New Atlas

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Obesity, hypertension and other metabolic disorders linked to irregular sleep patterns

Rich Haridy June 5, 2019

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.

A new study suggests regularity may be the most important thing in maintaining good sleep hygiene ...

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

URGOnight uses EEG-based brain training to help improve your sleep

Rich Haridy May 15, 2019

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.

The device uses neurofeedback to train the user into entering a brainwave state claimed to improve ...

Medical

How circadian disruptions promote tumor growth and timing of cancer drugs may be vital

Rich Haridy April 30, 2019

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.

A study has revealed certain cancer drugs can be more, or less, effective when administered at ...

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

High-tech PJs designed to analyze wearers' troubled sleep

Ben Coxworth April 3, 2019

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.

A volunteer helps test the Phyjama – their sleep data is visible on the computer screen

Biology Audio available

New research indicates we transition between 19 different brain phases when sleeping

Rich Haridy March 24, 2019

New research examining the brain activity of subjects sleeping suggests that instead of the traditional four sleep stages we generally understand the brain moves through, there are 19 identifiable brain patterns transitioned through while sleeping.

A new study outlines at least 19 different whole brain activity patterns that occur while we ...

Medical Audio available

Harvard scientists uncover how poor sleep leads to cardiovascular disease

Michael Irving March 19, 2019

The main risk factors for heart disease are lifestyle choices like a bad diet, smoking, lack of exercise – and poor sleep. That last point has gone relatively unstudied, but new research out of Harvard has found the chemical chain reaction that links disrupted sleep and cardiovascular disease.

Harvard researchers have uncovered the chemical chain reaction that links a lack of sleep to cardiovascular ...

Science

Revolutions: The science of sleep

Rich Haridy March 10, 2019

Revolutions is a series that brings together a hand-picked selection of recent articles canvassing cutting-edge insights into major scientific advances. This rundown brings you up to date with the ground-breaking new discoveries made in the science of sleep.

Using zebrafish as a model scientists have discovered repairing DNA damage in neurons may be one ...

Science Audio available

Novel mechanism explains how sleep repairs damaged DNA in the brain

Rich Haridy March 5, 2019

A team from Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has uncovered a previously unknown function of sleep that may explain why the behavior is so fundamental to all complex organisms with a brain.

Science Audio available

New evidence bolsters link between sleep apnea and Alzheimer's disease

Rich Haridy March 3, 2019

A new study reveals a connection between sleep apnea and increased levels of a toxic brain protein commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease, bolstering the growing body of evidence linking sleep problems with the onset of neurodegenerative conditions.

A new study has found subjects suffering from sleep apnea display higher levels of tau in ...

Science Audio available

Deep sleep may be crucial in clearing toxic Alzheimer’s proteins from the brain

Rich Haridy February 28, 2019

For the first time scientists have demonstrated how the brain washes away toxic proteins during a specific phase of deep sleep. The study builds on a growing body of evidence suggesting chronic sleep disruption could play a role in the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

For the first time scientists have shown a particular deep sleep phase is fundamental to activating ...