For most, the time spent staring at screens — on computers, phones, iPads — constitutes many hours and can often disrupt sleep. Now, Salk Institute researchers have pinpointed how certain cells in the eye process ambient light and reset our internal clocks, the daily cycles of physiological processes known as the circadian rhythm. When these cells are exposed to artificial light late into the night, our internal clocks can get confused, resulting in a host of health issues. Continue reading “Why screen time can disrupt sleep”
How sleep deprivation hinders memory
Researchers at Michigan State University conducted the largest experimentally controlled study on sleep deprivation to date, revealing just how detrimental operating without sleep can be in everything from bakers adding too much salt to cookies to surgeons botching surgeries. Continue reading “How sleep deprivation hinders memory”
Maternal depressive emotion associated with children’s sleep problems
Maternal depressive mood during the prenatal and postnatal periods is related to child sleep disturbances, according to recent pilot data from a longitudinal cohort study in kindergarten children. Continue reading “Maternal depressive emotion associated with children’s sleep problems”
Optimal sleep linked to lower risks for dementia and early death
Short and long daily sleep duration were risk factors for dementia and premature death in a study of Japanese adults aged 60 years and older. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Continue reading “Optimal sleep linked to lower risks for dementia and early death”