Sleep, How To Get The Rest Of Your Life

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Article Date: 17 Jun 2004 - 9:00 PST


Why Are People So Sleep-Deprived And What Can You Do?

New Brunswick, NJ (June 16, 2004) - Do you toss and turn every night? Do sleep problems turn your bed into a torture chamber? Do you drag yourself through your days? Do your kids have trouble getting the sleep they need?

You are not alone. Experts say more than 70 million Americans suffer some sort of sleep disorder, and all of us are vulnerable to its effects, since we share homes, workplaces, highways and even skies with sleep-deprived people. Dr. Nancy Snyderman, former medical reporter for ABC and now Vice President of Medical Affairs for Johnson & Johnson, hosts an eye-opening hour complete with state of the art treatments, simple tips, and two remarkable family "sleep makeovers" in, "Sleep: How To Get The Rest Of Your Life," airing Saturday, June 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET), on the ABC Television Network. This interactive special is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.

Sleep deprivation is a problem of epidemic proportions today and can contribute to health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, even cancer. Though people of all ages suffer from sleep problems, teens can be especially susceptible, since their body clocks are simply set to a different schedule than what society and parents require from them. In addition to the health issues it raises, sleep deprivation has also played a role in car and plane crashes. In this special, we hear the riveting recollections of one pilot who crashed his plane and crippled his co-pilot after being awake for 50 hours and working for much of that time.

Viewers will be able to interact with the show live, using ABC's Emmy-nominated Enhanced TV, either through their wireless phones or on their Internet-connected PCs. Enhanced TV will feature additional information, viewer comments and live polling with real-time results incorporated into the television broadcast. This is the second interactive television event that ABC has partnered with Johnson & Johnson, the first being the primetime program, "The View: His & Her Body Test." The enhancements for that show received a nomination for an Emmy.

A number of commercials from brands from the Johnson & Johnson family of companies will be featured during the special, including TYLENOL® PM, AVEENO®, ORTHO EVRA®, ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN® LO, JOHNSON'S® Baby, CLEAN & CLEAR®, BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages, ST. JOSEPH® Aspirin, REACH® ACCESS and the "Having a Baby Changes Everything" campaign.

To gain a firsthand look at the consequences, Dr. Snyderman undergoes sleep deprivation herself over four days and is monitored throughout. Viewers will see whether her ability to perform daily tasks such as driving is compromised and how her memory, reaction time and cognitive skills are affected.

The reasons our society is so sleep deprived are varied. Some have to do with our fast-paced 24/7 lifestyle, which is often stress-filled and overscheduled. Additionally, medical factors, plus changes in our bodies as we age have a direct impact on the quality of our sleep. Frustrated parents will learn about the biological reasons their teens can't get out of bed in the morning. The program will explore all of these areas, and provide workable solutions, including schools that have instituted later start times and one student who formed a power nap club.

The program also addresses the sleep problems of America's 21 million shift workers. And the future of sleep science is explored via cutting edge experiments for the military that show the effects of sleep deprivation on the human brain and new technologies to improve performance. Viewers will also meet two families, each of whom has a host of common sleep ailments. One family will undergo a medical makeover and another will get a behavioral makeover from a sleep expert who will provide solid, take-away information for everyone watching at home.

Dr. Nancy Snyderman, M.D., combines an active surgical practice of Head and Neck Surgery at the California Pacific Medical Center, along with her role as Vice President, Medical Affairs, Corporate Staff, for health care corporation, Johnson & Johnson. She served as a medical correspondent for ABC News from 1987-2002. She was a frequent contributor to "Prime Time Thursday" and "Good Morning America" and substitute co-host for GMA.

http://www.jnj.com/news

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