Sleep Disorders / 21.11.2024

Understanding the Power of Napping for Productivity 

In our fast-paced world, many people find themselves feeling fatigued and mentally drained by mid-afternoon. As work demands increase, the idea of napping during the day is often dismissed as a luxury or an unproductive habit. However, recent studies suggest that napping can, in fact, improve productivity, cognitive performance, and mental clarity, provided it is done correctly. The science behind napping reveals that it can benefit both physical health and mental focus, offering a way to recharge during the day without disrupting nighttime sleep.  (more…)
Sleep Disorders / 21.11.2024

Understanding How Winter Affects Your Sleep Patterns 

As the winter season approaches, many people find themselves struggling with changes in their sleep patterns. The shorter days, reduced sunlight, and cooler temperatures can all have a profound effect on how well we sleep. Our internal clocks, which are regulated by sunlight and other environmental cues, are disrupted by these seasonal shifts, leading to various sleep disturbances. Understanding the impact of these changes and learning how to adjust your sleep cycle accordingly can significantly improve the quality of your rest during the colder months.  The winter months are often associated with cozy blankets, warm drinks, and earlier bedtimes, but for many people, the lack of daylight can affect their sleep in ways they might not fully understand. As daylight hours shorten, our bodies produce more melatonin, a hormone that signals to our brains that it’s time to sleep. While this can be helpful in aiding sleep, it can also lead to feelings of sluggishness and an overall sense of tiredness throughout the day. For some, this change can result in trouble getting up in the morning or feeling excessively tired in the evening.  (more…)
Insomnia / 13.11.2024

Editor’ note:  Cannabis and THCA/HEMP CBD products should have an active ingredient list on the container and have a Certificate of Analysis (COA). As with any supplement, it’s important to research and consult with a professional to find the right fit for you.   your use of CBD products with your health care provider.  Dosing of CBD is variable, especially since it is not FDA regulated. CBD may interfere with other medications and should not be used in individuals with certain health conditions, including liver issues. CBD skin care products can be absorbed through the skin and have similar effects. Do not use Cannabis products including edibles and CBD if you are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant. Do not use cannabis products if driving or operating difficult or dangerous machinery. Children should not be exposed to cannabis or CBD products. Managing stress and getting a good night’s sleep can feel like a real challenge. Whether it’s work deadlines, family responsibilities, or just life’s endless to-do list, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. And when stress piles up, sleep tends to suffer, creating a frustrating cycle that’s hard to break. "The good news is there are simple, natural ways, like using gummies for sleep, to help take back control and help your body and mind unwind.". Why Natural Remedies? While over-the-counter solutions or prescriptions can be helpful, they often come with side effects or the risk of dependency. Natural remedies focus on supporting your body’s ability to relax and reset, rather than masking symptoms. Plus, they’re easy to incorporate into your life and can be a great first step before exploring other options. (more…)
Aging, Sleep Disorders / 14.10.2024

Photo by: RDNE Stock project

As people age, sleep problems often become more common. Seniors frequently report issues such as insomnia, light sleeping, or waking up multiple times throughout the night. This lack of quality sleep can affect their overall well-being, leading to increased anxiety, fatigue, and decreased cognitive function.   Fortunately, relaxation techniques and the use of comfort tools like a quilted blanket can help combat anxiety and promote better sleep in seniors.   This article explores the impact of anxiety on senior sleep, the benefits of using a quilted blanket, and various relaxation techniques that seniors can adopt to achieve more restful nights. (more…)
OBGYNE, Sleep Disorders / 30.09.2024

sleep-during-pregnancy.jpg   Sleep deprivation is something all new parents go through, but for many women, it starts before the baby is born. As your belly is growing, the baby is kicking, and your hormone levels are fluctuating, you are very likely to experience insomnia, poor sleep quality, or nighttime awakenings. Even though there is no magic solution that can fix your problems entirely, there are some things you can do to get some good night's sleep during pregnancy:

