20/20 Misrepresented Sleep Deprivation
Question:
> I cannot believe that >20/20 allowed one motivated profiteer to usurp all available >information on sleep disorders
I watched it too. That was pretty much my impressiom as well. >Not even once in the >segment were the words "apnea", "disorder", or "polysomnography" mentioned. >
That particularly disappointed me, because they had video footage of sleep labsin action, clearly indicating that they were well aware of this procedure, and we all know that no sleep lab representative would have failed to mention OSA as the primary reason for their existence. No one goes to a sleep lab to document that they are not sleeping enough hours. Clearly the media still needs an education concenring apnea, and sleep disorders in general. Terry
Response:
Doug, I, too, saw and taped the 20/20 program and was also deeply irritated and angry at what I saw and *didn’t* see/hear. I also wrote them an email, not as detailed as yours, but telling them that they missed a whole side/story in sleep deprevation. I couldn’t believe it when a sleep specialist didn’t once say anything about apnea. I also am appauled!!!!! Please hang in there, though! You are of great value to "lurkers" like me. It is extremely nice to (know) people who can validate our condition, especially when so many people (medical) dont!!!! Still foggy, Melody
Response:
I was just minding my own business on Tue, 03 Mar 1998 14:07:10 GMT, when alannorths…@blahblahblahmindspring.com up and shattered my reverie: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->This is true, of course. Over the last several years, there have >been several estimates of the national "sleep debt" — figures >that are a little frightening because they imply lots of people >out there who are operating at am impaired level, driving cars >and engaging in other activities which could (and probably do) >cause injury and loss of life to others! >…And, these sleep deprived people are mainly deprived because >of the schedules they keep (working two jobs, etc.) — just plain >not sleeping enough, not because they have a concrete condition >like sleep apnea! >While I didn’t see the report, this take on the general sleep >deprivation in the general population is very worthwhile! >Later, > Alan
There is nothing wrong with discussing the universal problem of sleep deprivation relative to loss of sleep time in society, nothing wrong with this at all. But if you don’t at least take four seconds in a twenty-minute spot to say, "If sleepiness does not resolve with appropriate sleep time, then other sleep disorders may be present," or something remotely similar, then something else is going on with the show, and there is misrepresentation by omission. It was obvious to me that sleep apnea and narcolepsy were in the awareness of the show’s producers–given that they are not stupid and that they research their topics–but that they chose not to delve into these diseases, on purpose. They wanted the largest demographics base for either the shrink’s new book, or the "no-sleep" pill, or both. Doug
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->There is nothing wrong with discussing the universal problem of sleep >deprivation relative to loss of sleep time in society, nothing wrong >with this at all. >But if you don’t at least take four seconds in a twenty-minute spot to >say, "If sleepiness does not resolve with appropriate sleep time, then >other sleep disorders may be present," or something remotely similar, >then something else is going on with the show, and there is >misrepresentation by omission. It was obvious to me that sleep apnea >and narcolepsy were in the awareness of the show’s producers–given >that they are not stupid and that they research their topics–but that >they chose not to delve into these diseases, on purpose. They wanted >the largest demographics base for either the shrink’s new book, or the >"no-sleep" pill, or both. >Doug
WELL SAID DOUG! I think I could say thank you from all of us suffering with real sleep disorders NOT due to our socail environment and so forth. Nina
Response:
Well said!!! Society needs to take a step back and look at the consequences of our drive for more and more toys. Having felt the impact of OSA driven sleep deprivation for the last few years, after watching the show and seen how wide spread sleep deprivation is becoming. I am scared spitless about the idea of guy driving an 18 wheeler down the highway after 36 or 40 hours of caffeine and Speed and non stop trucking. Or encountering the stockbroker in his BM’er who has been been having his sleep disrupted by 3 am phone calls about the Japanese Stock market. Those of us with OSA have been betrayed by our bodies these other people are choosing to be sleep deprived (or forced into it by need). lets hope that society Wakes up and goes to sleep. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -The Somnolent Phantom wrote in message <3505C42A.C5E…@spamfree.net>… >x-no-archive: yes > IMHO, the materialistic money worshiping culture that we have >de-evolved into in this country is the root of almost all of our current >social, and many medical problems. The creation of the artificial need >to have a T.V. set that is as big as your wall, a new $40,000 Sport >Utility Vehicle, a $75,000 motor home and a $ 300,000 home to keep all >of these toys in is becoming the death of WAY too many Americans. Severe >sleep depravation and early cardiovascular *accidents* are just a few of >the prices we are paying for this opulent lifestyle. The recent >statistics in fatal heart attacks in YOUNG women is appalling to me! >:!( > How many have been killed in recent years just from the deregulation of >the Air Traffic Controllers and Truck Drivers. Airplanes seem to be >falling out of the sky these days like leaves from a tree on a late >October day. Was the pilot asleep or too sleep deprived to notice >critical problem and too judgment impaired to make the correct decision? >How about the mechanics that worked on the plane the night >before……Were they in sleep deprived brain fog? > Nothing like an 80,000 pound 18 wheeler headed toward you at 70 MPH >piloted by a driver that hasn’t slept for the past 72 hours because he >is only being paid 18 cents per mile! > IMHO, anything that at least got the topic of sleep depravation onto >the *boob tube* was a good thing. However, I feel that they should have >at least mentioned the existence of sleep disorders. > I remember a much younger and idealistic Bear entering a career in the >Broadcast Industry so many years ago……….I envisioned so much >potential for Television as a tool/medium to bring education and culture >into every single home in America. The end of ignorance and poverty for >ALL Americans. I now see the open cesspool that it has become…..And I >feel both a deep sadness and a bit nauseated! :~( > Thank God that we still have National Public Radio……….IMHO, The >final glimmer of intelligence and culture left on the entire R.F. >spectrum! >………….Bear…………………………………..
