Friday, January 30, 2009

Restore and Refresh

Let’s continue on the topic of napping.   We left off discussing some of the negative aspects of napping.  We were reviewing the concept of sleep inertia and how if a nap is too long, a person might have a reduction in performance and worsened mood soon after waking.  Obviously this usually is counterproductive to the reasons why we take a nap in the first place, so it is best to limit naps to less than 30... Complete news 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... Complete news at...

Canadian researchers have identified a new risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in normal-weight men: too much sitting. Complete news at...

Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are warning consumers to avoid eating all products that contain peanut butter or peanut butter paste, except for jarred peanut butter. Complete news at...

Exercise may improve sleep patterns in people with insomnia or sleep disruptions related to periodic leg movements, according to study findings reported by Brazilian researchers. Complete news at...

Headaches and Sleep

Headaches come in all shapes and sizes, from tension headaches caused by excessive stress or even excitement to the devastating pain of cluster headaches to debilitating and recurrent migraine headaches. Headaches have one thing in common. They make you miserable.   What causes headaches? As mentioned above, stress is one cause. Allergies, sinusitis, head colds can all bring on a headache. Some medications also can cause... Continue reading ...

It is no secret that a good night's sleep can lead to a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle, but the age-old question of how to get a decent eight hours still remains. However, a University of Pittsburgh study finds that a happy marriage can lead to a better night's sleep for women. The findings are reported in the current issue of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Continue reading ...

Sleep apnea is a destroyer. In fact, if not treated and gotten under control, it can be deadly. But long before that it destroys your health, nibbles away at your life style, ruins relationships, causes poor performance at work and eventually takes away your ability to earn a decent living. In short, it sucks all the enjoyment out of your day to day activities. Even shorter: Sleep apnea sucks!   This is why I find it so upsetting when... Continue reading ...

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Bariatric Surgery Clinic have found that the chronic intermittent hypoxia that often characterizes Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a common form of SDB, is independently linked to the progression of liver disease. In this study, researchers recruited 90 severely obese patients presenting for bariatric surgery at without known diagnoses of obstructive sleep apnea. Continue reading ...

Title: Health Tip: Traumatic Events May Affect Sleep
Category: Health News
Created: 1/29/2009 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 1/29/2009 Continue reading ...

Brigham and Women's Hospital's Division of Sleep Medicine in Boston was recently recognized as an American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Comprehensive Academic Sleep Program of Distinction. This notable acknowledgement is shared with only one other sleep medicine center in the country. To receive this distinction, a sleep center must meet rigorous standards in the areas of clinical service, educational mission and research accomplishments. Continue reading ...

Title: Insomnia Treatment: Sleep Aids and Stimulants
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 9/24/1999 7:06:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 1/14/2009 Continue reading ...

Use of prescription sleep aids nearly tripled among 18- to 24-year-olds between 1998 and 2006, according to a study released by the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters. During the study period, the average length of time sleep aids were used by adults under age 45 increased more than 40 percent -- rising from 64 days in 1998 to 93 days in 2006. Continue reading ...