Sleep

Scientists at UC Berkeley have homed in on exactly which phase of sleep seems to best keep anxiety levels in check. The research suggests sleep deprivation lowers activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that helps regulate our emotions.

Babies certainly like being rocked to sleep, and really, so do adults – the problem is, adult-sized beds don't rock. The Ensven system is designed to remedy that situation, bringing movement to your boring old bed.

A new study out of Northwestern University has found the old advice of solving a problem by "sleeping on it" is not only true, but can be improved by using sound cues to manipulate our brain while we sleep.

A study has homed in on a gene linked to “short sleepers”, those with the ability to slumber for less than six hours a night with no negative consequences. The gene mutation also was found to prevent memory problems associated with sleep deprivation.

The Belgian-designed Adiva One is designed to help users sleep by rocking their bed.

Combining a light treatment with cognitive behavior therapy has resulted in a sample of teenagers increasing their total sleep time by 45 minutes a night.

​It's already commonly thought that a warm bath before going to bed helps improve your sleep. A new meta-study has apparently confirmed this to be the case, however, and has even come up with exact figures regarding the best times and temperatures.

An intriguing new study is offering insights into the origins of sleep, for the first time discovering zebrafish brains shift through several brain states while sleeping, which researchers suggest could be analogous to human slow-wave, and REM sleep.

New research has found a strong association between irregular sleep patterns and an increased risk of metabolic disorders such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes. The study suggests there is a possible causal connection between inconsistent sleep schedules and metabolic dysfunction.

URGOnight is a novel sleep training device designed to improve your ability to get to sleep, and stay asleep​, through the use of neurofeedback and brain training. The system, comprising an EEG headset and accompanying mobile app, is currently crowdfunding on Indiegogo.

A detailed study has offered new insight into how disrupting circadian rhythms can promote tumor growth. The research also suggests that the efficacy of cancer therapies can be improved by more specifically timing the administration of certain drugs to a patient’s particular circadian rhythm.

​People with insomnia sometimes undergo sleep studies, in which they slumber in a clinic while wired to various sensors – perhaps not the best way to replicate their typical sleeping environment. Soon, however, they may simply be able to wear electronic pyjamas, which are currently in development.