Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

Crib protect by removal of bumpers: AAP

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended Tuesday that parents stop using all bumper pads in cribs because of the risks to infants. The academy previously warned only against pillow-like versions of these cushions attached to crib slats. Last month, Chicago banned the sale of all bumpers, and Maryland health officials proposed a statewide ban.

20 Oct 2011

Winter health and safety tips

Winter is a special time for celebration. It should also be a time for added caution if you or someone in your family is an older adult. It is the season for falls, slips on icy streets, and other dangers that can be especially harmful for older adults. "Something as simple as a fall can be devastating for older men and women," says Dr. Evelyn Granieri, director of the Division of Geriatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Hospital. "Before the cold weather arrives, it is important to prepare."

20 Oct 2011

PACBIS tool may help identify pre-surgical behaviors in parents, children

A clinical study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2011 highlighted a behavioral assessment tool that may help anesthesia providers identify pre-surgical behaviors in parents and children that lead to maladaptive behaviors in children after surgery.

19 Oct 2011

Research points to ineffective and incomplete drug education as factor in heroin initiation

Researchers found Chicago area suburban heroin users have little knowledge about the drug and its effects when they first use it, and they often substitute heroin after becoming addicted to prescription pain medications.

19 Oct 2011

American Academy of Pediatrics expands guidelines on safe sleep for babies

Since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended all babies should be placed on their backs to sleep in 1992, deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome have declined dramatically. But sleep-related deaths from other causes, including suffocation, entrapment and asphyxia, have increased.

19 Oct 2011

Link between breastfeeding and long-term sleep issues

While breastfed babies initially awaken more during the night for feedings, their sleep patterns -- falling asleep, staying asleep and total sleep time -- stabilize in later infancy and become comparable to non-breastfed babies, according to an abstract presented Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.

18 Oct 2011

Research reinforces need for sleeping awareness campaigns to reduce SIDS

New research reinforces the need for continued public education programs that encourage parents to place their infants to sleep in the supine (back) position in a safe crib or bassinet, to prevent an estimated 4,600 annual Sudden Unintended Infant Deaths (SUID), of which 50 percent are classified as Sudden Death Syndrome.

18 Oct 2011

Circadian disruption and sleep restriction increase risk of MS in teens

Researchers from Sweden have uncovered an association between shift work and increased risk of multiple sclerosis. Those who engage in off-hour employment before the age of 20 may be at risk for MS due to a disruption in their circadian rhythm and sleep pattern. Findings of this novel study appear today in Annals of Neurology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society.

18 Oct 2011

Give children a chance to have unstructured play

The temptation to rely on media screens to entertain babies and toddlers is more appealing than ever, with screens surrounding families at home, in the car, and even at the grocery store. And there is no shortage of media products and programming targeted to little ones. But a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says there are better ways to help children learn at this critical age.

18 Oct 2011

VIVUS announces Qnexa NDA resubmission for treatment of obesity

VIVUS, Inc. today announced that the company has resubmitted the New Drug Application (NDA) for Qnexa to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

18 Oct 2011

Study investigates link between alcohol consumption and hospitalized injury

A new study has investigated the linkages between alcohol consumption and hospitalized injury. Heavy drinkers face higher injury risks than most people when sober; conversely, their injury risk rises less when alcohol positive.

15 Oct 2011

Different molecular mechanisms in suprachiasmatic nucleus linked to jet lag differences

It's no secret that long-distance, west-to-east air travel - Seattle to Paris, for example - can raise havoc with a person's sleep and waking patterns, and that the effects are substantially less pronounced when traveling in the opposite direction.

14 Oct 2011

AiC: Health Research receives U.S. Army grant for neuroimaging studies of human performance

The Arlington Innovation Center: Health Research (AiC: Health Research), of Virginia Tech's National Capital Region, has been awarded a $1.5 million cooperative research and development agreement from the U.S. Army for neuroimaging studies of human performance.

14 Oct 2011

Potential new protein target for sickle cell disease

National Institutes of Health-funded scientists have corrected sickle cell disease in adult laboratory mice by activating production of a special blood component normally produced before, but not after, birth.

14 Oct 2011

Tips to strengthen family connections

Combined with increasingly hectic work, school and extracurricular schedules, the advent of wireless technology has led to less quality time between parents and children. University of Missouri human development specialists say powering down digital devices is a vital step in maintaining family relationships and health.

14 Oct 2011

Autism Speaks announces 10 new research grants

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization, today announced the awarding of 10 new research grants totaling $1,782,934 in funding over the next three years. The selected studies will evaluate the effectiveness of a broad array of promising behavioral and medical treatments for core symptoms and associated medical issues in children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorders.

13 Oct 2011

October is designated as Lewy Body Dementia month

The month of October is designated as Lewy Body Dementia month. Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a degenerative brain disease that progressively impairs thinking and movement, while impacting behavior and sleep. Although it affects an estimated 1.3 million people in the U.S., LBD is under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated. It is most often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

13 Oct 2011

Restless legs syndrome linked to hypertension

Up to 15 percent of the population has restless legs syndrome. Restless legs syndrome is characterized by crawling sensations and repeated muscle twichings in one or both legs, and an uncontrollable urge to move them - which may compel a person to walk in circles for hours at night.

12 Oct 2011

ACR celebrates World Arthritis Day with the theme 'Move to Improve'

The American College of Rheumatology joins organizations from around the world in celebrating World Arthritis Day. Held every year on October 12, this year's theme is "Move to Improve" - focusing on using physical activity to combat arthritis and rheumatic diseases - such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout and psoriatic arthritis.

12 Oct 2011

Viewpoints: The value of testing for prostate cancer; rewards for transplant donors; Calif.'s medical marijuana problem

For men older than 50, a simple blood test to screen for prostate cancer is as much a part of annual physicals as weigh-ins and stethoscopes. The PSA test is painless, inexpensive and the only way to detect the disease - the most common male cancer - before symptoms turn up.

12 Oct 2011