1. Pain & Sleep Sensitivity
Arianna Huffington speaks
up about our national sleep
debt and how making
shut-eye a top priority has
changed her life.
AUGUST 2016 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM | An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today
DISCOVER
how a holistic
approach to chronic
pain management
could improve your
day-to-day
BROWSE
more stories online,
including how your
mattress might be
negatively impacting
your health
2. The Inside Scoop
Peaceful sleep shouldn’t
be your only concern with
a new mattress. Do you
know what’s inside your
foam? Page 6
Finding Your Rhythm
Dr. Michael Bruce explains
how your sleep cycle
could be impacting your
life at home and at the
office. Page 6
First-Hand Facts
The International Pain
Foundation’s Barby Ingle
aims for smarter advocacy
when it comes to chronic
pain. Online
2 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM | IN THIS ISSUE MEDIAPLANET
Publisher Evan Adamo, Mary Reid Business Developer Jessica Guggenheimer Managing Director Luciana Olson Content and Production Manager Chad Hensley Senior Designer Kathleen Edison Designer Celia Hazard
Copy Editor Sean Ryan Production Coordinator Tiffany Kim Contributors Zoe Alexander, Michael Breus, Ronald Chervin, Penney Cowan, Cindy Riley, Sean Ryan Cover Photo Peter Yang All photos are credited to Getty
Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.
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to diagnose your sleep disorder and
develop a treatment plan for you.
You also can find help by contacting
anaccreditedsleepdisorderscenter.
Stay ahead of sleep loss, instead of
trying to catch up, by sleeping at
least seven hours each night. n
ing sleep loss. Make it one of your
top health priorities to get the sleep
thatyou need each night.
Startbygoingtobedearlyenough
to get at least seven hours of nightly
sleep. It also is helpful to give your-
self a chance to unwind at night.
Turn off your electronic devices
and take some time to relax before
bedtime. Make sure that your bed-
room environment is quiet, dark
and soothing.
If you get plenty of sleep but still
feel tired or fatigued during the day,
you may have a sleep disorder such
as obstructive sleep apnea. Discuss
your sleep with your doctor, who
may refer you to a board-certified
sleep medicine physician for help.
A sleep specialist has the expertise
Why 7 Hours of
Sleep Should
Be Your Minimum
The latest figure projects seven or more hours of sleep per night as necessary to promoting optimal
health. However, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that 35 percent of
American adults routinely fail to achieve that minimum.
Y
ou may be one of
the millions of
Americans who
suffer from a
weekly pattern
of chronic sleep
restriction. Perhaps you sleep six
hours or less each night during
the workweek, and then you try to
“catch up”with 1 to 2 nights of extra
sleep on the weekend?
Our national sleep debt
Unfortunately, research shows that
catching up on sleep is hard to do.
Getting extra sleep can help you
recover from a period of sleep loss.
However, 1 to 2 nights of extended
sleep may not be enough to restore
your performance to normal levels.
As a result, you are likely to have
ongoing symptoms of insufficient
sleep. These include moodiness,
irritability, forgetfulness and day-
time sleepiness. Your performance
at work can suffer, and you are
more likely to make mistakes or be
involved in an accident.Getting less
than seven hours of sleep on a regu-
lar basis also is detrimental to your
health. Chronic insufficient sleep
increases your risk of health prob-
lems, such as weight gain, obesity,
diabetes, high blood pressure, heart
disease, stroke and depression.
Healthy habits to follow
Instead of trying to catch up on
sleep during weekends and holi-
days, you should focus on prevent-
Ronald D. Chervin,
M.D./ M.S.,
President, American
Academy of Sleep Medicine
...insufficient sleep
increases your risk
of health problems,
such as weight gain,
obesity, diabetes, high
blood pressure, heart
disease, stroke and
depression.
3.
