Not a Creature Was Stirring (Yeah. Right.)

Tis the season for friends, family and celebration... if you're an adult.

If you're a kid, it's more like the season of  uncomfortable holiday outfits, long car rides and seemingly endless family gatherings full of strange looking foods and even stranger looking people.

Compound these disruptions in routine with the decided lack of sleep that kids - much like the rest of us - experience around the holidays, it seems unfair to blame them for their inevitable meltdown, doesn't it?

The holidays are hard enough for kids. Ensuring children get the recommended amount of sleep year-round can go a long way toward ensuring a healthy, happy holiday for the whole family.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF)  recommends the following:

• 11-13 hours of sleep for preschoolers age 3-5
• 10-11 hours of sleep for 5 to 12 year olds
• 9 hours or more for teens

Here are some tips for helping your little ones get enough sleep:

• Make sure the room is quiet, dark, cool, and uncluttered.
  Bold colors and flashy décor might be a great fashion statement but you want a serene sanctuary.
• Remove all electronics from the room. 
  Electronic devices are designed to keep the brain engaged, making it more difficult to get to sleep at night. In addition, the light emitted from these devices limits the body’s release of melatonin, which helps us transition into our nighttime sleep cycle.
• Establish a nighttime reading routine.
  NSF has found that children who read as part of their bedtime routine are more likely to get healthy amounts of sleep.

Decoding Your Dreams

Carol Ash, D.O., director of Sleep Medicine for Meridian Health, recently stopped by the Fox & Friends studio to discuss the meaning behind some of our most common dream-time scenarios, including being chased, being cheated on by a partner, and more.

So what do they all mean? Watch Dr. Carol Ash on Fox & Friends below and find out! Be sure to visit MeridianHealth.com/Sleep to learn more about the Meridian Centers for Sleep Medicine.

What does your favorite sleeping position say about you?

When it comes to sleep, all men (and women) are not created equal

Researchers have found that, when it comes to sleep health, men and women are not created equal.

Studies show that sleep disorders do affect men and women differently. While men tend to suffer more from sleep apnea, women are more likely to report spending their nights tossing and turning.

Although researchers can't say for sure why women apparently have more trouble sleeping than men, they have noticed certain patterns. Particularly, women seem to have the most trouble falling asleep when hormone levels change - during pregnancy, early motherhood, menopause, and at certain times during the menstrual cycle.

Researchers know that the hormone progesterone causes sleepiness, and they also know that a woman's progesterone level rises during mid-month ovulation, and then drops dramatically at the onset of a menstrual period. This drop also is the time when many women report having sleep problems.

Learn more about the connection between sleep health and women's health, including ways pregnancy and menopause affect sleep.

Don't "Ignore the Snore"

Ignoring Snoring?

Check out Dr. Carol Ash on "CBS This Morning" discussing sleep related health issues, and why simply "ignoring the snoring" could have serious consequences.

Smartphone Superpower Comes at a Cost

Thanks to the blessings of 21st century technology, we can now talk to anyone, learn anything and transport anywhere in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, this realm of seemingly superhuman connectivity could be coming at a price, gradually grinding away at one of our most fundamental human needs.

This week, an article published in The Atlantic, "How Smart Phones Hurt Sleep," revealed some sobering statistics.

The piece cites a 2012 Time/Qualcomm poll conducted among 4,700 respondents in seven countries, including the U.S., in which participants were asked to gauge their level of agreement with the following assessment.

"I don't sleep as well as I used to because I am connected to technology all the time."

And the results? Nearly 25% of participants ages 18-24 strongly agree with the above statement, followed by nearly 15% ages 25-29, 10% ages 30-34 ...

And so it goes, gradually decreasing in percentage as participants' ages increase.

The conclusion? Those losing the most sleep are also the ones who need it the most.

"Electronic devices are designed to keep the brain engaged, making it more difficult to get to sleep at night," said Dr. Carol Ash in a Star Ledger/NJ.com article last year. "In addition, the light emitted from these devices limits the body’s release of melatonin, which helps us transition into our nighttime sleep cycle."

Read the complete Atlantic article, How Smartphones Hurt Sleep, to learn more.

Get Your New Year Off to a Healthy Start with Our Top Stories of 2014

Another year, another step toward a healthier you. Health and wellness topics were hotter than ever in 2014, a year of breakthroughs, outbreaks and trends that had people all over the world talking. So what did we learn in 2014? Read on for some of the year's top health advice from Meridian experts.

1. Sleep Disorders Are No Walk in the Park

   Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli's decision to undergo surgery to treat his sleep apnea was yet another call to action for public discourse on the seriousness of the ongoing struggle roughly 18 million Americans have with this potentially life threatening disorder, characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Read the full article here.



2.  Do Our Kids Need More Sleep?

   Meridian Health Director of Sleep Medicine Dr. Carol Ash took on this hot-button issue during a visit to CBS This Morning. Hear what she had to say here.



3. What's Making Us So Tired?

   On a visit to the TODAY Show, Dr. Carol Ash joined Julie Bain, Health Director of the Ladies Home Journal to discuss answers to the commonly posed health question, "Why am I so tired?" Listing common causes that include diet and stress, both Ash and Bain agreed that most cases of daytime fatigue can be remedied with adjustments to both habit and lifestyle. Watch the full clip here.



