Sleep, Millennials & Cell Phones

The Pew Research Center has been studying American teens and twenty-somethings. This week it released a new report: “Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next.”The report is based on a survey of 2,020 U.S. adults. It included an oversample of 830 Millennials between the ages of 18 and 29 years.It should come as no surprise that these young adults are surrounded by digital technology. The report

Are You Sleep Deprived?

First you poured coffee in your breakfast cereal this morning. Then you got in the car before you realized that you were still wearing your slippers.On the way to work you failed to notice that you had driven right past your exit. Finally when you arrived at the office you got off the elevator on the wrong floor.Just a bad start to the day? Or are you missing some clear signs that you need more

Gary Kubiak: Sleep Apnea, Surgery & the NFL

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak is receiving surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.Nose surgery was performed yesterday, reports The Houston Chronicle. In six weeks another procedure will be performed on his throat.Sleep apnea is a common problem in the NFL. Last year the Sleep Education Blog reported that OSA is common in retired NFL players. The NFL and the NFL Players

Insomnia, Sleep Duration & Risk of Death

A new study examined the relationship between insomnia, sleep duration and the risk of death. The results were published this month in the journal Sleep.The study involved 3,430 ethnic Chinese adults in Taiwan. They answered questions about lifestyle and sleep in 1990 – 1991.They reported their habitual sleep duration. They also answered the question, “How frequent is your insomnia complaint?”

Sleep, Weight Gain & Obesity

A large Japanese study examined the relationship between sleep duration, weight gain and obesity. The results were published this month in the journal Sleep.The study involved 35,247 employees of an electric power company in Japan. They were evaluated at an annual health checkup in 2006 and 2007. Usual sleep duration was self-reported.Typically obesity in adults is defined as having a body mass

Sleep & Work: The “Worst-Sleeping” Jobs

No one wants to have a bad-paying job. But what about a “bad-sleeping” job? Are employees in some industries more likely to be sleep deprived?A new study examined the data. The results were published this month in the journal Sleep.The study involved 66,099 employed workers in the U.S. They answered questions for the National Health Interview Survey between 2004 and 2007.Participants were asked,

Chronic Pain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Improves Sleep

A new study found that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can significantly improve sleep for people with chronic neck or back pain.Many people living with chronic pain have poor sleep hygiene. Common mistakes include sleeping when they are not tired, sleeping in places other than the bedroom and watching TV in bed. These habits may lead to insomnia.People taking medicine for their pain may be

Bill Clinton: The Importance of Sleep

Former President Bill Clinton again emphasized the importance of sleep at a Clinton Foundation event earlier this week.Clinton was speaking about being admitted to the hospital to have a clogged artery opened. He placed part of the blame on his lack of sleep after responding to the recent earthquake in Haiti.“I didn’t sleep much for a month,” he said. “And that probably accelerated what was

One More Hour of Sleep Could Change Your Life

ABC World News with Diane Sawyer reports that getting one more hour of sleep each night could improve your health, and change your life.The report cites a study of heart attacks in Sweden. It found that heart attacks rose by five percent in the week after the spring shift to daylight saving time. The researchers suggested that the results are related to sleep deprivation caused by the time

Sleepy Teens Need to See the Light

A new study reports that teen sleep patterns may be disrupted by a lack of exposure to morning sunlight.The study took place at a middle school in Chapel Hill, N.C., that has good daylight design. South-facing skylights allow plenty of natural light to enter nearly all spaces of the building.Eleven eighth-grade students wore orange goggles for a five-day school week. The goggles prevented

Finding the Narcolepsy Target

A new study provides evidence to support the idea that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disorder.A decade ago it was discovered that people with narcolepsy lack brain cells that make “hypocretin.” This is a hormone that helps promote wakefulness. The finding helped explain why people with narcolepsy have episodes of uncontrollable sleepiness.But why do these brain cells die in people with narcolepsy?

Sleep Apnea & Nightmare Recall

A new study examined nightmare recall in people with obstructive sleep apnea. The results were published yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.The study involved 393 consecutive patients at an AASM-accredited sleep center. They were evaluated by an overnight sleep study. Their mean age was 50.5 years with a range of 13 to 82 years. Sixty-seven percent of participants were

Teens & Drowsy Driving

A new study of teen drivers found that sleepiness at the wheel and poor sleep quality increased their risk of crashing a vehicle. The results were published today in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.The Italian study involved 339 high school students. Each of them had a driver’s license. Their average age was 18.4 years. Fifty-eight percent of participants were male.They were surveyed about

New Anti-Energy Drinks May Help you Sleep; Use May Result in an Overdose of Sleep Promoting Hormones

New melatonin-based beverages receive mixed reviews, according to the New York Daily News. They may help you sleep, but they also overload your body with hormones.Many people who struggle to get the sleep they need look for a “quick-fix”. To them, these drinks may seem like a miracle cure.But are they safe?According to the article, these beverages contain between 20 to 50 times more melatonin

AASM-Accredited Sleep Centers: Providing Quality Care

The show eightWest on WOOD TV8 in Grand Rapids, Mich., recently visited a local sleep disorders center. They went to learn more about how you can get help for a sleep problem.AASM member Dr. William Katz explained the basics of how a sleep disorder is diagnosed. He is the medical director of the Metro Health Hospital Sleep Disorders Lab in Grand Rapids.Earlier this year the lab received program

Sleep Nutrition

The Web site Big Think recently asked nutritionist and author Dr. Jonny Bowden to describe the importance of sleep.“I’d consider getting a good night’s sleep is definitely one of the five top strategies you can do to extend you life,” Bowden said. “I don’t think that sleep gets the credit it should get as an anti-aging strategy...I think it’s a very, very important and neglected part of health.”

