Dr. Martha Elizabeth Billings M.D.

Long-time actress and author Carrie Fisher will probably be best remembered as playing her iconic role of Princess Leia in George Lucas’s cult classic Star Wars. When news of her death reached the internet, fans of the beloved series were shocked and eager to find the cause, especially since her...

Among older males, less sleep is associated with low levels of testosterone, according to a recent study. Normally, the levels of the male hormone decreases with age, and in some men, this may result in a lack of energy or libido. Researchers noted that some men manage to maintain normal levels of...

Sleep apnea is a sleep breathing disorder. It is characterized by repetitive pauses in breathing, which may occur several times per hour and may last for 10 seconds. It is usually a chronic condition. It results in poor sleep quality and excessive sleepiness in daytime. The most common type is...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) refers to the persistent, extreme tiredness that is not caused by any underlying medical conditions, and affects the normal day-to-day activities. The fatigue in this case may continue for more than six months and may be accompanied by other symptoms, like joint pain....

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...

If a person has shallow breaths or has one or more pauses in breathing while he or she sleeps, then that may be because of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a kind of disorder when the upper airway is occasionally hampered during a person’s sleep. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood...