Sleep Info

Despite years and years of education efforts, new research is finding that some people still haven’t gotten the message about the safest way to put an infant to bed.  But, the problem is coming from a caregiver you may not expect — babysitters. Babies who died during their sleep while being watched by someone other…
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 The discovery of general anesthesia 170 years ago was a medical miracle, enabling millions of patients to undergo life-saving surgeries without pain. Yet despite decades of research, scientists still don’t understand why general anesthesia works.  They’re starting to figure it out, though, that that understanding could lead to better medicine to help you sleep at…
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Researchers have identified a pattern of brain activity that reflects anger experienced during dreaming according to a new study carried out on healthy adults. The study helps to clarify the neural basis of dream emotions. Although emotions are obviously experienced during both the waking and dreaming state, few studies have investigated the brain mechanisms underlying…
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We’re gaining new information every day about how and why we sleep, but even with all of the information available, there are still a lot of myths that people cling to. A research team from NYU School of Medicine reviewed more than 8,000 websites to identify the 20 most common assumptions about sleep.  Here are…
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An international collaboration has found 47 links between our genetic code and the quality, quantity and timing of how we sleep. They include ten new genetic links with sleep duration and 26 with sleep quality. The study was funded by Britain’s Medical Research Council, and looked at data from 85,670 participants of UK Biobank and…
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New research indicates that the use of sleep medication to try to get a good night’s sleep may be an indicator of a larger problem. In a Geriatrics & Gerontology International study of 752 older adults with hypertension followed from 2008-2010 through 2012-2013, using sleeping pills on a regular basis was linked with use of an increasing…
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We don’t normally give advice on SleepBetter.org about medical issues, but this time of year there is a green menace on the prowl that steals your sleep.  That menace is called seasonal allergies. Pollen-producing plants are kicking into high gear around the U.S. right now, meaning allergy season is officially underway.   But, what do allergies…
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Even though it’s now technically spring, cold and flu season isn’t completely over in many parts of the country.  So, it’s no shock that people are walking around sniffling and sneezing.  But, there are a lot of places in the U.S. that are also starting to see trees and grasses blooming.  What that means is…
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A global study commissioned by IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has revealed that a lack of sleep is a primary concern for travellers, with four in five (80%) stating they have trouble sleeping when travelling away from home. The findings from the survey revealed that business travelers lose nearly an hour of…
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People who love coffee sometimes say just the smell makes them start to wake up.  A new study goes one step further — saying just looking at something that reminds them of coffee can cause our minds to become more alert and attentive. “Coffee is one of the most popular beverages and a lot is…
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