sleeplessness

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Sleep Loss Can Make People More Selfish
Miss a Little Sleep, and
We're All About Ourselves
new study

Miss a Little Sleep, and We're All About Ourselves

As little as an hour lost can make people less willing to help others, researchers say

(Newser) - If a bad night's sleep makes you feel like you're of no use to anyone, there's evidence to back that up. Research suggests that losing as little as one hour of sleep can decrease the desire to help other people, including friends and family, the Guardian reports....

Ambien, Other Sleep Aids Get FDA's Strongest Warning

Injuries and deaths lead to adding 'black box' labels

(Newser) - The FDA is requiring its strongest warning labels be placed on Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta, and other prescription sleep medications. The "black box" label warns that side effects can lead to serious injury or death, Live Science reports. The FDA ordered the change after "rare but serious" incidents among...

For Insomnia, Toss the Sleeping Pills, Try Therapy

It may require more work, but researchers say the evidence supports pursuing therapy over pills

(Newser) - The American College of Physicians is issuing new guidelines on how to treat insomnia based on evidence suggesting that the side effects of sleeping pills are "underestimated," while the success of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) is compelling. "The evidence is quite strong that cognitive behavioral therapy is...

Week of Bad Sleep Alters Genes

 A Week of 
 Bad Sleep 
 Alters Your 
 Genes 
in case you missed it

A Week of Bad Sleep Alters Your Genes

Study finds 'dramatic changes' taking place within days

(Newser) - Sleeplessness starts to bring about dramatic changes in the body within just a few days, disrupting hundreds of genes, hindering the body's ability to repair itself, and raising the risk of illnesses linked to immunity and stress, according to new research. Researchers analyzed the blood of subjects after they...

You Don't Need 8 Hours of Sleep ... in a Row

It's more natural to sleep in two four-hour shifts

(Newser) - If you often wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep right away, you probably call it “insomnia”—but it might actually be more natural than sleeping for eight hours straight. "The dominant pattern of sleep, arguably since time immemorial, was...

Need a Nap? Sleep Like a Baby
 Need a Nap? Sleep Like a Baby 

Need a Nap? Sleep Like a Baby

(Newser) - Napping is a good idea, but afternoon slumber eludes many of us. Mental Floss offers some pointers for adults who have trouble snoozing while the sun shines.
  • Don't fight it: Humans are hardwired to hit the sack twice a day.
  • The optimal nap length is 20 or 90 minutes.

Jet Lag Pill Can Reboot Biological Clock

New drug could replace addictive sedatives as travel cure

(Newser) - A new drug could allow travelers to fly past jet lag without the lingering drowsiness of addictive sedatives, the BBC reports. The drug resets natural sleep rhythms by adjusting the body’s sleep hormone, melatonin, allowing sleep to come sooner and last longer. If approved, Tasimelteon could provide welcome relief...

Reasons You're Losing Snoozes
 Reasons You're Losing Snoozes 

Reasons You're Losing Snoozes

Forbes explains why Americans aren't getting enough sleep

(Newser) - The health benefits of sleep are well-documented, but catching Zs isn't so easy in a society all about hard work and an active lifestyle. Forbes runs down some reasons Americans aren't getting enough quality time with their pillows.
  • Marital problems: A bad marriage makes for poor shut-eye. Happy wives fell
...

Separate Beds: the Key to Happy Marriage?

Sleep disturbance is hard on love, researches say

(Newser) - Looking for lengthy love? It may be time to sleep single. More couples are opting for separate beds, and 60% of custom-built homes in the UK will have dual master bedrooms by 2015, the London Times reports. Many in modern times consider separate beds the end of love, but in...

Chronic Pain Rewires the Brain
Chronic Pain Rewires the Brain

Chronic Pain Rewires the Brain

Researchers find suffering constant pain can cause permanent changes

(Newser) - Researchers studying the brains of people suffering from chronic pain have found that  an area of their cortex is permanently active when it should sometimes deactivate, Reuters reports. That part of the brain, usually associated with emotion, stays on "full throttle" at all times. Researchers say this could explain...

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