batteries being dead after running the CPAP all night. Luckily technology now provides several solutions and...

Clinicians typically ask patients for a prescription drug history but may not always delve into patients’ nonprescription or over-the-counter drug history. But when it comes to sleep aids, it’s crucial for professionals to be aware of what herbal remedies, hormones, and other compounds your patients are ingesting in their quest for better sleep. Unbeknownst to patients, many OTC sleep aids can cau...

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) that is unresponsive to traditional therapies or in which the patients can’t tolerate traditional therapies—can be frustrating for clinicians and patients alike. Opioids can be a viable therapy for these patients—and a paper published in the January 2018 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings aims to illuminate this treatment pathway.

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) provides an alternative treatment option for those with upper airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The patient’s treatment journey begins with the referring physician, who will have administered a sleep test, and, either due to the patient’s noncompliance with CPAP or the patient’s preference, sends the patient to a dental sleep medicine practi...