Big Sleep Show to Return to Chicago in 2009 Under The Auspices of the National Sleep Foundation in Collaboration With NBC Television and its Healthy Lifestyle Expo.

    GURNEE, IL, May 9, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ - NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION ACQUIRES THE BIG SLEEP SHOW
Will Partner with NBC-Chicago's Healthy Lifestyle Expo on March 21-22, 2009

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is pleased to announce its acquisition of The Big Sleep Show, the first-ever consumer health event solely devoted to sleep and alertness, which debuted last year in Chicago. In collaboration with NBC television and its popular, regional health event, the Healthy Lifestyle Expo, NSF will launch "The National Sleep Foundation's Big Sleep Show" at Chicago's Navy Pier on Saturday-Sunday, March 21-22, 2009.
Supported by NBC-Chicago's (WMAQ-5) on-air personalities and the station's extensive multi-media outreach, more than 45,000 Expo attendees will have the opportunity to learn about sleep and its connection to a healthier, more productive lifestyle. As the first of its kind at the NBC event, The National Sleep Foundation's Big Sleep Show offers 10,000+ sq. ft. of exhibit/demo space with direct access to a wide array of expert sleep information, free sleep disorder and health screenings, product samplings and informative seminars.
"Sleep is as important as nutrition and exercise," said National Sleep Foundation CEO, David Cloud. "Our Big Sleep Show will provide an ideal forum for consumers, health care providers and manufacturers to share information about the role of good sleep and alertness for better health, safety, productivity and wellness," Cloud added.
The NBC Healthy Lifestyle Expos are held in more than a dozen major U.S. cities throughout the year, and the National Sleep Foundation is enthusiastic about the potential of the National Sleep Foundation's Big Sleep Show to reach hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Dr Ira L Shapira gave lectures AT THE FIRST BIG SLEEP SHOW IN 2008 on Dental Sleep Medicine and how oral appliances offer comfortable alternatives to CPAP. Sleep Apnea is a disease that often has devestating effects including a six-fold increase in heart attacks and strokes. Untreated sleep apnea can accelerate many diseases and conditions of aging including short term memory loss. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are associated with Sleep Apnea. Dr Shapira was a frequent lecturer at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) and has a chapter in a medical textbook on Anti-Aging Dentistry. CPAP is considered the gold standard of treatment for sleep apnea and is very effective. Unfortunately less than half of the patients who are prescribed CPAP use it on a regular basis. Oral appliances are a comfortable and effective alternatives to CPAP. The National Sleep Foundation has declared that oral appliances are a therapy whose time has come. Dr Ira Shapira is a pioneer of Dental Sleep Medicine who has helped nurture the growth of Dental Sleep Medicine. He did research in the 1980's at Rush medical School's sleep center on the relation of jaw position to sleep apnea. His research showed similarites between the jaw position of sleep apnea patients and TMJ disorder patients. He was a charter and credentialed member of the Sleep Disorder Dental Society which later became the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Dr Shapira is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and a founing member of DOSA, The Dental Organization for Sleep Apnea. He currently teaches several courses a year on Dental Sleep Medicine to dentists. Dr Shapira is the Dental Section Editor of Sleep and Health Journal and he has had several articles on dental sleep meicine published in that journal. Dr Shapira lectured on numerous occasions on Anti-Aging Dentistry at A4M, The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. One lecture was published as a chapter in a textbook on Anti-Aging Medicine.

Dr Shapira founded I HATE CPAP! LLC to promote the concepts of Dental Sleep Medicine across the United States and Canada. The website http://www.ihatecpap.com has received millions and millions of hits and thousands of unique visitors weekly looking for information on sleep apnea and alternatives to CPAP used to treat sleep apnea. The find a dentist section of ihatecpap.com helps link patients seeking treatment with qualified sleep apnea dentists. Patients who are sick and tired of cpap or just looking for a more comfortable alternative to CPAP can find help at the website. The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) also has a listing of sleep apnea dentists.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has accepted oral appliances as a first line treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea and as an alternative treatment for severe apnea in patients who do not tolerate CPAP. Research has shown that less than half of all patients prescribed CPAP actually use it. Even the patients who use CPAP average only 4-5 hours of nightly use not the recommended 7 1/2 hour a night.

Dr Shapira works with Sleep labs across Chicagoland and Southern Wisconsin and has served as a consultant to numerous sleep labs. He practices with his partner in Gurnee at Delany Dental Care Ltd. He recently founded Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates and will be providing treatment of sleep apnea in offices across Chicagoland. There are currently offices in Skokie in the Dental office of Dr Alan Acierno, in Skokie at American Sleep Medicine and in Bannockburn at Sleep and Behavioal Medicine. His titration protocols for oral appliance therapy are used at sleep labs across the country. Information is available at http://www.ihatecpap.com or BY TOLL FREE PHONE at 1-8-NO-PAP-MASK

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports the use of oral appliances as a first line treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea. They also state that doctors practicing dental sleep medicine should be experienced in treating TMJ disorders and occlusal problems. Dr Shapira is a Regent and Fellow of the International College of CranioMandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO), a Diplomate of the Academy of Pain Management (AAPM), a representative to the TMD alliance that represents the most important groups involved in treating TMJ disorders, and is a member of the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain and The American Equilibration Society. He is well known throughout Chicagoland for treatment of TMJ disorders.

Dr Shapira also holds several patents on methods and devices for collection of bone marrow and Stem cells from the jaws and other
areas of the body. His devices are intended to change the practice of oral surgery by allowing early minimally invasive removal of wisdom teeth at a young age while collecting high quality stem cells that he hopes will serve in the development of a vaccine against aging.

Dr Shapira will be available at the Big Sleep Show in Chicago to discuss many of these issues.

Dr Ira L Shapira is an author and section editor of Sleep and Health, President of I HATE CPAP LLC, President Dato-TECH, and has a Dental Practice with his partner Dr Mark Amidei. He has recently formed Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates. He is a Regent of ICCMO and its representative to the TMD Alliance, He was a founding and certified member of the Sleep Disorder Dental Society which became the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, A founding member of DOSA the Dental Organization for Sleep Apnea. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, A Diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management, a graduate of LVI. He is a former assistant professor at Rush Medical Schools Sleep Service where he worked with Dr Rosalind Cartwright who is a founder of Sleep Medicine and Dental Sleep Medicine. Dr Shapira is a consultant to numerous sleep centers and teaches courses in Dental Sleep Medicine in his office to doctors from around the U.S. He is the Founder of I HATE CPAP LLC and http://www.ihatecpap.com Dr Shapira also holds several patents on methods and devices for the prophylactic minimally invasive early removal of wisdom teeth and collection of bone marrow and stem cells. Dr Shapira is a licensed general dentist in Illinois and Wisconsin.

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