DARIEN, IL — The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates EnsoData on becoming the first company to achieve Full PSG Certification through the AASM Autoscoring Certification Program, with EnsoSleep Version 8.3 certified across all four scoring domains: sleep staging, arousals, respiratory events and periodic limb movements. The program independently evaluates autoscoring software performance against rigorous AASM standards using a large dataset of real-world polysomnography studies.

Certification was awarded to EnsoSleep Version 8.3, recognizing the software’s demonstrated performance across the complete PSG scoring process and supported home sleep apnea test applications.

“The AASM Autoscoring Certification Program was created to provide an independent, objective assessment of autoscoring software performance and to help sleep centers identify solutions they can trust,” said Steve Van Hout, executive director of the AASM. “We congratulate EnsoData on this important achievement and for becoming the first company to successfully complete certification across all four scoring domains.”

EnsoData previously participated in the AASM Sleep Stage Autoscoring Pilot Program, which helped inform the development of the current certification framework. The certification of EnsoSleep Version 8.3 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of independent performance validation for sleep technology and highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence and automation in sleep medicine.

“As autoscoring technology continues to become integrated into clinical workflows, independent validation is increasingly important,” said Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, president of the AASM. “Achievements such as this help advance transparency, innovation and confidence in technologies that support patient care.”

About the AASM Autoscoring Certification Program

The AASM Autoscoring Certification Program provides an independent, objective evaluation of autoscoring software used to analyze PSG records and HSAT results. The program helps sleep centers and clinicians identify software that has demonstrated performance comparable to expert human scorers while promoting innovation, transparency and quality within sleep medicine.

Individual domain autoscoring certification

Under AASM certification standards, individual domain certification enables companies to certify their software in one or more of these domains: sleep stage, arousals, respiratory events and leg movements. This modular approach expands the scope of eligibility beyond PSG-only software to include HSAT solutions.

Full PSG autoscoring certification

Software that successfully meets performance requirements for all four scoring parameters receives Full PSG Certification.

The AASM is currently accepting applications for the Autoscoring Certification Program. To be eligible, autoscoring software must have received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration or be in the submission process, and it must be capable of analyzing raw, unscored, full-night polysomnography records. Companies that achieve certification will receive a certificate, be permitted to use the autoscoring certification mark for promotional purposes and have their software recognized on the AASM website.

Learn more about the AASM Autoscoring Certification Program.

For industry applications and inquiries, contact certification@aasm.org.

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About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country.

DARIEN, IL – A new clinical practice guideline from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine establishes evidence-based recommendations for the management of shift work disorder in adults.

The guideline is published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine and is accompanied by a systematic review and meta-analysis examining behavioral, pharmacologic, and circadian-based interventions for shift work disorder, with outcomes relevant to both patients and clinicians.

Previous AASM practice parameters addressed circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders broadly and provided recommendations for commonly used interventions. The new guideline builds on this earlier work by applying a systematic, evidence-graded approach to evaluate the benefits and potential harms of treatments specifically for shift work disorder.

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution for shift work disorder,” said lead co-author Kenneth P. Wright, Jr., who has a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience and psychology and is a professor of distinction in integrative physiology and director of the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Our recommendations reflect the reality that patients have different schedules, symptoms, and constraints, and clinicians need flexible, evidence-based strategies to help them function safely and sleep effectively.”

Shift work disorder affects approximately 27% of adult shift workers and occurs when required work schedules overlap with an individual’s usual sleep timing for at least three months. The disorder is characterized by excessive sleepiness, sleep disturbance/insomnia, or both, resulting from circadian misalignment and insufficient sleep. Shift work disorder is commonly encountered in both primary care and sleep medicine settings.

The guideline emphasizes individualized treatment based on symptom profile, work schedule, and patient preferences. Key recommendations include:

• For excessive sleepiness: The guideline suggests the use of armodafinil or modafinil for adults with shift work disorder to improve alertness during night shifts, based on moderate-certainty of evidence. It also suggests the consideration of caffeine, bright light plus caffeine, and strategic naps and caffeine, as well as select circadian-based interventions such as scheduled bright light exposure or meal timing, recognizing that the certainty of evidence for these approaches is low, and benefits may vary across individuals.
• For insomnia symptoms: For patients with difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, the guideline suggests the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, melatonin or melatonin receptor agonists, and certain hypnotic agents to support sleep in relation to work schedules. The AASM suggests against the use of some hypnotic agents with unfavorable risk–benefit profiles, including some benzodiazepines.
• For circadian adaptation: To address circadian misalignment, the guideline suggests interventions such as timed bright light exposure, consistent sleep scheduling when feasible, and use of light-filtering strategies during the commute home, with the goal of better aligning the endogenous circadian system with required work hours.

