News

Sleep deprived men misjudge women’s interest

Jun 18 2013...

A new study suggests that one night of sleep deprivation leads to an increase in men’s perceptions of both women’s interest in and intent to have sex.

“Our findings here are similar to those from studies using alcohol, which similarly inhibits the frontal lobe,” said co-principal investigator Jennifer Peszka, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., who led the study along with her colleague Jennifer Penner, PhD. READ MORE>>

Sleep apnea check a must in Diabetes, Hypertension

Jun 18 2013...

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is advising anyone with Type 2 diabetes or hypertension to be evaluated for sleep apnea by a board-certified sleep medicine physician.

“Type 2 diabetics and people with hypertension are much more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than other people, and as a result should immediately discuss their risk for sleep apnea with a sleep specialist,” said M. Safwan Badr, MD, president of AASM. “Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea from a board-certified sleep medicine physician will promote improvement in these conditions – including improved insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and cholesterol." READ MORE>>

Bedtime regularity predicts CPAP compliance

May 28 2013...

A new study suggests that regularity of bedtime prior to initiation of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is an important factor that may influence treatment compliance in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

“Long-term use of CPAP, such as after the first month or longer, requires regular routines that are conducive to establishing a new health behavior,” said principal investigator Amy M. Sawyer, PhD, RN, assistant professor at Penn State University School of Nursing in University Park, Pa. READ MORE>>

Study links diet with daytime sleepiness in healthy adults

May 28 2013...

A new study suggests that your level of sleepiness or alertness during the day may be related to the type of food that you eat.

“Increased fat consumption has an acute adverse effect on alertness of otherwise healthy, non-obese adults,” said principal investigator Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa. READ MORE>>

Bringing the comfort of sleep to children around the world

May 08 2013...

Sleeping Children Around the World received a 2011 Humanitarian Projects Award from the American Sleep Medicine Foundation. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine established the foundation to enhance sleep health for all through research, education and humanitarian aid. SCAW’s Debbie Dryden provides this personal update. READ MORE>>

Book Review: A Dream Box for child nightmares

Apr 29 2013...

A noted branding and creativity strategist, Robin Landa has written more than a dozen books about graphic design and advertising. Her latest work, the children’s picture book The Dream Box, ventures into new territory. The Kindle e-book focuses on Alex, a young bird with some crazy dreams. Ninja frogs. Triple-eyed toads. Giant pancakes. He’s practically scared out of his feathers. Alex decides he has only one way to fight back: He’s never going to sleep again. It’s a tough task for the bleary-eyed bird. He receives some trite advice from well-meaning family members. But Alex knows that it doesn’t help to think “nice things” and “happy thoughts.” He needs a real solution. That’s when he finds a curious little box on his bed. A note with the box helps Alex kick his uninvited guests out of his dreams. READ MORE>>

Sleeping after a trauma

Apr 24 2013...

The individuals who were affected by the Boston Marathon bombing tragedy on April 15 are facing what could be a long, hard road to recovery. This process can involve a struggle to sleep well.

Many people develop what doctors call “acute stress disorder” after a terrifying event. This can occur even in people who only hear about danger or harm that a close friend or relative experienced. READ MORE>>

Untreated sleep apnea poses danger while driving

Apr 16 2013...

People with sleep apnea are more likely to fail a driving simulator test and report nodding while driving, according to new research.

The study was presented April, 12, at the Sleep and Breathing Conference in Berlin, organized by the European Respiratory Society and the European Sleep Research Society. READ MORE>>

Sound stimulation during sleep may enhance memory

Apr 11 2013...

Slow oscillations in brain activity, which occur during so-called slow-wave sleep, are critical for retaining memories. Researchers reporting online April 11 in the journal Neuron have found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of the slow brain oscillations of people who are sleeping enhances these oscillations and boosts their memory. This demonstrates an easy and noninvasive way to influence human brain activity to improve sleep and enhance memory.

"The beauty lies in the simplicity to apply auditory stimulation at low intensities—an approach that is both practical and ethical, if compared for example with electrical stimulation—and therefore portrays a straightforward tool for clinical settings to enhance sleep rhythms," says coauthor Dr. Jan Born, of the University of Tübingen, in Germany. READ MORE>>

New gene associated with almost doubled Alzheimer's risk in African-Americans

Apr 10 2013...

African-Americans with a variant of the ABCA7 gene have almost double the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease compared with African-Americans who lack the variant. The largest genome-wide search for Alzheimer's genes in the African-American community, the study was undertaken by the Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium and led by neurologists from Columbia University Medical Center.

"Our findings strongly suggest that ABCA7 is a definitive genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease among African-Americans," said study senior author, Richard Mayeux, MD, MS, professor and chair of Neurology at CUMC. "Until now, data on the genetics of Alzheimer's in this patient population have been extremely limited." READ MORE>>