Sleep

Sleep is a physiological behavior that is common in all animal species. It forms around one third of a human life. It is not known clearly the exact functions of sleep but it seems to be essential for survival as prolonged sleep deprivation leads to severe physical impairment followed by cognitive loss and eventually death.

How Morning Routines Influence Cognitive Performance, Mood, and Circadian Rhythm

How simple, evidence-based morning habits recalibrate the circadian system to sharpen cognition, stabilize mood, and support long-term mental health.

What is Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD)?

What is the Role of Melatonin in Sleep Regulation?

Sleep Hygiene

Effect of Sleep on Your Emotions

A Guide to Managing Sleep Disorders

How Long should my Child Sleep for?

What is Sleep?

Is Daytime Napping in Adults Good or Bad?

Shift Work Sleep Disorder

What is Sleep Regression?

Spoon Test for Sleep Deprivation

See more featured articles »

Why Do We Dream?

Function of Sleep

Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors

How Long Should My Teenager Sleep For?

A Guide to Healthy Sleep Positions

The DEC2 Gene and Sleep

REM Sleep Activity

Neuroscience of Sleep

Promoting Sounder Sleep in Older Adults

Importance of Sleep

How Does Sleep Affect Your Immunity?

Brain Activity During Sleep

Does Your Alarm Sound Affect Your Mood?

Sleep Onset Mechanics: Understanding the Transition from Wakefulness to Slumber

Nutritional Effects on Sleep

Why Do We Sleep?

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Stages of Sleep

How Much Sleep do People Need?

The Health Risks of Oversleeping

Can too much sleep be dangerous?

Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD) Management

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

Role of Sleep in Memory Consolidation

Causes of Sleep Deprivation

Hypnotics and Sleep

What is the Circadian Rhythm?

How Can Sleep Affect Men's Health?

Types of Sleep Disorders

Could Humans Ever Hibernate?

How Does Pain Affect Your Sleep?

History of Sleep

Stimulants and Sleep

Ghrelin and Sleep

Tips on Getting to Sleep

Sleep and Yoga

How Can Mindfulness Meditation Improve Sleep?

What Does Polysomnography Involve?

Causes of Nocturnal Awakenings

Management of Sleep Deprivation

The Importance of Having a Good Night’s Sleep

Health Effects of Poor Sleep - Quantity and Quality

Regulation of Sleep

How to Catch up on Lost Sleep

Sleep and Hormones

Sleep Deprivation - Inadequate Quantity of Sleep

Latest Sleep News and Research

Study identifies three distinct BMI trajectories among people with type 2 diabetes

A recent study by the University of Eastern Finland identified three distinct body mass index (BMI) trajectories among people with type 2 diabetes.

1 Sep 2026

Study links human gut bacteria to levels of key chemicals in the brain

The neuroactive potential of bacteria living in the human gut is associated with levels of key chemicals in the brain, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Roehampton.

1 Sep 2026

Early baby swimming linked to a small IQ advantage by preschool age

A prospective cohort study of 1,935 mother-child pairs examined whether baby swimming during the first 6 months of life was associated with IQ and cognitive performance at ages 4 to 6 years. Swimming participation was associated with modestly higher scores across several cognitive domains, but the researchers cautioned that the observational findings cannot establish causation and may partly reflect socioeconomic and family-level differences.

1 Sep 2026

Breastmilk from cannabis users showed differences, but cannabis may not be the whole story

A narrative review found that maternal cannabis use may be associated with differences in breastmilk fat, protein, lactose, and the immune factor secretory immunoglobulin A, but evidence comes primarily from only two human studies and remains limited and inconsistent. The authors stress that maternal diet, food security, socioeconomic circumstances, and other forms of adversity could confound these associations and should be incorporated into future research.

31 Aug 2026

Night owls face tougher work-life balance and higher mental risks

Balancing work and personal life is more challenging for evening types, or "night owls", than for morning types, or "early birds".

