Latest news with #sleepstudy
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
No more excuses! Men DON'T sleep through the sound of a baby crying, experts reveal
It's a well-worn trope that mothers will wake at the slightest stir from their baby while fathers peacefully doze on. But scientists now say that dads have no excuses for missing midnight nappy changes. Scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark found that men were just as likely to be woken by the sounds of crying as women. While women were slightly more likely to be woken by 'whisper level' sounds, computer modelling shows this cannot explain why they do so much more of the care. The researchers monitored 142 non-parents while they slept and recorded how often they woke up in response to the sound of a baby crying. Women were, on average, about 14 per cent more likely to wake up to sounds between 33 and 44 decibels - about as loud as birdsong or a library. However, men and women woke with the same frequency as soon as the volume started to approach that of a real baby's crying. Lead researcher Professor Christine Parsons told MailOnline: 'We had participants all waking up and we didn't have evidence that men were sleeping through.' Scientists have busted the myth that men are more likely to sleep through a baby's crying than women, finding only minor differences in how the sexes respond to nighttime noises Although the idea that men can sleep through their baby's crying is a myth, there are real reasons to think that women might wake up more frequently in the night. Studies have shown that women tend to report more disturbed sleep overall, regardless of sounds. Likewise, research suggests that women might be more sensitive to high-pitched sounds. However, Professor Parsons' research, published in the journal Emotion, shows that any differences only translate into small changes in waking patterns when the sounds are very quiet. More importantly, these small statistical differences cannot explain the large gap in care burdens. In a second trial, the researchers gave 117 first-time Danish parents an app to log their nighttime care over a week. Then, the researchers used simulations to predict what that distribution of nighttime care would look like if the only factor were those differences found by the first study. Professor Parsons says: 'What we found was that women did 75 per cent of the nighttime caregiving. 'If we estimate how much caregiving would emerge from that small difference [in sound responses], it would look much more equal between men and women.' What this shows is that inherent biological or psychological differences in how men and women respond to sounds in the night cannot explain why women do more of the care. These findings come in stark contrast to the extremely widespread myth that men aren't as easily woken by their children. In particular, Professor Parsons singled out an influential but unscientific survey funded by Lemsip, which claimed that the sound of the wind or the buzz of a fly were more likely to wake men than the sound of a child crying. While these findings weren't peer-reviewed and had no scientific merit whatsoever, these ideas have spread extremely far. Professor Parsons says: 'When I talk to scientists at conferences, they have actually heard of it and say, "Wasn't there that paper on waking behaviour?"' 'But these are phantom papers and phantom ideas, and if an idea confirms a suspicion or a belief that people have, then it is very difficult to change people's minds about it.' The study focused on adults without children in order to see whether pre-parenthood gender differences alone affected nighttime care patterns. However, pregnancy and childbirth cause massive hormonal changes that might affect waking times. There are also good reasons why new mothers might get up more in the night, especially if they are breastfeeding. Similarly, men in the OECD receive an average of 2.3 weeks of parental leave compared to 18.5 weeks for women. This means women get more practice caring for babies at night and don't have to wake up for work in the morning. All of these other factors, alongside societal expectations, are likely to be important in explaining why women do so much more of the nightly care. Professor Parsons says: 'I'm not excluding any of those things, but this is not really what our paper is about. 'What we were trying to test is a very specific question about how men and women can or cannot sleep through different types of sounds.' ABOUT CIRCIDIAN RHYTHMS Our internal circadian rhythms, or circadian clock, is responsible for waking our bodies up in the morning and ensuring they get a good night's rest. In a healthy person, cortisol levels peak at around 8am, which wakes us up (in theory), and drop to their lowest at 3am the next day, before rising back to its peak five hours later. Ideally, this 8am peak will be triggered by exposure to sunlight, if not an alarm. When it does, the adrenal glands and brain will start pumping adrenaline. By mid-morning, the cortisol levels start dropping, while the adrenaline (for energy) and serotonin (a mood stabilizer) keep pumping. At midday, metabolism and core body temperature ramp up, getting us hungry and ready to eat. After noon, cortisol levels start their steady decline. Metabolism slows down and tiredness sets in. Gradually the serotonin turns into melatonin, which induces sleepiness. Our blood sugar levels decrease, and at 3am, when we are in the middle of our sleep, cortisol levels hit a 24-hour low.
