William Golding once said, “Sleep is when all the unsorted stuff comes flying out as from a dustbin upset in a high wind.” Once thought to be a period when the brain and body shut down, we now know that sleep is very much a psychologically and physiologically active time. Sleep serves to keep the brain and body in a state of balance; and it affects everything from memory consolidation and body temperature regulation to mood and concentration, cardiac function and insulin sensitivity.

To paraphrase the Talking Heads, “And you may find yourself, [waking up] behind the wheel of a large automobile”. But you are not alone. 40% of drivers in polls conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (2005) and others (Tefft, 2010; Gurubhagavatula, 2020) have admitted to nodding off or falling asleep in the prior year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2011) has estimated that drowsy driving causes 83,000 crashes and more than 1,000 fatalities annually.

It’s that time of year again, Baby Sleep Day! Of course, we don’t mean your baby should sleep all-day on March 1st, but this day is dedicated to focusing on the importance of a good night’s sleep for every baby and young child, as well as their family. Healthy sleep habits are important for these developing minds and help provide a brighter future for their sleep.

Sleep Apnea is characterized by frequent breaks or pauses in breathing during sleep. It is one of the most common sleep disorders and is estimated to affect approximately 20 million adults in the US with an estimated 80% of the cases going undiagnosed.

Designing and making medical devices can be a challenging way to earn a living. Medtech manufacturers operate in a complex and ever-changing regulatory environment. Complicated reimbursement rules can make payment lengthy, risky and difficult. Medical device design often requires the integration of multiple technical and clinical disciplines. So why do we do it?

There’s no question that driver fatigue poses a serious threat to safety on our nation’s roadways. But just how bad is the threat? Well, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of fatigue-related crashes reported to the police each year stands at a staggering 100,000, many of which involve professional drivers in heavy commercial vehicles. That means an average of 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary damages each year as a result of fatigue-related accidents.

Untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased aggressiveness of malignant cutaneous melanoma, according to a multicenter prospective study on the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and cancer.

Truck drivers that have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who fail to adhere to treatment had a preventable crash rate five times higher according to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Morris, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and colleagues.

Following the 10 commandments of sleep can help you achieve a healthier night's sleep!

In honor of World Sleep day on March 18, we have been posting 1 of the commandments each day leading up the World Sleep Day. Below is the full list of the 10 Commandments of Healthy Sleep.