Are You Sleep-Deprived Because Of Sleep Apnea?

We all turn to sleep to help us recharge for the next day. No matter what we do during the day, it is the only constant thing we all share once night falls. While our sleeping time and sleeping pattern vary, all human beings need sleep to rest and recuperate. Some don’t find any difficulty falling asleep once they hit the sack but others can stay up all night tossing and turning but sleep still seems to elude them.

Aside from the common culprit that is technology that often keeps us wide awake at night, sleeping disorders can be blamed for our sleeplessness too. The most common sleeping disorders that plague mankind are insomnia and sleep apnea. They can deprive you of precious sleep despite your best efforts to drift off to slumber. While there really isn’t a known cure for insomnia, it can be easily addressed by some lifestyle changes. Meanwhile, sleep apnea is a medical condition that requires more urgent medical attention.

You may have already heard of sleep issues such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy and insomnia, but lesser known and more rare sleep disorders can also take a toll on a person’s health. In fact, there are more than 80 known sleep disorders interfering with Americans’ ability to get sufficient shuteye.

One thing all sleep issues have in common: They interfere with your ability to get optimal rest, which in turn affects your ability to work, play, and care for your family. They also may affect your sleeping partner’s or family’s rest too, depending on the condition.

In general, patients with sleep disorders have trouble sleeping at night and suffer from excessive sleepiness during the day. 

(Via: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sponsor-story/henry-ford-health-system/2017/04/11/do-you-have-signs-of-rare-sleep-disorders/100174158/)

Now we know that snoring is the main symptom of sleep apnea and it is not just an annoying sound we all don’t want to hear come bed time. You need to remember that snoring is indicative of this serious medical condition, so you don’t just lose precious sleep but your health suffers too when you snore.

"Snoring isn't dangerous, it's obnoxious and it hurts people's sleep patterns. But if you snore and stop breathing and it gets very quiet, that is dangerous. It's called obstructive sleep apnea," said Klein.

And getting yourself checked in a sleep clinic and undergo sleep tests is a great way to start treatment for this condition. You don’t just shrug it off because you never know how serious your sleep apnea may be.

So Fred was belted, measured, marked and hooked up to leads and monitors for a sleep study. It took longer to hook up the sensors than it did for him to doze off. Technicians watch carefully from a room nearby, measuring his foot movements, brain activity and the amount of work the stomach does to push air up through the nasal passages, versus the amount of air that actually escapes and enters. The deeper Fred moves into sleep, the more the activity on the monitors heats up. Techs are looking for respiratory events. Five events per hour where you actually stop breathing would be considered normal. When you get up to 15 times per hour, you are at risk for heart failure, strokes, cancer, sexual dysfunction, obesity, mood disorders, even sudden death -- and,according to that marital sleep study, relationship malfunction.

Turns out Fred has more than the drive-Mary-crazy-snores. He stops breathing as many as 18 times an hour.

His snoring was the alarm for the ticking time bomb that was his heart.

(Via: http://www.clickorlando.com/news/investigators/could-snoring-be-an-alarm-for-a-bigger-problem)

Always keep in mind that snoring can lead to the following conditions. It pays to know these things in advance rather than regret staying in the dark later on when you are diagnosed with not just sleep apnea but of heart failure or diabetes, for instance.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a dangerous, chronic disease that keeps nearly 30 million American adults from restful sleep. OSA involves the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, and it can cause grave consequences to your heart if left untreated. There are five key warning signs and risk factors for sleep apnea: snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, fatigue or daytime sleepiness, obesity (BMI of 30 or higher) and high blood pressure.

