MEDICAL EXPRESS - SLEEP APNEA

1. Jet lag: Your metabolism recovers quicker than your brain—new study

   The body has a network of daily (circadian) clocks that influences most areas of our health, including sleep and metabolism. A central clock in the brain is closely tied to daily sleep rhythms. But there are also clocks in other tissues—such as liver, muscle and fat—and they play an important role in metabolism.

2. High blood pressure and shorter sleep may worsen brain decline

   People with high blood pressure who also lack sleep may be at increased risk of reduced cognitive performance and greater brain injury, Monash University research has found.

3. Irregular sleep-wake cycle linked to heightened risk of major cardiovascular events

   An irregular sleep-wake cycle is associated with a heightened risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, even for those who clock up the recommended nightly hours of shut-eye, finds research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

4. The link between sleep and blood pressure: New research sheds light on gender differences

   You may have heard sleep described as something of a magic pill for the body. With the right amount, timing, and quality, it can work wonders—strengthen the immune system, improve blood sugar, even decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Sleep differences have been reported for some time in men and women, but it is not well known whether the characteristics of sleep serve different functions in one gender over the other, especially as it relates to the heart. New research seeks answers.

5. Researcher offers advice for those with trouble sleeping

   Sleep problems have become a widespread issue. In a new popular science book and in an interview with ETH News, ETH sleep researcher Caroline Lustenberger describes the do's (and don'ts) for when you can't get to sleep.

6. A new clock to structure sleep: Study shows brain stem region involved in organization of sleep

   Researchers at the University of Lausanne have identified a novel role for the brain's "locus coeruleus" in sleep and its disruptions. This brain region facilitates the transition between NREM and REM sleep states while maintaining an unconscious vigilance toward the external world. Stress disrupts its functions and negatively impacts on sleep quality.

7. New insights into sleep uncover mechanisms with broad implications for boosting brainpower

   While it's well known that sleep enhances cognitive performance, the underlying neural mechanisms, particularly those related to nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, remain largely unexplored. A new study by a team of researchers at Rice University and Houston Methodist's Center for Neural Systems Restoration and Weill Cornell Medical College, coordinated by Rice's Valentin Dragoi, has nonetheless uncovered a key mechanism by which sleep enhances neuronal and behavioral performance, potentially changing our fundamental understanding of how sleep boosts brainpower.

8. Researchers link snoring to behavioral problems in adolescents without declines in cognition

   Adolescents who snore frequently were more likely to exhibit behavior problems such as inattention, rule-breaking, and aggression, but they do not have any decline in their cognitive abilities, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM).

9. Bidirectional association seen for sleep disorders, chronic kidney disease

   There are bidirectional associations for sleep disorders with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a review published in the November issue of Chronic Kidney Journal.

10. Females sleep less and awaken more frequently than males, which may have broad implications for medical research

    Females sleep less, wake up more often and get less restorative sleep than males, according to a new animal study by University of Colorado Boulder researchers.

11. New research provides fresh, large-scale look at who's coming up short on sleep

    Most adults in the U.S. get less sleep than recommended across the board, and some racial and ethnic groups fare even worse, according to a new study that used readings from thousands of people who wore commercially available fitness trackers that monitored their sleep.

12. Controlled experiment investigates how jet lag can disrupt metabolism

    A new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Aberdeen has found that disruptions to our body clock, such as those experienced during jetlag, impact our metabolism—but to a lesser extent than sleepiness and the primary clock in the brain.

13. Brain injury rehabilitation study reveals neural mechanisms of sleep-dependent motor learning

    New research published by scientists at Kessler Foundation provides critical insights into the role of sleep in motor learning for individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study sheds light on how sleep, specifically a short nap, influences brain activity associated with motor skill improvement, with implications for optimizing rehabilitation strategies.

14. New guideline provides treatment recommendations for restless legs syndrome

    A new clinical practice guideline developed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides updated recommendations for the treatment of restless legs syndrome. The guideline reflects the latest scientific evidence and recommends significant changes in the standard treatment of RLS in adults.