4. Sleeping Apart Could Boost Mind, Body and Relationship

   He likes it cold; she likes it hot. She's a mover and a shaker; he's down for the count. Opposites may attract, but when it's time to call it a night, some differences come at a cost. It sounds extreme, but on an episode of "The Doctors," Dr. Carol Ash discussed how sleeping separately from your partner could provide a healthier night's sleep all around. Read all about it here.



5. Healthy Sleep Impacts School Performance

   According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), two-thirds of American children age 10 and younger have sleep problems. They noted 60 percent of children under the age of 18 complained of being tired during the day, and 15 percent fell asleep at school. So what can a parent do? Read on to find out.

Dr. Carol Ash on "CBS This Morning" discussing the effects of sleep issues on "brain drain"

Dr. Carol Ash on Fox's Shepard Smith Show discussing long-term affects of sleep loss

Athlete's Decision to Undergo Facial Surgery Draws Further Attention to Seriousness of Sleep Disorders

According to an article on ESPN Boston, Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli will undergo surgery in early November to treat his sleep apnea.

The decision is yet another call to action for public discourse on the seriousness of sleep apnea and the ongoing struggle roughly 18 million Americans have with this potentially life threatening disorder, characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.

The procedure Napoli will undergo is called bimaxillary advancement surgery, which separates the front portions of the lower and upper jaw and moves them forward to allow more room behind the tongue, reducing the chances of obstruction.

 Carol Ash, DO, Director of Sleep Medicine for Meridian Health, had this to say during a recent interview with CBS This Morning:

"When we go to sleep at night, our muscles lose tone and our airways start to narrow. This is true of all of us, but we can continue to breathe."

"But in people with sleep apnea, when they lose that muscle tone, their airway collapses all the way down. Airflow is compromised and oxygen can't get in."

Bimaxillary advancement surgery is just one of a range of treatment options used to treat sleep apnea, which include Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).

CPAP utilizes an air splint, which blows air to the back of the throat, splinting the airway open so it can't collapse.

During the interview, Dr. Ash discussed another potentially game changing advancement in sleep technology, currently awaiting FDA approval, called a pulse generator. By sensing the body's effort to breathe, the device stimulates nerves in the neck contriving the muscles that keep the airway open.

"When you look at the range sleep disorders, and how we are just not getting enough sleep, this is the biggest public health issue facing society today," Ash says.

Lack of Sleep Could Be Costing You Wages

It's no secret that lack of sleep can prove physically, mentally and emotionally detrimental. But financially?

A recent article on the Advisory Board cites research from the University of California-San Diego concluding that — for the sleep-deprived — adding an hour to the average amount of sleep per night increased wages by 16%.

Lack of sleep diminishes the capacity of cognitive strengths in high demand by employers, including:

• Creative thinking
• Adapting to change
• Attention to detail
• Ability to multitask

With the recommended eight hours of sleep every night, we improve in areas employers value most - and are willing to pay for.

Dr. Ash featured on Livestrong.com

With features in national media outlets such as Today, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The New York Times, Woman's Day, Shape, Prevention and Reader's Digest, Meridian Health Director of Sleep Medicine, Carol Ash, DO, is a board-certified general internist, fellowship-trained pulmonary, critical-care and sleep-medicine specialist with more than 15 years of experience in clinical medicine.

Dr. Ash recently contributed a Livestrong.com piece on "resetting" your internal clock, in which she suggested natural, cost effective alternatives to over-the-counter sleep medications, which she calls "short term solutions to recurring problems."

One potential remedy Dr. Ash lists is mindful breathing, an elegant solution for alleviating stress and achieving deep rest.

Read the full article here: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/reset-internal-clock-better-sleep/

Dr. Carol Ash on "CBS This Morning," Do Our Kids Need More Sleep?

Can't sleep? The answer may be all around you.

Sleep deprivation can be a symptom of numerous health issues, but it's important to remember that the causes of our sleep disruptions aren't always internal.

According to Dr. Carol Ash, the following external factors can affect our sleeping patterns:

• Room temperature
• Jet lag
• Variations in schedule
• Snoring

 Watch Dr. Ash's Weather Channel appearance to learn more about the effects our environment can have on our sleep habits.

'Slumber Smoothie' Recipe

Multiple food options that can help with sleep. Foods rich in calcium and magnesium, serotonin, zinc, tryptophan and antioxidants are just a few that have been suggested as great choices. 

I have become a fan of the "NutriBullet" for creating the following "Slumber Smoothies:"

1 cup of vanilla almond milk
1 tsp of honey
1 cup of spinach or apricots.

Blend it all up and enjoy!

(You can use warmed almond milk for extra effect. You can also substitute soy milk, which can add tryptophan.)

-- Dr. Carol Ash

Join us as we answer the question, "Are you getting a good nights sleep?"

Everyone could use a better night's sleep, which is why Meridian Health is offering a special lecture series designed to pass along important information about sleep disorders and offer key tips for getting a healthier night's rest.

Join us on any of the following dates for "Are You Getting a Good Night's Sleep."

Attendance is FREE, but registration is required and available by calling 1-800-560-9990.

July 31, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Arbour Terrace of Middletown
1800 Hwy 35 South
Middletown, NJ 07748

August 5, 2 to 3 p.m.
Ocean Medical Center - Meridian Nursing & Rehab
425 Jack Martin Boulevard
Brick, NJ 08724

August 6, 2 to 3 p.m.
Jersey Shore University Medical Center
1945 Route 33
Neptune, NJ 07753