University Of Chicago Sleep Center

Esra Tasali Named Director Of The Uchicago Sleep Center

Esra Tasali, MD, has been named Director of the University of Chicago Sleep Center, effective March 15, 2022. This newly structured Sleep Center is the result of joint, multi-disciplinary, and collaborative efforts across several departments in the Biological Sciences Division. The UChicago Sleep Center will have three missions in clinical care, education, and research and builds on a longstanding and rich tradition in sleep medicine.

In this new role, Tasali will oversee all aspects of the Center including clinical operations, research, and educational activities. She will work closely with Kenneth Lee, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, who will serve as the Medical Director, Alejandra Lastra, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, who will serve as the Director of the Sleep Fellowship Program and Associate Medical Director, and sleep experts from the departments of Pediatrics and Surgery. Tasali will also work in collaboration with all BSD department chairs, faculty and program leaders to ensure the growth and success of the Center.

As Director of UChicago Sleep Center, Tasali will act as the key representative and voice within the institution to enhance UChicago’s reputation as a leader in sleep medicine.

Pediatric Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program

With the establishment of the new Section of Pediatric Sleep Medicine at the University of Chicago, we are able to offer comprehensive Pediatric Sleep Medicine training to fellowship trainees. This training not only fulfills the ACGME requirements for clinic visits/polysomnographic interpretations, but also provides a strong foundation in pediatric sleep medicine, enabling the fellows to practice confidently after their graduation. This training can be tailored to specific objectives and goals for each trainee based on their residency background. We provide three training tracks:

For fellows with pediatric residency

The general fellowship track and the fellowship track with pediatric emphasis are funded through the Section of Pulmonology in the Department of Medicine.

For fellows with pediatric residency

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Adult And Pediatric Record Interpretation

Four half-day sessions are dedicated to interpretation of polysomnograms and home sleep testing under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Additionally, during these sessions the fellows learn to assess all types of primary data that contribute to the accurate diagnosis of sleep disorders such as MSLTs, MWTs, history, sleep logs, actigraphy, and pulmonary function testing. Reading sessions may also include fellows in pulmonary and critical care, residents in neurology or pediatrics, and medical students. The clinical sleep laboratory is active every day of the week and generates approximately 2,500 polysomnograms per year, studies are also conducted in the pediatric intensive care unit and portable monitors in inpatients.

What Are Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders may involve difficulty staying awake or having a regular sleep/wake cycle, sleepwalking, nightmares, bed-wetting, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea. They often cause trouble staying alert, irritability and difficulty concentrating or remembering facts.

The Centers for Disease Control have called insufficient sleep a public health epidemic in the United States. If youre frequently tired, wake frequently or fall asleep when you are trying to stay awake, you can complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to determine if youre a candidate for a sleep study.

Millions of Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. Sleep problems can interfere with quality of life and personal health, and they have a negative impact on society. Consider the following facts about sleep disorders:

• A sleep disorder can aggravate or lead to serious health problems
• Studies show a high incidence of sleep apnea in people with heart disease
• Sleep apnea is known to raise blood pressure
• Persistent, untreated insomnia may lead to major depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse
• Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders are costing Americans an estimated $100 billion+ annually in lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave, property and environmental damage
• Nearly 7 out of 10 Americans experience frequent sleep problems, which means 40 million people have not been diagnosed

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Getting More Sleep Reduces Caloric Intake A Game Changer For Weight Loss Programs

Newswise Understanding the underlying causes of obesity and how to prevent it is the best way to fight the obesity epidemic, according to Esra Tasali, MD, Director of the UChicago Sleep Center at the University of Chicago Medicine. The current obesity epidemic, according to experts, is mostly explained by an increase in caloric intake, rather than lack of exercise she said.

Now, a new study on how getting sufficient sleep affects caloric intake in a real-world setting could change how we think about weight loss.

In a randomized clinical trial with 80 adults, published February 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine, Tasali and her colleagues at UChicago and the University of WisconsinMadison found that young, overweight adults who habitually slept fewer than 6.5 hours a night were able to increase their sleep duration by an average of 1.2 hours per night after a personalized sleep hygiene counseling session. The sleep intervention was intended to extend time in bed duration to 8.5 hours and the increased sleep duration compared to controls also reduced participants overall caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal per day.

Overall, individuals who increased their sleep duration were able to reduce their caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal per day which would translate to roughly 12 kg, or 26 lbs., of weight loss over three years if the effects were maintained over a long term.

