Striking Association Between Pregnancy-Related Restless Legs Syndrome And Increased Levels Of The Steroid Hormone Estradiol

A study in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the elevation in estradiol levels that occurs during pregnancy is more pronounced in pregnant women with restless legs syndrome (RLS) than in controls. During the last trimester of pregnancy, levels of the estrogenic steroid hormone estradiol were 34,211 pg/mL in women with RLS and 25,475 pg/mL in healthy controls. At three months postpartum, estradiol levels had dropped to 30.73 pg/mL in the RLS group and 94. Read more ...

Scientists have long known that interrupting the 24-hour circadian rhythm plays havoc with the lives and health of medical, military and airline personnel, factory employees and travelers. Read more ...

Brain cells called astrocytes help to cause the urge to sleep that comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a study in mice, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The cells release adenosine, a chemical known to have sleep-inducing effects that are inhibited by caffeine. "Millions of Americans suffer from disorders that prevent a full night's sleep, and others - from pilots to combat soldiers - have jobs where sleepiness is a hazard. Read more ...

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... Read more ...

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A study in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP shows that daytime functional impairments in older men with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are largely explained by total sleep time rather than OSA severity. A modest link between OSA severity and daytime sleepiness, measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, was no longer statistically significant after controlling for total sleep time. Read more ...

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