Child Symptoms of ADHD & Sleep Loss Can Be Confused

Australian pediatric sleep expert Dr. Chris Seton recently told the Sydney Morning-Herald that it is very possible to confuse symptoms of ADHD with the effects of sleep deprivation in children.“A tired five-year-old and a five-year-old with ADHD can both act in the same way," he said. "There's probably a common pathway, but so far researchers have been unable to find what it is."Last year the

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

UCLA researcher Jerry Siegel addressed this common question earlier in the week.What’s the answer? One sleep size doesn’t fit all.“Some people naturally sleep six hours,” he wrote. “And others naturally sleep eight hours.”The better question is: Do you get enough sleep to remain alert and attentive during the day? And are you able to go to sleep and wake up without using alcohol, caffeine or

Chronic Insomnia: Less Brain Gray Matter in Older Adults

A new study from The Netherlands examined regional brain volume in people with insomnia.The study involved 24 adults with chronic primary insomnia. They were between the ages of 52 and 74 years. Seventeen of them were women. They were compared with 13 people who had no sleep problems.Results show that people with insomnia had a smaller volume of gray matter in the left orbitofrontal cortex.

How Does Yoga Help You Sleep?

Yesterday the Globe and Mail examined how yoga helps you sleep.Harvard assistant professor Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD, told the Globe and Mail that yoga helps reduce the stress that can hinder sleep.“With time and practice, the stress system begins to quiet down,” he said.What changes occur in the body during yoga? The NCCAM reports that it is unclear. But there is growing evidence that yoga enhances

Can Yoga Help You Sleep Better?

The show eightWest on WOOD TV8 in Grand Rapids, Mich., did a feature on “Yoga for Better Sleep.” The five-minute segment shows some yoga moves that can help you relax for bedtime.So can yoga really help you sleep better?Last year the Sleep Education Blog reported on a small study from Northwestern University. It involved 11 adults with chronic primary insomnia. Sleep improved for those who

Sleep Tips for New Parents

Today MarketWatch reporter Ruth Mantell described how working parents struggle to get enough sleep after the birth of a baby.“Caring for a newborn is tough on working parents, especially with limited corporate parental leave policies,” she wrote.She offered advice to help sleep-deprived parents. One tip was to develop a routine that involves a manageable feeding schedule."A tremendous amount of

How is Your Heart Health?

Last week the American Heart Association published its strategic impact goals for the next decade.By 2020 the AHA wants Americans to improve their heart health by 20 percent. It also wants to reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke by 20 percent.Preliminary data indicate that heart disease remained the leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2007. It caused 615,651 deaths.To reach its 2020

Sleep Deprivation & Teens

Recently WDTN TV, Channel 2, in Dayton, Ohio, reported on the problem of sleep deprivation in teens.Earlier this month the Sleep Education Blog reported on the link between sleep, depression and suicide in teens.Teens can get help for a sleep problem at an AASM-accredited sleep center. On SleepEducation.com you can learn more about teens and sleep loss. Check out the signs your teen needs

College Students & Parents: Sleeping in Different Time Zones

Earlier this week Michelle Slatalla wrote in the New York Times about how her sleep was disrupted when her two older daughters came home from college for winter break.The nocturnal habits that her daughters developed as teens had escalated. At 3 a.m. they texted, made phone calls, played video games and watched TV as if it were daytime.“It seems as if my husband and I live in a completely

Less Time to Sleep for Media-Savvy Children & Teens?

A new report shows that children and teens are spending more time using media for entertainment. This increase is driven in large part by access to mobile devices.The report was released by the Kaiser Family Foundation. It involved a 2009 survey of 2,002 students. They were in the 3rd to 12th grades. Their ages ranged from 8 to 18 years. The study covered TV, movies, computers, video games,

Secondhand Smoke & Sleep in Children with Asthma

A new study examined the relationship between sleep and exposure to secondhand smoke in children.The study involved 219 children with asthma. They were exposed regularly to tobacco smoke at home. Their sleep patterns were reported by their parents.Exposure to tobacco smoke was tested by measuring the levels of “cotinine” in their blood. Cotinine is a chemical that the body makes from

Gaines Adams’ Death: Heart Problems & Sleep Apnea in the NFL

The death of Chicago Bears player Gaines Adams has focused attention on heart problems in athletes. The 26-year-old Adams died Sunday morning. The coroner’s report indicates that he died from cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart.The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the hearts of healthy athletes tend to be bigger and thicker than normal. So it can be hard to determine if a heart problem is

Sleep Apnea & Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes

A new study examined obstructive sleep apnea and glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.The study involved 60 diabetic adults. They were monitored during an overnight sleep study. Blood samples measured glucose control.Results show that 77 percent of participants had sleep apnea. And increasing OSA severity was associated with worse glucose control."Reducing the severity of OSA may

Sleep, Exercise & Weight Gain

According to Reuters News, the results of a small study make a common-sense claim: Lack of sleep leads to lack of exercise, which leads to weight gain.Several studies have found that people who are not sleeping enough tend to gain weight. But a connection was never explained fully.Last year, the Sleep Education Blog reported that sleep deprivation causes changes in hormones that regulate your