Create a Soothing Bedtime Routine

Try to come up with a bedtime ritual that you can perform every night to signal your brain and your body that it is time to sleep. First, stop using screens because modern devices produce blue light that impedes your body’s production of melatonin. So instead of scrolling through your phone, consider reading a book before bedtime. Additionally, introduce some habits that can support and improve your mental health during pregnancy. For example, you can take a soothing, warm bath, sip on a cup of warm milk or a caffeine-free tea, or listen to a guided meditation. Also, you can introduce aromatherapy to your bedroom. Using a pillow spray or a diffuser can make you feel more relaxed in minutes. Finally, stick with a consistent routine that provides you with at least eight hours of sleep every night. (more…)
Sleep Disorders / 21.09.2024

Sleep is an essential element of health and so people’s claims that they have more difficulty in falling asleep remain very common. Irrespective of whether this is a passing phase or an established and chronic problem, recognizing the reasons can assist individuals in seeking possible solutions. This article discusses possible sources of sleep hindrances and recommends how to fall asleep faster.  What is Difficulty in Falling Asleep? ‘Difficulty in falling asleep’ as it sounds, by definition falls under the category of sleep disturbances that can best be referred to as sleep-onset insomnia. It is the failure to fall asleep after lying down over a period that is reasonable after bed. A person's parents who have this disorder are also more likely to have this disorder. This condition can have a detrimental influence on multiple aspects of health, resulting in low energy levels, high levels of mood swings, and poor concentration during working hours. (more…)
Sleep Disorders / 04.09.2024

In our fast-paced, always-on world, sleep often takes a backseat to work, social activities, and screen time. Many people view sleep as a luxury or an inconvenience, failing to recognize its fundamental role in our overall health and success. However, the truth is that quality sleep is not just beneficial—it's essential for our physical health, mental well-being, and cognitive performance. Understanding the hidden power of sleep can be the key to unlocking your full potential and achieving lasting success in all areas of life.  

The Vital Functions of Sleep

Sleep is far more than just a period of inactivity or rest. During those precious hours of slumber, our bodies and minds engage in critical processes that are essential for our survival and optimal functioning. Let's delve deeper into some of the vital functions of sleep: (more…)
Sleep Disorders, Telemedicine / 18.08.2024

In an era where technology is rapidly transforming healthcare, Dr. Avinesh Bhar has emerged as a leading figure in the field of sleep medicine. Through his innovative platform, Sliiip.com, Dr. Bhar is revolutionizing how people with sleep issues access care. His accomplishments in telemedicine are not only groundbreaking but also essential for addressing the growing prevalence of sleep disorders.

Who is Dr. Avinesh Bhar?

Dr. Avinesh Bhar is a renowned sleep doctor dedicated to advancing the treatment and understanding of sleep disorders. With a background in sleep medicine and a passion for leveraging technology to improve patient outcomes, Dr. Bhar has made significant strides in making sleep health services more accessible and effective.

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Lifestyle & Health, Nutrition, Supplements / 29.07.2024

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is pivotal for long-term health and happiness. It's about making consistent, beneficial choices that match your needs and goals. This can be a challenging task in today's busy world, but it's certainly achievable with the right set of strategies. You can enhance your quality of life by balancing your nutrition, staying active, managing stress, and getting quality sleep. Keep reading to discover practical tips to guide you toward wellness.

