Drowsiness News and Research

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American Thoracic Society releases recommendations on achieving good quality sleep

The American Thoracic Society has released a policy statement with recommendations for clinicians and the general public on achieving good quality sleep and getting an adequate quantity of sleep.

15 Jun 2015

New evidence-based protocol to treat severe pain in emergency department patients

Simply asking the question, "Do you want more pain medication?" resulted in satisfactory pain control in 99 percent of emergency department patients participating in a study.

15 Jun 2015

Danish nasal filter prevents pollen inhalation, reduces symptoms of hay fever

Getting through the pollen season can now become easier for some of the approximately 500 million people worldwide who suffer from sneezing and a runny nose, watery eyes and drowsiness during the allergy season (seasonal allergic rhinitis).

10 Jun 2015

Obesity and depression play role in excessive daytime sleepiness

Obesity and depression -- not only lack of sleep -- are underlying causes for regular drowsiness, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. They say these findings could lead to more personalized sleep medicine for those with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).

8 May 2015

Findings could help design tailor-made drugs to treat blood pressure

One in three Americans has high blood pressure, a long-term constriction of arteries that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke.

25 Apr 2015

French clinicians diagnose first case of rabies since 2003

A team of French clinicians has diagnosed the first case of rabies in that country since 2003. Only 20 cases of human rabies had been diagnosed in France between 1970 and 2003. Moreover, the patient was unaware of having been bitten.

22 Apr 2015

Obstructive sleep apnea increases risk of motor vehicle accidents

A new study finds that obstructive sleep apnea is associated with a significantly increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, and this risk is reduced when sleep apnea is treated effectively using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

11 Mar 2015

Study findings question benefit of giving sedatives before surgery for patients under general anesthesia

Although sedatives are often administered before surgery, a randomized trial finds that among patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, receiving the sedative lorazepam before surgery, compared with placebo or no premedication, did not improve the self-reported patient experience the day after surgery, but was associated with longer time till removal off a breathing tube (extubation) and a lower rate of early cognitive recovery, according to a study in the March 3 issue of JAMA.

4 Mar 2015

UBMD physician discusses the dangers of hypothermia

The arctic cold snap affecting the Midwest and the Northeast this weekend should not be taken lightly, says David Holmes, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine in the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

17 Feb 2015

Household rules, regular sleep-wake routines improve sleep in children

Children obtain better and more age-appropriate sleep in the presence of household rules and regular sleep-wake routines, according to sleep researchers.

27 Jan 2015

Three tips to maintain regular sleep schedule

Does your holiday wish list include getting more sleep? With an increase in parties and get-togethers, increased food and alcohol consumption and a general disruption of normal routines, the month of December can be exhausting.

23 Dec 2014

Researchers take major step in fight against sleeping sickness

Researchers from Aarhus University have taken an important step in the fight against sleeping sickness, a disease that is a major problem in parts of Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the disease threatens approximately 60 million people and the treatment options are poor.

24 Nov 2014

MGH investigators develop system to accurately track the process of falling asleep

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have developed a system to accurately track the dynamic process of falling asleep, something has not been possible with existing techniques. In their report in the October issue of the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology, the research team describes how combining key physiologic measurements with a behavioral task that does not interfere with sleep onset gives a better picture of the gradual process of falling asleep.

21 Nov 2014

Laundry detergent pods are dangerous for young children

Laundry detergent pods began appearing on U.S. store shelves in early 2010, and people have used them in growing numbers ever since. The small packets can be tossed into a washing machine without ever having to measure out a liquid or powder. The convenience, though, has come with risks for young children.

11 Nov 2014

Cannabis use during adolescence: an interview with Dr Edmund Silins

We know quite a lot about the effects of cannabis on the body and brain but there is still a need to better understand its impact on the health, well-being and development of long term users.

20 Oct 2014

NIH-funded study explores how thalamic reticular nucleus influences consciousness

Ever wonder why it's hard to focus after a bad night's sleep? Using mice and flashes of light, scientists show that just a few nerve cells in the brain may control the switch between internal thoughts and external distractions.

16 Aug 2014

Study of twins shows that genetic variant provides greater resistance to effects of sleep deprivation

Researchers who studied 100 twin pairs have identified a gene mutation that may allow the carrier to function normally on less than six hours of sleep per night. The genetic variant also appears to provide greater resistance to the effects of sleep deprivation.

1 Aug 2014

GSK begins shipment of flu vaccines to U.S. for the upcoming 2014-15 season

GSK announced today it has begun shipping FLUARIX QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) doses to U.S. healthcare providers. This is the first shipment of GSK’s U.S. flu vaccine supply for the flu season, following licensing and lot-release approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

17 Jul 2014

Chronic sleep loss can cause certain neurotoxic molecules to permeate into brain tissue

The longer the insomnia, junctions of cerebral blood vessels begin to degrade. In search of the answer to why do we sleep, research conducted at the Mexican Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM) revealed that chronic sleep loss can cause certain neurotoxic molecules, which normally circulate in the blood, to be transported to the central nervous system and interfere with the function of neurons.

10 Jun 2014

Researchers develop new way to detect drowsy drivers

Researchers at Washington State University Spokane have developed a new way to detect when drivers are about to nod off behind the wheel.

25 Apr 2014