Response:
Not every show on sleep is about us. I thought this show brought up a real concern in our fast paced over-achieving society. Everyone tries to fit too much into the day and often sleep’s importance to the average person is highly underated. I have a lot of friends who are chronically tired simply because they don’t sleep enough and feel they shouldn’t have too. Those of us with sleep disorders know how important normal sleep is to our mental and physical well being . Many others don’t seem to.. Jean
Response:
In article <19980310022601.VAA05…@ladder02.news.aol.com>, jwestj…@aol.com (JWestJeff) wrote: > Not every show on sleep is about us. I thought this show brought up a real > concern in our fast paced over-achieving society. Everyone tries to fit too > much into the day and often sleep’s importance to the average person is highly > underated. I have a lot of friends who are chronically tired simply because > they don’t sleep enough and feel they shouldn’t have too. Those of us with > sleep disorders know how important normal sleep is to our mental and physical > well being . Many others don’t seem to.. > Jean
I agree, Jean. In theory the show was helpful. It just screened for behavior, while leaving anatomy hidden. This is the opposite of medical methodology. That’s all I was saying. Doug —–== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==—– http://www.dejanews.com/ Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading
Response:
Really sad, isn’t it. It’s no wonder so many people are suffering from problems that could be solved with a little (honest) information. I myself have narcolepsy and we are notorious veterens of sleep deprivation. We might be able to sleep anytime, anywhere, at the drop of a hat, but at home, at night, forget it. And what we suffer from is the effects of sleep deprivation, irregardless of how much sleep we get. Also , the drugs we take to counteract it, stimulants, and anti-depressives to counteract cataplexy, make matters worse. Fortunately for me a friend turned me on to a product called Restores, that helped relieve depression, and eases insomnia. I would like to give you their toll free information number. Please call it and listen to the recording. This is truly an amazing help-aid that will enable many to find the rest they deserve thus eliminating the sleep deprivation. When our media with all the power top inform and HELP the people who need help, and the medical profession refuse to help people, it is our duty, to stand up on our own, and find out how to help ourselvres and thereby others, who are similarly afflicted. The internet provides the knowledge that is the power, and we by helping each other, to find and get help, with or without help from our media resources. It’s the "greening of America" as predicted years ago, the quiet revolution, whereby people learn how to heal themselves, and how to fight for treatment when they need it, otherwize. We are the ones who will change the future of medicine, by helping each other, we will make a change. Please e-mail me at Jeni…@aol.com if I can be of any help to you, or anyone you know who might benefit from this information. Carpe Diem Jeni-blu (and the truth shall set us free)
Response:
In article <19980312180001.NAA03…@ladder01.news.aol.com>, jeni…@aol.com (Jeniblu) wrote: <drivel deleted about how a who-knows-what substance will "cure" narcolepy> aol has been notified. T Sconyers
Response:
In article <19980312180001.NAA03…@ladder01.news.aol.com>, jeni…@aol.com (Jeniblu) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Really sad, isn’t it. It’s no wonder so many people are suffering from problems > that could be solved with a little (honest) information. I myself have > narcolepsy and we are notorious veterens of sleep deprivation. We might be able > to sleep anytime, anywhere, at the drop of a hat, but at home, at night, forget > it. And what we suffer from is the effects of sleep deprivation, irregardless > of how much sleep we get. Also , the drugs we take to counteract it, > stimulants, and anti-depressives to counteract cataplexy, make matters worse. > Fortunately for me a friend turned me on to a product called Restores, that > helped relieve depression, and eases insomnia. I would like to give you their > toll free information number. Please call it and listen to the recording. This > is truly an amazing help-aid that will enable many to find the rest they > deserve thus eliminating the sleep deprivation. When our media with all the > power top inform and HELP the people who need help, and the medical profession > refuse to help people, it is our duty, to stand up on our own, and find out how > to help ourselvres and thereby others, who are similarly afflicted. The > internet provides the knowledge that is the power, and we by helping each > other, to find and get help, with or without help from our media resources. > It’s the "greening of America" as predicted years ago, the quiet revolution, > whereby people learn how to heal themselves, and how to fight for treatment > when they need it, otherwize. We are the ones who will change the future of > medicine, by helping each other, we will make a change. Please e-mail me at > Jeni…@aol.com if I can be of any help to you, or anyone you know who might > benefit from this information. Carpe Diem Jeni-blu (and the truth shall set > us free)
Does your daughter use this product? Perhaps you might wish to read her a story, which begins: "I am SPAM, SPAM I am." Some folk’ll use latin for anything. doug —–== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==—– http://www.dejanews.com/ Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading
