Sleeping and Menopause

Older women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have improved sexual function, less insomnia and fewer hot flushes, claims a joint study carried out by researchers from Australia, New Zealand and Britain.   "Our results show that hot flushes, night sweats, sleeplessness and joint pains were less common in women on HRT in this age group," said Professor Alastair MacLennan, the leader of the Australian arm of the independent study... More at...

Biphasic sleep refers to having two split sleep cycles, say from 11 to 3, and then from 6 to 10. This sounds like a strange way to get the sleep we need, but according to some sleep experts, this may be the way it's meant to be.   Were we designed to sleep in shifts? Some scientists, including Richard Stevens, an epidemiologist at the University of Connecticut, suggest this may well be the case. Before all the modern inventions, including... More at...

Research engineers and sleep medicine specialists from two Michigan universities have issued the result of a study that discusses how a sleep study can be used to determine other sleep disorders, including insomnia and fibromyalgia.   Joseph W. Burns, a research scientist and engineer at the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) also suggested that "It may even become possible for people to take sleep tests -- simpler and more effective... More at...

An Interview with John McEuen, founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (This interview is from 2001)   "MR. BOJANGLES I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you in worn out shoes With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants, the old soft shoe He jumped so high, he jumped so high, Then he lightly touched down" The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band   For me, Mr. Bojangles personifies the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. So does the name... More at...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective treatment for most cases of primary insomnia, and for selected cases of secondary insomnia. There are a variety of behavioral and psychological treatments that comprise CBT-I, including stimulus control therapy, relaxation training, biofeedback, paradoxical intention, sleep restriction therapy, sleep hygiene education, and cognitive therapy. Usually several of these treatments are... More at...

In this blog, I am going to deal with a question that has stumped some of the most talented researchers in the world.  That should hopefully get your attention- this vexing question seems simple, but represents the “holy grail” of biology.  The question: why do we sleep?  Consider this- we spend approximately one-third of lives doing it and scientists are still not quit sure why.  (Much of this and future blogs on... More at...