If untreated, this common and serious sleep disorder can be devastating to heart health. According to a report published in Sleep & Breathing, people with untreated, severe obstructive sleep apnea are more than two times more likely to die from heart disease. One easy way to remember the severity of sleep apnea is with an acronym: sleep apnea hurts HEARTS by increasing the risk of:

H – Heart failure

E – Elevated blood pressure

A – Atrial fibrillation

R – Resistant hypertension

T – Type 2 diabetes

S – Stroke

(Via: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obstructive-sleep-apnea-leads-to-grave-heart-consequences_us_58ed24c7e4b0ea028d568d79)

Get yourself checked if you constantly suffer from snoring. Not only do you end up sleep deprived and your partner too but it can put your life at serious risk if you develop these chronic deadly conditions that may lead to heart attack. Don’t let sleep apnea put a strain on your relationship and on your health because there are various anti-snoring gadgets that address snoring like an anti-snoring mouthpiece, mouthgard, etc. that are widely available in the market these days.

Technology also plays a major role in the treatment of sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. Although we often think of technology as something bad because it is one of the major distractions that deprive us of sleep, technology can also be used in a positive way, especially in the development of innovative technologies that can help manage or treat snoring and prevent the development of these known sleep apnea complications.

The following blog article Are You Sleep-Deprived Because Of Sleep Apnea? was first seen on https://www.newinfluencers.com/

source https://www.newinfluencers.com/are-you-sleep-deprived-because-of-sleep-apnea/

Trump Shifts Focus Back To Health

The candidacy of now President Donald Trump has been as colorful as his personality and the life he has lived so far. Even when he first expressed interest in becoming the Republican presidential candidate, many people were against it, even Republican politicians themselves. But his persistence and passion overcame all odds and even enabled him to become the new president of the United States of America. But that’s not the end. Soon after assuming office, he signed various policies that attacked illegal immigrants in the country and made budget cuts on various government agencies he does not consider important in nation building.

Among his most adamant request from members of the Republican Party in the Congress is to repeal Obamacare, which did not happen, much to his dismay. And now, it seems that Trump has shifted his focus back to healthcare after his controversial recent attack in Syria. He is back from where he started, unwilling to give up his fight and threatens to withhold Affordable Care Act subsidies. Just what his statement may mean for the rest of us Americans, we will soon find out.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill could be gearing up for a big fight over health care funding, after President Donald Trump threatened to withhold subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

The President made the comments in an interview with the Wall Street Journal this week, indicating the move would be in an effort to bring Democratic lawmakers to the negotiating table.

However, Washington state insurance industry experts worry it could trigger panic and instability in the marketplace as insurers get ready to set their rates ahead of next year.

“It’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for our state, because it has the potential to destabilize our individual health insurance market. That could be for this year and for years to come,” said Michael Marchand, spokesman for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.

Marchand and other industry leaders interpret Trump’s comments to refer to subsidies known as cost sharing reduction funding, which assist with co-payments, deductables, and out of pocket costs for certain poverty level Affordable Care Act recipients.

(Via: http://www.king5.com/news/politics/president-trump-threat-could-trigger-new-healthcare-fight/431182958)

The Affordable Care Act has been widely debated over the last few months and it has made both insurers and the people anxious, not really knowing what the future holds for them. While others already consider Obamacare to be dead, there are actually lots of people who rely on it to afford basic health care services.

This is damaging to the Affordable Care Act. The uncertainty around the future of this program is making insurers skittish about signing up for the Obamacare markets. When two Iowa insurers pulled out of Obamacare last week, both cited the law's uncertain future.

Part of insurers' worry is about the CSR money itself — $7 billion is a lot! Premiums would rise an estimated 19 percent should those funds disappear.

But CSRs matter in a bigger way, too, that is about more than money. Insurance plans want to know whether the Trump administration plans to stabilize Obamacare — or, as the President has suggested, let it explode. The decision on CSRs will be a bellwether of which way the administration leans. Right now we just don't have a great indication of where this will land.

(Via: http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/11/15264008/obamacare-program-csrs-trump)

President Trump will give his all and not easily give up the fight.

