Less Sleep Later In Life Raises Risks For Multiple Diseases

According to a recent study led by researchers from University College London, getting less than five hours of sleep in your middle to late years may increase your risk of developing at least two chronic diseases. The study adds to the growing body of studies emphasizing the value of getting a good night’s sleep. The…

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Short Daytime Naps Ineffective Against Sleep Deprivation

A nap during the day won’t give you relief from a sleepless night, according to a study from Michigan State University’s Sleep and Learning Lab1. We are interested in understanding cognitive deficits associated with sleep deprivation. In this study, we wanted to know if a short nap during the deprivation period would mitigate these deficits.…

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Toddlers With Erratic Sleep Patterns Have Higher Body Mass Index

New research from University of Delaware links inconsistent sleep times to higher body mass index (BMI) percentiles. The findings suggest sleep may help explain the association between household poverty and BMI. We’ve known for a while that physical activity and diet quality are very strong predictors of weight and BMI. I think it’s really highlighting…

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Daytime Drowsiness Could Be Warning Sign Of Alzheimer's

Excessive sleepiness in the daytime could be an indicator of Alzheimer’s disease, research from the Mayo Clinic indicates. The study found that daytime drowsiness is associated with amyloid beta plaque buildup. Accumulation of this protein in the brain is a classic sign of Alzheimer’s. The study was a longitudinal cohort analysis of 283 elderly participants…

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Staying Awake: The Surprisingly Effective Way To Treat Depression

The first sign that something is happening is Angelina’s hands. As she chats to the nurse in Italian, she begins to gesticulate, jabbing, moulding and circling the air with her fingers. As the minutes pass and Angelina becomes increasingly animated, I notice a musicality to her voice that I’m sure wasn’t there earlier. The lines…

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Sleep Apnea Linked To Increased Alzheimer's Risk For Elderly

Elderly people with obstructive sleep apnea may be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. In the study, researchers found that biomarkers for amyloid beta, the plaque-building peptides associated with Alzheimer’s disease, increase over time in elderly adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in proportion to OSA severity. Therefore, those with more…

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Sleep Quality of Insomniac Mothers’ Children Also Poor

Children may have lower sleep quality if their mothers suffer from insomnia symptoms, potentially affecting their mental well-being and development, a new study suggests. Analyzing data from nearly 200 healthy 7 to 12-year-old children and their parents, the researchers studied the relationship between the parents’ insomnia symptoms and their children’s sleep quality. Sleep was assessed…

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Alzheimer's Disease: Plaques Impair Memory Formation During Sleep

Alzheimer’s patients frequently suffer from sleep disorders, mostly even before they become forgetful. Furthermore, it is known that sleep plays a very important role in memory formation. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now been able to show for the first time how the pathological changes in the brain act on the…

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Alzheimer's Disease: Poor Sleep May Increase Your Risk

By triggering a brain-clogging compound that in turn interrupts sleep, poor sleep may increase people’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. Sleep disruption could be one of the missing pieces in the puzzle of how a protein called beta-amyloid starts its damage long before people have trouble with memory, researchers reported. Dr. Matthew Walker…

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