National Sleep Foundation Cautions Summer Drivers

May 14, 2007

With Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer, just weeks away, the National Sleep Foundation last week issued a press release warning drivers about the dangers of "drowsy driving." read more »

For Mother's Day, Give the Gift of Rest

May 8, 2007

Between responsibilities at work and at home, when is the mother in your life supposed to get the sleep that her body and mind need to keep her performing at a high level? 
More than 50% of American women polled by the National Sleep Foundation say they get a good night's sleep only a few nights a week, and 43% reported that daytime sleepiness interferes with their daily activities.  Even an occasional bad night's sleep can interfere with physical well–being, attention, mood, and  – just to name a few – so this year, why not choose a Mother's Day gift that trule celebrates your appreciation. read more »

Good Sleep Protects & Strengthens Memory

April 27, 2007

HealthDay News reports that sleep not only protects memoy from outside interferences, but it also helps strengthen memory.
The report cited a study in which the researchers focused on sleep's impact on "declarative" memories, which are related to specific facts, episodes and events.  "We sought to explore whether sleep has any impact on memory consolidation, specifically the type of memory for facts and events and time," said Dr. Jeffrey Ellenbogen, an associate neurologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston and a postdoctoral fellow in sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School. "We know that sleep helps boost memory for procedural tests, such as learning a new piano sequence, but we're not sure, even though it's been debated for 100 years, whether sleep impacts declarative memory."
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Study: Obstructive Sleep Apnea Linked to Heart Failure Patient Deaths

April 16, 2007

A study to be published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicates that heart failure patients with untreated sleep apnea are more likely to die than those without this sleep disorder.  read more »

Treating Sleep Apnea May Lower Risk of Stroke

March 20, 2007

A Japanese study has found that some people with a moderate to severe form of sleep apnea, a the nighttime breathing disorder, may be at an increased risk of stroke.  Treating their sleep apnea, however, might help lower that risk. read more »

Sleep Deficit Hinders Moral Judgement

March 5, 2007

A new study suggests that too little sleep makes tough moral decisions that much tougher.  "Our results simply suggest that when sleep deprived, individuals appear to be selectively slower in their deliberations about moral personal dilemmas relative to other types of dilemmas," said William D.S. Kilgore of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. read more »

Sleep and Weight Gain in Children

February 12, 2007

A new study from Northwestern University shows that children who sleep less have a greater risk of being overweight, according to a new study. "Our study suggests that earlier bedtimes, later wake times, and later school start times could be an important and relatively low–cost strategy to help reduce childhood weight problems," said Emily Snell, co–author of the study.
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Creating Media-Free Sleep Sanctuary for Your Kids

January 16, 2007

Kids log an average of six–and–a–half hours a day entertaining themselves in front of the television or computer, playing video games, or listening to music; that’s almost another whole school day! The more screens and gadgets kids have in their bedrooms, the more likely they are to doze off at school or over homework. That's bad news, especially since 38 percent of preschoolers and 68 percent of school–age kids have a television in their bedroom. read more »

You Snooze, You Win: Famous Nappers In History

November 15, 2006

Can these monumental, innovative figures attribute their success their napping strategy?  Absolutely.Sir Winston Churchill
Churchill’s love of napping was no secret. "You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That's what I always do. Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day. That's a foolish notion held by people who have no imagination. You will be able to accomplish more. You get two days in one – well at least one and a half, I'm sure. When the war started, I had to sleep during the day, because it was the only way I could cope with my responsibilities," said the big fella. read more »

Children’s Sleep Problems and Weight

October 30, 2006

Several studies that suggest there is a link between sleep loss and weight gain.  Not getting enough sleep seems to affect not only how (in)efficiently you metabolize calories, but also how hungry you feel.  Other research has also found that the less you sleep, the more likely you are to be obese. One study in Japan found a link in six– and seven–year–olds between obesity and later bedtimes and fewer hours of sleep.  Children who got less than eight hours of sleep had an almost three times greater risk of being obese compared to children who got ten or more hours.  Some of these studies suggest this relationship may also go in the other direction; the risk of being obese decreases with each additional hour that your child sleeps. 
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Sleeping through History: A Timeline of the Bed

October 18, 2006

Neolithic Period (10,000 years ago): People first began sleeping on primitive "beds."
3,400 BC: Egyptian pharaohs discovered the benefits of raising a pallet off the earth.  Common people slept on palm bows heaped in the corner of their home.  King Tutankahmen, however, had a bed of ebony and gold. read more »

Behavior Therapy Eases Sleep Trouble for Kids

October 11, 2006

An October, 2006 Sleep article explains that behavioral therapies, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), can be an effective means of dealing with children’s bedtime problems and nighttime awakenings.   read more »

Sleep and Women

September 29, 2006

A 2005 survey from the Better Sleep Council (BSC) finds that an increasing number of women feel that a good night's sleep is central to their overall health and well being. The poll, however, shows that just because women may understand the critical link between sleep and total health, many women are failing to get the sleep they need. Previous research has shown that women are more sleep deprived than men, having greater difficulty falling and staying asleep and experiencing more daytime sleepiness. In fact, 26% of women report trouble sleeping at least once a week compared to only 16% of men. read more »

Sleep and Stress: By the Numbers

September 29, 2006

The Better Sleep Council (BSC) conducted a stress and sleep survey to find out what keeps Americans up at night. This year's findings revealed a range of insights on Americans' stress and sleep cycles. Here are some key results: read more »

The Truth About Napping

September 29, 2006

Achieving the Perfect Nap Dr. Sara Mednick, author of Take A Nap! Change Your Life , offers the following:– Taking a nap does not mean you are lazy. A nap can make you more productive and more alert after you wake up. read more »

Promoting Natural Sleep with Music

September 29, 2006

Researchers have shown just 45 minutes of relaxing music before bedtime can make for a restful night. Taiwanese researchers studied the sleeping patterns of 60 elderly people with sleep problems, who then told the Journal of Advanced Nursing, how the technique was easy to learn and lacked the side–effects of other treatments. read more »