Sleep needs change over a person's lifetime. Children and adolescents need more sleep than adults. Interestingly, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults -- seven or more hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less [...]
Sleeping pills can be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia. But like any other drug, sleep medications can have side effects. One potential side effect of sleeping pills is daytime drowsiness. Sleep medications are powerful hypnotics. They can be helpful because they cause a [...]
Caffeine is a natural substance that can be extracted from plants. Natural sources of caffeine include coffee beans, tea leaves and cocoa beans. It also can be produced synthetically. Caffeine is a type of drug that promotes alertness. These drugs are called “stimulants.” Caffeine [...]
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: Honor Thy Sleep - American Academy [...]
The key to women looking younger might not be using a super expensive anti-aging cream, it may be just getting more shut eye. In a recent clinical trial, physician-scientists at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center found that sleep quality impacts skin function and [...]
AASM President Safwan Badr, MD recently participated in a Twitter chat to educate the public about sleep disorders and clear up some misconceptions about sleep. The Wednesday discussion was organized by the Wall Street Journal and moderated by health reporter Shirley Wang. The following [...]
Getting enough sleep could affect concussion test accuracy. August will be here in a couple of weeks and you know what that means — the start of both high school and college football seasons. And along with football season comes the increased risk of [...]
Long days, busy social schedules and humid, hot weather make summer a difficult season to get a good night’s sleep. Short-term insomnia due to environmental causes is fairly common this time of year. There’s no reason to concede your sleep and lean on caffeine [...]
Kids driving you crazy this summer? It could be because they need more sleep. A new study out of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville found that four-year-olds with shorten than average sleep times have increased rates of “externalizing” behavior problems. "Preschool children with shorter [...]
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 are already prone to certain [...]