4. 4 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM | HEALTH HACKS MEDIAPLANET
T
oday we hear so
much about the
overuse and abuse
of pain medica-
tions a nd the
impact it has on our children,
familiesandsociety.Someofthose
tragic instances could be avoided
if we all had a better understand-
ing of how to manage pain.
More than medication
We are used to taking a pill to
solve so many health problems.
But there is no pill that can take
away all our pain. There is no
silver bullet for relieving pain.
When it comes to pain, we need
more than medication. We need
a balanced multi-disciplinary
approach. Today we have a vari-
ety of options, even in the way
that a medication is delivered.We
can take a pill, we can use topical
creams that deliver the medica-
tion through the skin and even
have implanted devices that can
automatically dispense the right
amount of medication.
The balanced approach uses
an array of therapies in combi-
nation to address our pain. Some
include—biofeedback, physical
therapy, counseling, pacing,
nutrition, a support group and a
host of medical modalities. Once
pain addressed,we can reduce our
suffering, improve our function
and enhance our quality of life.
Personalized solutions
Imaginethatthepersonwithpain
is a car with four flat tires. The
right medication can reduce his
pain,puttingairinoneofhistires.
But unless he finds a way to fill
the other three tires,he’ll be stuck
on the side of the road. He needs
to work with his health care pro-
viders using a multi-disciplinary
strategy to find what will fill up
the other three tires. For each of
us, the combination that yields
the best results will be different.
What is more, it is never just
about the person with pain;
the impact on the family is far
greater than most realize. The
only difference between a person
with pain and the family is the
family does not feel the physi-
cal pain. They struggle with the
same fear, anger and stress as a
person with pain.
It is possible to live a full life
with pain, but we need to use a
whole-person approach with the
individual and family as part of
the team. There is hope for a bet-
ter tomorrow. n
By Penney Cowan, Founder & CEO,
American Chronic Pain Association
Rethink
What You
Know
About
Chronic
Pain
When addressing chronic pain,
alleviating discomfort requires a thorough
understanding of what’s happening under the
hood; otherwise, patients will remain rooted
in a constant state of immobility.
When it comes
to pain, we
need more than
medication.
We need a
balanced multi-
disciplinary
approach.
5.
6. 6 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM | INSIGHT
By M. Sean Ryan
Whenitcomestobringinganew
mattresshome,consumerstodayare
rightlylookingbeyonditspricetagfor
peaceofmind.
Shoppingwithgoodintentionstodaycarriesa
uniquesetofchallenges.AccordingtoMichael
Crowell,executivedirectoroftheCertiPUR-US
certification program, those challenges
aren’t limited to parsing the fine print on an
organic food label at your local grocery store.
“Whenyougotobuyamattress,youcanbe
themostintelligent,best-educatedpersonin
the world, but you might feel clueless,” he
explains, “It’s very hard to verify facts. You
don’t see what’s inside. It’s a blindproduct.”
That’s a considerable hurdle given the
investment this purchase has become. As a
2016 Home Decorating Survey by Furniture
Todayindicates,themostcommonstretchof
time consumers plan to own newly bought
home furnishings is 5 to 9 years—45 percent
for mattresses and 36 percent for sofas.
Do You Know What’s in Your Mattress?
Hidden chemicals
Anticipating the degree to which consum-
ers should be concerned about exposure
to chemicals, the certification process for
foam began in 2008. At that time, Crowell
notes, “the U.S. polyurethane foam indus-
try realized there was a lot of substitution.
In some cases—in other countries, they
were making foam from certain chemicals,
such as ozone depleters, that were banned
in this country.”
To keep a few bad seeds from spoiling the
applecart, comprehensive guidelines for
testing foam had to be established. Consult-
ing scientists, consumer advocates and bed-
ding experts, the not-for-profit developed a
standard capable of holding foam producers
accountableand,ultimately,givingshoppers
genuine confidence in their purchase. To
staycertified,producersmustnowpasslabo-
ratory,contentanddurabilityanalysestwice
in the first year, then once a year after that.
