Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

Study links excessive screen time to psychological distress in adolescents

Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day engaged in sedentary behaviors – including playing video games, reading for leisure or spending a lot of time distracted by screens – have a higher risk of facing psychological distress in the future, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

21 Feb 2025

Olive oil prevents weight gain while butter and margarine add pounds, study finds

A long-term study of 121,119 participants found that increasing olive oil intake was associated with less weight gain over time, while consuming margarine, butter, and vegetable oils led to greater weight gain.

20 Feb 2025

An avocado a day won’t fix heart health, but it boosts diet and sleep

A randomized controlled trial found that daily avocado consumption for 26 weeks did not significantly improve overall cardiovascular health (LE8 score) but did enhance diet quality, sleep health, and blood lipids.

20 Feb 2025

Blood pressure medication amlodipine shows promise in treating ADHD symptoms

Repurposing amlodipine, a commonly used blood pressure medicine, could help manage attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, according to an international study involving the University of Surrey.

20 Feb 2025

International panel recommends avoiding spine injections for chronic pain

Spine injections should not be given to adults with chronic back pain because they provide little or no pain relief compared with sham injections, say a panel of international experts in The BMJ today.

20 Feb 2025

Study links screen time to increased risk of manic symptoms in preteens

Preteens who spend more time on screens are more likely to develop manic symptoms years two-years later, according to a new study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

20 Feb 2025

Blocking mobile internet for two weeks improves mental health and well-being

Today, nearly every American - 91% - owns a cellphone that can access the internet, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2011, only about one-third did. Another study finds they average 5 hours and 16 minutes a day staring at small screens.

19 Feb 2025

More screen time, more stress? Study links device use to teen mental health

Research shows that excessive screen time contributes to stress and depression in adolescents, highlighting the need for balanced digital habits and exercise.

19 Feb 2025

Drinking more water may lower heart disease risk, but too much coffee and tea could raise it

Drinking water may help reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, while excessive coffee and tea intake (≥6 cups/day) increases the likelihood of CVD, with stronger effects in women.

19 Feb 2025

SwRI develops computational method to track brain cell development

A team led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) developed a computational method to improve techniques to track brain cell development over time.

18 Feb 2025

New review maps the impact of reproductive hormones on neurological health

A comprehensive review published today in Brain Medicine by leading neuroendocrinologist Professor Hyman M. Schipper from McGill University's Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery maps out the extensive influence of reproductive hormones on neurological health and disease.

18 Feb 2025

Do probiotics enhance sports performance?

Researchers found that probiotics may enhance endurance, recovery, and immune function in athletes, but the evidence for strength and power performance remains limited.

17 Feb 2025

NIDUS-Family care package reduces dementia support costs

The NIDUS-Family package of care uses goal setting to help people with dementia live well at home for longer.

17 Feb 2025

Internal body clock influences eating habits of obese teens

Researchers found that teens with obesity ate more later in the day than their peers of healthy weight, and that their eating behaviors were strongly influenced by their internal body clock.

17 Feb 2025

New AI hub for healthcare and neuromodulation set to launch in Geneva

The University hospitals of Geneva (HUG), the Department of Health and Mobilities (DSM) of the Canton of Geneva and the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuro Engineering enter into a three-party agreement to create an artificial intelligence (AI) reference hub for healthcare and neuromodulation with its inauguration set for the second half of the year.

17 Feb 2025

Prozac's surprising immune-boosting effects could lead to new treatments for sepsis

Antidepressants like Prozac are commonly prescribed to treat mental health disorders, but new research suggests they could also protect against serious infections and life-threatening sepsis.

14 Feb 2025

Study reveals key role of opsin 3 in regulating food intake and energy balance

Scientists discovered years ago that the hypothalamus - which helps to manage body temperature, hunger, sex drive, sleep and more - includes neurons that express the protein opsin 3 (OPN3).

14 Feb 2025

Cancer survivors with pain more likely to use non-opioid substances

Experiencing pain may increase the odds that cancer survivors will use cigarettes and cannabis, according to a recent study published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

14 Feb 2025

How immune cells and neurons secretly shape brain health, behavior, and disease

Scientists explore how the immune and nervous systems constantly communicate, influencing brain diseases, behavior, and repair while shaping responses to environmental factors like sleep, diet, and pollution.

13 Feb 2025

Epidural steroid injections may offer modest short-term pain relief for some back pain

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has developed a new systematic review to summarize for neurologists and other clinicians the evidence for epidural steroid injections and whether they reduce pain and disability for people with certain kinds of chronic back pain.

13 Feb 2025