Free Malaysia Today
23-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Bedtime procrastination could be a sign of something more serious
A study says bedtime procrastination in young adults is associated with negative emotions. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Almost everyone's had those moments of extreme lethargy when they wake up and all they want to do is stay snuggled up in bed for hours. Gen Z has even turned it into a social media trend known as 'bed rotting.' But if getting out of bed becomes a daily struggle or is associated with chronic fatigue, this difficulty can become worrying and, in some cases, even a sign of depression. But endlessly putting off going to bed could be a cause for concern too, especially among young people, according to a new study published in the journal Sleep and presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) on sleep, taking place from June 8 to 11 in the US. The study looked at a group of 390 young adults with an average age of 24. Participants were asked to keep a sleep diary for 14 days and fill out several questionnaires to better understand their emotions and determine their chronotype, a term used to describe whether someone is more of a 'morning person' or a 'night owl.' The aim was to assess their procrastination at bedtime, i.e., delaying going to sleep without this being related to external obligations or constraints (such as working late or being away from home). Although delaying going to bed can be explained by other factors, such as poor time management or a lack of self-discipline, the survey results suggested that it may also be associated with recurrent anxiety or even depressive tendencies. The responses of volunteers with a strong tendency to procrastinate at bedtime reflect a higher level of neuroticism (a tendency to experience negative emotions), as well as lower levels of conscientiousness and extraversion. 'Our study demonstrated that individuals who habitually procrastinate their bedtime were actually less likely to report seeking out exciting, engaging, or enjoyable activities,' said lead author Steven Carlson, a doctoral candidate in the psychology department at University of Utah in Salt Lake City, quoted in a news release. In light of these findings, the researcher suggests exploring emotional health as a potential target for interventions aimed at addressing the widespread problem of bedtime procrastination. 'Given the ubiquity of this behaviour, and its impact on sleep health, we hope to extend this research to determine whether reducing negative emotions prior to bedtime can be an effective treatment for bedtime procrastination,' the researcher said.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue warning as common sleep habit is linked to risk of early death in major study
Daytime napping may be linked to a higher risk of early death, according to a major new study. The discovery was made by researchers who tracking the sleep habits of more than 86,000 healthy middle-aged adults. They found that those who regularly napped—particularly in the early afternoon—were more likely to die prematurely than those who did not. The study, presented at the SLEEP 2025 conference, found the risk of death rose by up to 20 per cent among frequent nappers. Experts say daytime sleepiness may be a warning sign of disrupted or poor-quality night-time rest, and could point to underlying health problems such as sleep disorders, dementia, or heart failure. Professor James Rowley, from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who was not involved in the research, said the findings should influence how doctors ask patients about sleep. 'The major take-home message is that if a doctor asks about a patient's sleep habits, they should also be asking about napping,' he told Medscape Medical News. 'In other words, doctors should be asking their patients, 'Do you nap in the day?' The study focused on middle-aged adults who did not work night shifts and had no major health problems at the outset. This helped to rule out other explanations for excessive daytime sleepiness and suggesting that the link with earlier death may not simply be due to existing illness or lifestyle factors. The participant's sleep was assessed over a week-long period, using actigraphy—a method for monitoring a person's sleep-wake patterns using a small, watch-like device called an actigraph. Daytime napping was defined as sleep between 9am and 7pm. On average, participants napped for around 24 minutes, with approximately a third of naps taken in the morning, between 9 and 11am. During a follow-up period of 11 years, 5,189 of the participants died and overall, researchers noted that as people got older, they slept for longer later in the day. After adjusting for potentially confounding lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol use and nighttime sleep duration, results showed that a less consistent napping routine was associated with a 14 per cent increased risk of mortality. Scientists found the highest risk of death was seen in people who slept for the longest during the day, with people who nap between 11am and 1pm experiencing a seven per cent increased risk. Lead researcher, Professor Chenlu Gao, from Harvard Medical School, said: 'Our study fills a gap in knowledge by showing that it's not just whether someone naps but how long, how variable, and when they nap may be meaningful indicators of future health risk. 'While many studies have examined the links between sleep and mortality, they have largely focused on nighttime sleep. 'However, napping is an important component of the 24-hour-sleep-wake cycle and may carry its own health implications. 'Our findings suggest that certain patterns of napping could serve as early indications of declining health.' The researchers warned that further research is needed to better understand the biological pathways underlying these associations. They noted that longer or more irregular naps could reflect underlying health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and dementia. Other studies suggest the explanation may lie with the impact on our circadian rhythms—the natural sleep-wake cycles that determine a host of bodily functions. The experts, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, also argued that being asleep during the daytime could impact the brain's ability to clear waste that builds up during the day. The findings come after a landmark study last year suggested almost half of all cases of Alzheimer's disease—the most common cause of dementia—could be prevented by tackling 14 lifestyle factors. These included hearing loss, high cholesterol, vision loss and lack of exercise. Experts claimed the study, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, provided more hope than 'ever before' that the disorder that blights the lives of millions can be prevented. Alzheimer's Disease affects 982,000 people in the UK. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer. One 2019 estimate put the annual death toll at 70,000 people a year with the health issues caused costing the NHS £700million each year to treat. The WHO puts the annual global death toll from physical inactivity at around 2million per year, making it in the running to be among the top 10 leading causes of global death and disability.
