Sleepless in Seattle War is hell, said General William Tecumseh Sherman, whose 1864 march to the sea changed the course of American and military history. And the practice of war, even in “peacetime” can be hell on the human body. That is the lesson of a panel at this year’s national sleep meetings in Seattle, […]
What Will Happen to Sleep Medicine? (8/4/14)
Sleep medicine is about to change. With luck it will change how people treat and view sleep. What will disappear? The present treatment model – what I’ll call the “Sleep Apnea Testing Service Model”- after the suggestion of Dr. Michael Grandner. What will replace it? Hopefully a treatment format that addresses and improves both individual […]
Driving Through Sleep (4/21/14)
Transport and Sleep Chance can kill you. So can sleepiness. People on the Metro-North commuter train into Manhattan were expecting a normal trip one morning last December. Until something “abnormal” occurred. At 7:20 AM, the train turned into a thirty mile an hour flying at 82 miles per hour. They were heading towards Spuyten […]
Is Sleep Apnea Boring? (2/3/14)
Clinical Fascination Boredom can prove very personal. A few weeks ago I sat down in the hospital cafeteria. At my table was a polite, bright pulmonologist. He expressed sympathy for my work: “I find sleep apnea so boring.” For a doctor like him there’s isn’t much to do with sleep apnea. Somebody comes in. They […]
Is ADD a Sleep Disorder? (5/6/13)
The Newest Epidemic ADD is now “epidemic” across America. With 13% of adolescents “diagnosed” in national surveys, people want to know just how big a problem ADD is. A recent article by psychiatrist by Vatsal Thakkar in the NY Times argued much of ADD may be misdiagnosed sleep disorders. Himself once diagnosed as suffering from […]