About the University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences

Eric C Malm Ma Lcswvice President & Chief Operations Officer

• LCSW State of Illinois #149.011241
• M.A. Loyola University, Chicago
• B.A. University of Massachusetts

Eric Malm co-founded the Chicago Research Center in 2005 and continues to serve as the Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. As a biopharma industry veteran, Eric brings over 20 years experience in clinical development, operations and management. He supports a team of industry leaders in phases I through IV clinical trials across broad therapeutic indications. Mr. Malm oversees operational activities at the site, including study start up, enrollment of trials, site certification management and sleep lab operation and management. In addition to founding the Chicago Research Center, Eric is a licensed and practicing social worker in the State of Illinois. He has worked in both the outpatient and inpatient clinical settings after graduating cum laude with a Bachelors degree from the University of Massachusetts and finally a Masters from Loyola University.

COORDINATORS

Chicago Research Centers coordinators are a vital part to the overall success of the Chicago Research Center. Together, they bring over 10 years of experience as research coordinators. They are responsible for the day to day operations of a multitude of studies, ensuring patient safety and good clinical practices.

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Study Finds Mechanism Mimics Cravings From Marijuana Use

Skimping on sleep has long been associated with overeating, poor food choices and weight gain. Now a new study shows how sleep loss initiates this process, amplifying and extending blood levels of a chemical signal that enhances the joy of eating, particularly the guilty pleasures gained from sweet or salty, high-fat snacks.

The findings were published Feb. 29 in the journal SLEEP.

Sleep-deprived participants in this studyall young, healthy volunteerswere unable to resist what the researchers called highly palatable, rewarding snacks, meaning cookies, candy and chips, even though they had consumed a meal that supplied 90 percent of their daily caloric needs two hours before. The effects of sleep loss on appetite were most powerful in the late afternoon and early evening, times when snacking has been linked to weight gain.

We found that sleep restriction boosts a signal that may increase the hedonic aspect of food intake, the pleasure and satisfaction gained from eating, said Erin Hanlon, a UChicago research associate in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. Sleep restriction seems to augment the endocannabinoid system, the same system targeted by the active ingredient of marijuana, to enhance the desire for food intake.

This chemical signal is the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol . Blood levels of 2-AG are typically low overnight. They slowly rise during the day, peaking in the early afternoon.

Are Video Visits With A Sleep Medicine Specialist Online Covered By My Insurance

Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Sleep Medicine Specialists in Chicago who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.

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Sleep Loss Limits Fat Loss Study Finds

Cutting back on sleep reduces the benefits of dieting, according to a study published Oct. 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

When dieters in the study got a full night’s sleep, they lost the same amount of weight as when they slept less. When dieters got adequate sleep, however, more than half of the weight they lost was fat. When they cut back on their sleep, only one-fourth of their weight loss came from fat.

They also felt hungrier. When sleep was restricted, dieters produced higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger and reduces energy expenditure.

“If your goal is to lose fat, skipping sleep is like poking sticks in your bicycle wheels,” said study director Plamen Penev, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. “Cutting back on sleep, a behavior that is ubiquitous in modern society, appears to compromise efforts to lose fat through dieting. In our study it reduced fat loss by 55 percent.”

The study, performed at the University of Chicago’s General Clinical Resource Center, followed 10 overweight but healthy volunteers aged 35 to 49 with a body mass index ranging from 25 to 32 . Participants were placed on an individualized, balanced diet, with calories restricted to 90 percent of what each person needed to maintain his or her weight without exercise.

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How Can I Find A Top

You can use Zocdoc to find Sleep Medicine Specialists in Chicago who are highly rated by other patients. These ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on Zocdoc, theyre invited to review their experience. Each review must comply with Zocdocs guidelines.

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Uchicago Medicine And Uwmadison Researchers Show Getting More Sleep Reduces Caloric Intake Game Changer For Weight Loss Programs

Note: This is a modified version of the original news release, changed with permission from the University of Chicago Medicine, the lead institution on the project.

A new study about how sleep affects caloric intake could change how people think about and approach weight loss. In a randomized clinical trial of 80 adults, a team of researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine and the University of WisconsinMadison found that overweight adults who increased their nightly sleep duration by about an hour reduced their daily caloric intake by an average of 270 calories, to the point where they were burning more calories than they were taking in overall.

The studys findings, published Feb. 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that young, overweight adults who habitually slept fewer than 6.5 hours a night were able to increase their sleep duration by an average of 1.2 hours per night after a personalized sleep hygiene counseling session. The sleep intervention, which was intended to extend time in bed duration to 8.5 hours, reduced participants overall caloric intake by an average of 270 calories per day compared to controls.

