Sleep Archives - Amazing Health Advances

New Sleep Apnea Treatment Offers CPAP Alternative

The AHA! Team — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 06:38:22 +0000

Duke Health – People with obstructive sleep apnea who haven’t found relief may benefit from a new pacemaker-like device that keeps the airway open during sleep. When other options have failed, “this treatment has allowed us to achieve a whole new level of success,” said Matthew Ellison, MD, an otolaryngologist at Duke, the first center in North Carolina to implant the hypoglossal nerve stimulator. Why a New Approach to Treating Sleep Apnea Is Needed The most common type of sleep apnea occurs when soft tissue in the back of the throat blocks the airway and results in frequent, nightly breathing interruptions. This is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Moderate to severe sleep apnea can increase one’s risk of stroke, heart attack, and hardening of the arteries, called atherosclerosis. Daytime sleepiness from sleep apnea can interfere with concentration and increase one’s risk of causing traffic accidents. Sleep apnea is most often treated with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. It involves a mask that fits over your mouth or nose while you sleep. According to Dr. Ellison, about half of people who use CPAP don’t stay with it long-term — either because it’s uncomfortable or doesn’t help their symptoms. For mild sleep apnea, non-CPAP options include lifestyle changes (weight loss and exercise) and fitted mouthpieces that adjust the lower jaw and keep the tongue from blocking the airway. For moderate to severe sleep apnea, these alternatives are rarely successful. Before the new hypoglossal nerve stimulator system, sleep apnea surgery options repositioned or reshaped tissue in the palate or throat. However, relief from these surgeries may fade over time because the tissues can relax or due to weight fluctuations. “That leaves many patients with untreated sleep apnea who could benefit from hypoglossal nerve stimulation,” Dr. Ellison said. The pacemaker-like device works by stimulating the hypoglossal nerve, which keeps the airways open and allows people with sleep apnea to get a good night’s sleep. Its effectiveness has been proven in clinical trials, which show it significantly improves sleep apnea and relieves symptoms such as snoring and daytime sleepiness. How Does Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Work? Hypoglossal nerve stimulation, also called upper-airway stimulation, involves three components that are inserted under the skin of your neck and chest using two incisions. A sensor near your lungs detects your breathing patterns. A stimulator in your neck area delivers mild signals to the nerves that control your tongue, causing the tongue and throat muscles to shorten and moving your tongue and palate forward — which keeps your airway open. A small pacemaker-like device placed just below your collarbone coordinates the stimulation with your breathing, turning on just before you inhale, and turning off in between breaths to allow your tongue to relax. There’s also a small remote control that turns on the stimulator before you go to sleep. You can set the system to run for the number of hours you want to sleep. A built-in delay gives you time to fall asleep before stimulation begins, and you can pause it if you get up for a bathroom break. If the stimulation is bothersome, the device can be reprogrammed. “People like being able to control it,” Dr. Ellison said. “Some like it to be off when they wake up, while others prefer to wake up with it still working.” Who Is a Candidate for Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation? Hypoglossal nerve stimulation is a good option for adults who: Have tried other methods, including CPAP specifically, without success in the past two years Have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 40 (although insurance companies may require lower BMI thresholds) Have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, as determined by a sleep study performed in the last two years There are some exceptions to these general criteria, and hypoglossal nerve stimulation is not for everyone. People who are candidates for this new sleep apnea device will undergo a sedated endoscopic exam, during which a flexible camera is passed through the nostril to the throat to examine how the throat closes during sleep. “Sleep endoscopies are one tool we use to counsel our patients,” said Duke sleep surgeon Emily Commesso, MD. “The results help determine whether you will benefit from hypoglossal nerve stimulation or other sleep surgery options.” The surgery itself is done on an outpatient basis, and most people do not need narcotic pain medications afterward. After four weeks, the device can be activated. There is a process of acclimation to the hypoglossal nerve stimulator which the sleep team explains and helps you through. The device is covered by Medicare and most commercial insurance policies in North Carolina. To read the original article click here.

