Editor's Observations--November-December 2002 FDA Consumer

Sleep is a time when our body and brain shut down.

If you regularly doze off unintentionally during the day, you may need more than just a good night's sleep.

People need less sleep as they get older.

The answer to all of the above is False, according to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health.

Everyone feels sleepy at times. The amount of sleep needed each night varies from person to person. When allowed to sleep without restriction, the average time people sleep is just over eight hours. Some people need more, some less, according to the NCSDR.

About 40 million Americans experience sleep disorders, which include insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. Check out this issue's cover story, "How Well Are You Sleeping?" for the latest on treating these disorders.

The early 1950s were a time when families huddled around the television to watch shows starring their favorite TV families--Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Ricky and Lucy Ricardo, and Jim and Margaret Anderson. Hula-Hoops, transistor radios, Elvis, and drive-in movies were all the rage. Women, on TV at least, wore dresses, pearls and high heels around the house, and cooked dinner each night for their seemingly all-knowing husbands and well-behaved kids.

It also was a time of budding consumer awareness. An argument over whether soy flour was superior to wheat flour prompted the hiring 50 years ago of the FDA's first public affairs specialists. Today's PASs, like their predecessors, serve as key links between consumers and the agency whose mission it is to protect them. For more on the FDA's consumer education efforts, check out "Public Affairs Specialists: On the FDA's Front Line."

According to a 2000 report done by the United Nations, Americans spend $8 billion annually on cosmetics. Much of that is spent on lotions, creams, moisturizers and other products designed to help fight the effects of sunlight and aging on skin. Read about the FDA's efforts to determine if long-term sunlight exposure can affect the safety of chemicals registered for use in cosmetics and other products in our feature story titled "Sunning for Science: The Effects of Common Substances on Sun-Exposed Skin."

Volunteers dubbed the "Poison Squad" played a key role in the development of food safety standards at the turn of the last century. Read about their leader, Harvey W. Wiley, M.D., considered by many to be the founding father of the FDA, and the special meals eaten by the volunteers.

And, just in time for holiday leftovers, we take a look at plastic wrap and its use in microwave ovens. We also ask FDA experts about one of the latest fads spreading across America--oxygen bars--and provide tips for making wise choices when it comes to medicines.