Sleep

A new study, led by researchers from Stanford University, has uncovered an association between total REM sleep quantity and lifespan. The study is the first to investigate the specific relationship between REM sleep and mortality.

Researchers have succeeded in activating a hibernation-like state in mice and rats, opening up the possibility that this type of “suspended animation” might eventually be used for preserving human organs for transplant, or even deep space travel.

Scientists have been exploring the connection between poor sleep and early death and found a type of molecule that appears to play a facilitating role, raising the prospect of new treatments and furthering our understanding of the mysteries of sleep.

A landmark study is offering the first evidence of a process by which our brains consolidate memories during sleep. The researchers witnessed neuronal firing patterns in humans during sleep that suggest we replay our waking experiences as we rest.

Half of US teenagers sleep less than 7 hours a night, affecting everything from general health to academic performance. A study following students across 5 high schools for 2 years has found later school start times increase overall sleep durations.

For years, studies have linked short sleep patterns with obesity. Generally researchers have suspected poor sleep causes obesity but a new study has flipped it suggesting obesity may be causing the poor sleep, and not the other way around.

Results from the world's first placebo-controlled clinical trial testing the efficacy of medicinal cannabis for chronic insomnia reveal statistically significant, and dose responsive, improvements to sleep quality using a novel CBD/THC formulation.

Although they don't have eyelids that they can close, fish do indeed sleep – and as is the case with humans, sleeping is crucial to their health. According to a recent study, though, city lights may be keeping them awake at night.

A link between diseases such as Alzheimer’s and sleep loss has been frequently cited, and a new study has now discovered a signaling pathway that both regulates sleep and controls the protein aggregations commonly associated with neurodegeneration.

A newly published study from researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston is suggesting irregular sleep patterns, such as inconsistent bedtimes from day to day, can potentially double a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Should you suffer from insomnia, you'll know how tempting it can be to rely on sleep-aid drugs. A new study, however, suggests that insomniacs may have success with a natural supplement, in the form of saffron extract.

Scientists have understood for several years how linking learning to specific odor cues can enhance memory if the same smells are then presented during a specific sleep phase. New researcn has now verified the method in a cohort of school students.