Infant Deaths from Accidental Suffocation in Bed on the Rise
Infant deaths attributed to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed have increased four-fold since 1984, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed is classified as a sudden, unexpected death, much like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (or SIDS). Instances can stem from sleeping on soft bedding or accidents while co-sleeping with an adult. According to the study, the cause for the increase in deaths is unknown. Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and author of the study, told the Washington Post, “The safest sleep environment for an infant is one that’s close to the parent on a separate sleep surface,” adding, “Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back on a firm mattress, and the sleep surface should be free of pillows, quilts, comforters and stuffed animals.” The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also recommends that infants sleep in a crib, bassinet or cradle in the same room as the parent.
Happily married middle-aged women report fewer sleep disturbances, according to a study in the journal Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh examined findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation — a multi-site, multi-ethnicity study made of 2,148 participants. Using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale — a standard instrument for measuring marital adjustment — and the Women’s Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale to assess sleep disturbances, researchers found happily married women reported fewer sleep disturbances. Among different ethnicities, the findings were evident in Caucasian and to lesser extent African American women.
Fibromyalgia is a medical syndrome that causes widespread pain and stiffness in the muscles and joints as well as sleep problems and chronic daytime fatigue. It is a persistent condition for which there is no cure. However, it’s common for symptoms to wax and wane. They may be more severe at certain times of the day, month or year, and they may remit for an extended period of time only to reappear later either for no apparent reason or after a traumatic event such as a car accident. Some tips for coping with fibromyalgia symptoms and preventing exacerbation of pain include: