Sleep

Sleep is a physiological behavior that is common in all animal species. It forms around one third of a human life. It is not known clearly the exact functions of sleep but it seems to be essential for survival as prolonged sleep deprivation leads to severe physical impairment followed by cognitive loss and eventually death.

What is Sleep?

Tips on Getting to Sleep

The Health Risks of Oversleeping

Importance of Sleep

Causes of Sleep Deprivation

Stages of Sleep

What is the Role of Melatonin in Sleep Regulation?

What is Sleep Regression?

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Why Do We Dream?

Causes of Nocturnal Awakenings

Management of Sleep Deprivation

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Brain Activity During Sleep

Regulation of Sleep

Health Effects of Poor Sleep - Quantity and Quality

What is the Circadian Rhythm?

Hypnotics and Sleep

A Guide to Managing Sleep Disorders

Types of Sleep Disorders

Does Your Alarm Sound Affect Your Mood?

Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Spoon Test for Sleep Deprivation

Is Daytime Napping in Adults Good or Bad?

How Does Sleep Affect Your Immunity?

Could Humans Ever Hibernate?

How Long Should My Teenager Sleep For?

Sleep Onset Mechanics: Understanding the Transition from Wakefulness to Slumber

How Can Mindfulness Meditation Improve Sleep?

What Does Polysomnography Involve?

Promoting Sounder Sleep in Older Adults

Neuroscience of Sleep

The Importance of Having a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep and Hormones

The DEC2 Gene and Sleep

Function of Sleep

What is Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD)?

Sleep and Yoga

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

Nutritional Effects on Sleep

Difference Between Nightmares and Night Terrors

How Can Sleep Affect Men's Health?

How to Catch up on Lost Sleep

History of Sleep

Sleep Deprivation - Inadequate Quantity of Sleep

REM Sleep Activity

Ghrelin and Sleep

Sleep Hygiene

Effect of Sleep on Your Emotions

Stimulants and Sleep

How Does Pain Affect Your Sleep?

Can too much sleep be dangerous?

How Long should my Child Sleep for?

Why Do We Sleep?

Role of Sleep in Memory Consolidation

How Much Sleep do People Need?

Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD) Management

A Guide to Healthy Sleep Positions

Latest Sleep News and Research

Dietary fat dictates seasonal eating rhythms, study finds

A new study from UC San Francisco shows that our natural eating patterns are more closely tied to seasonal rhythms than previously thought.

23 Oct 2025

Exposure to bright light at night can increase heart disease risk

A new study led by Flinders University has found that being exposed to bright light at night can significantly increase the chances of developing serious heart problems, including heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.

23 Oct 2025

Impaired movement of cerebrospinal fluid predicts dementia risk later in life

Problems with the brain's waste clearance system could underlie many cases of dementia and help explain why poor sleep patterns and cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure increase the risk of dementia.

23 Oct 2025

Disruption of glial circadian rhythms linked to Alzheimer's disease progression

Alzheimer's disease is notorious for scrambling patients' daily rhythms. Restless nights with little sleep and increased napping during the day are early indicators of disease onset, while sundowning, or confusion later in the day, is typical for later stages of the disease.

23 Oct 2025

Physically fit individuals may better cope with dehydration stress

Individuals who are physically fit may be better equipped to handle the negative effects of dehydration, according to research from the University of California, Riverside. In a study using selectively bred "high-runner" mice, the scientists found that fitter animals increased their voluntary running activity when deprived of water - a finding that could have implications for human performance and health under environmental stress.

23 Oct 2025

New guidelines aid parents and clinicians in pediatric tracheotomy decisions

The emotional strain on parents and other caregivers faced with deciding whether a tracheotomy is the best treatment for their child is hard to measure. The latest clinical practice guideline from the American Thoracic Society aims to give clinicians and parents/caregivers a way forward so they can navigate difficult decisions to ensure better outcomes for young patients. The guideline was published early online today, Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

23 Oct 2025

Dreams happen beyond REM sleep, analysis shows

An international consortium of researchers has created the largest-ever database compiling records of brain activity during sleep and dream reports.

22 Oct 2025

Night shift work may raise risk of irritable bowel syndrome

The study indicates that night shift work increases irritable bowel syndrome risk, particularly among those with obesity, due to circadian rhythm disturbances.

22 Oct 2025

Leveraging the microbiome to promote healthy living and aging

From probiotic pills to skincare products to dedicated meal plans, the microbiome is all the rage in the health and wellness space.

21 Oct 2025

Study highlights the need for nationwide menopause education program in the UK

More than three-quarters of women feel that they are not well-informed enough about menopause, according to a new study led by UCL researchers, highlighting the need for a nationwide menopause education programme.

21 Oct 2025

Women with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder show lesser brain atrophy than men

A large international study involving nearly 700 participants reveals that women with a precursor condition to Parkinson's disease show significantly less brain atrophy—decreased cortical thickness in the brain—than men, despite similar clinical severity.

21 Oct 2025

Study offers a nuanced understanding of how bedroom ventilation affects sleep health

Good sleep is key to good health, overall well-being, and optimal cognitive function. Disturbed sleep or lack of sleep can lead to various health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other morbidity, including Alzheimer's disease and obesity.

21 Oct 2025

Can fitness apps and wearables make children healthier? This study says yes - partly

Digital health tools such as apps, wearables, and web platforms can modestly improve children’s physical activity, diet, and weight outcomes. Shorter programs boost activity, while longer ones better support weight management, though effects on sleep and sedentary time remain unclear.

20 Oct 2025

Heavy drinking fuels Alzheimer’s disease by igniting brain inflammation and protein damage

Chronic alcohol use accelerates Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression by intensifying oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and amyloid-tau pathology through shared molecular pathways. The review highlights emerging therapies, targeting TLR4, GSK-3β, and metabolic dysfunction, that may mitigate alcohol-induced neurodegeneration.

20 Oct 2025

Physical activity linked to higher overnight glucose in pregnancy hyperglycemia

Research shows that more daytime movement in pregnant women with hyperglycemia can raise nighttime blood sugar, highlighting the need for further investigation.

20 Oct 2025

Review reveals how paternal lifestyle shapes sperm epigenetics and offspring health

A new review in Clinical Epigenetics synthesises growing evidence that paternal lifestyle and environmental exposures such as diet, obesity, smoking, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and stress alter sperm epigenetic marks (DNA methylation, histone retention, and small non-coding RNAs).

17 Oct 2025

Sleep-like brain waves persist in isolated cortex of epilepsy patients

Sleep-like slow-wave patterns persist for years in surgically disconnected neural tissue of awake epilepsy patients, according to a study published October 16th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Marcello Massimini from Universita degli Studi di Milano, Italy, and colleagues.

16 Oct 2025