Alerts
Ecstasy Use Tied to Sleep Apnea
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Prior use of the drug methylenedioxymethamphetamine, known as ecstasy, could increase the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine studied 71 recreational ecstasy users who were otherwise medically healthy and 62 non-users. |
The Science of Nightmares
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An article in a recent issue of the New Yorker looks at nightmares and the idea of treating them like you would treat a sleep disorder. Nightmares are dreams with vivid and disturbing content. They are common in children during REM sleep, and they usually involve an immediate awakening and good recall of the dream content. |
NOVA Special Looks at Dreams
 What are dreams and why do we have them? The mystery of why we dream is a topic that has puzzled humans since the beginning of recorded history. A recent NOVA special on PBS interviewed researchers who are conducting various neurological and psychological experiments to investigate the reason behind dreaming. |
Drive Alert, Arrive Alive This Holiday Weekend
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Road trips can turn tragic for travelers if they get behind the wheel without having had a good night's sleep. Sleepiness causes slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays in processing information, which are all critical elements for safe driving practices. This holiday weekend, follow these tips for drowsy-free driving: |
Sleep Deprivation Can Slow Reaction Time
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Sleep deprivation can have an enormous impact on your health and happiness. Apparently, it can also affect your ability to make split-second decisions, according to a recent study in the journal SLEEP. |
Holiday Gift Ideas for Sleepers
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If you have a friend or someone in your family who can be described as a fan of sleeping, the following are some great gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season. |
Shurin Named NHLBI Acting Director
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National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins has named Dr. Susan Shurin the acting director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, according to an e-mail from former director Elizabeth G. Nabel. |
Is Depression as Dangerous as Smoking?
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Research suggests that people with insomnia have a ten-fold risk of developing depression compared with those who sleep well. Now a new study by researchers at King's College London has found that depression can be as dangerous to your health as smoking. |
Identifying Invisible Sleep Stealers
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More often than not, you have a pretty good idea of what is keeping you awake at night — from the cat scratching at your bedroom door to the snoring partner next to you. But not all "sleep stealers" are obvious. Here are some big sleep stealers that could be keeping you up at night and you may not know it. |
Study Finds Seals Sometimes Sleep on Ocean Floor
 If you think your sleeping environment isn't perfect, try the bottom of the ocean. A recent study in the journal Biology Letters found that elephant seals while migrating from their breeding colonies in California to their wintering areas further north will roll over and sink to the seabed below for rest. |