Most other studies on this topic in labs are short-lived, for a couple of days, and food intake is measured by how much participants consume from an offered diet, said Tasali. In our study, we only manipulated sleep, and had the participants eat whatever they wanted, with no food logging or anything else to track their nutrition by themselves.

Esra Tasali Md Director Sleep Research Center

Esra Tasali, MD is an internationally recognized expert in the study of sleep disturbances as they relate to metabolic diseases. She has made important contributions to our understanding of the mechanistic pathways linking reduced sleep duration and quality to increased risk of diabetes and obesity. Her innovative research has demonstrated that experimental reductions in sleep quality adversely affects glucose homeostasis and may increase the risk for diabetes. Her work also demonstrated that sleep duration is an important regulator of neuroendocrine hormones and energy metabolism in peripheral tissues. Additionally, Dr.Tasalis studies examine how the experimental laboratory findings could be translated into clinical practice in individuals with insufficient sleep and sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Her work has significantly contributed to our understanding of the links between sleep apnea and glucose metabolism. She has also demonstrated that healthy sleep habits can be successfully implemented in real life settings. Over the past decade, she has led as a principal investigator multidisciplinary research projects funded by the National Institute of Health to investigate the effects of sleep and sleep disorders on metabolic function.

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Obesity And Sleep Loss

Obesity and sleep restriction have become extremely common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a third of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night and more than a third of adults in the United States are obese. A 2013 Gallup poll found that U.S. adults sleep an average of 6.8 hours per night. Forty percent of adults report sleeping six hours or less.

Hanlon and colleagues designed the study to help understand how the endocannabinoid system connected short sleep with weight gain. Her team recruited 14 healthy men and women in their 20s as volunteers. The researchers monitored the subjects hunger and eating habits in two situations: one four-day stay in the Universitys Clinical Research Center, during which they spent 8.5 hours in bed each night , and another four-day stay when they spent only 4.5 hours in bed .

The participants ate identical meals three times a dayat 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Researchers measured levels of the hormone ghrelin, which boosts appetite, and leptin, which signals fullness, in their blood. Previous studies have linked high ghrelin and low leptin levels to reduced sleep time and increased appetite.

For the first time, however, they also measured blood levels of endocannabinoids. After a normal nights sleep, 2-AG levels were low in the morning. They peaked in the early afternoon, soon after lunchtime, then decreased.

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The Rush Approach To Sleep Disorders Care

The quality of your sleep has a big effect on your quality of life. From sleep apnea to restless legs to chronic insomnia, there are a number of disorders that can keep you from falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up feeling rested.

If you’re not getting the sleep you need, Rush specialists will find out why. And, they’ll make a personalized treatment plan that restores your restful sleep while taking your lifestyle and preferences into account. We offer in-person and telehealth appointments, and can schedule sleep tests quickly.

Our team includes board-certified sleep medicine specialists, pulmonologists and neurologists who work together to pinpoint your sleep issues and find the right solution for you. We offer many diagnostic and treatment options, including cognitive behavioral therapy, CPAP, sleep surgery and DISE-PAP.

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Why Choose Northwestern Medicine

The Northwestern Medicine Sleep Health Centers can diagnose and treat numerous sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, nocturnal behaviors disorders and narcolepsy.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you might be suffering from a sleep disorder:

• Heavy snoring followed by grunting
• Choking or gasping for breath during sleep
• Feeling tired or fatigued after sleeping
• Weight fluctuation and/or inability to lose weight
• Nodding off while driving
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• High blood pressure
• Frequent urination
• Depression or substance abuse

Our centers are staffed by neurology and pulmonary critical care physicians, board-certified or board-eligible sleep medicine specialists*, registered polysomnographic technologists, respiratory therapists specially trained in adult and pediatric sleep disorders that provide:

• Advanced diagnostic testing.
• Personalized attention from certified sleep specialists.
• Home-like amenities combined with modern technology put you at ease.
• Consistently high scores for overall patient satisfaction.
• Fast results shared with your primary care physician for follow-up and treatment.

Basic Sleep Research Program

The Basic Sleep Research Program consists of seven research laboratories that actively investigate a diverse range of basic science issues in sleep medicine: neurocognitive and cardiovascular impairments in various models of sleep disorders molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these impairments and genetic and epigenetic links to the morbidity and progression of sleep disorders, among others. Investigators in the program use state-of-the-art animal models to study sleep disorders in patients. They take a multidisciplinary approach integrating physiology, biochemistry, and cellular and molecular biology. The ultimate objective of the program is to contribute to the development of new diagnostic techniques and treatment methods that benefit patients suffering from sleep disorders.

Areas of Research Interest

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