Embracing Balanced Nutrition for Sustained Well-being

embracing-balanced-nutrition.jpgA balanced diet is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating various foods from all the food groups ensures that your body gets the nutrients it needs. Increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats contributes to better health and helps prevent chronic diseases. Understanding portion sizes and the significance of moderation can prevent overeating and weight gain. It is also important to stay hydrated throughout the day. Water supports metabolic processes and helps eliminate waste. Knowing your body's calorie and nutritional requirements is crucial for maintaining a balanced diet. If you're unsure where to begin, seeking guidance from a registered dietitian can be a great starting point. For wellness products and nutritional supplements, SkinnyFit offers quality, all-natural health and wellness products—visit skinnyfit.com to explore their range. Lastly, preparing your meals can give you more control over the ingredients and help you stick to a nutritious diet. Planning can also prevent impulsive decisions leading to unhealthy eating habits. (more…)
Author Interviews, Pulmonary Disease, Sleep Disorders / 21.05.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ankit Parekh, PhD Director of the Sleep And Circadian Analysis (SCAN) Group Assistant Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Sleep apnea is associated with incident cardiovascular disease, and is a common chronic condition affecting over a billion people worldwide. In diagnosing and treating sleep apnea, it is imperative to establish the type of sleep apnea—whether it is obstructive or central sleep apnea. The differential contribution of central vs. obstructive sleep apnea toward incidental cardiovascular disease in those with significant sleep apnea has not been well studied. Our group has developed an automated algorithm that deduces on a breath-by-breath level whether reductions in airflow are predominantly due to obstructive or central phenomena. Our algorithm uses several features that are known to be key in distinguishing the type of events and derives a probability of obstruction across each “small” (reduced amplitude) breath. The breath-by-breath probability is then used to determine whether a patient’s burden of sleep apnea is predominantly obstructive or central. In this work, we analyzed sleep study data from The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) cohort (N=2793) consisting of elderly men, across two visits separated on average by 6.5 years, and derived the probability of obstruction on a breath-by-breath level. The median probability of obstruction for each subject was computed and analyzed against outcomes of cardiovascular disease. We also assessed the stability of the metric in those without any prevalent cardiovascular disease. We find that median probability of obstruction was stable across the two visits, and those with any incident cardiovascular disease had a lower median probability of obstruction: patients with incident cardiovascular outcomes had a significant burden of sleep apnea that was predominantly “central” in nature. (more…)
Author Interviews, Sleep Disorders / 12.03.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Soomi Lee, PhD Associate Professor | Department of Human Development and Family Studies | Center for Healthy Aging Director of STEALTH Lab: https://sites.psu.edu/stealth/ The Pennsylvania State University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response:  Sleep quantity and quality decline with advancing age; a risk of chronic conditions also increases with age. While previous studies report that poor sleep is a significant risk for chronic conditions, many have focused solely on a single dimension of sleep, such as duration, thereby limiting the ability to assess multiple co-occurring dimensions and their associations with chronic conditions. This study aimed to evaluate multiple dimensions of sleep health, including regularity, satisfaction, alertness, efficiency, and duration. By analyzing data from a national sample of adults (n=3,683) collected over two time points spanning a decade, the study identified four distinct sleep health phenotypes: good sleepers, insomnia sleepers, weekend catch-up sleepers, and nappers. (more…)
AHA Journals, Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Kidney Disease, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Sleep Disorders / 15.11.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Lead Author: Rupak Desai, MBBS Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center Independent Researcher, Atlanta, GA, Presenter: Vamsikalyan Borra, MD Resident Physician, Internal Medicine University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Weslaco, TX MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The relationship between sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is quite complex. OSA can cause hypoxia, activation of the sympathetic nervous system, and hypertension, all of which can have negative effects on kidney function. On the other hand, in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), intensifying renal replacement therapy has shown some improvement in sleep apnea severity, suggesting a bi-directional relationship between the two conditions. While there are still uncertainties, recent studies have focused on