Sleep in Media - December 2011

December 31, 2011

"What happens when you really can’t sleep — ever." (io9) - A fascinating article about a rare genetic disorder called Fatal Familial Insomnia. 

"8 surprising health benefits of quality rest" (Times Herald Record) - A list of eight rarely thought-of reasons why good sleep makes everything better. 

"Estrogen helps nighttime hot flashes, not sleep" (Reuters) - Researchers have found that hormone therapy reduces hot flash incidence, but it does not improve quality of sleep.

"The Pros and Cons of Napping" (Fox News) - An article explaining when napping is helpful and when it might disrupt nighttime sleep. 

December 28, 2011

"How Insomnia Feels" (The New York Times - Sunday Book Review) - A review of the book "Nothing: a Portrait of Insomnia" by Blake Butler, a memoir of his life with insomnia.

"Natural treatments for insomnia" (The Mayo News) - Nutritional and herbal supplements to help promote sleep.

"Science: No Visions of Sugarplums!" (CBC Radio) - Why bad dreams are more prevalent during the holidays. 

"Retired church minister from Yate 'used to sleep for 22 hours a day'" (The Gazette) A woman suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, shares the physical and emotional toll of the disorder. 

December 21, 2011

"Study: Sleep-Deprived Police Officers Risk Everyone’s Safety" (Time Magazine) - Researchers have recently conducted a study investigating the rates of sleep disorders amongst police officers. 

"How do you solve hotel insomnia?" (BBC) - A video from the BBC program Fast Track, looking at ways to sleep well while traveling. 

"Beat The Lag" (Business Outlook India) - Tips for avoiding jet lag.

"Science: No Visions of Sugarplums!" (CBC Radio) - Why nightmares can be more prevalent during the holidays. 

"Sleeping through the holidays" (CNN) - When to be concerned that your college-aged child may have a sleep disorder. 

"Sleep Apnea In Truck Drivers: Advisory Panels Recommend Screening For Condition In Obese Drivers" (Huffington Post) 

"Reducing sleep risks prevents infant deaths" (Chicago Tribune)

December 19, 2011

"Apnea treatment might reduce signs of heart disease risk" (USA Today) - The CPAP machine used to treat sleep apnea has been found the reverse risk factors for heart disease in some patients.

"Depression drug may help insomniacs" (The Vancouver Sun) - The new medication, which uses the hormone melatonin, causes the patient to fall asleep faster and have more deep sleep.

"Insomnia, Sleep Loss Among Blacks Raises Health Risks" (The Huffington Post)

"Midnight moms are in the grip of holiday mania" (The Washington Post) - Columnist Petula Dvorak explains the phenomenon of 'midnight moms' and how some are trying to make sleep a priority. 

"Polyphasic Sleep Cycles Trick Your Body into Needing Less Sleep" (Lifehacker.com) - An article explaining the pros and cons of polyphasic sleep cycles. 

"To all a good night: How to sleep during holidays" (Houston Chronicle) - Tips for maintaining good sleep hygiene during the holiday season. 

"Sleepwalking Is For Real" (The Huffington Post) - The author shares his experiences of seeking treatment for recurrent insomnia. 

December 16, 2011

"Sleeping With The Enemy: What You Get From Your Pet" (Wired Magazine) - Highlighting the possible dangers of sharing a pillow with your pet. 

"Is your partner a whistler, a rumbler or a Darth Vader wheezer? How to be a snore detective" (Daily Mail Online) - An exhaustive article about different types of snoring and their treatments. 

"Sleeping at night" (The Times of India) - Explaining the importance of melatonin production and how it effects the sleep cycle. 

"Late-night sales to be banned at pet shops" (Daily Yomiuri Online) - The Japanese Environment Ministry has recently banned the sale of puppies and kittens after 8pm so they can sleep for a full 12 hours.

"Holiday Gift Ideas: 12 Sleep Gifts For Better Zzz's" (The Huffington Post)

December 14, 2011

"Adults don't lose sleep over computers" (The Times of India) - Researchers at the University of Sydney assert that modern day gadgets do not cause adults to lose sleep.

"Teeth-grinding could signal sleep problems" (CNN) - An article about the causes and diagnosis of teeth-grinding. 

"Money worries are driving an increase in sleep loss, stress" (CBC News) - A lengthy article outlining the effects stress can have on sleep, particularly during tough economic times, and advice on stress prevention. 

"Flexible workplace = improved health" (UPI.com) - Quality of life and health improved when the Best Buy head office initiated a 'flexible workplace initiative', rewarding employees based on the work they complete rather than the number of hours spent at the office. 