Response:
On Sat, 28 Feb 1998 05:22:00 GMT, dr…@inovion.com (Doug Ruth) wrote: >And journalism is now tainted with collusion. >Doug
Actually that tainting has been going on for a long time. So many of the talk show subjects are thinly veiled opening to promote a new book. Ditto from the evening shows like 20/20. The media has moved away from reporting the news to creating it’s own version. *************************************** delete "nospam" for e-mail reply ***************************************
Response:
I am enraged. I just watched a segment on 20/20 about sleep deprivation, and the information it conveyed was very hazardous and misrepresentative. A psychologist, James Maas, has just written a book, and apparently must have contacted 20/20 to do a report on it. The essence of the book is that the only sleep deprivation that exists today is due to a lack of time spent in bed sleeping. That Americans are not getting "enough" sleep. It is obvious that 20/20 did no research on its own, and instead invested carte blanche authority and credibility into this capitalistic, metaphysical, transcendental psychologist, who knew full well that sleep deprivation has an anatomical side, but who instead chose to invoke behavior (i.e. sleep hygiene) as the sole explanation for sleep deprivation. This was nothing other than a marketing tactic, since, in a sense, it is "new" information. "Dr." Maas correlated automobile accidents and vocational inefficiency to not enough time spent in bed (8.5 hours ideally). I cannot believe that 20/20 allowed one motivated profiteer to usurp all available information on sleep disorders, and exploit a metaphysical slant for prestige and for money. 20/20 was egregiously irresponsible for not doing more work in learning about sleep disorders. I sent 20/20 an email following my watching the segment. Here is what my email said: *************************************************************************** ********* "I was deeply offended by your show tonight regarding sleep deprivation. Your version of it was irresponsible and grossly misrepresentative. "There exists unwieldy research today in the form of thousands of studies in journals such as Chest, Sleep, JAMA, The British Medical Journal, and the New England Journal of Medicine, documenting an anatomical side to disordered sleep, one which is ubiquitous and all pervasive. In particular snoring and its sequelae, obstructive sleep apnea, pose the greatest threat to sleep health–moreso than any "transcendent" and profitable theories espoused by one psychologist/author. "What 20/20 did was fall blindly to this psychologist’s capitalistic ploy. Sleep disorders abound but are anatomically based; psychologists, however, will seek to attribute any such problems to behavior. 20/20 fell for this hook, line, and sleeper. "For instance, the gentleman who woke periodically due to crying children, well, we haven’t clue one as to whether he has upper airway resistance syndrome or sleep apnea. Therefore, we have invoked his behavior before vindicating him in anatomy. The fact that 20/20 followed this psychologist without doing its own research shows some journalistic dereliction. "How dare you sustain regression in the form of condemning sleep deprivation to behavioral origins! How dare you! You should be sued for that segment, since you have mistakenly conveyed an untruth, and a hazardous presumption that increasing time in bed will resolve the all-pervasive sleep disorder. You have, all within ten minutes time, misinformed millions of Americans, and all to champion one metaphysical psychologist who obviously could care less about the REAL reasons that people are sleep deprived. "How dare you. "How dare you." Doug Ruth dr…@inovion.com *************************************************************************** ******** I am so disheartened that I could puke. Again, the corporation has usurped science and medicine. I hope that we might learn from this how the field of psychology is such a nemesis to the sleep sciences. They will force a behavioral etiology whether or not they believe it themselves. They could care less. All phenomena can be behaviorally explained. I give up. I thought Dr. Dement or someone was supposed to be watching shit like this, and preventing it from happening. Dr. Dement’s web page: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~dement/ does provide a "Media Alert" with a link to the 20/20 page which has a brief synopsis of the segment; however, I cannot believe that Dement let this one go through without a hitch. I no longer know whether Dement believes what he says about sleep disorders or whether he can be paid and bought to keep mum if the slant and the angle is right to cover the omission. I don’t believe I can trust Dement any longer. He didn’t even note the segment’s omissive misrepresentation on his Sleep Well web page. I simply cannot believe what I just got through watching. Millions of apneics are now going to increase their sleep time from 5 or 6 hours or so, to precisely 8.5, and then they are going to attribute any residual symptomotology to something else. Not even once in the segment were the words "apnea", "disorder", or "polysomnography" mentioned. The public really took a beating on this show. And journalism is now tainted with collusion. Even the sleep specialists are jumping on the capitalistic bandwagon of exploiting something novel. I give up. Doug
