Sleep Info

Sleep is vital for humans. If adults remain awake for longer than usual, the brain responds with an increased need for deep sleep. This is measured in the form of “slow wave activity” using electroencephalography (EEG). In adults, these deep-sleep waves are most pronounced in the prefrontal cortex – the brain region which plans and…
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Maybe Corey Hart had it right all along, even if he didn’t know it.  A sleep researcher says that if you have trouble sleeping, try wearing sunglasses for a while before bed. “We have artificial sources of light available to us 24 hours a day,” said researcher Glenn Landry, who studies sleep as a postdoctoral…
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The NFL season is in full swing.  This means players get beat up in a game, and then have a week or less for their bodies to recover.  All the while, they have to learn game plans and their next opponent’s tendencies.  For players, particularly the younger ones who haven’t “seen it all,” a good…
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We spend up to one-third of our life asleep, but not everyone sleeps well. For couples, it turns out how well you think your partner understands and cares for you is linked to how well you sleep. “Our findings show that individuals with responsive partners experience lower anxiety and arousal, which in turn improves their…
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Medication is an important part of treatment for many patients with major depressive disorder, but the transition to antidepressants isn’t always smooth. It can take six weeks for a person to respond to depression medications, but researchers at the University of Michigan who specialize in both psychiatry and sleep medicine found a potential way to…
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A study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh has identified a possible link between adolescent sleep habits and early substance abuse. The study found that both sleep duration and sleep quality during late childhood predict alcohol and marijuana use later in adolescence. “Treating problems with drugs and alcohol once they exist and preventing them…
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It’s imperceptible at first, but before you know it, you’ll really start to notice that it’s getting dark earlier and earlier in the evening.  Golden autumn afternoons, fall foliage and cooler temperatures are a welcome change for most people after a long hot summer, but the change in seasons could also lead to sleep problems…
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It’s not new information to say it seems like women are more prone to sleep disturbances than men.  It turns out that information is true.  They are, for instance, up to twice as likely to suffer from insomnia than men. But, could there be a link between the body clock that regulates sleep and being…
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It’s been known for some time that sleep plays a part in memory consolidation, but new research indicates that it is more effective at consolidating memories that you care about. The new research, conducted in Wales, gathered 80 non-Welsh speakers and taught them words in the language.  Participants were tasked with recalling the words immediately…
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Most people could benefit from a few extra hours of sleep every night. But some people habitually sleep much less than the recommended amount, yet report feeling no ill effects. A new University of Utah study, published Sept. 15 in Brain and Behavior, finds that patterns of neural connections in the brains of so-called “habitual…
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