Latest news with #SleepMedicine
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Does cheese give you weird dreams?
It's a question that may have grated on you for sometime, does too much cheese give you weird dreams? According to new research, yes it does, but not just any dreams, nightmares. An online survey of more than a thousand students at Canada's MacEwan University found a strong association between bad dreams and lactose intolerance, potentially because gas or stomach pain during the night affects people's dreams. Director at Montreal's Dream & Nightmare Lab at the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine Dr Tore Nielsen spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
India Today
23-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
The common yet serious sleep disorder hiding behind loud snores
For most of his life, Ankur Das thought snoring was what normal people did while sleeping. He felt groggy throughout the day and was able to fall asleep very easily at any time of the meant trouble for him only when he got married and his wife complained of the loud snores, frequent wake-ups to use the bathroom, and a constant struggle with weight over 104 million Indians have the same problem as Ankur, a condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). According to a 2023 AIIMS study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Sleep Medicine, 11% of Indians suffer from OSA: 13% in men and 5% in women."Obstructive sleep apnea is considered one of the single most important causes of coronary artery disease in recent times," according to Dr. Sarmishtha Bandyopadhyay, a senior ear, nose and throat specialist at Neotia Mediplus OPD and Diagnostics IS OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA?Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition where a person stops breathing for short periods while sleeping because their airway gets blocked. According to a 2023 AIIMS study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Sleep Medicine, 11% of Indians suffer from OSA: 13% in men and 5% in women. () advertisementWhen you sleep, the muscles in your throat relax. But in some people, these relaxed muscles collapse too much or the tongue falls back, blocking the makes the person stop breathing for a few seconds, sometimes many times, during the brain notices the lack of oxygen and briefly wakes the person up to breathe again, often without them realising it. As a result, people with OSA snore loudly (a common sign), feel very tired during the day, may wake up gasping or choking at night, and may have headaches or trouble like your body keeps hitting a pause button on breathing during sleep, which messes up your rest and affects your health over SHOULD WE TAKE SNORING SERIOUSLY?If you thought snoring was just a harmless, if annoying, nighttime quirk, think again. OSA, a serious sleep disorder, can silently wreak havoc on your health. It is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and metabolic also causes cognitive decline and memory problems."Obstructive sleep apnea puts your heart under stress because your oxygen levels keep dipping throughout the night. Over time, this leads to long-term cardiovascular strain," added Dr. Shalini Bhutta, consultant physician at Neotia Mediplus, said that through epidemiological studies, clinical observations, and mechanistic research, it has become increasingly evident that OSA is not merely a respiratory disorder but a complex condition with far-reaching implications for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality."There's mounting evidence linking it to a spectrum of cardiovascular abnormalities and adverse events," said Dr. can develop OSA, but certain factors such as being overweight or obese, having a large neck size, family history of sleep apnea, smoking or alcohol use, and nasal congestion or structural issues like a deviated septum can lead to men are more commonly affected than women, post-menopausal women have also been showing rising a sleep test (polysomnography) helps diagnose the condition, following which most doctors recommend using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. A CPAP machine helps treat obstructive sleep apnea. () The CPAP machine gently blows air through a mask worn over the nose or mouth. This keeps the airway open, so breathing doesn't stop during sleep—thus preventing snoring and improving sleep critical cases, surgery is required to remove tissue from the back of the mouth and top of the this, lifestyle changes such as losing weight, sleeping on your side, avoiding alcohol or sedatives, and treating nasal congestion can left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can affect the heart, brain, metabolism, and overall quality of loud snoring comes with daytime tiredness or disrupted sleep, it's worth checking out. Hectic schedules and busy lifestyles have resulted in poor sleep patterns in India, making OSA one of the most under-checked and overlooked causes of heart disease and stressed that better sleep isn't just about rest, it's about long-term health.
