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Sleep

·October 18, 2023·2 min read

Hit Snooze: More Sleep Could Boost Morning Alertness

There may be perks to hitting the snooze button. Among 1,732 adults, 69% reported snoozing, with an average snooze time of 22 minutes. Younger participants and evening types were more prone to snoozing. A smaller study found that 30 minutes of snoozing could enhance or not affect cognitive performance upon waking.

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·October 16, 2023·6 min read

Dreams Across Cultures: How Societies Shape Our Dreamscapes

Researchers conducted a study analyzing dreams of individuals across different cultures. By comparing dreams of forager communities in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo with Western dreams, they found the former often depicted more threatening yet socially-supportive scenarios.

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·October 12, 2023·6 min read

Facial Cues Reveal How We Respond to Verbal Stimuli During Sleep

Researchers unearthed startling insights into the permeable boundary between wakefulness and sleep, demonstrating that individuals can respond to verbal stimuli by manipulating facial expressions during various sleep stages. This interaction occurs like fleeting windows of connection to the external world, even during periods of sleep traditionally considered devoid of external awareness.

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·October 2, 2023·6 min read

Sleep Struggles Link to Elevated Risk of Hypertension

Researchers have found a notable link between insomnia symptoms and hypertension in women. Drawing from a 16-year study involving over 66,000 participants, the study showed women with sleep difficulties were more prone to high blood pressure.

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·September 22, 2023·4 min read

Brain’s Blue Spot, Locus Coeruleus, Is A Key Player in Sleep Quality and Memory

Researchers have shed light on the vital role of the locus coeruleus in regulating REM sleep and its effects on cognitive processes. Located deep in the brain, this nucleus manages noradrenaline, influencing memory, emotions, and sleep initiation.

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·September 21, 2023·5 min read

The Brain Wiring for Sleep Prep

Researchers have discovered how mice's brains are wired to instinctively prepare for sleep by nesting, highlighting a survival feature likely shared among mammals. When mice were deprived of sleep, a robust urge to nest emerged, which is controlled by dedicated brain cells in the prefrontal cortex.

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·September 14, 2023·5 min read

Sleep’s Secret Lives: Navigating the Mystery of Arousal Disorders

Arousal disorders, including the mysterious actions of sexsomnia, sleepwalking, and sleep terrors, remain a significant gray area in sleep medicine. A new study reveals that unlike other sleep disorders, arousal disorders lack consensus treatment guidelines.

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·September 13, 2023·6 min read

Healthy Habits Are Key to Curbing Depression’s Hold

A new study delves into the role of lifestyle choices in mitigating depression risks. Drawing from the UK Biobank, researchers analyzed data from nearly 290,000 participants, determining that seven key lifestyle habits significantly reduced depression risk.

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·September 9, 2023·6 min read

The Dream Dance: Decoding REM’s Mystical Nightly Show in Our Brains

REM sleep, marked by rapid eye movement, is one of the most mysterious stages of our nightly rest, known for vivid dreams. This phase, repeating every 90 to 120 minutes, possibly prevents sleeping too deeply, making us less vulnerable.

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·September 7, 2023·4 min read

Bright-Light Treatment’s Power Over Stress-Induced Sleep Problems

Researchers unveiled the neural pathway linking chronic stress to sleep disturbances, shedding light on how bright-light treatment rectifies these issues. The study, involving mouse models, emphasized the crucial role of the lateral habenula, a brain region sensitive to light signals.

This shows a woman sleeping and neurons.

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·September 6, 2023·4 min read

Sleep Deprivation Depletes a Key Protective Protein in Brain

Sleep deprivation doesn't just leave you tired—it harms the brain and elevates the risk for diseases like Alzheimer’s. Researchers delving into how this occurs have made a breakthrough by identifying a protein, pleiotrophin (PTN), which drops in sleep-deprived mice.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 3, 2023·5 min read

Dark Traits, Broken Sleep: How Machiavellianism and Psychopathy Impact Rest

A recent study delves into the link between the Dark Triad personality traits—Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism—and sleep quality, particularly in individuals with affective disorders (AD). Using data from 657 people, the research reveals that Machiavellianism and psychopathy have a significantly negative impact on sleep quality.