15. Daily exposure to intense cold can improve sleep quality

    Daily full-body cryostimulation—exposure to extreme cold—improves sleep quality and mood in healthy young men and women, according to new research by scientists at Université de Montreal and Université de Poitiers, in France.

16. Mouth-taping to treat sleep apnea: Here are the risks

    An unhealthy diet and an indolent life are well known causes of heart disease and stroke. But sleep apnea—where people temporarily stop breathing while asleep because their airway collapses—is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

17. Research shows non-hallucinogenic marijuana constituent increases sleep in rats

    Research by scientists at the University of Sydney has identified a constituent in the cannabis plant that improves sleep. Their report is the first to use objective measures to show the component, known as cannabinol (CBN), increases sleep in rats.

18. Consistent bedtime linked with better child emotion and behavior regulation

    Sleep can affect a child's attitude and behavior, as many parents can attest, but a consistent bedtime may be more influential than sleep quality or duration, according to a new publication authored by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development and Penn State College of Medicine.

19. Mental fatigue leads to loss of self-control by putting brain areas to sleep, finds study

    Prolonged mental fatigue can wear down brain areas crucial for an individual's ability to self-control, and can cause people to behave more aggressively.

20. Successful aging starts with a good night's sleep, study suggests

    Researchers at Wenzhou Medical University in China have discovered that changes in sleep patterns as we age are associated with lower odds of successful aging.

21. Neuroscientists investigate developmental and genetic factors affecting sleep behavior

    Mubarak Hussain Syed, an assistant professor of Biology at The University of New Mexico, along with a team of UNM students and collaborators at the University of Pennsylvania, is investigating how developmental and genetic factors affect sleep behavior. As in most of their projects, the Syed lab team uses Drosophila, commonly known as a fruit fly, for their research.

22. Poor sleep quality linked to incident motoric cognitive risk syndrome

    Poor sleep quality may be associated with incidental, but not prevalent, motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), a predementia syndrome characterized by slow gait speed and cognitive complaints, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in Neurology.

23. Winter's onset brings mood changes to many Americans, poll finds

    Many Americans experience a "winter funk" as the days grow shorter and temperatures turn colder, a new American Psychiatric Association poll reports.

24. Snooze your way to well-being: Study finds 46 extra minutes of sleep boosts gratitude and resilience

    Research has shown the numerous positive benefits that come with good sleep habits. Now, a new study from Baylor University shows that even subtle changes in the amount of sleep—in fact, only 46 extra minutes of sleep per night—are linked to improvements to overall well-being, including a beneficial impact on a person's gratitude, flourishing, resilience and prosocial behaviors.

25. Cardiologist offers tips for better sleep

    No matter if you need five hours of sleep or eight, the key is getting good, refreshing rest. According to Dr. Virend Somers, a cardiologist who specializes in sleep disorders, how much sleep a person needs varies from person to person. However, there are some simple tips that everyone can use to get better sleep.

26. Study reveals the importance of new overtime restrictions on physician's mental health in Japan

    Physicians are a vital component of the health care landscape and along with other medical professionals, they ensure timely diagnosis, treatment, and management of complex illnesses. They regularly work extended and overnight shifts, often at the cost of sleep.

27. Daylight saving time ends Sunday. Time to 'fall back' an hour

    The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It'll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.

28. Daylight saving time ends this weekend. This is how to prepare for the potential health effects

    The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It'll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S.

29. Expert weighs in on trending topics in sleep health

    Something to ponder as we welcome the extra hour of sleep from the return to standard time: If we're looking into sleep hacks—things like the "sleepy girl mocktail," mouth taping, or something called "chronoworking"—does that mean we're getting better at prioritizing sleep in our lives?

30. Sleep apnea contribute to dementia in older adults, especially women: Study

    A common yet underdiagnosed sleep disorder contributes to the development of dementia among adults—particularly women, a Michigan Medicine study suggests.