News & Announcements
Severe Restless Legs Syndrome in the Setting of Iron Deficiency and Chronic Blood Loss
By: Sam A. Kashani, MD Introduction Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease (WED), is a common sleep-related movement disorder characterized by an uncomfortable sensation in the legs associated with an urge to move the leg that usually...
A Quality Approach in Times of Uncertainty: Taking a Look at the ISO 9001 Framework
By: Robyn Woidtke, RN, RPSGT The status quo is no longer the status quo. I decided not to write about COVID-19 with regards to reopening and other such issues, however, with the crisis, there is also opportunity. Opportunity to re-evaluate current practices...
Sleep and the COVID Pandemic
By: Sam A. Kashani, MD Since the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020, we have all been subjected to give up our usual routines and coping skills, such as going to the gym, socializing with friends, and many other activities that constitute our daily life...
It Goes to Show, You Never Can Tell
By: Rafael Pelayo, MD It seems that the news about the Coronavirus pandemic got markedly worse after we lost an hour of sleep due to the daylight-saving shift. Correlations are not causation, but lack of sleep makes us more susceptible to viral infections. So...
The Sleep Tech Paradox
By: Jonathan Sherrill, BA, RST, RPSGT A paradox is any seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true. The job of the sleep tech is inherently a paradox, as working overnight...
Fatigue
By: Andrew S. Binder, MD, FAASM, FCCP All of us in healthcare hear patients complain of fatigue. “Doc, I’m tired of being tired,” is what I have heard so many times in my career that I use it as the title of talks that I give to medical residents as well to the lay...
Is technology hindering or helping sleep tech development?
By: Jonathan Sherrill, BA, RPSGT, RST Are we relying too much on technology? When using the computer, how many of us rely on spell check to constantly fix the same spelling errors in place of general word memorization? On our phones, how many of us rely exclusively on...
What is Patient Advocacy and how can we help our Sleep Disorders Patients
By Robyn Woidtke, RN, RPSGT We all need help and support during medical situations that impact our and/or our loved one’s life. During difficult times it is easy to feel vulnerable, alone, afraid and uncertain as to what lies ahead. I do not think sleep disorders...
Leadership for Technical Professionals: Competence
By Edwin M Valladares, MS, RPSGT Competence is, “the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.”1 To move from a technical position to a leadership position you will need to be competent in what you are already doing and in what you will be doing as a...
Service Mindset Leadership
By Edwin M Valladares, MS, RPSGT It has been said that the heart is deceitful1, so knowing our motive for being in a leadership position can be cloudy to ourselves. But our motives are analogous to body language. We may not be speaking with words, but we are always...
15th Annual Educational Symposium – 2022
In Memoriam: Allan Rechtschaffen, PhD (1927 – 2021)
The California Sleep Society mourns the death of the Allan Rechtschaffen, PhD.
The Patient Treatment Burden of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Impact on Adherence
By: Robyn Woidtke, MSN, RN, RPSGT, CCSH, FAAST Non-adherence in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known risk factor which may contribute to worsening of the condition, exacerbate co-morbid or multimorbid conditions or contribute to the development of...
A New Light at the End of the Idiopathic Hypersomnia Tunnel
By: Sam Kashani, MD, FAASM In August 2021, Jazz Pharmaceuticals announced the US FDA approval of Xywav for the treatment of idiopathic hypersomnia in adults. Xywav, an oral solution consisting primarily of oxybate (GHB), already has approval for the treatment of...
Circadian Issues in the Sleep Doctor’s Office
By: Andrew Binder, MD, FAASM, FCCP I love being a sleep doctor. I often introduce myself as a “recovering pulmonary and critical care doctor.” One of the reasons I love being a sleep doctor is that I think it is one of the few things, in my advanced age, at which I...
OSA and Physician’s Role in Weight Loss
By: Said Mostafavi, MD, FCCP, FAASM Like most sleep physicians, treating sleep-disordered breathing constitutes a large percentage of my practice. When it comes to treating obstructive sleep apnea, we thankfully have various treatment options available, some...
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Boston Children’s Hospital Sleep Medicine Fellowship – Pediatric Track
The Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Boston Children's Hospital (BCH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) invites applications from candidates interested in training in Pediatric Sleep Medicine for the 2022-2023 academic year. Applications for this...
Philips Respironics Recall of PAP devices
Dear CSS Members: You may be aware of the Phillips recall of certain PAP devices. We understand that this recall has placed a burden on sleep center staff and patients alike. From various sources, the CSS has gathered an array of information regarding the recall and...
SB-328 Passes the State Assembly Education Committee
On Wednesday, July 10, 2020, SB-328, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino passed the State Assembly Education Committee. SB-328 addresses the significant public health crisis of sleep-deprived teens by requiring high schools in California to start no earlier...
California is First State in the Country to Push Back School Start Times
On Sunday, October 13, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation to mandate later start times at most public schools. Thank you to all members who supported this Bill along the way.