Ask different administration officials the very simple question of whether the White House wants lawmakers to move to tax reform before returning to try to finish health care, and you’ll get different answers. One Trump administration official—President Donald J. Trump himself—told the Wall Street Journal that the answer to this question was simply “no.” Shortly thereafter, Trump’s own budget director Mick Mulvaney said that the two items were “certainly moving on parallel tracks now from a policy perspective.”

Trump doesn’t seem able to decide whether he still wants to try passing a health care bill with Republican votes only or if he wants to work with Democrats. Part of the joy for him in the latter possibility is that it allows him to issue threats to a new batch of people while also not backing down from his previous threats to the Freedom Caucus. Issuing threats is the only part of life that Donald Trump seems to genuinely enjoy and the only aspect of politics he can get his head around. That doesn’t mean that he’s learned to do so effectively, however; congressional caucuses are not quite like North Jersey elevator vendors. And since his threats to House Republicans were largely greeted with laughs, he’s taken up an unlikelier target—congressional Democrats—to point an empty gun at.

Trump believes that if his administration stops making Affordable Care Act payments to insurers to lower out-of-pocket costs for lower-income Obamacare enrollees—known as cost-sharing reductions—many of the law’s exchanges will collapse, and Democrats will come running to him to make a deal. He is correct on the first count: As my colleague Jordan Weissmann has noted, the Department of Health and Human Services could do a lot of damage if it doesn’t make these billions in payments.

(Via: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/04/trump_s_new_plan_to_threaten_obamacare_can_only_backfire.html)

Nobody really knows what American politics is all about now. When in the past public servants are supposed to be rendering service to the public, the Trump administration seems to be doing the opposite for the public these days. While his Battlecry during the election was to make America great again, even some of the very people who put him into office are starting to have doubts whether he will be able to fulfill his promise during his leadership after all.

President Trump is unlike any other past presidents the country had. His business acumen may be on point and he was able to build an empire as his legacy but public service is far from that. His continued attack on the Affordable Care Act can be the death of some of the citizens of this land, especially the ones who can’t afford to pay for healthcare by themselves. His delight in threatening Republican legislators to do his bidding is also not a trait that characterizes a good leader.

He will not be able to win the Democrats over by these tactics alone or persuade them to give up that easily, remember that this is real life and not just a reality show. For sure that over the next four years, chaos and confusion will be a constant fixture in the lives of every American, whether they are pro or anti-Trump.

Trump Shifts Focus Back To Health is available on TNI Blog

source https://www.newinfluencers.com/trump-shifts-focus-back-to-health/

Is Religion Still Relevant In The Age Of Social Media

Religion makes the world go round even if we don’t acknowledge it. While most of us want to believe that it is politics that shape the world at large, we are actually mistaken as religion has shaped human societies throughout time, from primitive life to our modern world today. Even nowadays, religion still affects the decisions of the state and people rely on religion to help them survive some really bad times in life.

But as we become more engrossed with our smart gadgets and devote all our free time to the web and various social networks, people spend less time in church or reading the Gospel. Strengthening our spirituality is put aside and most of us now prefer to browse the web for all the most recent viral content and to stay updated on the lives of our friends and everyone we follow on social media. People used to go to churches at least every Sunday but that is rarely happening anymore. Instead of praying, many vents out their feelings on status updates or nonsense rants on social media.

Young social media users are less likely to commit to one religious tradition than those who do not use social media, according to a new study by a Baylor University researcher.

Young social media users are more likely to pick and choose religious beliefs and practices, even if those beliefs are contradictory, sociology graduate student Paul McClure said in a statement about his study.

“I think technology tends to give individuals so much control over their life’s circumstances and presents so many options before them that people feel empowered to approach religion with a cafeteria-style mentality,” McClure said.

Social media users are between 50 and 80 percent more likely to be flexible about various religious beliefs and practices, according to his findings.