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A Good Night’s Sleep Is Good for Your Heart: Here Are Some Tips for Better Sleep and a Healthier Heart

AHA Publisher — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:00:06 +0000

Lorie Johnson via CBN News – There’s no question that sleep is important to our health and well-being. Now the American Heart Association is emphasizing that it’s also one of the most important paths to heart health. That’s worth our attention because heart disease kills more Americans than any other cause of death. To show the powerful connection of sleep to a healthy heart, the AHA is adding sleep to its overall key measurements. It joins diet, exercise, nicotine exposure, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure. Most health experts and institutions recommend adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, preferably with few to no interruptions. Bodies need that time to repair and reset, and doctors say without it, our heart pays the price. Research shows people who regularly sleep less than six hours a night my triple their risk of heart disease. The concern is that’s not enough time spent in the deepest stage of sleep, when blood pressure and heart rate drop as much as 20 percent, reducing stress on the heart. Also during this sleep stage, the brain releases growth hormones that help the heart recover from demands placed on it during the day. Deepak R. Talreja, M.D., a cardiologist with Sentara Healthcare told CBN News sleep is very important to heart health, but unfortunately, today more than half of all U.S. adults don’t get enough, and sleep deprivation is more common now than it was in past generations. “As our society has gotten busier and busier and we’re all available 24/7 with devices that connect us all the time,” he said, “most Americans don’t get enough sleep.” He sees firsthand how that’s taking a toll. “When someone is sleep deprived, it affects their overall functional status, their mental state, they tend to have more problems with depression, pessimism, anxiety,” he explained. “Then there are direct effects on inflammation, on heart rhythm issues, and on the presence of heart disease.” Dr. Talreja tells his patients that the path to better sleep begins with the right environment. The bedroom should be dark, cool (but not too cold), and quiet, which can include a white noise machine to cover up environmental or outside noises. Then establish your best bedtime and stick to it. “Set an alarm to remind you, just like you have a wake-up alarm, a go-to-sleep alarm can be very helpful,” he said. Stay away from electronics well before bedtime and silence them to avoid interruptions during the night. If you do wake up, stay away from the smartphone. “We’re tempted to pull our device quickly if we’re having a little bit hard time sleeping and look at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or do things that one, introduce light to our environment, and two rev us up instead of letting us calm down,” said Dr. Talreja. Exercise is also very important to getting a good night’s sleep. “That way when it comes time for sleep, your body’s ready for it. Someone who doesn’t do anything (physical) during the day, they haven’t really worn out their body so they’re not ready to sleep,” Dr. Talreja explained. Dr. Talreja points to a star patient who changed his ways. Severino Tiaba now works out daily and goes to bed at nine o’clock. “Now that I’m getting older, it’s routine,” Severino told CBN News. “The kids are out of the house. It’s just me and my wife.” Severino made a lot of other changes after suffering a heart attack six years ago. “My chest was burning real bad,” he recalled. “I had my wife take me to the emergency room because I felt like I needed to get checked out and it just got worse.” That near-death experience convinced the beer-drinking, cigar-loving, junk food junkie to do a 180. “I want to be around to see my grandkids,” he said. Severino started by following Dr. Talreja’s advice to switch to a more heart-healthy diet. Dr. Talreja recommends a plant-based eating plan that minimizes saturated fat, sugar, and processed foods. Severino enjoys the Mediterranean diet. “I eat a lot of fruits, a lot of vegetables, a lot of grains,” he said. “No more red meat, no more pork. So I eat a lot of cold water fish, salmon, mackerel, and poultry.” He gave up alcohol except an occasional glass of red wine, and ditched the cigars. “The biggest risk factor for heart disease in this era is still smoking,” said Dr. Talreja. “Quitting smoking is far and away the single most important thing a person can do.” Dr. Talreja says some people are better able to improve their heart health by making changes gradually and with the help of others. “First, introduce more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Cut down fried food and fast food, cut down soda,” he advised. “Pick specific goals you can achieve, and then pull other people in your life into it. If a whole family decides together they’re going to eat more healthful, they’re more likely to succeed.” So while heart disease is currently America’s number one killer, that could change. “If we could get the average American to eat better, exercise, pay attention to their other risk factors, and sleep better,” Dr. Talreja said, it would make a world of difference. To read the original article click here.