The guideline also highlights the limited quality of evidence for many interventions and underscores the need for shared decision-making and further research.

To develop this guideline, the AASM commissioned a task force of experts in sleep and circadian medicine to systematically review the published literature and develop updated recommendations for the management of shift work disorder, taking into consideration the certainty of evidence, beneficial and harmful effects, patient values and preferences, and resource use. The draft guideline was posted for public comment, and the AASM board of directors approved the final recommendations.

This guideline was endorsed by the Australasian Sleep Association, Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada, Sleep Charity, Project Sleep, and the Sleep Health Foundation.

The co-authors of the guideline are Dr. Sabra M. Abbott; Dr. Liza Ashbrook; Christopher L. Drake, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology; Erin Flynn-Evans, who has a doctorate in health and medical sciences; Sarah Framnes-DeBoer, who has a master’s degree in biological sciences; Uzma Kazmi, who has a master’s degree in public health; Kelly Keeler, who has a master’s degree in biomedical sciences; Dr. Catherine McCall; Rebecca Morgan, who has a doctorate in health research methodology; Taylor Shaffer-Hodgeman, who has a master’s degree in biology; and Dr. Lynn Marie Trotti.

View more AASM clinical practice guidelines and learn more about the guideline development process.

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Wright has served in advisory and consulting roles for multiple industry organizations and has received industry research support. Drake has served on advisory boards, consulted for pharmaceutical companies, participated in industry-sponsored research and clinical trials, and served as a paid speaker for sleep-related therapeutics. Shaffer-Hodgeman is employed by the AASM, and Framnes-DeBoer, Kazmi and Keeler were employed by the AASM at the time of their work on this guideline. Morgan is a paid consultant for the AASM. Trotti serves on the AASM board of directors and the Guideline Advisory Panel. The remaining task force members reported no relevant conflicts of interest.

The guideline was published Oct. 24, 2026, in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country.

On Oct. 14, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shared important reminders about Quality Payment Program (QPP) deadlines, including those for exception applications and Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVP) registration.

Exception applications

The 2026 QPP exception applications remain available through Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET. Exception applications allow users to specify the reason for their inability to report data for one or more MIPS performance categories:

1. MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception Application
2. MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception Application

Individual clinicians, groups, and virtual groups (or third-party representatives) who meet the requirements for either exception are encouraged to request reweighing of one or more MIPS performance categories. Additional information and the exception applications can be found here.

MVP registration

The 2026 MVP registration period is open and will remain available through Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. ET. Individuals, groups, subgroups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) entities planning to report an MVP must register through the QPP website. Clinicians registered for an MVP may still choose to report traditional MIPS, and those who submit both will receive the higher of the two scores. CMS also reminds practices that beginning in 2026, groups reporting an MVP must attest to their specialty composition as part of the registration process.

How to register

• Sign in to QPP.
• Click Register or Edit an MVP registration from the landing page.
• Click your MVP reporting option.

Additional resources

• 2026 MVP Registration Guide (PDF, 2MB)
• 2026 MVPs Implementation Guide (PDF, 3MB)
• 2026 Explore MVPs

Members may send questions regarding QPP exception applications and/or MVP registration to quality@aasm.org.

DARIEN, IL — New research found a higher risk of perinatal depression in pregnant women with restless legs syndrome.

Results show that pregnant women with RLS were three times more likely to develop perinatal depression, which involves major depressive episodes during pregnancy or the months after childbirth. They were also two times more likely to develop depressive symptoms. The association was strongest when RLS occurred during the third trimester. The findings remained significant after accounting for factors including age, education, partner status, occupation, number of children, and whether the pregnancy was planned.

“We found that pregnant women with restless legs syndrome had about three times the risk of developing perinatal depression,” said first author Dr. Kazuhide Tezuka, a visiting researcher in the department of mental health at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine. “This association was seen for restless legs syndrome identified in the third trimester, but not in the second.”