understanding the interplay between OSA and CKD. The role of CPAP therapy, a common treatment for OSA, in relation to CKD is not yet clear. Observational studies present findings regarding the impact of CPAPs on kidney function. However, researchers are actively investigating its cardiovascular benefits and its influence on the progression of CKD. The objective of this study is to analyze the trends in composite cardiovascular events in hospital encounters among geriatric patients with CKD, comparing those with and without obstructive sleep apnea. Additionally, we are also investigating sex and racial disparities in trends of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) among geriatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Furthermore, we are assessing the impact of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment and dependence on MACCE outcomes in OSA patients (more…)
Aging, Author Interviews, Mental Health Research, Sleep Disorders / 02.07.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Valentina Paz, M.Sc Ph.D.  Student Research and teaching assistant Universidad de la República, UruguayHon. Research AssistantMRC Unit for Lifelong Health & Ageing Department of Population Science & Experimental MedicineInstitute of Cardiovascular ScienceUniversity College London MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Prior research indicates that napping can enhance performance on specific cognitive tasks. However, some authors argue that the advantages derived from napping may vary between individuals who frequently have a nap and those who never naps. Furthermore, it remains to be seen whether habitual daytime napping has a positive or negative impact on cognition and the association between napping and brain volume is not well characterized. Therefore, our study aimed to examine whether the association between genetic liability to daytime napping, cognitive function, and brain volumes might be causal using a technic called Mendelian randomization and the UK Biobank. (more…)
Author Interviews, Lifestyle & Health, Mental Health Research, Sleep Disorders / 30.05.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Joanna Gorgol PhD Student University of Warsaw MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: People differ in the time when they prefer to wake up and fall asleep: some people prefer going to bed and waking up early, while others prefer later hours. Most of the population is somewhere between them. Research indicates that being a morning person is related to reporting higher satisfaction with life and conscientiousness. Studies also show the associations between being religious and having higher life satisfaction and conscientiousness. It seems that religiosity might mediate the relationship between morningness and higher life satisfaction. To better understand these associations we conducted two questionnaire-based studies of Polish adults, one with 500 participants and the other with 728 participants. All participants completed questionnaires measuring their chronotype, satisfaction with life, personality traits, and religiosity (more…)
Author Interviews, Health Care Systems, Sleep Disorders / 16.02.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Michael R. Schutz, Ph.D. Professor of Music Cognition/Percussion at McMaster University Founding director of the MAPLE Lab and Core member of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind. Prof. Schutz is also a professional musician and directs McMaster’s percussion ensemble.   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Hospitals around the world are filled with devices generating aconstant stream of tones conveying information to medical staff.overburdened healthcare professionals, and contributes to burnout inmedical staff.  The Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) regularlyincludes problems with auditory alarms in their list of "Top 10 HealthTechnology Hazards" and they  are so problematic an FDA surveyimplicated them in hundreds of patient deaths.While there is currently a lot of interest in how to improve alarmmanagement protocols, this study is different in that it looks atimproving the quality of the alarm sounds themselves.  For historicalreasons many default to simplistic "beeps" which are generallyannoying.  While annoying is useful for critical alarms requiringimmediate action, the vast majority of these messages are merelyintended to update medical staff of changes (i.e. blood pressure isrising) or indicate other situations that do not require immediateaction. Unfortunately, many machines use the same simplistic andannoying "beeps" regardless of whether the messages are urgent ornon-urgent.  This constant flood of annoying beeps negatively affectsboth patients (extending recovery time due to interrupted rest) andstaff (who can develop "alarm fatigue" from the constant cacophony). (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, JAMA, Nutrition, Occupational Health, Sleep Disorders / 09.11.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Zhilei Shan, MD, PhD Postdoctoral fellow on Nutritional Epidemiology Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Unhealthy sleep behaviors and sleep disturbances are associated with higher risk of multiple diseases and mortality. The current profiles of sleep habits and disturbances, particularly the differences between workdays and free days, are unknown in the contemporary US. