Dr. Alp Hasan Umar M.D.

What is somnolence?Somnolence is also referred to as sleepiness or drowsiness. It is a state of having a strong desire to sleep or sleeping for unusually long periods of time. The term somnolence comes from the Latin word somnus, which means sleep. Somnolence can be accompanied by signs of...

Every spring and fall, allergies hit with a vengeance. Allergic reactions interfere with normal healthy sleep. You wake up with nasal congestion, dry mouth, and you have blocked breathing airways during the night. Waking up with blocked breathing passages during sleep are apneas. Such breathing...

It’s hard to imagine being 17 years old and joining the Navy Reserves in the middle of a war. However, that’s exactly what Everett Cook did. Cook had been delivering telegrams for Western Union after school to pay off his first car when he signed-up for the reserves. This decision has led Cook...

Although police officers work multiple shifts, they can still be affected by sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, which can take a negative toll on their health.Sleep apnea can pose a risk not only to police officers but to the people they protect in their community. A recent study has shown that...

The national survey seems to indicate that those living with sleep apnea are at a higher risk of suicide. Because those affected by sleep apnea are more probable to idealize suicide, plan it, or see it as an option, this makes an early diagnosis of sleep apnea as an opportunity to prevent suicide...

Epilepsy affects approximately 0.5-1 percent of the population. It is a disease characterized by involuntary movements or seizures. Although numerous drugs have been introduced to treat epilepsy over the last few decades, almost one-third of those living with epilepsy do not benefit from these...