How Sleep Varies as You Age

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital at every stage of life, but expect fluctuation in the needed length of sleep.

Everyone’s sleep pattern changes throughout life: Babies sleep the day away, while seniors often get by on a handful of hours nabbed here and there. Sleep habits also change depending on your age. You might find yourself waking up earlier or staying up later. It may become harder to fall asleep or stay asleep because, as you get older, you’re ...

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15
JUN
0

Sleep 101

How Sleep Heals the Body

Can sleep build strong bones? Experts say yes. Find out the benefits of healthy sleep on every part of your body.

Being asleep may seem like the ultimate form of inactivity, but those unconscious hours are actually a time of hard work for your body. Sleeping is one way that your body recovers from damage and protects itself against illness, says Michael Twery, PhD, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research for the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. ...

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1
JUN
0

Sleep 101

How Restless Legs Syndrome Affects Children

Children who are fidgety or hyperactive may have restless legs syndrome. Often misdiagnosed in kids, restless legs syndrome can interfere with sleep and affect childhood development.

A restless legs syndrome diagnosis isn’t exclusive to adults. In fact, the National Institutes of Health estimates one million school-age children have restless legs syndrome, or RLS. The symptoms of restless legs syndrome in children are often mistaken for growing pains or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, making it difficult to get an accurate diagnosis.

The most ...

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15
MAY
0

Restless Legs Syndrome

Helping Your Kids With Nightmares

Is it a nightmare or sleep terror? Get advice for helping kids with nightmares sleep peacefully.

Whether it’s a piercing scream coming from your child’s bedroom or finding your son or daughter at your bedside in tears, there are few everyday occurrences more distressing for parents and upsetting for kids than a nightmare. Nightmares may be a normal part of growing up, but when they happen, they can be disruptive, especially if they happen regularly.

There’s some dispute about when children start ...

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1
MAY
0

World of Dreams

Health Risks of Long-Term Sleep Deprivation

Lost sleep causes more than just bags under your eyes.

Getting enough sleep is a basic human need that all too often gets overlooked in the rush to squeeze more hours into the day. Ignoring that need, however, can lead to serious health consequences: Sleep deprivation jeopardizes your safety, ability to concentrate, mental stability, and long-term well-being.

“The more people look into it, the more they find significant health problems associated with a lack of sleep,” said William Kohler, MD, medical director ...

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15
APR
0

Sleepless Dangers

H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine Tied to Sleep Disorder in British Children

Pandemrix also found to raise narcolepsy risk in previous European studies.

A British study finds that children and teens who were vaccinated during the 2009 swine flu outbreak are at increased risk for narcolepsy, a disorder that causes people to fall asleep during the day.

The particular flu vaccine involved has never been licensed for use in the United States, according a statement on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Researchers looked at data from children and teens aged 4 ...

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1
APR
0

Other Sleep Disorders

Going Camping Can Help You Get a Better Night’s Sleep

A week of residing in the outdoors may resync your internal clock and help you sleep better, say Colorado researchers.

Going camping is a great way to get some fresh air — and some fresh Zzzs, according to a new study in the journal Current Biology, as it can help resync your internal clock. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder found that after a week of camping, the body’s circadian rhythm fell in line with the rising and setting of ...

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15
MAR
0

Tips and Tricks

Finding a Doctor to Diagnose Restless Legs Syndrome

When itchy, tingly legs keep you tossing and turning all night, which doctor do you call? Here’s the 411 on first steps when restless legs syndrome keeps you up all night.

When you’re sniffling and sneezing, you probably head to your primary care doctor for help. But when you’ve got what you suspect is restless legs syndrome — uncomfortable sensations that strike at night and won’t let you sleep — you might be wondering whether a specialist is in order.

Restless legs ...

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1
MAR
0

Restless Legs Syndrome

Fear of Dark May Morph into Insomnia

Fear may contribute to increased arousal once the lights are turned off at bedtime, study shows.

People with insomnia may not sleep well because they have an underlying fear of the dark, researchers suggested here at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

About 46 percent of subjects with insomnia reported they had a fear of the dark compared with 26 percent of good sleepers, said Taryn Moss Atlin, MS, a PhD student at Ryerson University, Toronto.

Poor sleepers also experienced ...

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15
FEB
0

Insomnia

FDA: Lower Ambien’s Dose to Prevent Drowsy Driving

Blood levels from nighttime dose remain too high the next morning, agency says.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it is asking manufacturers of sleep medications containing zolpidem — including Ambien — to lower the recommended doses and to provide more safety information to patients.

These sleep medications include Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar and Zolpimist, as well as generic versions of Ambien and Ambien CR.

Officials are concerned that blood levels of zolpidem are high enough the morning after taking ...

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1
FEB
0

Doctors Orders

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