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Fascinating Science Shows Genetics May Determine How Much Sleep You Need

AHA Publisher — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 07:00:54 +0000

Karen Sanders via NaturalHealth365 – Many believe that sleep has always been critically important to humans, both as a resource and a pure enjoyment source. Today, the gold standard for sleep is 8 hours per night. That, the scientific community assures us, is enough to feel rested and stave off various diseases. Clinical studies have shown that ensuring you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night keeps the immune system strong. However, new research shows that the kind of sleep you get might be more important than how much. The Amount of Sleep People Need Depends On Genetics, Scientists Claim Rarely does quantity win out over quality, and the same is true for sleep. Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered genes that regulate “elite sleep” in a lucky few humans. This allows them to get the rest they need in only 4 to 6 hours, where the majority of us need closer to 8. Researchers have discovered the role of genetics and identified five genes that contribute to this elite sleeping ability, though they predict there are many more. They also stress that such people aren’t just surviving on reduced hours … it’s a true, healthy preference. And it comes down to what happens while they’re sleeping. Here Is Why Some People Only Need 4 Hours, While Others 8 Hours of Sleep Every Night Most of us think of sleep as something that takes place in an inviolable window. Over the course of eight hours, our bodies go from tired and unfueled to recharged and ready to go. Yet thinking of sleep like this misses the point, researchers say. It’s not about how long you’re there. It’s about what happens while you’re asleep. In this sense, sleep is more like a checklist, in which the body: Heals cardiovascular tissue and blood vessels Removes toxic waste from the brain Reorganizes neural pathways Restores energy for use the next day Repairs damaged tissue Releases hormones It’s the checklist of tasks that must occur during sleep that matters, not the length of the sleep window. Can You Become an “Elite Sleeper”? For people who can get it all done in 4 hours, so much the better. Especially considering the rest of us – without favorable genetics – face health consequences for getting less than 6 hours of shuteye a night. The secret lies in the genetic puzzle elite sleepers comprise. Scientists know that sleep is regulated by tons of genes. It is also regulated by many areas of the brain. That means when one area of the brain is injured or diseased, it is likely to affect sleep. This is the reason scientists hope to figure out why some people sleep so well, and by pinpointing the genes responsible, they hope to simulate that effect in people who need it. What Does This Mean for You? Although this research is certainly promising, it may only have a significant bearing on you later in life when Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia become more likely. For now, though, it’s simply important to keep getting those ZZZs. Chances are you could stand to improve your sleep quality (and for most of us, quantity). If so, you can try herbs to help you relax, reduce sugar in your diet, and try to go to bed at the same time every night. In addition, eliminate your exposure to artificial light (from T.V., computers, or mobile devices) that inhibits your ability to produce melatonin, needed for sleep. Simply put, a good night’s sleep will help you to detoxify the body, regenerate damaged tissue and protect your overall wellbeing. Make it a top priority, starting tonight. Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com To read the original article click here.

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Don’t Lose Sleep Over Daylight Saving Time

AHA Publisher — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 07:00:17 +0000

