Many Police Officers Battle Sleep Woes

Sleep problems are common among police officers and are associated with more health issues and poorer performance on the job, a new study shows.

Researchers screened almost 5,000 police officers from the United States and Canada online or in person and found that 40 percent of them had a sleep disorder.

The most common problem, suffered by one-third of the officers, was obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when muscle tissue in the back of the throat relaxes and collapses, temporarily blocking the ...

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15
APR
0

Sleepless Dangers

Yawning May Cool the Brain When Needed

Yawning helps keep the brain cool, and the sinuses play a role in that process by acting as bellows, a new report suggests.

Yawning isn’t triggered because you’re bored, tired or need oxygen. Rather, yawning helps regulate the brain’s temperature, according to Gary Hack, of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, and Andrew Gallup, of Princeton University.

“The brain is exquisitely sensitive to temperature changes and therefore must be protected from overheating,” they said in a University of Maryland news release. ...

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1
APR
0

Doctors Orders

Classic Restless Legs Syndrome Not Linked to Parkinson’s

People with early Parkinson’s disease are not more likely to have restless legs syndrome, but many people with Parkinson’s do report leg motor restlessness, according to the results of a new Norwegian study.

People with restless legs syndrome, or RLS, have an overwhelming urge to move their legs. This typically occurs at night during rest, and the sensation is relieved by movement. By contrast, leg motor restlessness is characterized by the urge to move the legs throughout the day, and this ...

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15
MAR
0

Restless Legs Syndrome

Tips to Manage The Time Change

When the clocks go back an hour this weekend, some people may have trouble adjusting to the time change.

Many welcome the switch from daylight savings time to standard time because it means an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, but some will find it difficult to adapt, according to Girardin Jean-Louis, a sleep specialist and professor of medicine at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn.

Exposure to light at an earlier time in the morning may ...

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1
MAR
0

Tips and Tricks

Why Do We Talk in Our Sleep?

Are you a chatty Cathy when you’re sound asleep? Find out about the mystery of sleep talking, and what those sweet nothings you utter really mean.

Has your partner ever referred to a conversation that occurred the night before — and you can’t remember a thing you said? Unless it’s after a wild night out, the cause may be somniloquy, better known as sleep talking.

Sleep talking falls under the category of parasomnias, which are disruptive sleep disorders. Other parasomnias include sleepwalking, ...

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15
FEB
0

World of Dreams

Could Low Melatonin Mean Higher Diabetes Risk?

Diabetes is one of the most serious health problems in the United States and around the world. According to Centers for Disease Control estimates, 1 in 10 American adults currently has diabetes. And, if the CDC projections are correct, those numbers will double or even triple over the next 40 years.

There are well-established links between disrupted sleep and risk of type 2 diabetes. But the exact relationship between the two is not fully understood. In the ongoing effort to better ...

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1
FEB
0

Doctors Orders

ADHD or Sleep Disorder?

Millions of children and adults struggle with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a condition marked by problems with concentration, impulse control, organization, and memory. It can be a frustrating and difficult condition, stigmatizing and often isolating for those who suffer from it.

But what if some of those who’ve been diagnosed with ADHD are, in fact, suffering from another disorder altogether—a sleep disorder? That’s the provocative and important question posed in this commentary by a practicing psychiatrist with extensive ...

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15
JAN
0

Other Sleep Disorders

Rise in ER Visits Related to Sleep Medications

There’s more news about complications that can arise from prescription sleep medication: Side effects from a common prescription sleep aid are sending increasing numbers of people to emergency departments.

The number of people seeking emergency medical treatment for the adverse effects of sleep medications containing zolpidem has risen dramatically in recent years, according to a new federal report. Zolpidem is the active ingredient in several of the most commonly prescribed sleep medications, including Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, and Zolpimist.

The report was ...

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1
JAN
0

Doctors Orders

Insomnia Could Increase Risk of Heart Failure

There is an abundant—and ever-growing—body of evidence that indicates sleep plays an important role in cardiovascular health. Poor sleep is associated with a range of heart problems, including high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack. Now, new research shows a link between insomnia and heart failure. Nearly 6 million adults in the United States suffer from heart failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Heart failure is directly responsible for more than 55,000 deaths every year, and ...

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15
DEC
0

Insomnia

New Insights on Sleepwalking

New research about sleepwalking has raised questions about several common beliefs regarding this frequently misunderstood sleep disorder. Researchers at the University of Montreal conducted a comprehensive review of more than 15 years of study on the topic of sleepwalking. Their analysis produced what may be a clearer picture of the sleep disorder, its possible mechanisms, and its risk factors. Their analysis also challenges some common beliefs about sleepwalking—beliefs that, if outdated, could interfere with diagnosis and treatment.

What are these views ...

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1
DEC
0

Other Sleep Disorders

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