WORLD SLEEP DAY – MARCH 16/2018

Today is World Sleep Day!

Countries around the globe are celebrating this important sleep awareness event. You may check the World Sleep Society’s website to discover which activities are occurring in your neighborhood: http://worldsleepday.org/activities

Sleep problems can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. It is estimated that about 45% of the global population experiences sleep issues, but less than a third of those affected will actually try to obtain help from a sleep professional.

Poor sleep impacts us all, either directly or indirectly. Untreated sleep issues can yield negative consequences such as: diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, increased sick time, work-related & motor vehicle accidents, and failed relationships.

There are nearly 100 sleep disorders classified to date, however most are preventable or treatable with the aid of sleep specialists. Proper sleep is paramount for maintaining optimal physical and mental well-being. If you sleep poorly, get help!

Please join us in spreading the word! Sleep problems are a serious matter. This needs to be broadcast around the world.

 

The images seen here,  have been provided by our colleagues from the World Sleep Society.

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YOUNG CANDIDATES NEEDED FOR SLEEP RESEARCH STUDY – “Better Nights, Better Days”

Folks at Dalhousie University are conducting a pediatric sleep research study on children with insomnia.

Specifically, they are seeking parents of 4-10 year old children with insomnia. The children must have previously been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and must have had it successfully treated with surgery; tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy.

Please see the informational poster which gives more details about the project and whom to contact if your child fits the criteria and you are interested in having them participate.

Poster

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World Sleep Day 2018 Press Release

World Sleep Day this year will occur on Friday, March 16th. Read details about this event in the official press release provided by our colleagues at the World Sleep Society. Click the page below to access the PDF.

Community Sleep Coach will once again be participating in raising sleep awareness during this important month.

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SLEEP APNEA AWARENESS

Community Sleep Coach strives to educate all within the community regarding sleep disorders and their negative consequences when they go undiagnosed and untreated. This is especially important when we are talking about sleep-disordered breathing. This is not a condition to ignore.
 
Our colleagues at the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project have provided this very useful infographic that hits home the seriousness of what we call SLEEP APNEA.
 
Spread the word. It can save lives.

Sleep Apnea Hurts Hearts.pdf

or visit the website

If you have any questions pertaining to sleep and wonder what is and isn’t normal, book an appointment with Community Sleep Coach. We are Western Canada’s Sleep Expert.

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DIFFICULTIES FINDING SLEEP CARE

Globe and Mail: Good luck finding sleep care if you live in a smaller community

I came across this article a while back in The Globe And Mail, titled “Good luck finding sleep care if you live in a smaller community” -Sep 9, 2015. I would like to comment about this very important fact which still rings true today.

I quite agree with the statements expressed in this article by the physicians who were interviewed regarding this matter. There is a shortage of sleep testing facilities and trained sleep professionals in Western Canada.

As a credentialed paramedical sleep professional who has spent 20 years in a clinical sleep setting as a Registered Polysomnographic and Electroencephalographic Technologist, I know all too well about the scarcity of sleep care resources in small communities, especially out west.

In my role as Community Sleep Coach, I have been dedicating time as a sleep advocate raising sleep disorder awareness across Canada in hopes of enlightening the public on abnormal sleep conditions and their eventual health consequences as well as what resources are available.

Sleep disorders are a common problem and it is true that many folks will not receive any kind of sleep care, assessment or education simply because of geography. It is very unfortunate that our access to sleep services is rather limited in this part of the country. Untreated sleep disorders cost billions of dollars each year and it should be in Canada’s best interest to ensure that sleep care is accessible.

Community Sleep Coach was founded to offer an alternative sleep resource for areas lacking sleep labs, sleep specialists and in parts where waitlists are too long. We provide sleep education and a preliminary assessment which can steer people in the right direction while on the path to formal diagnosis by a specialist and ultimate treatment. We offer in-person, phone and corporate sleep consultations across Canada. Mobile sleep consult services can also be booked directly by General Practitioners in their respective communities.

This type of resource is currently not covered by healthcare or by extended health benefits but we hope that will change in the foreseeable future. This is a type of preventative care which will ultimately save dollars and even lives in the long run. Untreated sleep apnea for instance, can lead to expensive hospital stays when folks suffer a heart attack or stroke as a result.

We need to make sleep care services available to all. Quality sleep is paramount to optimal health and well-being.

Please contact your health insurance companies and MLA’s to emphasize the need for sleep resource improvements and coverage.

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MARCH IS ALL ABOUT SLEEP AWARENESS

1 SLEEP UNTIL WORLD SLEEP DAY

World Sleep Day (March 17th) and National Sleep Awareness Week (which concluded March 12th) are important awareness events organized by sleep professionals; to educate and inform the community about the prevalence of sleep disorders and the direct effects of poor sleep. Sleep problems are all too common and have a negative impact on our overall wellbeing.

This basic human need is just as important as eating and drinking yet we don’t always realize just how paramount it is until we are faced with dire consequences as a result of poor sleep.

Though the number of folks affected by sleep disorders continues to rise, many will ignore their symptoms and will fail to seek help. It is in everyone’s best interest that individuals with dysfunctional sleep be diagnosed and treated so as to avoid the detrimental ramifications; which not only affect the individual but also those around them.

Here are just a few examples:

  • Drowsy driving leading to a motor vehicle accident.
  • Daytime fatigue affecting job performance & causing a work-related accident or death.
  • Untreated sleep apnea causing heart attack or stroke.
  • Severe snoring leading to divorce.

It is time to wake up and take sleep more seriously. Help us spread the word.

COMMUNITY SLEEP COACH INC is an official World Sleep Day Delegate. Visit us on March 17th for our World Sleep Day OPEN HOUSE and learn more about this important subject. You can view World Sleep Society’s official updated press release here.

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IT’S NATIONAL NAPPING DAY


If Daylight Savings has left you out of sorts, go ahead and take a nap when you get the opportunity. National Napping Day, March 13th follows the time change which occurred yesterday, March 12th. Many people may choose to take advantage of this special day which will help them recover from losing an hour of sleep.

Daylight Savings was introduced to reduce energy consumption though now there is some debate as to whether this is still true. From a health perspective, time change is detrimental to our sleep since it throws off our body’s internal clock.  As a sleep educator & advocate, I stress the importance of proper sleep hygiene which includes keeping a regular bedtime and wake time for optimal sleep health.

It is particularly disturbing to us in the spring when we lose an hour. The immediate and lingering effects of sleep deprivation can leave you fatigued, irritable and less alert. It is no wonder that people are more accident-prone during this time of year. It is crucial to be mindful of these consequences. Next year, try your best to “spring forward” in small increments over the course of the previous week to assist in mitigating the negative effects. See our previous blog post.

If you need to recharge, LIMIT your NAP TIME to 20 minutes or less. Once you sleep beyond 20 minutes, you may have already entered Delta Sleep (deep sleep). Waking from Delta Sleep can be disorienting and difficult. So stick to 20 minutes or less and you’ll have a refreshed outlook on the rest of your day.

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PREPARE FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

SLEEP AWARENESS WEEK IS HERE!

As you know, Sleep Awareness Week begins March 5th and culminates with Daylight Savings on March 12th.

Moving our clocks forward is a trying time for many. Losing an hour of sleep can leave you feeling rundown and “jet-lagged” for 2 or 3 days afterward.

Here is a simple tip to help you ease into SPRINGING FORWARD which we hope will take that zombie feeling out of your work or school day on March 13th.

Starting this evening, Monday, March 6th, eat supper 10 minutes earlier than usual. Then head to bed 10 minutes sooner as well. But before you forget, be sure to also adjust your alarm so it wakes you 10 minutes earlier tomorrow morning. Repeat these steps each of the following days so by the time Sunday, March 12th rolls around, you’ll already have shifted your internal clock by 1 hour.

Good luck!

PS…. We hope to see you at tomorrow’s Open House. See event page for details.

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Countdown to Sleep Awareness Begins

MARCH IS AN IMPORTANT MONTH FOR SLEEP

National Sleep Awareness Week takes place March 5th – 12th and culminates with Daylight Savings.
Then there is globally celebrated World Sleep Day organized by the World Sleep Society occurring on March 17th.

To celebrate these occasions, COMMUNITY SLEEP COACH will once again be holding our annual Educational Open Houses to raise sleep disorder awareness within the community.
People can drop by the Kelowna office for a casual yet informative personal introduction to sleep & associated abnormalities.

Dates:

  • 12pm – 2pm  Tuesday, March 7
  • 3pm – 5pm  Thursday, March 9
  • 12pm – 3pm Friday, March 17

Location:

  • #610 – 773 Glenmore Road in Kelowna – within ‘The Conservatory’ building on the corner of Glenmore Road & Summit Drive.
  • Visitor parking – stalls #55-58 – Additional parking available along the roadway or at the adjacent newly developed Hillside Plaza.

COMMUNITY SLEEP COACH is an official World Sleep Day delegate. We leave you with the official press release provided by the World Sleep Society. Help spread the word!

Press Release (PDF): WSD 2017 Press Release

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