News

How much sleep do children need?

Jul 21 2016...

Sleep is essential for optimal health in children and teens. But how many hours of sleep should your child get on a regular basis? To answer this question, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine gathered a panel of 13 sleep experts. They reviewed more than 850 scientific articles. After multiple rounds of discussion and voting, they agreed on the following recommendations. READ MORE>>

Sleep and breast cancer survival

May 06 2016...

Getting your ZZZ’s may be more important than you realize. A new study of women suggests that short sleep duration combined with frequent snoring may impact cancer survival, especially in those with breast cancer. The analysis involved more than 21,000 postmenopausal women who were diagnosed with cancer during the study follow-up period. READ MORE>>

Why you only need 7 hours of sleep

Jun 03 2015...

Sometimes it might be hard to get that ideal 8 hours of sleep. But with a new recommendation that says 7 hours may be enough for a healthy adult. READ MORE>>

A high school student's "Sleep Story"

Oct 04 2013...

The American Sleep Medicine Foundation recently challenged high school students around the country to create a video sleep story. A few dozen aspiring scientists and filmmakers answered their call, submitting documentaries, dramas and other creative takes on sleep topics. A panel of sleep physicians and researchers had the challenging job of narrowing the field down to a winning and several runners-up.

Congratulations to Jasper Lown, of Wheaton-Warrenville South High School for winning the 2013 ASMF Sleep Story Video Contest with this video:

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Video: "Honor Thy Sleep" looks at sleep in America

Jul 26 2013...

The health website "Be Smart Be Well" recently produced a video called "Honor Thy Sleep", which looks at sleep in America. In the video, AASM President-Elect Timothy Morgenthaler, MD provides practical tips and answers common questions about sleep:

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The ugly truth about beauty sleep

Nov 20 2012...

We joke about needing our beauty sleep, but there may actually be something to that. Swedish researchers have found scientific evidence supporting the concept of beauty sleep. Sleep deprived people appear less healthy, less attractive and more tired compared with when they are well rested. READ MORE>>

Winter, sleep and your circadian rhythms

Nov 13 2012...

Unlike animals, humans do not need to hibernate during the winter. It may feel like you need more sleep during the winter months because the days get shorter. However, your actual sleep need does not increase.

It is normal for sleep habits and activity cycles to change a bit as the seasons change. The biggest mistake people make when it comes to sleeping in the winter is ignoring your body's natural rhythms. READ MORE>>

Sleep myths: Separating fact from fiction

Oct 29 2012...

Sleep is extremely important as we spend about a third of our life doing it. There is so much information out there about sleep it’s enough to make your head spin. Here, we dispel some of the common myths about sleeping. READ MORE>>

Short sleep reduces effectiveness of vaccines

Aug 01 2012...

Sleep length may affect how your body responds to vaccines, increasing your risk for illness. A study published in the August issue of the journal SLEEP found that people who had insufficient sleep were far more likely to be unprotected by a vaccine. READ MORE>>

Blogger Arianna Huffington: Sleep for Success

Jan 05 2011...

In a recent TEDtalk, Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington stepped out from the political blogosphere to spread an idea that liberals and conservatives alike can use. READ MORE>>