Houston Methodist via Newswise – The return to daylight saving time each spring affects the sleep patterns of millions of Americans and can wreak havoc on the many people already affected by sleep problems, but a few simple sleep habits can make all the difference when we spring forward March 13. To better prepare ourselves for daylight saving time, Houston Methodist sleep expert Aparajitha Verma, M.D., says people need to make sure they are well rested before the time change. “One way to do that is to start changing your sleep habits days before the time change. You can get up an hour earlier and go to sleep an hour earlier,” Verma said. “You can also take a nap in the afternoon on Sunday if you need it, but not within a few hours of your regular bedtime. Napping too close to bedtime can disrupt nighttime sleep.” Circadian rhythms, or our internal body clocks, are the patterns of repeated activity associated with the environmental cycles of day and night. Verma says people who have trouble sleeping may have an internal clock that has become out of sync with the day-night cycle. “If you’re well rested and your circadian rhythm is working with your schedule, some people don’t even need an alarm clock to get up in the morning.” However, Verma says if you cannot fall asleep within 30 minutes of lying down, if you have excessive daytime sleepiness, or if you’re still sleeping for seven or more hours and waking up tired, you may have a more serious sleeping disorder. She recommends people with these symptoms consider an overnight sleep study at a center accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine or ask their doctor about a take-home test option, which is now available for certain patients who qualify. “Daylight saving time gives us the opportunity, at least twice a year, to practice good sleep habits we should try to use year-round,” Verma said. Verma suggests the following tips for a good night’s sleep, before and after the time change: Sleep in a quiet, dark environment and set the thermostat at a slightly cooler temperature; Don’t allow pets in the bed; No reading, eating or watching TV in bed; Don’t watch the clock; Set a “wind down” time prior to going to bed; Don’t take over-the-counter sleep aids and avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol close to bedtime, as these can disrupt sleep. Try drinking warm tea or milk to increase your body temperature, which helps induce and sustain sleep; Exercise is good for sleep, but not within two hours of going to sleep. Houston Methodist is one of only nine centers in Houston accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Our team of specialists includes doctors who are board certified in sleep medicine by the American Board of Medical Specialties and sleep technicians who are registered by the Board of Polysomnographic Technicians. For more information on Houston Methodist Sleep Services, visit https://www.houstonmethodist.org/neurology/sleep-disorders/. To read the original article click here.

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Getting More Sleep Reduces Caloric Intake, a Game Changer for Weight Loss Programs

AHA Publisher — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 08:00:12 +0000