31 Aug 2026

A personalized elimination diet changed the gut microbiome in people with migraine

In a 12-week randomized, sham-controlled trial of 98 adults with migraine, eliminating IgG-positive foods altered gut microbial composition and produced a greater reduction in serum zonulin than a sham elimination diet. The microbial changes were associated with previously reported reductions in CGRP and IL-6 and improvements in migraine and sleep, although the authors emphasized that these mechanistic links remain exploratory.

31 Aug 2026

People with diabetes may have another reason to protect their cardiovascular health

Better cardiovascular health, measured using Life’s Essential 8, was associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment among people with diabetes after accounting for genetic susceptibility. Associations with dementia varied by genetic risk, while higher LE8 scores were also linked to greater gray matter volume and lower white matter hyperintensity volume.

30 Aug 2026

Updated consensus offers new roadmap for childhood bedwetting care

Nocturnal enuresis (NE) in school-age children is more than a nighttime inconvenience: when persistent, it can affect self-esteem, sleep, family life and social functioning.

28 Aug 2026

Digital technologies reshape clinical research and public health

JMIR Publications this week released seven feature News and Perspectives articles covering how digital tools are transforming clinical research, public health readiness, health care institutions, and consumer choices.

28 Aug 2026

Theta rhythms guide the brain’s memory selection during sleep

Why do we remember certain moments while forgetting others? Every day, our minds are bombarded with thousands of pieces of information, yet our brains have a limited capacity to consolidate these experiences into lasting memories.

27 Aug 2026

New stroke guideline mandates personalized and early rehabilitation

A stroke can change life in an instant, affecting everything from walking and speaking to memory, mood and the ability to perform everyday tasks.

27 Aug 2026

Can caffeine make you mentally sharper in the morning? This study tested the idea

In a controlled crossover study of 51 recreationally active young men with low habitual caffeine intake, researchers tested whether 300 mg of caffeine taken about an hour before morning testing affected cognition, mood, temperature, appetite, and related outcomes, with reactive agility assessed in 27 participants. Caffeine did not improve cognitive or reactive agility performance or meaningfully alter mood, tiredness, appetite, or thermoregulation under the study conditions.

27 Aug 2026

Wearable device detects hidden hormone patterns behind high blood pressure

A common but often overlooked cause of high blood pressure may be hiding in plain sight – and data from a pioneering wearable device could hold the key to its earlier diagnosis, according to new research.

26 Aug 2026

Specific brain regions found more vulnerable to dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is one of the most common forms of dementia in older adults, after Alzheimer's disease.

26 Aug 2026

New review challenges the eight-hour ancestral sleep myth

Everyone knows the number. Eight hours. It sits on wellness dashboards, on pediatric handouts, on the label of the melatonin bottle in the medicine cabinet.

25 Aug 2026

Short workouts or naps protect memory after sleep deprivation

A short workout or a nap can help protect memory after a sleepless night, a McGill University-led study has found.

24 Aug 2026

A childhood shaped by sugar rationing was linked to mental health more than 50 years later

UK Biobank researchers examined whether sugar rationing during pregnancy and the first two years of life was associated with adult sweet-food preferences, sugar intake, brain structure, anxiety, and depression.

23 Aug 2026

True Grit residential program helps injured youth navigate adult life

Transitioning from high school to adult life is a challenge for anyone, but for young people living with spinal cord injuries, the path forward is less clear.

21 Aug 2026

Study links past COVID infection to stronger breathing response after brief arousals from sleep

COVID-19 can leave behind fatigue, breathing difficulties and neurological symptoms that persist long after the initial infection.

21 Aug 2026

Wake-activated brain circuits reveal what drives the urge to sleep

Researchers identified wake-activated neurons in the median raphe and anterior medial preoptic area that track sleep pressure and help regulate when and how deeply mice sleep. Manipulating these circuits altered NREM sleep, sleep-pressure accumulation, and rebound sleep, revealing key neural mechanisms underlying mammalian sleep homeostasis.

20 Aug 2026