insomnia

New research has found that individuals with insomnia are 69% more likely to have a heart attack over an average nine-year follow-up period, compared to those without the sleep disorder. Additionally, individuals who sleep five or fewer hours per night have the highest risk of heart attack. The study also found that individuals with both diabetes and insomnia are twice as likely to have a heart attack. In addition, heart attacks occurred more often in women with insomnia.Experts urge sleep disorders to be assessed and…

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, leading to chronic fatigue and impaired daytime functioning. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, anxiety, depression, medical conditions, and unhealthy sleep habits.Texas A&M biologist Alex Keene and his team used variant-to-gene mapping, a predictive genomics approach, to demonstrate that the gene Pig-Q plays a role in regulating sleep in humans, flies, and zebrafish.An effort funded by the National…

Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious and complex issue that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by a strong and often uncontrollable desire to use drugs or drink alcohol, even when doing so causes negative consequences. Addiction is often accompanied by physical and psychological dependence, which can make it challenging to stop using drugs or alcohol.A study conducted by Rutgers University found that changes in the brain can lead to a desire for drugs and demonstrated how certain insomnia…

Photo: Thiradech (Shutterstock)Freddy Krueger has a new problem to worry about. Researchers say they might have found an improved way to fend off frightful nightmares: a dose of sound played during sleep. The method could boost the effectiveness of an existing therapeutic treatment for people with chronic nightmares.Just about everyone has had a nightmare, with about three-quarters of people thought to have experienced at least one by early childhood. But some people grapple with especially frequent nightmares that…

The study also demonstrated that older adults with dementia had an increased risk of memory decline.Recent research demonstrates that psychological disorder is a significant comorbidity for dementia and other cognitive impairments.According to recent Canadian research, older adults who have insomnia are more likely to experience memory decline and long-term cognitive impairment, including dementia.The research, published in the journal SLEEP, is based on data from over 26,000 Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging…

Although 20 percent of adults in the U.S. admit to using alcohol as a sleep aid, studies show that boozing before bed can interfere with the overall quality of sleep. Using alcohol to help with insomnia can pose other risks and drawbacks, such as hangovers, increased alcohol tolerance, and dependence. Read the whole article to understand the impact of alcohol on sleep and to discover some healthier ways of dealing with sleep problems.How a Nightcap Helps You NapThe concept of a nightcap is well-known throughout history…

According to the research, there is a clear link between long-term insomnia symptoms and subsequent lower cognitive performance.Long-term insomnia symptoms may lead to impaired cognitive performance at retirement age.The University of Helsinki’s Helsinki Health Study evaluated the development of insomnia symptoms in middle age and their impact on memory, learning capacity, and concentration after retirement. The follow-up period was 15–17 years.According to the study, long-term insomnia symptoms and later poorer cognitive…

Photo: Patrick Sison (AP)New research suggests that kids are increasingly getting poisoned by supplements containing melatonin, an over-the-counter sleep aid. Reported pediatric poison control calls involving melatonin have skyrocketed over the past decade, as have reported hospitalizations and other serious outcomes, the study found. More needs to be done to keep young children safe from these products, the researcherssay.Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the body that helps regulate our sleep/wake cycle.…

People struggling with insomnia in the middle of their lives are at a greater risk of developing cognitive problems later in life, according to a new study involving 3,748 participants from Finland.  Those cognitive problems include issues with memory, concentration, and learning ability, researchers report – and the longer the insomnia lasts for, the worse these brain functions are likely to be as the years roll on, whereas if insomnia symptoms ease, cognitive function tends to stay healthier in later life.We already…