University of Chicago Medical Center via Newswise – Understanding the underlying causes of obesity and how to prevent it is the best way to fight the obesity epidemic, according to Esra Tasali, MD, Director of the UChicago Sleep Center at the University of Chicago Medicine. “The current obesity epidemic, according to experts, is mostly explained by an increase in caloric intake, rather than lack of exercise” she said. Now, a new study on how getting sufficient sleep affects caloric intake in a real-world setting could change how we think about weight loss. In a randomized clinical trial with 80 adults, published February 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine, Tasali and her colleagues at UChicago and the University of Wisconsin–Madison found that young, overweight adults who habitually slept fewer than 6.5 hours a night were able to increase their sleep duration by an average of 1.2 hours per night after a personalized sleep hygiene counseling session. The sleep intervention was intended to extend time in bed duration to 8.5 hours — and the increased sleep duration compared to controls also reduced participants’ overall caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal (calories) per day. “Over the years, we and others have shown that sleep restriction has an effect on appetite regulation that leads to increased food intake, and thus puts you at risk for weight gain over time,” said Tasali. “More recently, the question that everyone was asking was, ‘Well, if this is what happens with sleep loss, can we extend sleep and reverse some of these adverse outcomes?” The new study not only examines the effects of sleep extension on caloric intake but, importantly, does so in a real-world setting, with no manipulation or control over participants’ dietary habits. Participants slept in their own beds, tracked their sleep with wearable devices, and otherwise followed their normal lifestyle without any instructions on diet or exercise. “Most other studies on this topic in labs are short-lived, for a couple of days, and food intake is measured by how much participants consume from an offered diet,” said Tasali. “In our study, we only manipulated sleep, and had the participants eat whatever they wanted, with no food logging or anything else to track their nutrition by themselves.” Instead, to objectively track participants’ caloric intake, investigators relied on the “doubly labeled water” method and change in energy stores. This urine-based test involves a person drinking water in which both the hydrogen and oxygen atoms have been replaced with less common, but naturally occurring, stable isotopes that are easy to trace. The use of this technique in humans was pioneered by the study’s senior author Dale A. Schoeller, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Sciences at UW–Madison. “This is considered the gold standard for objectively measuring daily energy expenditure in a non-laboratory, real-world setting and it has changed the way human obesity is studied,” said Schoeller. Overall, individuals who increased their sleep duration were able to reduce their caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal per day – which would translate to roughly 12 kg, or 26 lbs., of weight loss over three years if the effects were maintained over a long term. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the study was the intervention’s simplicity. “We saw that after just a single sleep counseling session, participants could change their bedtime habits enough to lead to an increase in sleep duration,” said Tasali. “We simply coached each individual on good sleep hygiene, and discussed their own personal sleep environments, providing tailored advice on changes they could make to improve their sleep duration. Importantly, to blind participants to sleep intervention, recruitment materials did not mention sleep intervention, allowing us to capture true habitual sleep patterns at baseline.” Even though the study did not systematically assess factors that may have influenced sleep behavior, “limiting the use of electronic devices before bedtime appeared as a key intervention,” said Tasali. Following just a single counseling session, participants increased their average sleep duration by over an hour a night. Despite prescribing no other lifestyle changes, most participants had a large decrease in how much they ate, with some participants eating as many as 500 fewer calories per day. The subjects were only involved in the study for a total of four weeks, with two weeks for gathering baseline information about sleep and caloric intake, followed by two weeks to monitor the effects of the sleep intervention. “This was not a weight-loss study,” said Tasali. “But even within just two weeks, we have quantified evidence showing a decrease in caloric intake and a negative energy balance — caloric intake is less than calories burned. If healthy sleep habits are maintained over longer duration, this would lead to clinically important weight loss over time. Many people are working hard to find ways to decrease their caloric intake to lose weight — well, just by sleeping more, you may be able to reduce it substantially.” Ultimately, Tasali and her team hope to examine the underlying mechanisms that may explain these results, and believe this work should spur new, larger studies on weight control to determine if extending sleep can support weight-loss programs and help prevent or reverse obesity. “In our earlier work, we understood that sleep is important for appetite regulation,” said Tasali. “Now we’ve shown that in real life, without making any other lifestyle changes, you can extend your sleep and eat fewer calories. This could really help people trying to lose weight.” The study, “Effect of Sleep Extension on Objectively Assessed Energy Intake Among Adults with Overweight in Real-Life Settings,” was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Diabetes Research and Training Center at UChicago (R01DK100426, CTSA-UL1 TR0002389, and ULTR002389). Additional authors include Kristen Wroblewski, Eva Kahn, and Jennifer Kilkus of UChicago and Dale A. Schoeller of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. To read the original story click here.

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Sleep and Biological Rhythm Variables Linked to Severity of Depression, Anxiety During Pregnancy

AHA Publisher — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 08:00:54 +0000

McMaster University via News-Medical – A set of parameters including sleep and biological rhythm variables are closely associated with the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, starting in the third trimester of pregnancy to the third postpartum month, according to a new study. The three-month period before and after giving birth is a vulnerable time for women’s mental health. It is estimated that 15 to 18 per cent of women experience anxiety and seven to 13 per cent experience depression during this peripartum period. In addition, nearly 10 per cent of women experience clinical levels of comorbid anxiety and depression during this time. In the largest observational study to date investigating changes in sleep and biological rhythms during the peripartum period, researchers identified several variables that are linked to depression and anxiety. Most notably, changes in the circadian quotient (the strength of the circadian rhythms), the average amount of activity during nighttime rest, and the amount of fragmentation of nighttime rest were strongly linked to higher depressive and anxiety symptoms. “Our findings highlight the importance of stabilizing the internal biological clock during the peripartum period to maintain healthy mood and minimize anxiety,” said Benicio Frey, senior author of the study and professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at McMaster University. “Given the findings, future efforts should be made to standardize evidence-based interventions targeting these biological rhythms variables identified by our team, either as treatment or prevention strategies.” Frey and his research team conducted the study from the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. This clinic specializes in psychiatric disorders during the peripartum, premenstrual, and perimenopausal periods. Researchers recruited 100 women, 73 of whom they followed from the start of the third trimester to three months postpartum. They analyzed subjective and objective measures of sleep, biological rhythms, melatonin levels, and light exposure using a variety of tools, including questionnaires, actigraphs (wearable sleep monitors), laboratory assays, and other methods. Interestingly, the findings indicate that certain biological rhythms variables may be important to depressive symptoms at specific points along the peripartum timeline. For instance, higher fragmentation of nighttime rest was linked to a decrease in depressive symptoms at six to 12 weeks postpartum – a period that tends to coincide with a higher risk of developing postpartum depression. To read the original article click here.