"A Campaign Against Co-Sleeping" (The New York Times)

"Not so Sleeping Beauty: The problem with popping pills to get to sleep" (ABC 2 News) - Sleep professionals are seeing more women with insomnia who are becoming dependent on sleeping pills. 

"Being the Wizard of Zs" (Times Argus) - The author shares the importance of sleep in his life. 

December 12, 2011

"To Sleep on the Subway, Maybe, but to Dream? Poor Chance"  (The New York Times) - Curious about the quality of subway naps, a NY city neurologist conducted a sleep study on a volunteer commuter. 

"Sleep? no, I’m still online" (Independent Online) - According to a new study, one in four people spend more time online than asleep. 

"The World’s Oldest Bed Is 77,000 Years Old" (Gizmodo) - Archaeologists discovered the ancient leaf bed in South Africa. 

"Why Working the Night Shift May Boost Your Risk of Diabetes" (Time Magazine) - Researchers suggest reasons why working night shifts increase the risk of developing type II diabetes. 

"Dr. G's Zzzzz's: When your child sleepwalks" (The Charlotte Observer) - Information and advice for parents of sleepwalkers. 

"Do you dream about the boss? How office politics dominates our shut-eye so we can't even escape work stress at night" (Daily Mail)

"Got sleep? Five nifty reasons to nod off today" (Southwest Riverside News Network)

"To dream, perchance to sleep" (The Sydney Morning Herald) - Adventures in sleep deprivation at the Abu Dhabi airport. 

December 9, 2011

"A cure for insomnia comes a step closer" (Independent Online) - A chemical that controls sleep and wakefulness gives hope for new insomnia medications. 

"I, CAREGIVER: Sleeplessness the norm" (New Straits Times) - The author shares her experiences with insomnia while being a caregiver to her ill parents. 

"Farewell, my friend sleep" (The Ottawa Citizen) - How the author's relationship with sleep has changed through his life. 

"To Sleep, Perchance to Dream—But Why?" (The Wall Street Journal) - An overview of dreaming research, as it relates to memory. 

"Taxi Tales - Sleeping in Taxis" (The Monitor) - Catching a nap during the commute in Uganda. 

"Sleep pattern consistency key to conquering Sunday night insomnia" (Winnipeg Free Press)

December 7, 2011

"Scientists ID ‘Morning Person’ Gene" (ABC News) - An article examining recent research regarding the genetic basis of sleep. 

"6 Myths About Sleep, Busted" (Huffington Post) - A slide show from Eating Well Magazine. 

"Innovative approaches help sleep apnea sufferers benefit from CPAP" (e! Science News) - Researchers have found that patients are more likely to use CPAP machines when supported by a partner or if monitored by a sleep professional.    

"Yoga may ease insomnia, menopause problems" (The Toronto Star) - A study showing the possible benefits of yoga. 

"9 baby sleep tips" (Made for Mums)

December 5, 2011

"Dreaming of Sleep During Chemotherapy Treatment" (Huffington Post) - The author seeks help for insomnia brought on by chemotherapy. 

"In What Light There Is: Time for a nap" (The Journal Times) - Ruminations on napping by an old pro. 

"Awakenings Caused by Sleeping Pills" (The New York Times) - An introductory article for a longer piece in the New York Times Magazine explaining how Ambien has been used to treat comatose patients. 

"Sleeping problems? Taking A Pill Or Drinking Alcohol Might Not Be Best Option" (South Asia Mail) - An article describing fascinating insomnia research by scientists at Ryerson University.   

"Is sleep throwing off your work-life balance?" (The Globe and Mail) - A comparison of different sleep schedule alterations--some drastic, others slight--and their resulting effects. 

"Wired up for healthier sleeping and eating" (Financial Times) - A brief overview of three devices used along with a smartphone to monitor sleep, diet and exercise. 

"Health: Carbs are needed for calming effect from warm milk" (Press of Atlantic City) - The science behind sleep-inducing effects of warm milk. 

December 04, 2011

"10 Ways We Manage Sleeplessness That Make it Worse" (Huffington Post)

"Moderate Weekly Exercise Linked With Better Sleep Quality: Study" (Huffington Post) - A minimum of 150 minutes of exercise a week has been shown to increase sleep quality and decrease daytime sleepiness. 

"Pirate gerbils and sea fluffies … just some things one man talks about in his sleep" (The Toronto Star) - An article about a woman who documents her husband's humorous sleep-talking on the blog, Sleep Talkin' Man. 

"Could lack of sleep be a cause of childhood obesity?" (The New York Times) - The author ponders the possible links between too little sleep and obesity in children.

"That tired old argument – what do we do about insomnia?" (The Guardian)