According to a study published in the July 2009 issue of Pediatrics, children who wet the bed at night or who are overweight are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.

Overnight sleep studies were done in 149 children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) between the ages of 5 and 15 and 139 comparable controls. There was found to be a fivefold increased risk of OSA among children with bedwetting and a fourfold increased risk among the overweight.

These two factors were not, however, associated with each other. Therefore, overweight children are not more likely to wet the bed and those who wet the bed are not more likely to be overweight.

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Though the Internet may often be the last thing those suffering from insomnia may need to sleep through the night, a new study suggests it may also be the right tool for some.

In a small study reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, a novel approach to therapy was employed through the use of software called Sleep Healthy Using the Internet, or SHUTi.

This interactive program gives advice, including specific bedtimes, based on the user's sleep diary data, which is a summary of sleep over a period of days or weeks. The patients learn better sleep habits through stories, quizzes, and games.

In the study, 22 of 45 adults with moderate insomnia were assigned to the Internet program for nine weeks and the others received no treatment. Even after six months, the treated group woke up fewer times and spent less time awake during the night.

The therapy may represent a low-cost alternative, especially for those without access to in-person therapists. Its design is based on cognitive behavioral therapy which helps patients change thinking patterns that contribute to poor sleep. This therapy is often effective in improving sleep among insomniacs without the side effects of medications.

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What are the causes of some of the most common sleep disorders? Although the answer is often unknown, we are slowly learning what might contribute to the various disruptions in sleep.

Take a few minutes to review these causes and discover what just might be keeping you up at night.

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According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. This is a chronic disorder in which one repeatedly stops breathing during the night, and it can have major, life-threatening consequences.

There are three simple steps one can take to cut your risk of sleep apnea. These lifestyle changes include:

• Eliminate alcohol as it can relax the muscles of the upper airway.
• Lose weight as it contributes to obstruction of the airway.
• Quit smoking as this can cause swelling of the tissues in the airway.

These steps will improve your health in general, but they may also reduce the risk or severity of sleep apnea.

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