Sleep, features and articles | Educational Science

Feb 27, 2023

Human brain looks years 'older' after just one night without sleep, small study shows

Going just one night without sleep may make the brain look older, as if it had suddenly aged one to two years overnight, a new study suggests. However, these changes seem to disappear after a good night's rest. In the study, researchers used machine learning to generate brain age estimates...

Mar 26, 2023

How long can you go without sleep?

For an astonishing 11 days and 25 minutes, 17-year-old Randy Gardner didn't sleep for a high school science fair project in California in 1963, setting the world record for the longest someone has stayed awake. Other people have reportedly broken this record — Robert McDonald went 18 days and nearly...

Apr 26, 2023

Irregular sleep may increase your risk of dying from cancer and heart disease

People who have irregular sleep schedules may have an increased risk of dying from cancer and heart disease, compared with people who have regular sleep schedules, according to a seven-year study of middle-age and older adults. Scientists have previously found that a lack of sleep may increase the risk of...

May 10, 2023

Sleep apnea linked to changes in the brain's wiring that may raise risk of dementia, stroke

Sleep apnea may be linked to certain indicators of worse brain health, according to a new study. The study, published Wednesday (May 10) in the journal Neurology, looked at people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition where the upper throat muscles relax during sleep and block the airway. The...

May 11, 2023

Can the menstrual cycle affect people's sleep and dreams?

It's well known that the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin plays a key role in sleep. But other hormones, including the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone, can also affect our sleep — and potentially even our dreams. In particular, people may notice differences in the quality of their sleep and the way...

Aug 28, 2023

'Power naps' improve memory and lower heart disease risk, but long naps can have drawbacks

Napping during the day is an ancient custom that is practiced worldwide. While some people view napping as a luxurious indulgence, others see it as a way to maintain alertness and well-being. But napping can come with drawbacks as well as benefits. As an orofacial pain specialist, I have extensive...

Oct 17, 2023

Hitting 'snooze' can boost morning cognition, study hints

Do you usually hit the snooze button when your alarm blares in the morning? Good news: You're not alone, and those extra Zs could boost your cognitive performance when you first get up, new research suggests. In a study of more than 1,700 surveyed adults worldwide, published Wednesday (Oct. 18)...

Nov 9, 2023

Night owl or early bird? How your 'chronotype' influences cognition

Timing is everything. For early risers and late-nighters alike, listening to your internal clock may be the key to success. From the classroom to the courtroom and beyond, people perform best on challenging tasks at a time of day that aligns with their circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are powerful internal...

Nov 16, 2023

Kids' use of melatonin 'exceedingly common,' Colorado study finds

Nearly 1 in 5 elementary school-age children and preteens take melatonin, a recent Colorado study has found. In addition, some parents regularly give melatonin to their preschool-age kids, according to the research, which was published in a letter in the journal JAMA Pediatrics on Monday (Nov. 13). These findings raise...

Dec 13, 2023

'Rare' disorder that causes extreme sleepiness may be more common than thought

A sleep disorder that scientists previously believed was rare might be more common than originally thought. The condition is marked by feeling sleepy during the day despite having a good night's rest. In a new study, scientists analyzed sleep data from nearly 800 people and found that 1.5% of them...

Mar 10, 2024

The case against daylight saving, from a neurologist and sleep expert

As people in the U.S. prepare to set their clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 10, 2024, I find myself bracing for the annual ritual of media stories about the disruptions to daily routines caused by switching from standard time to daylight saving time. About one-third of Americans say...