“It’s not an easy test to pass,” adds Crow-
ell. “We then have verification testing,” he
continues. “Even though these foam plants
are sending their samples to independent
laboratories to be tested, we go out sepa-
rately to take samples of the foam, at our
own expense, to be sure everyone is being
faithful and compliant.”
Being transparent
“CertiPUR-US applies high standards when
it certifies polyurethane foams,” affirms
Ryan Trainer, president at International
Sleep Products Association (ISPA). “This
program is designed to help consumers
rest assured that the foam in their mattress
meets these standards.” Today there are
about 30 polyurethane foam suppliers in
the U.S. and other countries that carry the
seal of approval.To be listed as an approved
vendor online, a mattress seller must
acquire foam from one of these producers.
“Nobody is buying the rights to be associ-
ated with our program,” Crowell notes.“It’s
really a consumer-oriented program.”
August is the largest sales month for
mattresses each year.Those on the hunt for
a new mattress are encouraged to visit the
By Zoe Alexander
By taking a closer look at not only your
sleep habits, but also your preferred
sleep schedule and personality traits,
you can actually determine when you
should perform certain tasks.
Yourcircadianrhythmisyourinternalclock,
and we each have our own, unique, particu-
lar rhythm. Practicing clinical psychologist
Dr.Breus is board certified in chemical sleep
disorders. He has taken a unique approach
to studying sleep disorders and insomnia.
With the use of Cognitive Behavioral Ther-
apy (CBT) and sleep restriction therapy,
which is limiting the time spent in bed
without sleeping, among other techniques,
Dr. Breus has seen astonishing results.
“I started to realize that for the patients
I was working with, their sleep is actually
really good,” he sums, “but only when they
were to sleep at certain times.” After clear-
ing with employers, several of his patients
put his research to the test by going to work
later and then sleeping later. Surprising
to the patients, they
realized they felt fine
after adjusting their
patterns based on con-
clusions Dr. Breus was
abletodrawabouttheir
circadian rhythms.
“They didn’t have
insomnia,” Dr. Breus
explains. “They just
wanted to sleep at dif-
ferent times.”
Hormonal effects
Not only can this new
research advise when
it’s best foryou to sleep
and go to work. It can
also help determine
when to engage in
almost all activities,
unique to your chro-
notype. To discuss the
different chronotypes,
Dr. Breus presents 200
individual studies in
his new book, “The
Power of When,” in
an attempt to under-
stand the differences
in sleep in relation
to personality and
function in society.
Dr. Breus looks to
our prehistoric ances-
tors as an example.
The “lions,” as he
refers to them, are
the people that wake
up early, get to the
office and run the
pack. The “bears” are
the night owls, and
were once security
guardstowatchover
the community while
everyone else was
asleep. Each person
contributes some-
thing unique to soci-
ety, based on his or
her sleep chronotype.
CertiPUR-USwebsite,wheretheycancheck
out the chemical guidelines, see exactly
what a foam producer has to do to certify
their foam, or ask questions. And they do:
“Dozens of times a week, we are getting
emails and phone calls from peoplewho are
very concerned about what they bring into
their home—what their children sleep on,”
Crowell says. “Often it is people who have
allergies, or chemical sensitivities. They’re
very focused on their indoor air quality.”
Particularly during such a busy season,
shopping for a new bed or furniture can
become bogged down by vague claims or
misinformation. “There’s almost nothing
on this earth that is chemical-free, and
there’s a lot of things that some bedding
companies say that aren’t really true,”
Crowell sums. “One of the things we’re
really proud of is our transparency.We don’t
pretend to be more than we are.”
“We just want to get the truth out there.
There are things you just don’t want in
something you’re going to spend a third of
your life sleeping on.” n
“If I know you’re a lion, then I know
when your cortisol, melatonin, epineph-
rine, serotonin and blood sugar changes,”
Dr. Breus explains. “A lot of what goes on
inside gets very predictable because it
works on a circadian rhythm.”
