Lack of Good Sleep Might Be Deadly

(HealthDay News) -- Two new studies suggest that chronic poor sleep can actually boost your odds for dying prematurely, while another study finds that more than half of older Americans aren't getting the recommended eight hours of slumber. Read more

Study shows evidence that the brain is reset during periods of sleep

A University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health found evidence that sleep allows synaptic downscaling, essentially resetting the brain to allow more growth and learning the next day. ... Continue Reading

Connection between causes of obesity and sleep apnea found

Three Johns Hopkins University studies found that three conditions linked to obesity are also associated with such sleep-disordered breathing conditions as sleep apnea. ... Continue Reading

To sleep... perchance to learn

Researchers may have found the reason why children who go to bed too late often fare badly at school: lack of sleep appears to disrupt functioning of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that formulates new memories. Reporting Sunday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School investigators recruited 28 volunteers, who were either randomly deprived of sleep for two days and a night before carrying out a test, or who were allowed to sleep normally. ... Continue Reading

Sleep May Help Kids Keep Slim

Eating right and being active are well-known ways to try to keep a child's weight in check, but a new study points to another potential weapon in the fight against childhood obesity -- sleep. Researchers at Northwestern University found that children who get more sleep tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height) and are less likely to be overweight five years later, than kids who get less sleep. ... Continue Reading

Inadequate sleep increases cold risk

Sleeping for less than seven hours each night significantly increases the odds of catching a cold, according to results of a recently published study. ... Continue Reading

Sleep deprivation linked to snacking

New research suggests that an early night may aid weight loss by curbing the urge to snack the next day. ... Continue Reading

Acting out dreams ups risk of brain disease

New research suggests that people who physically act out their dreams are at higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. ... Continue Reading

Insufficient sleep linked to hardening of arteries

New research has shown that people who do not get sufficient amounts of sleep each night are more likely to develop hardening of their arteries. ... Continue Reading

Cure for jet lag on horizon

Frequent flyers and shift workers could soon have a new lease of life after trial results have shown that the drug tasimelteon can reset the body’s natural sleep rhythm, thus raising hope of a cure for jet lag and shift work-induced insomnia. ... Continue Reading

Sleep vital to reap benefits of physical activity on cancer risk

New research shows that regular physical activity can dramatically reduce the risk of cancer as long as it is combined with adequate sleep ... Continue Reading

Economy troubles causing sleep problems

An online poll of UK Internet users has found that worries about the economy have led to a significant rise in sleep problems. ... Continue Reading

Lack of sleep may fuel degeneration of aging cells, study suggests

Sleep deprivation and disturbance in the elderly could exacerbate the impairment of aging of cells, new findings imply. ... Continue Reading

The 11 Kinds of Insomnia

You don't have to lie awake for hours past your bedtime to have insomnia. The condition manifests itself in several ways: trouble falling asleep (known as sleep-onset insomnia), staying asleep (sleep-maintaining insomnia), or waking up too early (early morning awakening). ... Continue Reading

Social isolation impacts upon mental and physical health

Social isolation has a significant impact upon mental and physical health, and should be classed among smoking and obesity as a major risk factor to health, according to the authors of a new book. ... Continue Reading

Daytime sleep linked to less functional recovery

Patients undergoing a spell of rehabilitation in a hospital or nursing home may demonstrate a decline in their functional recovery due to sleep at daytime, it has been claimed. ... Continue Reading

Sleep 'preserves memory'

A new study has revealed that sleep selectively preserves emotional memories, distinguishing them from background details. ... Continue Reading

Sleep apnea increases mortality risk

An 18-year study has discovered a link between sleep apnea and an increased risk of death. ... Continue Reading

Sleep and aging (Goldman)

Sleep patterns can be easily disrupted by anything from drinking too much caffeine, excessive body weight, breathing problems or even overeating before sleep. During sleep time large amounts of growth hormone are released to rejuvenate and refresh the mind and detox the body system. Not getting a good night sleep makes us less productive, our memory's weaker and elevates our stress levels. In this episode Dr Goldman gives us some good advice on how to get a good night's sleep and what to avoid which can disrupt it.

Body clock linked to metabolism

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have identified a molecular link between circadian rhythms and metabolism. ... Continue Reading