Free Malaysia Today
17-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Researchers explore how to beat heat for better sleep
As neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Sleep quality is being harmed by hotter temperatures caused by climate change, and scientists say we need to learn how to adapt. The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. Experts are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications. 'Rising temperatures induced by climate change and urbanisation pose a planetary threat to human sleep and, therefore, to health, performance and wellbeing,' says a review of scientific literature published last year in the journal Sleep Medicine. Meanwhile, a 2022 study published in the journal One Earth highlighted that humans lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, linking the data to rising temperatures. The intensification of global warming could lead to an annual loss of 50-58 hours of sleep per person by 2099, according to research led by Kelton Minor from the University of Copenhagen, based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. 'Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world,' Minor and colleagues said. As neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. But adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to researcher Fabien Sauvet from Paris Cite University. 'We sweat more and faster, and require additional hydration. So, during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour' with regard to activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said. Still, humans can 'tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought', he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28°C. An excessive lack of sleep can disrupt the body's recovery, leading to drowsiness, fatigue, and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. (Envato Elements pic) Challenging 'the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20°C', he added that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees. 'If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise,' he noted. Fight 'sleep enemies' Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28°C 'becomes much more complicated'. An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this could lead to drowsiness, fatigue, and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep 'debt', impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac outlined. A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health. To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to 'eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies'. Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower (but not an icy one), reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature. Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, Sauvet said. Napping during the hottest hours of the day have also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit. Short naps – '30 to 40 minutes, and before 2pm' – are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Scientists exploring how to beat heat for better sleep
Cool showers and less coffee or alcohol: sleep quality is being harmed by hotter temperatures caused by climate change, and scientists say we need to learn how to adapt. The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. Scientists are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications. "Rising temperatures induced by climate change and urbanisation pose a planetary threat to human sleep, and therefore health, performance, and wellbeing," according to a 2024 review of scientific literature published in the journal Sleep Medicine. Humans lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, according to a 2022 study published in the journal One Earth, which linked the data to rising temperatures. The intensification of global warming could lead to an annual loss of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person by 2099, according to research led by Kelton Minor, from the University of Copenhagen, based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. "Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to foster adaptation and safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world," Minor and other authors of the paper said. Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. Adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cite University. "We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration. And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour," such as activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said. But humans could "tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought", he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Challenging "the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20C", he said that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees. "If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise," he said. Fight 'sleep enemies' Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28C "becomes much more complicated". An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep "debt", impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac said. A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health. To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to "eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies". Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower – but not an icy one – reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature. Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, said Sauvet. Napping during the hottest hours of the day have also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit. Short naps – "30 to 40 minutes, and before 2:00 pm" – are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher. — AFP
Malay Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Hot nights stealing your sleep? Here's what scientists say could help
PARIS, May 15 — Cool showers and less coffee or alcohol: sleep quality is being harmed by hotter temperatures caused by climate change, and scientists say we need to learn how to adapt. The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. Scientists are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications. 'Rising temperatures induced by climate change and urbanisation pose a planetary threat to human sleep, and therefore health, performance, and wellbeing,' according to a 2024 review of scientific literature published in the journal Sleep Medicine. Humans lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, according to a 2022 study published in the journal One Earth, which linked the data to rising temperatures. The intensification of global warming could lead to an annual loss of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person by 2099, according to research led by Kelton Minor, from the University of Copenhagen, based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. 'Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to foster adaptation and safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world,' Minor and other authors of the paper said. Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. Adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cité University. 'We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration. And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour,' such as activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said. But humans could 'tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought', he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28°Celsius. Challenging 'the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18°–20°C', he said that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees. 'If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise,' he said. Fight 'sleep enemies' Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28°C 'becomes much more complicated'. An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep 'debt', impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac said. A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health. To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to 'eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies'. Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower — but not an icy one — reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature. Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, said Sauvet. Napping during the hottest hours of the day has also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit. Short naps — '30 to 40 minutes, and before 2pm' — are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher. — AFP
