Sleep Info

A simple tweak to the sleeping patterns of ‘night owls’ – people with extreme late sleeping and waking habits – could lead to significant improvements in sleep/wake timings, improved performance in the mornings, better eating habits and a decrease in depression and stress. New international research by the Universities of Birmingham and Surrey in the…
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Teenagers who don’t get enough sleep may be at an increased risk of engaging in unsafe sexual behaviors, such as not using condoms or having sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to new research. “Teens by and large are not getting the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep a night, due…
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Many people suffering from long-term chronic pain use opioids as a sleep aid to take away pain and stop their sleep being disrupted. However, a new study led by the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick suggests that not enough research has been done to assess the benefits and risks of using painkillers…
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With summer break and longer days ahead, parents of young teens may be wondering whether to let good sleep habits slide over the next couple of months. New research from the University of British Columbia in Canada suggests there are more benefits to a good night’s sleep than simply feeling refreshed. “Chronic, low-quality sleep was…
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With the arrival of summer break, American school children no longer need to rouse themselves before daybreak to catch the big yellow bus, but just because the rigid schedule of the school year is over doesn’t mean your family schedule should be too loose. Schools around the country have just finished their instructional year or…
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One of the easiest things you can do to sleep better is to put your smartphone away about an hour before bed, and keep it away while you’re sleeping.  The problem is that far too many of us can’t seem to do that. New research from Common Sense found that a staggering 68% of teens…
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Getting more exercise than normal or being more sedentary than usual for even one day may be enough to affect sleep later that night, according to a new study led by Penn State. In a one-week micro-longitudinal study, the researchers found that when teenagers got more physical activity than they usually did, they got to…
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Kids across the U.S. are wrapping up their school year.  While they’re obviously looking forward to summer vacation, many of them have one obstacle in the way — exams. Cramming for exams is almost a rite of passage for high schoolers and even some middle school students, but it’s never been a good idea.  Unfortunately, what…
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New research shows that by limiting evening exposure to screens like those on smartphones and tablets for just one week, many sleep problems in teenagers can be reversed. Recent studies have indicated that exposure to too much evening light, particularly the blue light emitted from screens on smartphones, tablets and computers can affect the brain’s…
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New research into preschool sleeping habits is making a significant case for limiting TV time for young children. The new study by University of Massachusetts Amherst neuroscientist Rebecca Spencer and developmental science graduate student Abigail Helm found that preschoolers who watch TV sleep significantly less than those who don’t. More surprising, perhaps, was that 36…
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