Recurrent Hypersomnia: British Girl Sleeps for Days

Last Friday on NBC, TODAY told the story of a British girl with a rare sleep disorder that causes her to sleep for days.Louisa Ball, a 15-year-old, suffers from Kleine-Levin syndrome. It is one form of a sleep disorder called recurrent hypersomnia.She had flu-like symptoms just over a year ago. Not long after that, she had her first period of severe, extended sleepiness. Her longest stretch of

Let’s Sleep: Preventing Obesity in Children

Yesterday first lady Michelle Obama introduced the new “Let’s Move” campaign. She is taking on the issue of childhood obesity.The campaign is backed by a presidential memorandum signed by President Obama. It establishes a task force on childhood obesity.One key component of the Let’s Move campaign is to help parents make healthy choices. How can parents help their children maintain a healthy

“Flying Cheap”: FRONTLINE Investigates Pilot Safety & Fatigue

Tonight on PBS, FRONTLINE takes a hard look at the regional airline industry in “Flying Cheap.” Are inexperienced, fatigued pilots putting passenger safety at risk?The industry came under scrutiny a year ago when Continental flight 3407 crashed outside of Buffalo, N.Y. The flight was operated by a regional airline.The ensuing investigation put a spotlight on the lifestyle of some regional airline

Coca-Cola’s Sleepwalker Super Bowl Ad

Coca-Cola scored during last night’s Super Bowl with its “Sleepwalker” ad. It was in the Top 5 of the most popular ads according to the USA Today Ad Meter focus groups.That may not put the ad in the same elite category as classics like Coke’s ad with Pittsburgh Steeler “Mean” Joe Greene. But a good showing on advertising’s biggest night has to be considered a success.In “Sleepwalker,” a sleeping

Changes in Bedtime Routine and Sleep Environment Can Improve Your Sleep

According to a recent blog post, making small changes in her night time habits and bedroom have helped Glamour Magazine’s Cindi Leive improve her sleep during Sleep Challenge 2010.Leive said that since she began the sleep challenge, her awareness of her sleep has increased, and that has made a positive impact. She notes that the small changes she made to her night time habits and bedroom have

Getting Young Children to Sleep

Leisa Naples knows how hard it can be to get young children to sleep at night. She is the mother of two sets of identical twin girls.But the host and producer of “Living Well with Leisa” found a creative way to get her girls to wind down at night. She calls it “Family Spa Night.”A recent study showed that Leisa’s idea may be a good one. It found that a simple, four-step, nightly routine helps

Targeting Tonsils to Treat Child Sleep Apnea

A new study examined the genetic basis of enlarged tonsils in children with obstructive sleep apnea.The study involved 18 children with OSA. They were compared with 18 children who had recurrent tonsillar infections. All of the children had surgery to remove their tonsils. Then the tonsil tissue from each child was analyzed."We found that in the tonsil tissues of children with OSA, certain genes

Gallup Survey: Did You Feel Well Rested Yesterday?

New Gallup-Healthways survey data show that 29 percent of U.S. adults said they did not feel well rested the day before the survey.The survey involved 700,000 adults who were contacted by phone. It was conducted in 2008 and 2009. Respondents were asked, “Did you feel well rested yesterday?”Women were more likely than men to report that they did not feel well rested. Rest also was more elusive for

Solving SIDS: The Serotonin Connection

A new study found low levels of serotonin in the brain tissue of infants who died from SIDS. The study suggests that a brain defect may cause some babies to be more vulnerable to sudden death while they sleep.The results were published today in JAMA.The autopsy analysis involved 35 infants who died from SIDS. They were compared with five infants who died from known causes.Researchers examined

Study Finds Less Brain Gray Matter in Men with Sleep Apnea

A new study reports that men with severe obstructive sleep apnea have less brain gray matter. This may help explain the cognitive problems that often occur in people with OSA.The results were published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The South Korean study involved 36 men with severe OSA. They had an average of 52.5 partial and complete breathing pauses per hour of sleep. Their average

You May Need Less Sleep as You Get Older

A new study suggests that healthy older adults without sleep disorders may have a reduced "sleep need." The results were published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.The U.K. study involved 110 healthy adults. They had no sleep disorders or sleep complaints. Their sleep was evaluated during an overnight sleep study.Results show that total sleep time decreased with age. Older adults between