Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a circuit in the brains of mice that regulates their sleep-wake cycle. 

As many as 25-30% of Americans suffer from chronic insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night (learn more about insomnia here).

Louis de Lecea, PhD., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences: "This has potential huge clinical relevance. Insomnia, a multibillion-dollar market for pharmaceutical companies, has traditionally been treated with drugs such as benzodiazepines that nonspecifically shut down the entire brain. Now we see the possibility of developing therapies that, by narrowly targeting this newly identified circuit, could induce much higher-quality sleep."

We've covered the effects of using electronics before bed in several blog posts (check out the most recent one here).

According to some doctors, drinking alcohol before bed may be even more disruptive to your sleep.

Learn about the effects of alcohol on sleep.

According to research, exposure to artificial light at night can disrupt our sleep. Blue wavelength light, the kind that comes from TVs, iPads, and smartphones, is especially harmful to circadian rhythm function. 

So, what are we do to about this? In this blog post, we explain the top reasons why you should consider wearing a pair of these dashing glasses tonight.

It’s well known that there’s a correlation between sleeping patterns and marijuana usage. Research shows that there are some strains that work better at inducing sleepiness or lowering pain and stress symptoms. This alone makes marijuana an appealing alternative or last resort when nothing else works. 

Those who are turning towards marijuana to cure insomnia, though, should be aware of the problems associated with consuming it as it can certainly be tempting to use it for purposes other than as a  sleeping aid. One common problem, for instance, is that people are now smoking marijuana and getting behind the wheel.  Some may think that one puff won’t affect them enough to fall asleep while driving, but the problem goes beyond that. There’s a bigger picture to consider.

The facts about driving drowsy versus driving drunk are well known, but what about driving drunk versus driving high?

Impaired driving is the most common cause of fatal car crashes in both Canada and the USA. Driving under the influence of alcohol can be easily determined and regulated, but when it comes to driving under the influence of marijuana, we have a problem!

A study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined the unauthorized sales by private individuals of secondhand CPAP devices. While most health insurance plans cover CPAP (learn more here about coverage for these devices), the average cost of a device for those without insurance or with a high deductible can be prohibitive .

The study examined person-to-person sales of CPAP devices at a range of geographic locations, median incomes, population densities and number of sleep clinics. They sorted through online ads for CPAP sales and even placed anonymous postings on Craigslist to solicit information from potential sellers and buyers.

What did they find?

Author Bio:

Ethan Wright is a health enthusiast who believes every great day begins with a good night sleep. He is currently a researcher and writer for Bedding Stock, an online retailer of gel memory foam mattress in the USA. When not wearing his writing hat, you will see him traveling to places with his journal.

Getting your kids to sleep is a stressful chore that parents often face. Training your child to form healthy sleep habits is challenging, but necessary for their growth and development.

How Much Sleep Does My Child Need?

The National Sleep Foundation updated their recommended sleep duration guidelines for all age groups in 2015 based on an expert panel's comprehensive review of published scientific studies on sleep and health. Ranges are given instead of a hard number for each age group. The experts acknowledge that there is individual variability and the range is intended to be a starting point for individuals to discuss sleep with their healthcare providers.

Can weight loss cure sleep apnea?  

There are clear connections between sleep apnea and other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease that are improved with weight loss. 

How does weight loss affect sleep apnea?

While studies have shown that losing weight decreases the severity of this sleep disorder, its may not completely eliminate the need for CPAP.

Sleep apnea affects more than 20 million Americans, yet most are undiagnosed and untreated.

A sleep study, whether performed at-home or in a sleep center, is the most effective way to diagnose many sleep disorders, like sleep apnea.

Learn about the typical requirements for ordering sleep studies.

We've covered the benefits of exercise for improving the quality of your sleep and how to balance sleep and exercise (click here).

In this post we'll cover the importance of sleep for athletes at all levels, including recent scientific studies that look at the benefits of sleep for recovery after exercise.