The Medical Advisor

In this interview (below), Dr. Stasha Gominak, 1   a neurologist and sleep coach, explains the curious synergy between vitamin D deficiency, a changed microbiome and poor sleep. I met Dr Gominak at the American College for the Advancement in Medicine’s annual meeting in 2019 in Nashville. Her lecture was about ways to improve your sleep. I thought I was aware of most of them, but the connection between vitamin D and sleep surprised me. Gominak’s research suggests lack of vitamin D causes impairment in your brain stem’s ability to produce normal sleep. So far, she’s treated more than 7,000 patients with her innovative “sleep repair” approach. She’s also published scientific papers on her theories. Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Sleep Disorders Gominak had no interest in vitamin D, initially. She was fascinated by sleep, and was trying to figure out why so many young and otherwise healthy patients were having such trouble sleeping. Many also had sleep apnea. Over time, it be...

Every person with a sleep disorder spends approximately $7,000 more per year in overall health care expenses, compared to those without a sleep disorder, according to a  survey  of more than 22,000 Americans. An estimated $94.9 billion is spent each year on medical expenses related to sleep disorders, but researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, a member hospital of Mass General Brigham, think those costs are probably much higher. In their analysis, published in the  Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine , the researchers found the number of medical visits and prescriptions filled were nearly doubled in people with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia, compared to similar people without. Affected patients were also more likely to visit the emergency department and have more comorbid medical conditions. Sleep disorders can lead to fatigue, mental fog and an increased risk of accidents. One of the most common sleeping disorders is obstructive sleep apnea...

Doctors who practice sleep medicine are finding that mandibular advancement devices (MADs) or moveable mouth guards, are an effective alternative to CPAP machines for sleep apnea. 1   Sleep apnea is a medical condition during which you intermittently stop breathing while you're asleep. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which often presents as snoring. Nearly 50% of the population snores. 2  However, sleep apnea is more than just snoring. The throat muscles may intermittently relax during sleep, obstructing the airway and lowering the oxygen level in the blood. As the brain registers that oxygen levels have declined, the person awakens briefly. Breathing may resume with a loud gasp or body jerk, yet the person does not remember waking during the night. 3  A person may have mild, moderate or severe sleep apnea. Those with a severe condition can wake up more than 30 times every hour. There are specific phys...