Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

Even minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea increases cardiovascular risk

People with even minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease because of impaired endothelial function and increased arterial stiffness, according to a study from the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine in the UK.

26 Oct 2008

Direct link found between college students' health and academic achievement

Research from the United States has found that lack of sleep, excessive computer screen time and stress have a negative effect on college students' grades.

22 Oct 2008

Junior doctors in Australia struggling to cope

A new study by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has found close to half of Australia's junior doctors think their heavy workload could compromise patient care.

20 Oct 2008

Increased pressure in the brain leads to vision loss more often in men

A new study shows that men are more likely to lose vision as a result of a particular cause of intracranial hypertension, or increased pressure in the brain, than women with the condition. The research is published in the October 15, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Oct 2008

People with severe obstructive sleep apnea often have poor diets

A study in the October 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that unrelated to obesity, people with severe SDBs consume a more unhealthy diet, which may be a factor contributing to greater cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. These findings were most evident among women.

15 Oct 2008

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is a significant predictor of insomnia in women with breast cancer

A study in the October 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a significant predictor of insomnia in women with breast cancer and confirmed that longer nocturnal wake episodes were associated with a flatter diurnal cortisol slope.

15 Oct 2008

African-American seniors who have trouble falling asleep are at higher risk of having memory problems

A landmark study led by North Carolina State University researchers shows that African-American seniors who have trouble falling asleep are at higher risk of having memory problems - raising the possibility that identifying and treating sleep difficulties in the elderly may help preserve their cognitive functioning. The study is the first to examine the link between sleep and cognitive functioning in older African-Americans.

14 Oct 2008

Marked increase in the use of herbal medicines by Australians

Australian researchers have found that the most popular herbal medicines used by Australians are aloe vera, garlic and green tea.

13 Oct 2008

Fans in baby's bedrooms lessens the risk of SIDS

American researchers say using a fan in a baby's bedroom while they are asleep lessens the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

7 Oct 2008

Better air ventilation in infants' bedrooms linked to reduced SIDS risk

Infants who slept in a bedroom with a fan ventilating the air had a 72 percent lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome compared to infants who slept in a bedroom without a fan, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. The study appears in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine.

6 Oct 2008

New Allegheny County, Pa., effort taps religious leaders to educate blacks on SIDS risks

The Allegheny County, Pa., Health Department and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh on Wednesday launched a collaborative effort that aims to educate blacks about safe sleep practices for infants and reduce infant deaths among blacks, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

5 Oct 2008

Statin-induced muscle disorders are focus of $2.5 million in grants from NIH

Approximately 200,000 of the 38 million people in the U.S. who take statins to treat high cholesterol may develop life-threatening muscle disease.

2 Oct 2008

Insomnia linked to depression and substance abuse during adolescence

A unique new study has linked adolescent insomnia to depression and substance abuse during adolescence and young adulthood.

1 Oct 2008

Tuberculosis bacterium uses its sugar coat to sweeten its chances of living in lungs

Common strains of tuberculosis-causing bacteria have hijacked the human body's immune response to play tricks on cells in the lungs, scientists say.

29 Sep 2008

Genetic link found to sleep disorder narcolepsy

New genetic research may help explain the unusual and distressing sleep disorder narcolepsy.

29 Sep 2008

Researchers investigate impact of stress on police officers' physical and mental health

Policing is dangerous work, and the danger lurks not on the streets alone. The pressures of law enforcement put officers at risk for high blood pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive stress hormones, heart problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide, University at Buffalo researchers have found through a decade of studies of police officers.

25 Sep 2008

Sweet smells mean sweet dreams

New research has found that what you smell as you sleep has the power to influence your dreams.

22 Sep 2008

GlaxoSmithKline and XenoPort submit NDA for Solzira for restless legs syndrome

GlaxoSmithKline and XenoPort, Inc. announced today that a New Drug Application (NDA) has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting approval of Solzira (gabapentin enacarbil) Extended Release Tablets for the treatment of moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).

16 Sep 2008

Staph infection a possible suspect in some SIDS cases

Australian researchers believe that some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) may be caused by the bacterial infection Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).

15 Sep 2008

Depressed dialysis patients more likely to be hospitalized or die, researcher finds

Dialysis patients diagnosed with depression are nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized or die within a year than those who are not depressed, a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher has found.

14 Sep 2008