(Via: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/higher_education/social-media-affects-religious-commitments-of-young-people-according-to/article_f4aacc4d-84df-5db1-8676-029cf5194b0e.html)

However, despite the apparent absence of people, especially the youth, in churches and other official pastoral celebrations, you can see a lot of pages on social networks that talks about religion and spirituality that have millions of followers. It only goes to show that people still have faith in spirituality although they rarely go to church anymore. It is why even the church set up their own social media accounts to stay connected with the people and the changing times.

Cambodia’s Buddhist monks have taken to social networks in a big way to drive their traditional role in activism and champion causes, overcoming a lack of support from religious authorities and some apprehension from politicians.

A new report in the peer-reviewed journal Conflict, Security, and Development, published by King's College London, takes a deep look at the way monks are using social media to expand their historic connection to activism, with Facebook emerging as the platform of choice for a new generation of net-savvy monks in a country where almost a third of the population is active on social media.

(Via: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/activist-monks-turn-social-media)

As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them. And that’s just what the church is doing to stay close to its people. Through social media, the people remains aware of the different religious activities celebrated by the Church and keep the people informed of the message of the Gospel.

Over the Easter weekend, the Church of England encouraged its congregation to share photos of their services and celebrations on social media using the hashtag #EasterJoy. It’s not strange for a large organisation to interact with its members and promote its message in this way. But the democratic nature of social media is allowing the church to play a much more unusual role in such a traditionally hierarchical body.

Social media offers much more space for congregations to actively engage with sermons by tweeting along, asking questions, sharing photos of church activities, or continuing discussions throughout the week, not just on Sundays. For example, between 2010 and 2015, the Big Bible Project hosted online conversations about the bible for local reading groups and encouraged people to share digital case studies of personal experiences. More experimental parts of the church have held online services and used streaming to reach people who can’t be there in person.

As well as becoming part of church practice, social media is taking church activities back out into the online world. Faith is a full-time activity and social media is part of our everyday lives, so it is not surprising that the two can overlap. For example, church members can use Twitter to share insights from the bible or stories of their lives within the organisation, but they can also bring their Christian viewpoint to discussions on local, national and international politics.

(Via: https://theconversation.com/how-social-media-is-changing-the-church-57405)

Social media can be a good or bad thing depending on how you use it. While too much of something will never do people good, we can counter the negative effects of this addiction by bringing the word of the Lord closer to the people. Religion may be a controversial topic for many but it is actually our faith that matters most. If we can grow our spirituality by using social media right and by connecting with people and organization that helps us stay close to our faith, it can help us stay grounded and strong in our faith no matter what temptations we may see on social media or all around us.

Religion will probably remain a prominent aspect of human life despite all the adversities it faces each day. People need to believe in a force greater than anything in this world to save them from all their troubles and give them hope of a better life someday. Social media may make the world go round today but religion will remain to be the strong force that allows people to face each day with a smile on their face despite the ups and downs of life.

Is Religion Still Relevant In The Age Of Social Media was originally published to Newinfluencers.com

source https://www.newinfluencers.com/is-religion-still-relevant-in-the-age-of-social-media/

The Youth’s Obession With Social Media

Who doesn’t like social media, right? It is full of interesting things to do and you are sure to never get bored with it by your side. Plus, you stay connected with the people you know and all the stars you follow. The hours will pass by without you ever noticing it when you browse one social network to another. And for this, we are thankful for technology in brightening our days and giving more excitement in our lives.

However, this fascination with social media has now bordered into an obsession. It is no longer healthy to spend so much time of your day or night browsing social networks when there could have been other more productive things you can do with your time. It is especially bad for the youth who aren’t supposed to be exposed to explicit content that is everywhere on the web and spends all their time lounging around with their smartphones in hand when they should be cracking their books or learning an important life skill like folding clothes, cooking or even writing letters. Even their grammar and spelling is all wrong now as digital lingo and abbreviations made them too lazy to structure their phrases and sentences right.

GAM: Why do girls, in particular, get so caught up in these dangerous social media habits and thought patterns?

