Sleep disorder and ear, nose and throat specialists at Thomas Jefferson University are examining an innovative procedure to treat obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major public health problem that, if untreated, can be deadly. Despite the proven reliability of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in treating OSA, resistance and intolerance to CPAP poses limitations to its use.

Adults with obstructive sleep apnea benefit significantly from longer nightly use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a device to improve breathing during sleep, according to a new study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.

A study published in the June 1st issue of the journal SLEEP finds that longer nightly duration of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) use can help those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) achieve normal daytime functioning.

A paper published in the June 1st issue of the journal SLEEP is the first literature review and formal classification of a wide range of documented sleep-related disorders associated with abnormal sexual behaviors and experiences. These abnormal sexual behaviors, which emerge during sleep, are referred to as "sleepsex" or "sexsomnia".

Researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine have found that patients with obstructive sleep apnea are at increased risk for developing of type II diabetes, independent of other risk factors. The findings are being presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Monday, May 21.

Professor Ron Grunstein, Head of Sleep and Circadian Research, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, said "if treated sleep apnea patients are not fit to be judges then does that extend to politicians and senior company executives because if that's the case there will be a lot of people out of a job".