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New Study Shows That Treating Insomnia with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Prevent Major Depression in Older Adults

AHA Publisher — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 08:00:09 +0000

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences via Newswise – LOS ANGELES (Nov. 24, 2021) — A new study led by researchers at UCLA Health has found that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) prevented major depression, decreasing the likelihood of depression by over 50% as compared to sleep education therapy in adults over the age of 60 with insomnia. Their findings, reported today in JAMA Psychiatry, could advance public health efforts to effectively treat insomnia and prevent major depression disorder (MDD) in older adults – a growing population that is projected to rise from about 54 million Americans aged 65 and older today to about 86 million in 2050. More than 10% of community dwelling adults older than 60 years will experience a major depression later in life in any given year. Late-life depression increases the risk of health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure, cognitive decline, and suicide particularly in men. Despite its prevalence in older adults, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated. And, even among those who receive treatment, only about one-third get better or achieve remission. “Given that older adults account for nearly 20% of the U.S. population and are the most vulnerable for health risks associated with depression, effective depression prevention is urgently needed,” said Dr. Michael Irwin, lead author of the study and the director of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience, and a Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “Insomnia more than doubles the risk for major depression. By targeting insomnia and effectively treating it with CBT-I, depression can be effectively prevented by over 50% in community dwelling older adults with insomnia.” Insomnia, a condition where people have difficulty falling and staying asleep, occurs in nearly 50% of adults 60 years of age or older and when it occurs, the risk of depression is more than doubled. Although various types of sleep medications are often used to treat insomnia, they provide only temporary relief and pose a risk for daytime side effects such as prolonged drowsiness or headache, and dependency. Accordingly, CBT-I is recommended as the first line of treatment for people with insomnia and has been highly effective in its treatment. This type of therapy typically centers around working with a therapist to help identify and change inaccurate or distorted thinking patterns, emotional responses, and behaviors. But how well CBT-I works to prevent major depression from occurring in older adults with insomnia has been uncertain. Prior studies showed CBT-I has benefit in treating insomnia and depressive symptoms, but it was not known whether selectively targeting insomnia, a known risk for depression, would prevent it in older adults with insomnia but without depression. To find out, the researchers enrolled 291 adults 60 years and older with insomnia but who had not experienced any depression for 12 months or longer, randomly assigning half the group to receive CBT-I by a trained psychologist, with the other half to receive sleep education therapy (SET) from a public health educator. SET includes education about sleep, healthy sleep habits and the impact of stress on sleep. Both groups received weekly 120-minute group sessions for two months and then underwent follow-up for three years. Over the course of 36 months of follow up, participants completed monthly questionnaires to screen for symptoms of depression and/or from insomnia and were diagnostically interviewed every six months to determine whether an episode of clinical depression had occurred. Key findings showed that depression occurred in 25.9% of the older adults in the SET control group during follow-up, whereas depression occurred in only 12.2% in the CBT-I group, a 51% reduction in the risk of depression with CBT-I treatment. Second, remission of insomnia that was continuously sustained during follow-up was more likely in the CBT-I group as compared to SET. Among those who received CBT-I and had sustained remission of insomnia, the likelihood of depression was reduced by 83%. Depression occurred in over 27% of the older adults in the SET group who did not have insomnia remission, whereas depression occurred in less than 5% of those in the CBT group who achieved insomnia remission. These findings suggest that treatment with CBT-I provided significant benefit to prevent incident and recurrent major depressive disorder in older adults with insomnia and that it did so by treating insomnia, a known risk factor for depression. “Our study was one of the largest selective prevention trials with the longest follow up to show that treatment of insomnia, a modifiable risk factor for depression, can robustly prevent the onset of a clinical episode of depression in older adults with insomnia who were not depressed at entry,” said Dr. Irwin. “We also showed that CBT-I produced sustained remission of insomnia. Treatment of insomnia, along with prevention of depression, taken together, could have huge public health implications in reducing health risks, suicide and cognitive decline in older adults.” To read the original article click here.

