Snacking While Asleep? The Truth About Nocturnal Eating Disorders

Do you wake in the night and eat? Sleep eating is more common than you think.

Sure, everyone likes a good bedtime snack, but for some people, nighttime eating stretches beyond that final bowl of ice cream before turning in. These people find themselves inadvertently snacking the night away, either knowing or unknowingly, in the form of nocturnal eating disorders, or NEDs.

There are two types of these eating disorders, nocturnal eating syndrome (NES) and sleep-related eating disorder (SRED). The main difference ...

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15
JUN
0

Other Sleep Disorders

Valerian Root as a Sleep Aid

Valerian root is an herbal remedy that has been used for centuries to promote sleep and help relieve anxiety. Its documented use stretches back to ancient Greece, and many different cultures have adopted it over time.

In the modern United States, valerian is available in many different formulations, and some of them are marketed specifically as sleep aids. But the regulatory framework for herbal supplements is extremely lax, and few if any specific products have undergone scientific studies to show their ...

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1
JUN
0

Tips and Tricks

Can Scrimping on Sleep Be Bad for Your Bones?

New research suggests postmenopausal women who sleep less than 5 hours a night have a higher risk of osteoporosis.

The number one risk factor for low bone mineral density and osteoporosis is something that we can’t avoid: getting older. Other uncontrollable osteoporosis risk factors include gender, bone structure, and race. But there are also factors in our control that we can act on to help keep our bones stronger for longer, which include getting the recommended amount of physical activity, ...

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15
MAY
0

Doctors Orders

This Algorithm Could Help You Feel More Alert on Less Caffeine

A group of U.S. Army researchers developed a web-based tool that tells users when and how much caffeine they should consume to feel most alert during the day.

Is a 7 a.m. espresso your answer to springing into action, or would waiting until midmorning leave you more alert? Will an afternoon cup of coffee help you avoid that post-lunch slump, or will it keep you wired all night long?

The guesswork of exactly when and how much caffeine to consume to help ...

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1
MAY
0

Doctors Orders

Another Large Study Finds Middle School and High School Students Benefit From Later School Start Times

The new data shows students get more sleep and report having more time to do their schoolwork when the first bell of the day is later.

The idea that middle school and high school students will do better in school if they get more sleep and aren’t chronically sleep-deprived sounds pretty intuitive, right? A growing body of research suggests one way to achieve this is to push school start times later.

The evidence led the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to ...

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15
APR
0

Sleep 101

Why You Remember — or Forget — Your Dreams

Dreaming has stumped philosophers, psychologists, and sleep medicine experts for decades. Why do we dream? What do our dreams mean? And can you train yourself to remember your dreams? Here’s what we know.

Do you remember the dream you had last night? First thing in the morning some of us might recall scenes vividly enough to share over breakfast, but later in the afternoon it’s probably fuzzy at best. Others of us tend not to remember our dreams at all. You ...

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1
APR
0

World of Dreams

What We Know About How Sleep Problems Affect Thinking and Memory

Consistently sleeping well plays a big role in keeping day-to-day thinking sharp, as well as protecting the brain against memory problems down the line, like Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

If you want to preserve and protect your memory, sleep on it. That advice comes from researchers who study the inextricable link between sleep, thinking, and memory.

Our sleep is part of our fundamental biology, says Michael Twery, MD, director of the National Center of Sleep Disorders Research at the ...

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15
MAR
0

Sleepless Dangers

Sleep Hack: How I Learned to Sleep Better With Mouth Taping

Yes, I literally taped my mouth shut before bed.

I know what you’re thinking: Here we go again, another useless health scam. While mouth taping (taping your mouth shut while you sleep) might seem like your typical weird wellness trend, it’s actually grounded in serious science. And the good news is, for us mouth breathers, the solution to a better night’s sleep (and a myriad of health benefits!) may be as simple and cost effective as a roll of surgical tape ...

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1
MAR
0

Tips and Tricks

Can a Sound Machine Actually Help Me Sleep Better?

If you’re easily disturbed by a noisy partner, a restless pet, or outside sounds, adding more noise to drown out what’s bothering you might be the answer.

The market is saturated with products to help you sleep better, including sound machines. But do they actually improve your slumber?

Yes, More Noise Can Actually Help You Hear Less and Sleep Better

Masking noise is perhaps the most common reason people turn to sound machines, particularly if they’re dealing with loud pets, partners, or background ...

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15
FEB
0

Tips and Tricks

Can Past Lovers Affect Sleep More Than a Decade Later?

A new study has found that relationship skills in your twenties may bear on your slumber quality for years to come.

Many of us view the relationships we have in our early twenties as a time to make mistakes and figure out what not to do in the future. New research suggests, however, that those early bonds may be more important than we think and may even have lasting effects that “get under our skin” and influence our stress levels and ...

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1
FEB
0

Sleepless Dangers

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