Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

The Leopoldina Annual Assembly 2019 focuses on 'Time in Nature and Culture'

Time is a primordial human experience, and yet it remains a mystery. It is an inherent part of our daily lives and of almost every scientific discipline.

20 Sep 2019

Knowing when and how to taper off opioid dosage crucial to safe pain management

Many healthcare providers today try to avoid administering or prescribing opioid pain medications when possible because of the narcotics' addictive properties. But for some patients, opioid medications remain the most effective, most appropriate treatment for their subjective pain complaints.

20 Sep 2019

Cardiovascular surgeons heal a patient’s aortic dissection

When James Inman, 59, first experienced chest pain one night, he tried to brush it off and go back to sleep. But the pain became unbearable and Inman felt like something was wrong, so he called 911.

19 Sep 2019

Doctors and nurses with addictions often denied a crucial recovery option

Dr. Wesley Boyd, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard, has spent years working with state programs that help doctors, nurses and other health care workers who have become addicted to opioids get back on their feet professionally.

19 Sep 2019

AAN recommends assessment of people aged 65 and older for memory problems

People with mild cognitive impairment have thinking and memory problems but usually do not know it because such problems are not severe enough to affect their daily activities.

19 Sep 2019

Cannabidiol may alleviate seizures and normalize brain rhythms in Angelman syndrome

A marijuana plant extract, also known as cannabidiol, is being commonly used to improve anxiety, sleep problems, pain, and many other neurological conditions.

18 Sep 2019

Anti-cancer effects of lycopene in tomatoes canceled out by iron-rich foods

Tomatoes have proven cancer-fighting properties, but new research suggests that eating them with iron-rich meats can destroy this effect.

18 Sep 2019

Human sleep rhythm is much older than previously believed, Javan slow loris study reveals

People typically sleep seven to eight hours in one stretch and stay awake for the rest of the day. Evolutionary scientists have assumed that this rhythm of sleep arose when our early ancestors went from being nocturnal to diurnal, but a new study of the Javan slow loris indicates that the human way of sleeping is much older.

18 Sep 2019

Sleep studies may be an unreliable predictor for treatment of children with sleep apnea

Pediatricians routinely advise parents of children who snore regularly and have sleepiness, fatigue or other symptoms consistent with sleep disordered breathing, to get a sleep study; this can help determine whether their child has obstructive sleep apnea, which is often treated with surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids (adenotonsillectomy).

18 Sep 2019

Longtime crusader against Oxycontin begins to see the fruits of her struggle

In the 15 years since she lost her son to a single OxyContin pill, Barbara Van Rooyan has had but one up-close look at the people representing the company that made it.

17 Sep 2019

Obesity stigma and yo-yo dieting, not BMI, are behind chronic health conditions, dietitian claims

In a recent New York Times opinion column, dietitian Christy Harrison, an "intuitive eating coach" and author, responded to a fellow clinician who had questioned some of her thoughts on the link between being overweight and developing other medical conditions.

17 Sep 2019

ACA and chiropractors encourage people to take steps for better musculoskeletal health

The American Chiropractic Association and chiropractors nationwide are encouraging the public to take steps to better musculoskeletal health during National Chiropractic Health Month this October.

17 Sep 2019

Study: Teen girls who stay up late are more likely to gain weight

Teen girls--but not boys--who prefer to go to bed later are more likely to gain weight, compared to same-age girls who go to bed earlier, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

17 Sep 2019

Positive childhood experiences can negate harmful health effects in traumatized children

New research shows just how important positive childhood experiences are for our long-term health -- especially for those who experience significant adversity as a child.

17 Sep 2019

Brain activity intensity appears to increase our need for sleep

The intensity of brain activity during the day, notwithstanding how long we've been awake, appears to increase our need for sleep, according to a new UCL study in zebrafish.

16 Sep 2019

Sleep deprivation affects fat metabolism

We're all a little short on sleep during the work week. A new study adds to the mounting evidence about just how harmful lack of sleep can be.

16 Sep 2019

More severe OSA associated with higher blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension

In patients with high blood pressure resistant to treatment who also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the more severe their OSA, the higher their blood pressure, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

13 Sep 2019

Four reasons to prioritize family health and fitness

Many people think about ways to stay physically fit as individuals. But what about creating a health and fitness plan for the entire family?

12 Sep 2019

UMass Lowell expert aims to improve sleep of night-shift workers

A UMass Lowell expert on sleep is examining strategies to help night-shift workers get more restful shuteye, critical to preventing ill health effects.

11 Sep 2019

Afternoon sleeps lower heart attack risk

A new study has shown that people who nap during the day have a lower risk of getting heart attacks. According to the researchers, chronic lack of sleep can raise the risk of getting atherosclerosis or build-up of cholesterol plaques within the arteries of the body.

10 Sep 2019