News

Enroll in free online event to learn about sleep deprivation

Oct 17 2017...

The University of Michigan is hosting a new “Teach-Out,” Sleep Deprivation: Habits, Solutions, and Strategies, which begins Monday, Oct. 23. The free, online learning experience is open to participants from around the world. READ MORE>>

Many U.S. workers sleeping less to work more

Dec 16 2014...

A new study suggests that work is stealing sleep from many Americans.

The study analyzed data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). It included responses from more than 124,000 people. They described how they spent their time in the past 24 hours. READ MORE>>

Sleep deprivation may create false memories

Jul 28 2014...

A new study published recently in Psychological Science suggests that not getting enough sleep may increase the likelihood of forming false memories.

The study was conducted by psychological scientist Steven J. Frenda of the University of California, Irvine and colleagues. Results show sleep-deprived people who viewed photos of a crime being committed and then read false information about the photos were more likely to report remembering the false details in the photos than were those who got a full night’s sleep. READ MORE>>

Sleep loss has a steep cost for your health

Jun 23 2014...

Failing to get enough sleep does much more than slow you down or make you grumpy. It is destructive to your overall health. USA Today spoke with sleep experts and discovered that if you don't snooze, you lose.

American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler told USA Today that poor health is the price you pay for ongoing sleep loss. AASM Past President Dr. Safwan Badr added that sleep is one of the three pillars of health. It is as important as nutrition and exercise. READ MORE>>

AASM warns against drowsy driving

Jun 12 2014...

A highway collision that left comedian Tracy Morgan in critical condition and killed his mentor is shedding light on the tragic consequences of drowsy driving. Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes and 1,550 deaths on American roads each year.

“Drowsy driving is a threat to personal health and public safety – it’s just as dangerous as drunk driving,” said Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). READ MORE>>

Late bedtimes may lead to extra calories and weight gain

Jul 05 2013...

Here’s a finding that will make you reconsider your bedtime: the later you stay awake, the more likely you are to lose sleep, eat more calories and ultimately gain weight. It’s a no win proposition for night owls, who already have the odds of having a successful career stacked against them.

Penn researchers discovered the relationship between late-night bedtimes, eating habits and weight gain in a study that appeared in the July issue of journal SLEEP, an online scientific journal co-published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Men with sleep loss, they found gained more weight than women, and African Americans were especially vulnerable to the effects of sleep loss. READ MORE>>

Losing more than just sleep

Jun 26 2013...

I was talking with a friend of mine recently and he was telling me that he was very tired. He couldn’t fall asleep the night before because he said he was too anxious. He had recently lost his job and was feeling a lot of stress from that.

Unfortunately, not sleeping because he was too anxious could lead to more feelings of anxiety, paranoia, depression and much more. READ MORE>>

Sleep deprived men misjudge women’s interest

Jun 18 2013...

A new study suggests that one night of sleep deprivation leads to an increase in men’s perceptions of both women’s interest in and intent to have sex.

“Our findings here are similar to those from studies using alcohol, which similarly inhibits the frontal lobe,” said co-principal investigator Jennifer Peszka, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., who led the study along with her colleague Jennifer Penner, PhD. READ MORE>>

Seven signs you need sleep

Jan 01 2013...

Most adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well-rested during the day. Failing to get enough sleep can have a severe effect on your health and performance. READ MORE>>

Was Diane Sawyer drunk or sleep deprived during election?

Nov 09 2012...

The internet has been abuzz in speculation since Tuesday night, when ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer appeared to be intoxicated during the live broadcast of the 2012 presidential election. Sawyer's speech slurred, and she acted strangely as the election results came in.

A spokesperson for Sawyer denies the rumors that she was drunk, blaming her behavior on a series of sleepless nights covering the hurricane and the election. The AASM investigated whether these claims could be true, by looking at the effects of sleep deprivation and how they can mimic intoxication. READ MORE>>