Putting it into practice
By understanding your circadian rhythm,
you can determine how to use your sleep
schedule to better perform your activities
during the day. However, it’s important to
note that some people are required to com-
mit to a sleep schedule that conflicts with
their innate circadian rhythm.
“I wanted to align people with not only
what time they go to bed or wake up, but
to be even more precise. Because some
people have to wake up early, regardless
of their chronotype,” says Dr. Breus. One
way to determine your chronotype is by
taking a short quiz, either online or in Dr.
Breus’s book. When it comes to relation-
ships, he also provides matrices and com-
promises to performing certain activities
with a partner. n
Exploring A New
Answer for Snoring
Most of us have a snorer in our
life. Expiratory positive airway
pressure (EPAP) is a new, highly
effective answer to snoring
and sleep apnea. EPAP works
to keep the upper airway fully
open and unobstructed, using
positive air pressure generated
by the sleeper’s exhaling breath.
Some products deliver EPAP
therapy through a small adhe-
sive device placed onto the
nostrils at bedtime. With EPAP
now available as a therapy, the
future of snoring is sounding a
lot quieter.
By Michael J. Breus, Ph.D.,
The Sleep Doctor
READ MORE ONLINE
When It Comes to Work, It’s All About Your Sleep
7. ADVOCACY | MEDIAPLANET | 7
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By Cindy Riley
The latest numbers tell
us sleep deprivation has
become a serious problem.
But the founder of The
Huffington Post isn’t taking
the news lying down.
It’s been almost a decade since
author and media mogul Arianna
Huffington sank to the floor in her
home office. “On my way down,
my head had hit the corner of my
desk,cutting my eye and breaking
my cheekbone,” she recalls. “I had
collapsed from exhaustion and
lack of sleep.” Huffington under-
went multiple tests to rule out
Why Arianna Huffington Is
Leading a Sleep Revolution
any underlying medical problem:
“There wasn’t, but doctors’ wait-
ing rooms, it turns out, were good
places for me to ask myself a lot of
questions about the kind of life I
was living.”
Getting your forty winks
Huffington, who detailed her
experience in the book, “Thrive,”
has traveled the globe talking
with people about their struggles
in getting the proper amount of
slumber. “I found that the subject
people wanted to discuss most, by
far,wassleep—howdifficultitisto
get enough, how hard it is to fall
asleep and stay asleep, even when
we set aside enough time.
According to a recent Gallup
poll, 40 percent of all American
adults are sleep-deprived, getting
significantly less than the recom-
mended minimum seven hours
each night. Dr. Judith Owens,
director of the Center for Pedi-
atric Sleep Disorders at Boston
Children’s Hospital, says getting
enough rest is just as crucial as
eating well, being physically
active or wearing a seat belt. Dr.
MichaelRoizen,thechiefwellness
officer of the Cleveland Clinic,
remarks,“Sleepisourmostunder-
rated health habit.” A National
Sleep Foundation report also finds
two-thirds of us aren’t getting
enough shut-eye on weeknights.
Snooze, don’t lose
Huffington, who describes her
former self as “sleep-deprived,
drained and depleted,” explains,
“Now, 95 percent of the time, I get
eighthoursofsleepanight.Mylife
improved in pretty much every
way. Now, instead of waking up
to the sense that I have to trudge
through activities, the ‘new me’
wakes up feeling joyful about the
day’s possibilities. And I’m also
better able to recognize red flags
and rebound from setbacks. It’s
like being dialed into a different
channel that has less static.
“Our sense of being indis-
pensable is central to the sleep
crisis we’re facing, so we need
to dispense with that as soon as
possible,” Huffington cautions.
“Remember what we’re told on
airplanes: to ‘secure your own
mask first, before helping others,’
even your own child,” she adds.
“Thebetterweareattakingcareof
ourselves, the more effective we’ll
be in taking care of others.” n
COURTESYOFPETERYANG