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response: In this nationally representative cross-sectional analysis with 9004 adults aged 20 years or older, differences in sleep patterns between workdays and free days were observed. The mean sleep duration was 7.59 hours on workdays and 8.24 hours on free days (difference, 0.65 hour). The mean sleep and wake times were at 11:02 PM and 6:41 AM, respectively, on workdays and 11:25 PM and 7:41 AM, respectively, on free days (differences, 0.23 hour for sleep time and 1.00 hour for wake time). With regard to sleep disturbances, 30.5% of adults experienced 1 hour or more of sleep debt,46.5% experienced 1 hour or more of social jet lag, 29.8% had trouble sleeping, and 27.2% experienced daytime sleepiness. (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Schizophrenia, Sleep Disorders / 18.10.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Michael J. Prerau, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine, Faculty, Division of Sleep Medicine Harvard Medical School Associate Neuroscientist and Director of the Neurophysiological Signal Processing Core Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The brain is highly active during sleep, which makes it an important, natural way to study neurological health and disease. Scientists typically study brain activity during sleep using the electroencephalogram, or EEG, which measures brainwaves at the scalp. Starting in the mid 1930s, the sleep EEG was first studied by looking at the traces of brainwaves drawn on a paper tape by a machine. Many important features of sleep are still based on what people almost a century ago could most easily observe in the complex waveform traces. Even the latest machine learning and signal processing algorithms for detecting sleep waveforms are judged against their ability to recreate human observation. In this study, the researchers asked: What can we learn if we expand our notion of sleep brainwaves beyond what was historically easy to identify by eye? (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Melatonin, Pediatrics, Sleep Disorders / 28.09.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D. Instructor in Medicine Associate Scientist, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Investigator, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Departments of Medicine and Neurology Brigham and Women's Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Teens face myriad challenges to sleep, ranging from biological factors, including a preference for later bedtimes and increased need for sleep, to social factors, including social pressures and increased academic workloads, all limiting teenagers in their ability to keep a healthy sleep schedule. In a nationally representative sample, we explored the prevalence of another potential barrier to sleep among teens, which are a set of beliefs that are held in the population, yet are actual counter to scientific principles regarding sleep and circadian rhythms. (more…)
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Sleep Disorders, Weight Research / 26.09.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Steven K. Malin, PhD, FACSM (he/him) Associate Professor Department of Kinesiology and Health | School of Arts and Sciences Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition | Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Institute of Translational Medicine and Science New Brunswick, NJ 08901 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Type 2 diabetes is a condition where blood glucose (sugar) is elevated in the  blood. This can be problematic as it leads to blood vessel damage and the promotion of cardiovascular disease. Nearly 30 million people  in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes, making it a major public health issue. The cause is not entirely clear, but many, including our team view insulin resistance as a central culprit. Insulin resistance is when the body does not respond well to the hormone insulin. Insulin is vital because it promotes glucose uptake into tissues, like skeletal muscle. Two reasons that are often used to explain the development of insulin resistance include: poor diet (e.g. high sugar and/or high fat coupled with excess calories) and a lack of physical activity. However, more recently, a lack of sleep has been raised as another critical behavioral factor contributing to insulin resistance. Thus, targeting a healthy diet, activity and sleep pattern is thought to prevent the transition from health to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. (more…)
Abuse and Neglect, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Melatonin, Sleep Disorders / 24.05.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jeanne Duffy, MBA, PhD Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Harvard Medical School MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: Aging is associated with changes in sleep timing, quality and duration, and even older adults without chronic medical problems have shorter and more disrupted sleep than young adults. Many prescription sleep aids increase the risk of nighttime falls, have adverse effects on next‐day cognition, and are associated with increased mortality, and so are not recommended for long-term use in older adults. In previous studies, we and others have shown that melatonin, a hormone secreted at night, increases sleep duration in young adults but only when administered during the day when endogenous melatonin levels are low. We wanted to explore whether melatonin could improve the sleep of healthy adults and whether, like young adults, its impact depends on when during the day the person is trying to sleep. (more…)
Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Sleep Disorders, UCSF / 20.03.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ying-Hui Fu, PhD Professor, Neurology Weill Institute for Neurosciences UCSF MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: Most people are aware that a lack of sleep is associated with all sorts of health issues. However, familial natural short sleeper (FNSS) individuals sleep 4-6.5 hours a night most of their live and stay healthy. We set out to determine whether natural short sleep mutations can offer protection from various diseases. We chose Alzheimer as an example to start. (more…)
Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Sleep Disorders / 18.03.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Peng Li, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Research Director, Medical Biodynamics Program (MBP) Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Associate Physiologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: People commonly see increased sleep during daytime in older adults. In people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, daytime drowsiness or sleepiness are even more common. Prior studies have showed protective effects of short naps on cognitive performance and alertness acutely, while also there are studies that have demonstrated more daytime naps are associated with faster cognitive decline in the long-term. We sought to investigate whether daytime napping behavior predicts future development of Alzheimer’s dementia. And we noted that there had been no studies to date that have documented the longitudinal profile of daytime napping during late life objectively. (more…)
Aging, Author Interviews, Sleep Disorders / 15.03.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Rene Cortese, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Child Health – Child Health Research Institute Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health School of Medicine Core Faculty - MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65212 MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  What are the main findings? Response: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 22 million people in the U.S. and is linked to a higher risk of hypertension, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and many other chronic conditions. We have found that untreated OSA also accelerates the biological aging process, and that appropriate treatment can slow or possibly reverse the trend. Age acceleration testing involves a blood test that analyzes DNA and uses an algorithm to measure a person’s biological age. The phenomenon of a person’s biological age surpassing their chronological age is called “epigenetic age acceleration” and is linked to overall mortality and to chronic diseases. (more…)
Author Interviews, Insomnia, Pediatrics / 17.02.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD, CBSM, DBSM Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sleep Research & Treatment Center Director, Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Is insomnia familial? Response: Consistent research has shown that about 25% of school-age children have insomnia symptoms consisting of difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep. However, what has remained unknown is to what extent those insomnia symptoms persist all the way into adulthood, or whether they developmentally remit (go away with age) as the child grows into adolescence or young adulthood. This is the question that our study focused on. (more…)
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Sleep Disorders, Technology / 03.06.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Michele Ferrara, PhD. Professor of Psychobiology and Physiological Psychology Chair of the Psychology Didactic Council Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences University of L'Aquila MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: During the current period of social distancing, the pervasive increase in the use of electronic devices (smartphones, computers, tablets and televisions) is an indisputable fact. Especially during the long lockdown period of Spring 2020, technologies played a pivotal role in coping with the unprecedented and stressful isolation phase. However, exposure to backlit screens in the hours before falling asleep can have serious repercussions on sleep health: on the one hand, by mimicking the effects of exposure to sunlight, and thus interfering with the circadian rhythm of the hormone melatonin, and on the other hand, counteracting the evening sleepiness due to the emotionally and psycho-physiologically activating contents. In light of this assumption, we decided to test longitudinally during the third and the seventh week of lockdown a large Italian sample (2123 subjects) through a web-based survey. We assessed sleep disturbances/habits and the occurring changes of electronic device usage in the 2 hours before the sleep onset. (more…)
Author Interviews, Circadian Rhythm, Heart Disease, Occupational Health, Sleep Disorders / 27.04.2021