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Early or Late Bedtimes May Cause Adverse Consequences for Cardiovascular Health

AHA Publisher — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 08:00:37 +0000

European Society of Cardiology via News-Medical – Going to sleep between 10:00 and 11:00 pm is associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease compared to earlier or later bedtimes, according to a study published today in European Heart Journal – Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “The body has a 24-hour internal clock, called circadian rhythm, that helps regulate physical and mental functioning. While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health.” Dr. David Plans, Study Author, University of Exeter, UK While numerous analyses have investigated the link between sleep duration and cardiovascular disease, the relationship between sleep timing and heart disease is underexplored. This study examined the association between objectively measured, rather than self-reported, sleep onset in a large sample of adults. The study included 88,026 individuals in the UK Biobank recruited between 2006 and 2010. The average age was 61 years (range 43 to 79 years) and 58% were women. Data on sleep onset and waking up time were collected over seven days using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Participants completed demographic, lifestyle, health and physical assessments and questionnaires. They were then followed up for a new diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, which was defined as a heart attack, heart failure, chronic ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and transient ischaemic attack. During an average follow-up of 5.7 years, 3,172 participants (3.6%) developed cardiovascular disease. Incidence was highest in those with sleep times at midnight or later and lowest in those with sleep onset from 10:00 to 10:59 pm. The researchers analyzed the association between sleep onset and cardiovascular events after adjusting for age, sex, sleep duration, sleep irregularity (defined as varied times of going to sleep and waking up), self-reported chronotype (early bird or night owl), smoking status, body mass index, diabetes, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and socioeconomic status. Compared to sleep onset from 10:00 to 10:59 pm, there was a 25% higher risk of cardiovascular disease with a sleep onset at midnight or later, a 12% greater risk for 11:00 to 11:59 pm, and a 24% raised risk for falling asleep before 10:00 pm. In a further analysis by sex, the association with increased cardiovascular risk was stronger in women, with only sleep onset before 10:00 pm remaining significant for men. Dr. Plans said: “Our study indicates that the optimum time to go to sleep is at a specific point in the body’s 24-hour cycle and deviations may be detrimental to health. The riskiest time was after midnight, potentially because it may reduce the likelihood of seeing morning light, which resets the body clock.” Dr. Plans noted that the reasons for the observed stronger association between sleep onset and cardiovascular disease in women is unclear. He said: “It may be that there is a sex difference in how the endocrine system responds to a disruption in circadian rhythm. Alternatively, the older age of study participants could be a confounding factor since women’s cardiovascular risk increases post-menopause – meaning there may be no difference in the strength of the association between women and men.” He concluded: “While the findings do not show causality, sleep timing has emerged as a potential cardiac risk factor – independent of other risk factors and sleep characteristics. If our findings are confirmed in other studies, sleep timing and basic sleep hygiene could be a low-cost public health target for lowering risk of heart disease.” To read the original article click here.

