Sleep Disorder News

Relationship Between Sleep and Weight

As millions of Americans move through life weary and sleep-deprived, scientists are uncovering more and more evidence that insufficient slumber may cause hormonal shifts that boost both hunger and appetite -- particularly for fat-laden carb catastrophes like jelly-filled donuts and super-sized fries. (excite.com)

Red wine May Help You Sleep

Researchers in Italy found that popular red wine grapes contain the sleep hormone melatonin. The alcohol in wine, long known to have a sedative effect, might be enhanced by melatonin in grapes. (sacbee.com)

Ambien Side Effects

Strange behavior by insomniacs taking prescription drugs, ranging from binge eating to having sex while asleep, have raised safety questions about anti-insomnia medications such as Sanofi-Aventis’ Ambien. (MSNBC)

Many Couples Sleeping in Separate Beds

If you and your partner sleep apart, you may be lonely, but you're not alone. According to a 2005 National Sleep Foundation survey, 23 percent of partnered adults frequently sleep solo because of their loved one's snoring, kicking or other sleep problem. That number doesn't include those who bed down apart because of mismatched schedules or desire for different room temperatures, or to let an exhausted spouse avoid a tyke's wake-up calls. And though a small number of couples who opt for separate beds do so to recapture a sense of romance, for most, there's one simple fantasy: some decent rest. (Washington Post)

Sleep Research Produces Baffling Paradoxes

... a wealth of sleep research has regularly produced baffling paradoxes and conflicting lines of evidence about the uses, role and need for sleep. If sleep is primarily about providing mental rest, why do people's brains remain so active during sleep, as research in recent decades has found? (Washington Post)

Sleep Loss Has Serious Consequences

With a good night's rest increasingly losing out to the Internet, e-mail, late-night cable and other distractions of modern life, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that too little or erratic sleep may be taking an unappreciated toll on Americans' health. (Washington Post)

Drug May Reverse Effects of Sleep Deprivation

A drug could reverse the effects of sleep deprivation in the brain, a US study of monkeys has suggested.

The drug comes from a class of molecules called ampakines which enhance how some chemical receptors work in the brain. (BBC)

Sleep Apnea Linked to Dying in Sleep

People who die in their sleep may stop breathing because they have lost too many brain cells, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. (Reuters)

New Insomnia Treatment Approved by FDA

The government approved a new treatment for insomnia on Friday, the first prescription sleep aid not designated as a controlled substance. Called Rozerem, the drug works differently from its competitors. It is chemically related to the natural hormone melatonin, which helps regulate the body's sleep-wake cycle, and is thought to work by stimulating melatonin receptors in the brain. (AP)

Acid Reflux Causes Sleep Problems

With a splash of stomach acid that singes the esophagus, heartburn awakens many American adults two or more times a month. (Journal Gazette)

Tonsillectomy and Sleep Apnea

The surgical removal of tonsils and adenoid tissue helps improve sleep and quality of life for children with obstructive sleep apnea, researchers report. (Forbes)

Many Americans Sleep Deprived

"According to the 2005 Sleep in America poll released Tuesday by the National Sleep Foundation, sleep is the 'great American divide' with only half the country sleeping well almost every night. The other half is split between those getting 'a good night's sleep' a few nights each week and those resting well a few nights a month or less."

Sexsomnia Used as Legal Defense

"A man accused of molesting two young girls says he was sleeping at the time and suffers from 'sexsomnia,' a disorder in which a person engages in sexual activity while asleep."

Lack of Sleep May Cause Weight Gain

New research suggests that lack of sleep may contribute to unwanted weight gain by altering metabolism and increasing appetite. All the more reason to hit the snooze button again.

Drug Reduces Restless Legs Syndrome

"A medication used to treat Parkinson's disease is showing promise in treating people with restless legs syndrome, according to a new study."