The study was published Aug. 31 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Restless legs syndrome is a sleep-related movement disorder characterized by a strong, nearly irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by other uncomfortable sensations felt in the legs. These symptoms begin or worsen during periods of rest or inactivity, are temporarily or totally relieved by movement, and occur exclusively or predominantly in the evening or at night, making it difficult to fall asleep. A recent AASM survey found that 13% of Americans report having been diagnosed with RLS. Previous research also has shown that people with RLS experience depression and anxiety at four times the rate of the general U.S. population, and that RLS commonly occurs during pregnancy.

The study analyzed data from 2,435 pregnant women in Japan with an average age of 30.5 years. Participants completed screening questionnaires for RLS during the second and third trimesters, revealing that 40 women (1.6%) had RLS during the second trimester, and 60 women (3.5%) had RLS in the third trimester. Researchers also tracked major depressive episodes and symptoms through three months postpartum, during which 69 participants developed perinatal depression.

According to the authors, the findings suggest that screening for RLS during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, may help identify women at an elevated risk of perinatal depression and support earlier intervention.

“Because restless legs syndrome often develops later in pregnancy, asking about its symptoms again in the third trimester, not just at early prenatal visits, may help healthcare providers identify women at higher risk of perinatal depression,” said Tezuka.

The researchers noted that the prevalence of RLS was lower than expected, the number of depression cases among participants with RLS was small, that participants were self-selected volunteers, and that all measures were self-reported. They emphasized that further investigation is needed to determine whether treating RLS can reduce the risk of perinatal depression.

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The full title of the study is, “Time-varying restless legs syndrome and risk of incident perinatal depression.” To arrange an interview with Dr. Daisuke Nishi or an AASM spokesperson, please contact the AASM at 630-737-9700 or media@aasm.org.

The study was supported by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The funder had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or reporting.

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country.

The AASM has launched a new My Learning experience to help you more easily find and manage educational resources. The updated platform continues to provide the evidence-based resources you rely on while offering a more personalized experience.

The new My Learning features easier navigation and places the resources, tools, and information most relevant to you front and center. The streamlined experience makes it easier to navigate My Learning and manage your learning activities in one place.

When you first access the new My Learning, you will be guided through an onboarding process. Completing this optional process allows My Learning to tailor your experience to your needs and interests.

After onboarding, you can explore the updated platform and access the educational content and tools that support your professional development.

Whether you are earning CME credit, completing educational activities, or exploring new resources, the new My Learning experience helps you quickly connect with the content most relevant to your interests and practice. This personalized approach makes it easier to discover learning opportunities that support your ongoing professional development.

Log in to My Learning to complete onboarding and begin exploring the new platform today.

DARIEN, IL — New research suggests that a consumer smartwatch can help identify adults with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, offering a way to screen for a common sleep disorder that often goes undiagnosed.

Results show that the Samsung Galaxy Watch demonstrated high accuracy for detecting moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea among adults aged 22 and older. It correctly distinguished those with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea 94% of the time, with a 94% sensitivity and 67% specificity at its default setting. The device achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity among high-risk individuals with high hypoxic burden, a physiologic marker of low oxygen saturation in the blood.

“Our findings show that consumer smartwatches can make sleep apnea screening more accessible by identifying people at risk for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea,” said principal investigator Dr. Robson Capasso, professor of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery – at Stanford University. “These devices are not diagnostic, but by bringing validated screening into something people already wear every night, we may be able to identify risk earlier and shorten the path to evaluation and to low-risk, well-established therapies such as positive airway pressure and weight management.”

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, obstructive sleep apnea is a common and serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes restricted during sleep due to blockage of the upper airway. Untreated sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attacks, depression, and motor vehicle accidents.

The study was published Aug. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the official publication of the AASM. It involved 147 adults with an average age of 54 years. Participants had a prior diagnosis of moderate-to-severe sleep apnea or a high pre-test likelihood of having it. They wore a Galaxy Watch 6 for two nights during sleep studies at the Stanford Health Care Sleep Medicine Center and for three nights at home. The Sleep Apnea Feature of the Galaxy Watch was compared with the results of the overnight sleep studies.

“One of the important aspects of this study is that we validated the smartwatch across multiple nights and multiple sleep apnea measures, including apnea-hypopnea index and hypoxic burden,” said lead author Arash Alavi, who has a doctorate in computer science and is director of software engineering at Stanford University’s Deep Data Research Center. “That kind of rigorous validation is important for clinical screening.”