SZ: Being a teenager is a time to try on new roles, to experiment with new identities. Social media gives the perfect outlet to do that. I know some middle school girls who have three or even four profiles. Each one highlights a different aspect of themselves: the dancer, the singer or the comedian. Integrating all of those different components can be hard to do and figuring out who “you” are can be hard to do.

Also, we know from brain development research that comparing yourself to other people naturally just goes up during the teenage years. It’s a result of how your brain is developing. All of that comparison can put you at risk for feeling bad about yourself if you see someone who you think is prettier, smarter, more talented and often skinnier or more fit. And social media will always have people like that who seem like they have it all together. It only shows the highlight reel of other people’s lives.

(Via: http://www.wral.com/social-media-and-teens-helping-adolescents-break-negative-patterns/16577893/)

The threat of cyberbullying can also mess with a growing child’s mind. Bullies are everywhere and social media is not an exception. Imagine how embarrassing it would be to be harassed and bullied on social media, in plain sight of all your friends and everyone you know.

On Thursday, Marquette Police told BuzzFeed News that prosecutors had authorized charges against a 13-year-old girl who was engaged in social media communication with Benz prior to his attempted suicide.

The charges included “Malicious use and Computer-Using to Commit a Crime” police said. They did not name Benz or the individual who was charged because of their juvenile status. Police also did not provide details or comment directly on Goss’s allegations.

Goss’s told BuzzFeed News on Thursday that she was grateful for the “national awareness” her son’s story was getting.

“Social media pranking needs to be taken very, very seriously,” Goss said. “My son’s life will be cherished and forever honored by myself and my sons.”

(Via: https://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/tysen-benz-suicide-social-media-prank?utm_term=.ih7OBw254#.jcrLr5jqA)

Lives have been lost because of cyber bullying or of social media pranks that have gone wrong. Even risky and deadly stunts like taking selfies in the most unlikely of places have claimed many casualties. If you look at it like that, social media is indeed responsible for the death of these people but it is actually the misuse and abuse of social networks that led to this addiction and deaths.

Kids need proper guidance in the use of social media so they learn to discern what is right from wrong in a world where morals are getting twisted to make it fit our modern lifestyle. Regardless of the benefits offered by social media, the best way to help kids navigate this mysterious and sometimes dangerous social channel is to limit their use and exposure so they are less likely to be persuaded to do crazy stunts for a few thumbs-ups, hearts or shares. There is more to life at this young age and that is what kids should actually engage in instead of being glued to their smart screens. You can never go back to your youth once it passes you by, so make sure the youth these days actually live their life for real and not in a make-believe, virtual world we all obsess in.

The following post The Youth’s Obession With Social Media is republished from The New Influencers Blog

source https://www.newinfluencers.com/the-youths-obession-with-social-media/

Music In Times Of War

We are not new to war nor will we ever become immune to it. Both our history and present lives are riddled with issues of war, conflict, violence and suffering that at times it makes us lose hope that we will ever attain world peace. But even if we still can’t fathom all the mysteries of human nature, there are certain things that unite people regardless of race, color or religion. Our appreciation for the arts is universal. We may have different tastes but we all know how to appreciate real talent when we see or hear one.

Museums are full of artwork made by artists all over the world that we all fawn over. Aside from these intricate and exquisite art pieces, music is also another form of artistic expression that makes the world a better place. Music is defined as a form of art and cultural activity where sound organized in time is the medium. The pitch, rhythm, dynamics and sonic qualities like texture and timbre are music’s common elements, responsible for bringing to all of us timeless songs and music that celebrate the gift of life.

The world may have survived two world wars already, some of the deadliest wars with the highest casualty is still happening in our midst. The Syrian Civil War has been going on for six years now and the end is still not in sight. And one of the world’s biggest problems right now involves the terrorist group, ISIS, which are responsible for some of the most unspeakable crimes as of late. The world was shocked when the U.S. recently bombed Afghanistan. But in light of this tragedy if not a strategic use of the country’s resources, Fox News created a music video to celebrate this controversial bombing.

