News

Insomnia linked to increased risk of heart failure

Mar 06 2013...

A new study found that people who suffer from insomnia appear to have an increased risk of developing heart failure.

"We related heart failure risk to three major insomnia symptoms including trouble falling asleep, problems staying asleep, and not waking up feeling refreshed in the morning,” said Dr. Lars Laugsand, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Public Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. “In our study, we found that persons suffering from insomnia have increased risk of having heart failure. Those reporting suffering from all three insomnia symptoms simultaneously were at considerably higher risk than those who had no symptoms or only one or two symptoms." READ MORE>>

Demand for sleep illness treatment is growing

Dec 19 2012...

As more Americans come to grips with the serious nature of their sleep problems, the number of medical facilities treating sleep illness is on the rise. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine announced today that it has accredited its 2,500th sleep center, setting an all-time high.

“In general, far too many people accept sleep deprivation and sleepiness as a way of life,” said AASM President Sam Fleishman, MD. “They see treatment of sleep illnesses as optional, like elective surgery. Our goal is to change attitudes and make medical treatment available.” READ MORE>>

Gene helps predict time of death

Nov 19 2012...

Researchers have identified the gene that helps determine the time of day a person is most likely to die. Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) say this gene can also determine if you’re an early bird or night owl.

“Virtually all physiological processes have a circadian rhythm, meaning that they occur predominantly at certain parts of the day,” says the study’s co-author Dr. Clifford Saper. “There’s even a circadian rhythm of death, so that in the general population people tend on average to be most likely to die in the morning hours. Sometime around 11 a.m. is the average time.” READ MORE>>

When napping is good for older folks

Jul 09 2012...

Napping can be good for seniors – as long as they don’t sleep too much. A new study in the July issue of the journal SLEEP studied the sleep habits of 1,166 Israeli seniors ages 75 to 94. READ MORE>>

Did Sleep Medicine Help Boost U.S. Life Expectancy?

Mar 17 2011...

Life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2009, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An American born in 2009 can now expect to live about 78 years and two months, a two month increase compared to 2008. READ MORE>>