Category: Medical News

Getting more sleep, by itself, does not change work productivity or overall well-being for impoverished workers in India. Naps or better-quality sleep at night may have a bigger impact, according to a new study. Source

Sleep researchers have found it’s possible to determine the timing of a person’s internal biological clock via a single blood draw. Ultimately, the findings could lead to a simple blood test for assessing circadian rhythm and personalized recommendations for when people should eat, sleep, exercise and take medications. Source

Every spring, the Daylight Saving Time shift robs people of an hour of sleep – and a new study shows that DNA plays a role in how much the time change affects individuals. People whose genetic profile makes them more likely to be ‘early birds’ can adjust to the time change in a few days. But those who tend to be ‘night owls’ could take more than a week to get back on track. Source

Researchers have found that exposure to specific types of light before sleep can have variable effects on energy metabolism during sleep. Specifically, participants who went to sleep after exposure to organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which emit polychromatic white light that contains less blue light than light-emitting diodes (LEDs), exhibited significantly decreased energy expenditure, core body temperature, and increased fat oxidation, indicating fewer negative health consequences compared with after nighttime exposure to LEDs. Source

A new study looked at the consequences of sleeping fewer than six hours for eight consecutive nights — the minimum duration of sleep that experts say is necessary to support optimal health in average adults. Source

Physical activity levels at or above the weekly recommended amounts may counter the serious health harms associated with poor sleep quality, suggests a large long term study. Source

A new study of postmenopausal women has found that eating a concentrated amount of chocolate during a narrow window of time in the morning may help the body burn fat and decrease blood sugar levels. Source

A research team found that FMAR was associated with preclinical AD pathology in women, suggesting that FMAR may be a new biomarker for AD before cognitive symptoms begin. Source

A new position statement emphasizes that sleep is a biological necessity, and insufficient sleep and untreated sleep disorders are detrimental for health, well-being, and public safety. Source

A study found that stress, anxiety and depression during the first few weeks of the pandemic were associated with less and lower quality sleep. In a survey of more than 900 twins, about half of the respondents reported no change in sleep patterns, but 32.9 percent reported decreased sleep. Another 29.8 percent reported sleeping more. The researchers found that any change in sleep was connected to self-reported mental health issues, though more strongly associated with decreased sleep. Source