 “The video is black and white. But that is what freedom looks like, that’s the red white and blue,” host Ainsley Earhardt said after the program showed the video of the bomb dropping in Afghanistan.

“One of my favorite things in 16 years at Fox News is watching bombs drop on bad guys,” Geraldo Rivera says.

 The video was shown overlaid with country star Toby Keith singing the chorus of “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,” which celebrates the military with jingoistic fervor:

“Hey Uncle Sam, put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty started shakin’ her fist
And the eagle will fly man, it’s gonna be hell
When you hear mother freedom start ringin’ her bell
And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Brought to you courtesy of the red white and blue.”

Later in the program, Fox and Friends showed the video again, again overlaying it with uber-patriotic country music.

“We’ll play a little music, demonstrate the moment of impact there in Afghanistan on the MOAB in Nangarhar province,” host Pete Hegseth says, as the video plays under Kid Rock singing “born free.”

Immediately before the music starts, the program showed a clip of Trump saying about the bomb that he has now given the military “total authorization. That is what they're doing. Frankly that’s why they have been so successful lately.”

(Via: https://thinkprogress.org/fox-news-creates-music-video-to-celebrate-trump-bombing-afghanistan-33b2fb8b08ea)

However, many are disappointed at the turn of events, especially those who voted for President Trump thinking that he won’t be as war-freak as many though Hillary is. But I guess, he proved everyone wrong again. You can’t really judge a book by its cover, in this case, on his words.

Almost a year ago to the day, Maureen Dowd published a column headlined “Donald the Dove, Hillary the Hawk” in the New York Times, becoming the most prominent exponent of a deeply misguided idea circulating during the presidential campaign: that Trump, for all his lies and racism and inexperience, would at least pursue a peaceful foreign policy under his “America First” ideology, scaling back the American intervention in the Middle East that created years of carnage under George W. Bush and, to a lesser extent, Barack Obama. Yesterday, Trump dropped the “Mother of All Bombs” in Afghanistan, the largest non-nuclear warhead in the American arsenal, which followed his deployment of cruise missiles in Syria last week.

This spasm of violence is frightening and abhorrent, and it has even some of Trump’s most dedicated supporters questioning their loyalty: there’s a strong streak of isolationism within his alt-right base, and both Mike Cernovich and Richard Spencer came out against the Syria strike. But for another sort of pundit, there’s nothing more presidential than causing terror and bloodshed. The Syria missiles had Brian Williams rhapsodizing and quoting Leonard Cohen lyrics, and now the chuckling idiots of Fox and Friends are pulling their own faux populist version of the same thing. On this morning’s episode, while footage of the MOAB blast played onscreen, they played Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” as a soundtrack.

(Via: http://www.spin.com/2017/04/fox-and-friends-soundtracked-footage-of-the-moab-dropping-in-afghanistan-with-a-toby-keith-war-anthem/)

While many have found comfort in music for various reasons, its message is always subject to interpretation. Even with this now viral music video, the audience is likewise divided. Some are happy that despite all the violence and widespread destruction caused by the dropping of “the Mother of all Bombs” in Afghanistan, the U.S. is finally doing something to wipe out these ISIS terrorists at all costs. Meanwhile, some are saddened by this change of direction the Trump administration is taking considering how they banked on his words during the election that he would be pro-peace.

Amidst these mixed reactions, we can’t ignore the fact that America is a powerful nation and that the decisions of the few can wipe out an entire population of certain war-torn third world countries, even killing innocent civilians in the process and destroying the local environment. Experts even rebut that such an action is not necessary considering how few ISIS terrorists are in that area compared to the number of American troops and Afghan forces. But regardless of the motives, the damage can no longer be undone. We do hope some people find comfort in the message of this music video or even just enjoy the music that accompanies it. After all, the music makes all the difference.

Music In Times Of War is republished from https://www.newinfluencers.com/

source https://www.newinfluencers.com/music-in-times-of-war/