Circadian misalignment is associated with a high cardiovascular risk among shift workers: MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sara Gamboa Madeira Medical Doctor - General & Family Physician PhD Student - EnviHealth&Co - Faculty of Medicine Lisbon University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: One in every five employees work in shifts across Europe1. Shift work have been associated with an increased risk for several cardiovascular diseases2 and three main mechanism have been proposed: unhealthy behaviours, disturbed sleep, and circadian misalignment. This study focused on the role of circadian misalignment, which we assessed via social jetlag. Social jetlag is calculated using the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire3 by the difference between sleep behaviour on free-days (mainly driven by the individual “biological clock”, also called chronotype) and sleep behaviour on workdays (mainly drive by the “social clock”, namely work schedules). Chronotype is an individual feature which ranges from early/morning people to late/evening people (from proverbial lark to owls), with the majority of the population falling in between as a Gaussian distribution. Therefore higher levels of social jetlag mean a greater mismatch between what your biological clock need (e.g. go to sleep at 9pm) and what your social obligations impose on you (e.g. work until midnight). (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Endocrinology, Insomnia, Menopause, Sleep Disorders, Weight Research / 23.03.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Leilah K. Grant, PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Medicine Brigham and Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The prevalence of obesity increases in women around the age of menopause which increases the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Changes in hormones, like estrogen, are thought to contribute to weight gain during menopause, but other common symptoms of menopause such as sleep interruption may also play a role. While short sleep is known to adversely affect metabolism, little is known about the metabolic consequences of the type of sleep disruption most common in menopausal women – increased nighttime awakenings (i.e., sleep interruption) caused by hot flashes, but no change in overall sleep duration. We therefore did this study to see how an experimental model menopause-related sleep interruption would affect metabolic outcomes that may contribute to weight gain.  (more…)
Author Interviews, General Medicine, Sleep Disorders / 06.10.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Nathan Warren is a Ph.D. candidate in marketing at the University of Oregon. His research examines how people respond when social norms, such as masculinity norms, are disrupted by social change. He hopes that his research can empower people who are struggling to adapt to changing norms to live healthier, happier, and more productive lives. For more information on his research, please visit: www.nathanwarrenresearch.com Dr. Troy Campbell is a behavioral scientist (PhD, Duke University), former marketing professor (University of Oregon), former art, film, and psychology scholar (UC Irvine), professional designer and researcher (Netflix Insights, Disney Imagineering, UnitedHealth) and currently chief scientist at On Your Feet.  Troy believes everything can be awesome when you start with the right science and follow with the right creative process, and he hopes his professional services or public guides can help his clients make something awesome and impactful. For more information on Troy Campbell, please visit: www.troy-campbell.com MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Response: In the United States, the average American sleeps less than the minimum seven hours of sleep per night recommended by the Center for Disease Control, and nearly half of Americans report negative consequences from insufficient sleep. This problem appears to be especially prevalent in men, who report getting significantly less sleep, on average, than women. A cultural complication is the notion that getting less than the recommended amount of sleep signals something positive about an individual. For example, US President Donald Trump has boasted about getting less than four hours of sleep per night and regularly derogates his political opponent Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe.” "The Sleep-Deprived Masculinity Stereotype," a new paper in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, examines a possible stereotype connecting sleep and masculinity along with its underlying mechanisms and its social implications. Authors Nathan B. Warren and Troy H. Campbell conducted 12 experiments involving 2,564 American participants to demonstrate that a sleep-deprived masculinity stereotype exists.  In one experiment, participants were asked to imagine seeing a man shopping for a bed. Then, a salesperson asked the man, “How much do you normally sleep?” The results found that the mean masculinity rating for participants in the lots of sleep condition was significantly lower than the mean masculinity rating for participants in the little sleep condition. In another experiment, participants were asked to ascribe different attributes to a male character, assigned to either a “very masculine and manly” man or a “not very masculine and not very manly” man. Participants in the masculine condition described their character sleeping 33 minutes less sleep per night than the characters described in the not masculine condition. A final experiment showed that participants who imagined stating they sleep more than average felt significantly less masculine than participants who imagined stating they sleep less than average. Collectively, the experiments found that men who sleep less are seen as more masculine and more positively judged by society. The same patterns were not consistently observed for perceptions of women.   (more…)
Author Interviews, Eisai, Insomnia / 02.10.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Margaret Moline, PhD Executive Director, Neurology Business Group, Eisai, Inc Lemborexant International Program Lead and Global Medical Lead MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
  • SUNRISE 2 was one of two pivotal Phase 3 studies evaluated in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of DAYVIGO (lemborexant) CIV in December 2019.
  • SUNRISE 2 was a pivotal six-month placebo-controlled treatment trial with a 6-month active treatment period including adult patients age 18 or older who met DSM-5 criteria for insomnia disorder.
  • Patients were randomized to placebo (n=325), DAYVIGO 5 mg (n=323), or DAYVIGO 10 mg (n=323) once nightly for the first six months of the study (Treatment Period 1).
  • The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change from baseline to end of treatment at six months for subjective sleep onset latency (sSOL; the estimated minutes from the time that the patient attempted to sleep until sleep onset).
  • Secondary efficacy endpoints were mean change from baseline to end of treatment at six months subjective sleep efficiency (sSE; the proportion of time spent asleep per time in bed) and subjective wake after sleep onset (sWASO; the minutes of wake from the onset of sleep until wake time). These endpoints were measured by sleep diary.
  • At Virtual SLEEP 2020, a post-hoc analysis of SUNRISE 2 was shared in an oral presentation, which looked specifically at the long-term efficacy and safety of lemborexant in elderly adults with insomnia disorder.
  • Insomnia disorder, a chronic condition with long-term consequences for health and well-being, is prevalent in older adults.
  • This analysis of the SUNRISE 2 data reflects new learnings on the sustained impact of DAYVIGO on sleep onset and sleep maintenance in an older patient population. 
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