Obesity Crisis May Be Fueling Big Jump in Sleep Apnea Cases

Researcher calls troubled sleep an ‘uncalculated cost’ of America’s weight epidemic.

The widening American waistline may be feeding an epidemic of sleep apnea, potentially robbing millions of people of a good night’s rest, a new study suggests.

The research didn’t definitively link the rise in obesity to sleep apnea, and it only looked at 1,520 people, almost all white, in Wisconsin. But study author Paul Peppard believes the findings show a big spike in sleep apnea cases over the past two decades ...

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15
APR
0

Sleep Apnea

Novel Drug Helps Insomniacs Sleep Better

Drug improves time to fall asleep and duration of sleep.

A drug that blocks the brain mechanisms that keep people awake appears to help those with primary insomnia fall asleep and stay asleep longer than placebo, researchers reported here at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

In one study of long-term effects of a year’s use of suvorexant, insomnia patients taking the drug were able to sleep about an hour longer while patients on placebo were able to sleep ...

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1
APR
0

Insomnia

Nighttime Urination May Worsen Insomnia, Study Finds

Waking up in the middle of the night to urinate was associated with worsening of sleep problems in older adults with insomnia, according to a Stanford University study.

Insomnia may not be the only reason that you’re tired in the morning — your bladder could be part of the problem too. Older people who have to get up and go in the middle of the night face heightened insomnia symptoms, according to a Stanford University study published in the Journal of ...

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15
MAR
0

Insomnia

New Sleeping Pill: A Different Way to Treat Insomnia

The drug, called suvorexant, blocks the chemical messengers in the brain that regulate wakefulness.

A new drug called suvorexant could bring help for some with insomnia, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology.

Suvorexant is different from other drugs on the market to treat insomnia because it blocks chemical messengers in the brain that regulate wakefulness rather than directly affecting brain receptors, according to a release from the American Academy of Neurology.

The study involved 254 people ages 18 ...

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1
MAR
0

Insomnia

Melatonin: A Safe Way to Help Kids Sleep Tight?

Kids are never ready to go to bed, but some struggle with sleep more than others. Research is finding that children with developmental disorders like autism and ADHD may benefit from a sleep supplement called melatonin.

Kids may beg and plead to get five more minutes, one more story, or one last drink of water to delay their dreaded bedtime as long as possible. And once they’ve settled in, many children may toss and turn for hours before they’re able to ...

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15
FEB
0

Tips and Tricks

Medications That May Help Your Restless Legs Syndrome

No single medication controls RLS for everyone. However, one of these RLS treatment options could be right for you.

When exercise and lifestyle changes are not enough to ease your restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms, it may be time to talk with your doctor about certain medications that could help control your condition. Although no single medication effectively manages RLS for everyone, several drugs could help alleviate the urge to move and the burning, tingling, creeping, or crawling sensations in your ...

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1
FEB
0

Restless Legs Syndrome

Many Americans Drive While Drowsy

1 in 25 reports falling asleep at the wheel, CDC says.

Driving drowsy is a major factor in traffic accidents and deaths in the United States, federal health officials reported Thursday.

Federal statistics state that 2.5 percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes and 2 percent of crashes with non-fatal injuries involve drowsy driving.

But, data gathering methods make it difficult to estimate the actual number of accidents that involve drowsy drivers. In fact, some studies have estimated that between 15 percent and ...

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15
JAN
0

Sleepless Dangers

Looking Sleepy Speaks Volumes, Study Says

Others may misjudge you because of your droopy eyelids, hangdog expression

Every face tells a story, and when you’ve had too little sleep the world sees it in technicolor, a new study suggests. What’s more, those red, puffy eyes and sagging eyelids likely influence what people think of you, the researchers say.

So, the next time you’re tempted to pull an all-nighter, consider that “other people might treat you differently because of the way you look when you haven’t slept,” said lead ...

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1
JAN
0

Doctors Orders

Living With Night Terrors

In the province of sleep problems, night terrors are terrifying. Doree Shafrir’s quest for relief included a cross-country move.

You’ve probably had your share of nightmares interrupting a sound sleep, but night terrors take scary sleep experiences to a whole new level. They can be absolutely frightening.

In 2012, Doree Shafrir, an executive editor for the web site BuzzFeed, chronicled her harrowing and ongoing experiences with night terrors, which started back in 2003. Night terrors are a kind of parasomnia, or sleep ...

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15
DEC
0

World of Dreams

Live Longer With Enough Sleep

In our culture, we tend to value the ability to function on few hours of sleep. But not getting enough sleep can lead to health problems and even shorten your life.

There are an endless number of pursuits that make us want to push our bedtime later and later, from work to Facebook to our favorite TV shows. Making a habit of skimping on sleep can have a huge impact on health and even lead to a shorter life.

Studies have consistently ...

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1
DEC
0

Doctors Orders

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