MEDICAL EXPRESS - SLEEP APNEA

1. Study finds job strain compromises long-term sleep quality

   In a study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, middle-aged workers in the U.S. who reported high job strain at the start of the study experienced significantly more sleep disturbances over an average follow-up of nine years.

2. Q&A: The influences behind timing of sleep spindle production

   Michael J. Prerau, Ph.D., of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is the senior author of a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, titled "Individualized temporal patterns drive human sleep spindle timing."

3. The paradox of sleep perfection: How striving for ideal rest disrupts sleep

   A recent survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine highlights a surprising paradox: 81% of Americans report losing sleep due to worries about sleep problems. This illustrates the growing pressure to achieve "perfect sleep," fueled by social media trends, wellness products, and sleep-tracking technology.

4. Sedentary work and irregular hours significantly impact sleep health, study shows

   People whose jobs are highly sedentary—an estimated 80% of the modern workforce— experience a much higher risk of insomnia symptoms, according to a new study led by University of South Florida psychologist Claire Smith.

5. Optical imaging technique offers more precise diagnosis of sleep apnea

   Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder characterized by intermittent airway blockages during sleep, leading to disrupted breathing. Despite advances in diagnostic tools, current methods for assessing the condition remain limited, often unable to provide a complete picture of the airway obstructions that occur during sleep. This has prompted the search for a more accurate, less invasive way to diagnose OSA and guide treatment decisions.

6. Sleep's secret power: Blocking unwanted memories

   The link between poor sleep and mental health problems could be related to deficits in brain regions that keep unwanted thoughts out of mind, according to research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

7. Persistent short sleep during pregnancy linked to metabolic syndrome

   Short sleep duration that persists during pregnancy and for two to seven years after delivery is associated with increased odds of metabolic syndrome, according to a study published online Dec. 26 in JAMA Network Open.

8. Q&A: How circadian rhythms have been implicated in diseases from dementia to cancer

   In this season of short days and long winter nights, it's easy to feel out of sorts. Those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that's closely linked to the circadian rhythms that govern our sleep cycles, know this all too well. But those same rhythms, which are themselves governed by biological clocks, can affect much more than mood and sleep.

9. GLP-1 Zepbound is approved as first drug for sleep apnea

   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first prescription medication specifically for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): the weight-loss drug Zepbound.

10. The rise in children's melatonin use and what experts want you to know

    Packed holiday schedules, no school, disrupted bedtime routines—a parent's worst nightmare. And if you are one of the many turning to melatonin to help their little ones get to sleep, you may want to think again. New research suggests this increasingly popular solution deserves a closer look.

11. Fairy tales can help teach children about healthy sleep

    Some traditional fairy tales and classic children's fiction that have soothed many a child to sleep may also provide accessible and engaging ways to discuss healthy sleep with children, suggest researchers in the Christmas issue of the BMJ.

12. Sleep apnea linked to changes in the brain

    People with breathing problems during sleep may have a larger hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and thinking, according to a study published in the December 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology.

13. Study finds sleepiness affects New Year's resolution success

    Researchers from the University of South Carolina, CQUniversity Australia and the University of Surrey recommend adding one more item to your list of New Year's resolutions: getting enough sleep. Their recent study, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, found that sleepiness increases reliance on habits—whether good or bad.

14. Getting in sync: Wearables reveal happiest times to sleep

    Sleep schedules are often one of the first things that people choose to compromise in order to check everything off their to-do lists, especially with the end of the year approaching. But folks hoping for happy holidays should reconsider.

15. Study supports taVNS for chronic insomnia, but questions on its legitimacy remain

    China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS) researchers at the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Hospital have conducted a study showing that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improves sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia.

16. Breathing coordinates brain rhythms for memory consolidation during sleep

    Just as a conductor coordinates different instruments in an orchestra to produce a symphony, breathing coordinates hippocampal brain waves to strengthen memory while we sleep, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

17. Q&A: Study shows males spend approximately 52% more time in bright light than females

    Danielle A. Wallace, MPH, Ph.D., from the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is the corresponding author of a new study in npj Biological Timing and Sleep, titled "Light Exposure Differs by Sex in the U.S., with Females Receiving Less Bright Light." In this interview, she discusses her research.

18. Experts advocate for permanent sleep telehealth services to enhance patient care nationwide

    The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has issued a new position statement advocating for permanent telehealth coverage, emphasizing its essential role in providing high-quality, patient-centered care for individuals with sleep disorders.

19. Spanish physicists clash with British Sleep Society over time change

    The seasonal time change synchronizes the start of human activity with morning light (dawn), allowing more daytime leisure in summer afternoons. This is the focus of an article that Jorge Mira Pérez and José María Martín Olalla, professors at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and the University of Seville (US), have published in the Journal of Sleep Research.

20. Excessive screen time linked to poor sleep, behavior issues in kids

    Excessive screen use by preschool-age children can lead to reduced sleep quality, exacerbating problems such as poor attention, hyperactivity and unstable mood, a new study suggests.

21. Usual/permanent night shifts, poor sleep quality linked to epilepsy

    Night shifts and poor sleep quality are associated with an increased risk for incident epilepsy, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in BMC Public Health.

22. Good sleep may shield against frailty in older adults, India study finds

    India is home to more than 150 million people over the age of 60. This figure will more than double by 2050, reaching roughly the current total population of the United States, according to projections from the United Nations Population Fund.

23. Do weighted blankets help you sleep better? Here's what to know

    Rhonda James was skeptical when her husband ordered a weighted blanket for her online. But five minutes after she wrapped it around her body, she zonked out.

24. Bright light may lower depression symptoms by promoting better sleep

    Why might more time in the sun boost a person's mood? A new study led by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health care system, suggests that sleep may hold the key. The study, which included more than 6,600 participants, found that participants who spent more time in bright light had more regular sleep, and more regular sleep was associated with lower depression symptoms and lower odds of mild or severe depression. Results are published in JAMA Network Open.

25. Peer support could help millions with sleep apnea slumber easier, study says

    Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, therapy can improve the lives of people with obstructive sleep apnea, but nearly half of adults with CPAP machines fail to adhere to a regular regimen of CPAP use. A new University of Arizona Health Sciences study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that peer support improved CPAP adherence and patient satisfaction, which can improve sleep and overall health.

26. College students' insomnia linked more strongly to loneliness than screen time

    Being lonely is a bigger hurdle to a good night's sleep for college students than too much time at a computer or other electronic screen, a new study by Oregon State University suggests.

27. Sleep apnea associated with age-related macular degeneration

    A Center for Eye Research Australia study has linked low levels of oxygen in the blood overnight—a common sign of obstructive sleep apnea—with wet age-related macular degeneration.

28. Broken sleep a hallmark sign of living with the most common liver disease, scientists find

    The prevalence of MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) is exploding in most regions of the world, boosted by increased obesity and sedentary lifestyles. MASLD (formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is already the most common liver disorder: it affects 30% of adults and between 7% and 14% of children and adolescents, and this prevalence is predicted to rise to more than 55% of adults by 2040.

29. Nocturnal enuresis more common in children with sleep apnea

    Nocturnal enuresis is more common in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published online Sept. 23 in Children.

30. A 'chemical metronome': Researchers uncover how astrocytes help the brain's master clock keep time

    Imperial researchers have uncovered a "chemical metronome" in the brain, which helps to synchronize the master clock that tells us when it's time to sleep. In a study of brain cells from mice and humans, researchers found that star-shaped cells called astrocytes rhythmically produce a chemical pulse that helps the brain's master clock keep time, influencing our circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle.