Earlier this week a Huffington Post Healthy Living article by AASM President Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler brought attention to the dangers of drowsy driving and urged drivers to stay Awake at the Wheel. Drowsy driving prevention is a pillar of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, which is funded by the CDC and led by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in collaboration with other partners.
The November issue of SLEEP includes the results of a four-decade, longitudinal study from New Zealand, which found that individuals who struggle with lifelong depression and anxiety beginning in childhood are uniquely susceptible to insomnia in early midlife. Other disorders did not predict adulthood insomnia.
An Australian study in the November issue of SLEEP shows that one night of total sleep deprivation significantly worsened attention, reaction speed, cognitive processing speed, and subjective sleepiness among healthy adolescents. According to the authors, daytime impairment caused by sleep loss puts teens at risk of poor academic performance as well as accidents and injuries.
A longitudinal study of older Chinese adults found that those with a self-reported, habitual short sleep duration of five hours or less had a significantly increased risk of developing memory impairment during a mean follow-up period of four years. The association remained significant after excluding those with poor self-reported health. The results are published in the November issue of SLEEP.
New recommendations recognize obstructive sleep apnea and chronic sleep deprivation as emerging risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. The Guiding Principles for the Care of People With or at Risk for Diabetes recommend that screening should be considered in adults of any age who are overweight or obese and have one or more additional risk factors such as OSA.
AASM Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is a recertification solution tailored to the needs of sleep medicine physicians. Take advantage of the self-directed programs allowing you to learn at your pace, and earn MOC credit from modules offered at a 50 percent discount to AASM members. AASM MOC is currently only for physicians boarded under the ABIM and the ABPN. Learn more today at www.aasmnet.org/MOC.
Renew your Scoring Manual Subscription today and receive multi-platform digital access through the end of 2015. For only $25 you can continue year-round use of this regularly updated, essential sleep scoring resource for sleep medicine professionals. Current subscribers have the option to purchase a printed copy for an additional $25. Renew today for full access through 2015.
Join us in celebrating the AASM’s 40th Anniversary in 2015 and be a part of the framework that will allow us to advance the field of sleep medicine together. By renewing your membership, you retain the many benefits of AASM membership and continue to contribute to the future of sleep medicine by positively impacting your profession. Renew your AASM membership today and help further the advancement of sleep medicine for tomorrow.
On Thursday evening, Nov. 13, American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler will participate on an expert discussion panel following the premiere screening in Washington, D.C., of Sleepless in America, a film that will be broadcast on the National Geographic Channel at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 30. Dr. Morgenthaler and other sleep experts will join National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins for a panel discussion about sleep science and the importance of sleep for public health and safety.
On Oct. 31, 2014 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, which provides updates to payment policies and payment rates for services billed on or after Jan. 1, 2015. The AASM has published supplemental resources with more information about the final rule.