Fox News
22-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Most Americans hit the snooze button every morning — here's why it could be bad for your health
More than half of sleep sessions end with the snooze button, with people sneaking in an extra 11 minutes on average, a new study reveals — but experts say it may not be a good idea. Researchers from Mass General Brigham analyzed data from the Sleep Cycle app, which included sleep habits from more than 21,000 people globally. Among the more than three million sleep sessions tracked, nearly 56% ended with the snooze button. The heaviest users of the snooze button — who used it for more than 80% of the mornings included in the study — slept an average of 20 extra minutes. These heaviest snoozers were also shown to have "more erratic sleep schedules" than those who used the snooze button less often, the researchers found. The snooze button was more likely to be used on weekdays and less so on Saturdays and Sundays. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports. "Unfortunately, the snooze alarm disrupts some of the most important stages of sleep," said lead author Rebecca Robbins, PhD, in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in a press release. "The hours just before waking are rich in rapid eye movement sleep. Hitting the snooze alarm will interrupt these critical stages of sleep and typically only offer light sleep in between snooze alarms." "Snoozing feels good, but effectively results in less sleep." It's common for people to feel grogginess upon waking up, called "sleep inertia," which can make the snooze button tempting, according to Dr. David Kuhlmann, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and medical director of sleep medicine at Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia, Missouri. "While hitting snooze may make it easier for some to wake up, it's not recommended," Kuhlmann, who wasn't involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "Falling back to sleep for just a few extra minutes disrupts your sleep cycle, which can impact your mood and energy throughout the day." Alex Dimitriu, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, agreed that hitting the snooze button is disruptive to one's rest. "Snoozing feels good, but effectively results in less sleep," Dimitriu, who also did not participate in the research, told Fox News Digital. "Snoozing specifically impacts REM sleep or dream sleep, which happens most in the morning hours." REM (rapid eye movement) sleep has wide-ranging benefits, according to the expert — including that it helps regulate emotions by repeating past events and preparing for the future. "There is evidence that our brains get emotionally calibrated during REM sleep — so it matters a lot," Dimitriu added. "When the alarm goes off, we should feel ready to start our day," Dr. Stephen Carstensen, a dentist and sleep expert in Washington, told Fox News Digital. It's as simple as breaking the habit, noted Cartensen, who wasn't part of the MGB study. "Habits are changed by determination, which is always easy to say, hard to do," he said. "Just don't do it, and soon the habit is gone." If someone feels like they need those extra minutes, however, the expert suggests thinking about what might need to change. "Maybe you aren't going to bed early enough, or sleep quality suffers from snoring or other breathing problems," he said. "You might have another sleep problem or a bed partner who keeps you from getting good sleep." "The issue isn't really the snooze button, but why you need it." To optimize sleep and feel rested the next day, experts recommend setting the alarm for the latest possible time and getting out of bed when it goes off the first time. "Most people use the snooze button either because they go to bed too late or because an early-morning wake time does not line up with their natural sleep cycle," Dimitriu said. "The issue isn't really the snooze button, but why you need it." In both cases, he recommends adhering to a consistent sleep schedule that you can stick to, with "regular(ish)" bedtimes and wake times. "It also helps to put down shiny, colorful screens full of interesting information in the hour before bed," Dimitriu added. "You need to slow down to get sleepy, or you won't get sleepy." "I tell my patients 'tech off at 10' — dimming the lights and reading a book helps a lot." Kuhlmann recommends that people keep their phones across the room at night to force them to get out of bed when the alarm goes off. "If you're hitting snooze regularly, it could be a sign that you aren't getting enough or good-quality sleep," he noted. "To improve your sleep, prioritize healthy sleep habits, like keeping a consistent bedtime, avoiding large meals and alcohol before bed, and aiming for at least seven or more hours of sleep per night." For more Health articles, visit If someone is still overly reliant on the snooze button even after improving sleep habits, it may be a sign of unrefreshing sleep from an underlying disorder, Kuhlmann warned. "In that case, speak with your healthcare provider, who may refer you to an AASM-accredited sleep center for treatment."