According to the authors, the findings demonstrate that consumer sleep wearables can serve as an effective screening tool to help identify individuals who may benefit from formal diagnostic testing. While wearable technology is not intended to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, it may help guide individuals toward timely evaluation and treatment.

Anyone who has signs of sleep apnea, such as habitual snoring and gasping or choking during sleep, should talk to a doctor or contact an AASM-accredited sleep center for help.

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The full title of the study is, “Smartwatch-based detection of moderate-to-severe and high-risk obstructive sleep apnea.” To arrange an interview with Dr. Robson Capasso or an AASM spokesperson, please contact the AASM at 630-737-9700 or media@aasm.org.

The authors disclosed that Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. provided financial support and material for this study, and the Stanford Sleep Center and the Stanford Center for Clinical Research assisted with the trial. The Stanford REDCap and Box platforms were operated by the Stanford Medicine Research IT team. Capasso also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for Restera Medical.

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country.

For many Americans, driving is an everyday necessity, but getting behind the wheel without enough sleep can have serious consequences. According to survey results from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 41% of adults say they have felt so sleepy while driving that it affected their ability to drive safely.

“Drowsy driving puts everyone on the road at risk,” said AASM President Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg. “It’s important to recognize the warning signs that you are too tired to drive. If you are yawning, drifting into other lanes, or nodding off, it’s time to pull over to get some sleep.”

Many of the adults who admitted to driving while sleepy have tried different strategies to keep themselves awake and alert behind the wheel:

• 65% drink coffee or a caffeinated beverage
• 59% open a window
• 52% turn up the volume on the radio
• 50% pull over to take a break (nap, walk, or go to the bathroom)
• 44% drink water
• 37% eat a snack
• 28% make a phone call
• 23% listen to an audiobook or podcast

“There is no strategy that can substitute for sufficient sleep,” added Abbasi-Feinberg. “A quick fix, like drinking coffee or a caffeinated beverage, may provide a temporary boost in alertness, but it cannot replace the restorative benefits of sleep. If you’re too sleepy, the safest choice is to stay off the road.”

Drowsiness affects drivers in different ways. Some drivers are less alert and reactive, while others have impaired judgement, making more frequent mistakes. Some may even slip into “microsleeps,” brief episodes where awareness drops out, potentially leading to a loss of vehicle control.

Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety underscores the scope of the problem. Drowsy driving is a factor in more than one in six crashes, which is nearly eight times higher than federal estimates, and contributes to more than 6,000 deaths each year. The danger begins well before a driver falls asleep.

“Drowsy driving isn’t limited to nodding off behind the wheel,” said Jake Nelson, director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research at AAA. “Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that driving after getting only four hours of sleep is associated with a crash risk comparable to driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08. Coffee, fresh air, or a loud radio may make you feel more alert temporarily, but they cannot replace sleep. If you become drowsy on the road, a 20- to 30-minute nap can help restore alertness for up to two hours. Before getting behind the wheel, ask yourself whether you’re truly rested enough to drive safely.”

Tips to prevent drowsy driving

In support of the National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week® (Nov. 1-7), the AASM recommends the following tips to help keep drivers safe on the road:

• Sleep for seven or more hours before driving. This is how long the AASM recommends adults sleep each night on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
• Avoid driving late at night. Drowsiness is more likely during the late-night and early-morning hours, so avoid driving during these times whenever possible.
• Avoid driving alone. If you must travel when you’re tired, having another person in the car can provide an extra set of eyes to help recognize the signs of drowsiness.
• When taking a long trip, share the driving with another passenger. On long road trips, take turns driving with a well-rested passenger so everyone has an opportunity to rest before getting behind the wheel.
• Pull over at a rest stop and take a nap. If you become drowsy while driving, pull over at a safe location and take a short nap rather than trying to push through the sleepiness.
• Arrange for someone to give you a ride home after working a late shift. If you’re too tired to drive safely after a late shift, arrange for a ride with someone who is well-rested or use another form of transportation.

For more information about sleep health, or to find a local AASM-accredited sleep center, visit sleepeducation.org. View 2025 AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey results in the AASM newsroom.

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About the Survey
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned an online survey of 2,007 adults in the U.S. The overall margin of error fell within +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between June 5-13, 2025, by Atomik Research, an independent market research agency.

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who help people who have sleep disorders. The AASM also accredits 2,300 sleep centers that are providing the highest quality of sleep care across the country.