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New Research Shows That Brighter Days Make for Better Nights

AHA Publisher — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 07:00:11 +0000

Mount Sinai Health System via Newswise – New York, NY(September 23, 2021) – A new study finds that more access to daylight at home improves circadian alignment, sleep and mental health in healthy adults. The REVOLV study was conducted by the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Icahn Mount Sinai) to explore how increasing daylight access at home affects circadian rhythm, sleep, vitality and mental health. The peer-reviewed paper was published on Sept. 23 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. “The REVOLV study demonstrates the impact of daylight on the physiological, behavioral and subjective measures of circadian health in a real-world environment,” said senior author Mariana G. Figueiro, Ph.D., professor and director, Light and Health Research Center, Icahn Mount Sinai. “The findings highlight the importance of ensuring people are exposed to circadian-effective electric light or daylight indoors as well as outside for human health and well-being.” As the primary environmental cue for the body’s master biological clock, light-dark patterns are key for circadian alignment and are fundamental to multiple dimensions of health, including sleep and mental health. Although daylight provides the proper timing, quantity and color of light for promoting circadian alignment, modern indoor lifestyles typically offer fewer opportunities for adequate daylight exposure. In 2020, people spent 65% of their waking hours at home, compared to 50% in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Leveraging this natural experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers tracked residents living in the Exo apartments in Reston, Virginia. During the crossover study, 20 residents spent one week in their apartments with electrochromic glass windows, also known as smart windows, which tint dynamically based on the location of the sun, and another week with standard windows with blinds. The participants wore sleep tracking devices, completed surveys on their health and well-being and provided saliva samples every 30 minutes over the course of five evening hours to measure their melatonin levels, a hormone that rises in the evening and triggers sleepiness. Researchers found that, in just one week, melatonin production in the body was delayed by 15 minutes when residents used their blinds, resulting in them falling asleep 22 minutes later and sleeping 16 minutes less each night. In contrast, consistent and quality sleep in the smart window condition resulted in increased vitality during the day, an 11% reduction in anxiety and a 9% reduction in stress. “When it comes to choosing a place to live, access to daylight and quality views are key features for prospective tenants,” said study author Piers MacNaughton, Sc.D., vice president of health strategy, View Inc. “This study shows that daylight and views are not just desirable amenities but also have fundamental impacts on our health and even our hormones.” In a previous study, the Urban Green Council looked at the prevalence of window coverings, which block daylight from entering residences when closed. They found that regardless of time of day, direction the window faced or whether a building was commercial or residential, 59% of the window area was covered by blinds or shades. More than 75% of the buildings they surveyed in New York City had more than half of their window area covered. The REVOLV study demonstrates that smart windows are one method of optimizing indoor daylight access in the built environment to improve occupant health without the drawbacks of visual and thermal discomfort, energy consumption and reliance on occupant behaviors that come with traditional solutions such as blinds. “In technology-driven markets like the Dulles Corridor in Northern Virginia, smart home technology, wellness-focused amenities and health-promoting activities are becoming increasingly higher priorities in making a final decision on where to call home,” said Jessica Murphy-Work, senior regional manager at Greystar. “In addition to improving access to daylight, design choices like incorporating smart windows can have implications on tenant attraction, retention and asset value.” The new REVOLV study reveals new insights about how daylight impacts our sleep, critical knowledge due to the ramifications these biological changes can have on our long-term health. Previous research has demonstrated that daytime light, especially natural daylight, can impact nighttime sleep quality. It has also been shown that electric lighting indoors tends to be dim and constant, which may not be beneficial for the circadian system’s needs. Lack of a robust light-dark pattern can lead to circadian disruption and poor sleep and health. A 2020 study, EVOLV, found that office workers in an office using smart glass to optimize daylight and views slept longer at night than those working in an office with traditional glass and blinds. Participants also scored 42% higher on cognitive assessments when exposed to optimized daylight and views. The benefits to sleep and cognitive performance were immediate, substantial and sustained. To read the original article click here.

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