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Snooze Button Pressed Over 55% Of Time After Sleep, Alarm, Study Says
Over half (55.6%) of the sleep sessions recorded in a study published in journal Scientific Reports ... More ended with a pressing of the snooze button. In fact, when people pressed the snooze button, they tended to do it again and again—hitting it an average of 2.4 times per sleep session for an average of 10.8 minutes extra snooze. (Photo: Getty) You could say that people are hitting the snooze button at a rather alarming frequency. Over half (55.6%) of the sleep sessions recorded in a study published in journal Scientific Reports ended with a pressing of the snooze button. In fact, when people pressed the snooze button, they tended to do it again and again—hitting it an average of 2.4 times per sleep session for an average of 10.8 minutes extra snooze. So if you find yourself regularly using the snooze button like so many of the study participants, should you just let such behavior rest? Or would this be a you snooze you lose situation? First, here's a heads up (as opposed to a heads down on the pillow) about the study that produced these results. The study was an analyses of data from 21,222 people in different parts of the world using a smartphone app named SleepCycle. Most (43.6%) of the participants were in the United States, followed by 12.7% from the United Kingdom, 9.9% from Japan, 6.5% from Australia and 6.2% from Germany. The app can function as an alarm clock, allowing the user to choose either a traditional snooze, where hitting a snooze button turns off the alarm for specified duration before the alarm goes off again, or what's called a 'smart snooze' where the alarm clock will sound again depending on where someone is in his or her sleep cycle. A team from the Brigham and Women's Hospital (Rebecca Robbins, Matthew D. Weaver, Stuart F. Quan and Charles A. Czeisler) and Sleep Cycle (Daniel Sääf and Michael Gradisar) conducted the study. Of note, the researchers tossed out any sleep sessions that were less than four hours. That's probably because sleeping for less than four hours is more of a nap than a full I'm-going-to-get-in-my-jammies-and-see-you-in-the-morning sleep session. This left 3,017,276 recorded sleep sessions from July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, to be analyzed for the study. Snooze button behavior did vary by day of the week. Not surprisingly, it was more common to hit the snooze button Monday through Friday than it was on weekends. Any guesses as to why this was the case? It wouldn't happen to be a word that rhymes with twerk, would it? Although the study didn't track why specifically people hit the snooze button, it's likely that work had something to do with this trend. Snooze button behavior did also have some variation by month of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, December had on average the highest amount of snooze use, with the snooze button being pushed an average of 2.62 times for 11.83 minutes of snooze per sleep session. By contrast, September had lowest snooze alarm activity, with averages of 2.40 times and 10.58 minutes. Guess what happened in the Southern Hemisphere? Yep, this was flipped around with July being the snooziest month with an average of 2.35 snooze alarm presses and 10.2 minutes of snooze per sleep session and November being the least snoozy month at 2.29 and 10.12 minutes. So, it looks like the months that are traditionally the coldest with the shortest durations of daylight had the greater snooze button activity. This probably isn't super surprising either since getting out of bed when it's cold and dark may not be as easy as when it's warn and sunny outside. There wasn't a huge amount of variation by country, although Sweden came out on top in terms of snooze alarm use (an average of 2.7 times) and snooze sleep (11.7 minutes). Those in Japan used snooze alarms the least (2.2 times) with the least snooze sleep (9.2 minutes). Australians also used the snooze alarms 2.2 times on average. The United States came in third in both categories at 2.5 times and 11.3 minutes. Naturally, a country's averages shouldn't necessarily apply to everyone in that country. In another words, should you encounter someone from Sweden, it's not appropriate to say, 'I bet you hit the snooze button more often.' Then there was the sex, meaning the sex of the participants. Women on average hit the snooze more often (2.5 times per sleep session) than men (2.3 times). In the process, women spent more time on the snooze (11.5 minutes versus 10.2 minutes). So, what might this say about women and men? Again, population averages don't necessarily reflect what's happening with each individual. Plus, such a population cohort study doesn't let you know what's happening an the individual level. Does this mean that more women are getting less restful sleep than men? Does this mean that more women are dreading the day whether it's due to having more work or more unpleasant circumstances than men? It's difficult to say from this study alone. One thing's for sure, that extra amount of shut eye after the alarm goes off won't be the same as getting that amount added to your sleep in an interrupted manner. I written previously in Forbes about the importance of regularly getting enough sleep and potential health consequences of not doing so. Well, a good night's sleep doesn't just mean a certain total number of hours and minutes, no matter how they add up. Instead, it means cycling sequentially through all of the following stages of sleep, as described by Eric Suni for the Sleep Foundation: Now, you may cycle through these stages multiple times during a lengthy sleep session. But you have to go through the stages in the above order. Usually, you won't hit the pillow and suddenly be in REM Sleep, for example. The same applies to when you are falling back asleep. Therefore, hitting the snooze button will likely get you to no more than Stage 1 sleep, if that. This wouldn't bring you anywhere near restorative sleep. In essence, snooze time is lose time. You are losing time being either half or lightly asleep. Therefore, it's better to wake up and get up after that first alarm goes off. Otherwise, you are only delaying the inevitable. Ideally, you wouldn't even need the alarm and would be waking up naturally, excited to welcome the new day. But that's another story. If you find yourself relying on that snooze button regularly, chances are you aren't getting enough sleep. Therefore, it's better to either get to sleep earlier on a regular basis or set your alarm for a later time for when you really are going to get up and stay awake. While the snooze button may seem like a nice sleep preserver, it really isn't. You may not know what you really lose when you snooze.