Sleep Talking Man is the Talk of the Internet

Earlier this week The Telegraph reported that a sleep talking blog has become the latest sensation to sweep the Internet.Karen Slavick-Lennard said she was accustomed to hearing her husband Adam’s unusual comments. She even repeated them to friends for their amusement.Then she created a simple blog to share his latest quotes with others. Now the world has become his stage.The blog lists 3,650

Sleepless Nights for Army Wives

A new study examined how deployment affects the mental health of the wives of U.S. Army soldiers. The results were published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.The study involved 250,626 wives of active-duty U.S. Army soldiers. Their electronic medical records from 2003 to 2006 were analyzed.Results were compared according to the deployment status of their husbands. Length of

Sleep & Performance: The Cost of Sleep Debt

A new study shows that chronic sleep loss has lasting effects on performance even after attempts to “catch up” on sleep.The study involved nine healthy volunteers. For three weeks they kept to a strict sleep/wake schedule. They remained awake for 33 hours at a time. Then they slept for periods of 10 hours.Results show that 10 hours of sleep always produced initial performance benefits. But

Work & Sleep: Are Adults Sleeping Less in the U.S.?

Have adults in the U.S. been getting less sleep over the past three decades? A new study examined time-use surveys to find out. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The study analyzed data from eight time-use surveys. The earliest survey was conducted in 1975. The most recent data came from the 2006 American Time Use Survey.Surveys were completed by more than 73,000

Sleep, Traumatic Injuries & Mental Health

A new study evaluated how sleep problems prior to a traumatic injury may affect mental health. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The study was performed in Australia. It involved 1,033 people who had a traumatic injury. They spent an average of 12.5 days in the hospital.About 65 percent were hurt in a motor-vehicle accident. Fifteen percent were injured in a

Restless Legs & Impulse Control Disorders

A new study examined the frequency of impulse control disorders in people being treated for restless legs syndrome. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The study involved 100 people with RLS who were seen at the Center for Sleep Medicine at Mayo Clinic. All of them were being treated or had been treated with “dopaminergic” drugs.These drugs stimulate the dopamine

New Year’s Resolution for 2010: Take the Sleep Challenge

Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post and Cindi Leive of Glamour have made a New Year’s resolution and invited their readers to join in.The challenge? Get more sleep.Research shows that women off all ages are sleep deprived. While women know sleep is important for their health and well-being, it becomes less of a priority because of family, professional pursuits and other commitments.The kids

A Viral Debate About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

A new U.K. study was unable to reproduce recent findings that suggested chronic fatigue syndrome may be linked to a virus. But U.S. researchers emphasized that there are key differences between the studies.The Sleep Education Blog reported on the previous research in October. The U.S. study identified DNA from the “XMRV” virus in the blood of 68 out of 101 people with CFS.The new study was

Final Week to Enter AASM High School Contest

The deadline for the 2009 – 2010 AASM High School Topical Review in Sleep Science Contest is Friday, Jan. 15.High school juniors and seniors are invited to submit an original review paper. They can choose a subject from a list of 12 topics related to sleep medicine and sleep research.The contest offers a first-place prize of a $1,000 U.S. savings bond. The winning student and one parent or

Sleep Apnea in Women: Effects & Treatment Response

A new study examined gender differences in the effects of obstructive sleep apnea. It also evaluated how men and women respond to treatment with CPAP therapy.The results were published in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.The study involved 152 men and 24 women with OSA. They had an average age of 47 years. They were obese with an average body mass index (BMI) of 38.

Hypersomnia: Common Features & Effective Treatments

A new study examined the common features of hypersomnia and effective treatment options. The results were published in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.The study involved 85 people who had been diagnosed with hypersomnia at the Center for Sleep Medicine at Mayo Clinic. They were followed up for an average of 2.4 years. Their medical charts and clinical notes were

Erectile Dysfunction & Restless Legs in Older Men

A new study shows that older men with restless legs syndrome may be more likely to have erectile dysfunction. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The study involved 23,119 men who were health professionals. They had an average age of 69 years.Results show that men who reported having RLS symptoms 15 times or more per month were 78 percent more likely to have

Teen Depression & Suicide: Sleep, Early Bedtimes Protect Adolescents

A new study shows that teens who go to bed early and get enough sleep may be less likely to suffer from depression and have suicidal thoughts. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The study involved 15,659 adolescents in grades seven to 12. Data were collected from the teens and their parents.Teens who reported that they usually sleep for five hours or less per

Sleep & Epilepsy

A new study evaluated daytime sleepiness in people with epilepsy.The study involved 83 people who have epilepsy. They were compared with 80 healthy controls. Participants completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and an overnight sleep study.Results show that people with epilepsy had a much higher level of daytime sleepiness than controls. They also spent less time in the stages of deep, slow-wave

Insomnia Cookies for College Students

Late nights will be common as college students head back to campus for the winter semester. Whether studying or partying, sleep is often put on hold.Hungry students typically have to choose from the three late-night food groups: pizza, burgers and tacos. But on some campuses a company is delivering cookies and milk for students who crave something different after dark.The idea began in 2003 when

Celebrities Were Sleepless in 2009

Michael Jackson’s struggle with insomnia made headlines in 2009. But he wasn’t the only celebrity to wrestle with sleepless nights.Miley Cyrus told fans about her sleep problems on her Twitter page. “I have just diagnosed myself. I am an insomniac,” wrote the teen star of Hannah Montana. “I hate when I can’t sleep.”Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz battled insomnia as he struggled to find his