The past week, we have been running a series of blog posts on how sleep affects different groups of people: namely, men and women. But what about the younger sleepers among us? 

Healthy sleep may be even more important for children and toddlers than for grown adults. Kids and teens need more sleep (depending on the age, sometimes a lot more sleep) than adults. Plus, at this age, sleep quality and quantity can influence kids' emotional and mental development (for example, toddlers who skip naps are proven to be less happy and engaged than their well-rested counterparts. 

So if you're the parent of a kid or teen, here are our top 3 tips about children and sleep. 

Last week on the Sleep Better, Live Better blog we talked about sleep facts that are particular to women. But what about sleep-related issues that affect men? For instance, men show some slightly different sleep patterns, are at greater risk for certain sleep disorders, and can experience particular side effects as a result of sleep deprivation. 

So this week, we're focusing on four must-know facts about men and sleep.

Ladies, have you ever laid awake, tossing and turning while your partner was snoring soundly next to you?

This is a fairly common experience among women, and there may be an explanation for it. In fact, there are several significant sleep differences between men and women. In this post, we'll go over the most important points about female sleep patterns, sleep disorder risk, and changes across your lifetime, and give you some tips and information about getting the best sleep possible. 

Health insurance company Anthem has an agreement in place to acquire Cigna, a $54 billion business deal that would create the largest health insurance provider in the country. The combined company would have more than 53 million members, surpassing UnitedHealth Group. If the deal passes muster with regulators, the combined company would also become the California’s largest health insurance provider, surpassing Kaiser Permanente’s 7.3 million members, according to The Los Angeles Times. However, industry consolidation is already drawing scrutiny from some economists and politicians who expect that a Cigna-Anthem Merger would hurt consumers. But a closer look at the economics of health insurance shows that such financial outcomes are far from clear.

The overworked, high-powered employee is a recurring archetype in American culture. The most glorified careers in our society--doctors, lawyers, and investment bankers--are notorious for long hours and not providing enough sleep. Our television stations are full of shows that romanticize the quick-paced and exciting lives of emergency room doctors or criminal lawyers, while entirely downplaying the negative health consequences of such a sleep-deprived lifestyle. Plus, many companies have a culture that demands 110% of their employees, without considering the detriments in terms of efficiency, long-term productivity, and individual health. 

That's why today we're taking a look at sleep in our corporate culture and how that culture is affecting working people and America as a whole.

Having surgery--even a minor operation--is stressful. You want to make sure that everything goes according to plan for you or your loved one. Unfortunately, no surgery is without risk of complications. However, a new study points out an important way to reduce your surgical risk: treating your sleep apnea. 

That's right: people who combated their sleep apnea with PAP (positive airway pressure) devices experienced fewer complications after having surgery than their untreated counterparts.

Sleep apnea is a serious issue. If you don't think so already, this should convince you: an 18-year study found that people with sleep apnea were 3 times more likely to die during the study than healthy people, from any cause¹. 

That's right: sleep apnea patients die at 3x the rate of normal sleepers.

Sleep apnea is often labeled as a sleep disorder...but that doesn't give a full picture of how this condition affects your body and overall health. Learn about the real--and serious--consequences of sleep apnea.

The start of another school year is just around the corner! Transitioning from the freedom of the summer to a rigid school year schedule can be tough, especially when it comes to sleep. But research suggests that making sure your children get the rest they need is more important than ever while school is in session. In fact, children who get adequate amounts of sleep actually perform better academically than sleep-deprived children. 

Do you watch TV before going to bed? Odds are, you do. According to the 2011 Sleep in America poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation¹, 

• 95% of people use an electronic device within an hour of their bedtime. 
• 2/3 of people aged 30-64 and half of people aged 13-29 watch TV within an hour of going to bed almost every night. 

Though many people use television as a way to relax before nodding off, falling asleep to your TV can actually be damaging to your sleep quality. Learn why, and how you can catch up on the latest Game of Thrones episodes without compromising your night of sleep. 

Step 1 in your new beauty routine: hit the sack earlier the night before! Research has proven that a good night's sleep makes you look healthier, happier, and--yes--more attractive. "Beauty Sleep" isn't just a silly cliché--it is backed up by solid evidence.

This is especially important for people who suffer from sleep apnea, because studies have shown that people who use a CPAP machine are rated more attractive than people with untreated sleep apnea!