https://medicalxpress.com/sleep-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Sleep medicine A night without sleep produced increased markers of connections between brain cells, showing that sleep in humans may be important for restoring cellular balance in the brain, according to a study published in PLOS Biology by David Elmenhorst from the Forschungszentrum Jülich Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-sleepless-night-brain-reset.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news701341501 Researchers at Marshall University have identified a potential immune mechanism contributing to metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), offering new insight into how chronic sleep-related oxygen deprivation affects overall health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-mouse-reveals-key-inflammatory-mechanism.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:00:01 EDT news701411401 Sleep is one of the most widely studied states of consciousness, known to play a role in physical recovery, the processing of memories and the regulation of immune functions. During sleep, the brain transitions between light sleep, intermediate sleep, deep sleep and dreaming. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-brainstem-rem.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:40:09 EDT news701342347 The altered presence of tiny fragments of neuronal genes, called microexons, causes hyperarousal in zebrafish. This is the main conclusion of an international study led by Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG). An abnormal pattern of neural microexon presence leads to a hyperarousal state characterized by heightened neural activity and insomnia, commonly associated with stress but also with neurodevelopmental disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tiny-genetic-fragments-critical-brain.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news701010062 New research from Edith Cowan University has discovered an important link between genes and sleep habits, suggesting they work together to influence early brain and cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms appear. The study is published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-aqp4-gene-variants-jointly-early.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:40:05 EDT news701011501 An irresistible urge to move the legs or other areas, often accompanied by unpleasant sensations at night or during rest: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) affects millions of people worldwide. Despite being one of the most common sleep-related disorders, its biological causes remain poorly understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-restless-legs-syndrome-zebrafish-reveal.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:40:05 EDT news701008141 Infants' activity while sleeping is rhythmic, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. The findings provide crucial insight into sleep cycles of infants in the first year of life. In the largest study of its kind, scientists from Surrey, led by Dr. Eva Winnebeck, investigated the sleep cycle development of 152 infants at ages 3, 6 and 12 months. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-infant-movements-reveal-minute-inactivity.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:20:03 EDT news700905422 A new study from scientists at the University of Rochester Medicine suggests that reinforcing the body's natural daily rhythms to improve sleep could help the brain recover after a stroke, pointing to a potential new strategy to improve brain waste clearance and outcomes long after the initial injury. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-harnessing-body-internal-clock-recovery.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:00:03 EDT news700743181 Snoring is not just a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea—it may also contribute to the disease. Researchers at Umeå University show that the vibrations affect how muscle cells produce and manage energy. This, in turn, may weaken the muscles of the upper airway, making them more likely to collapse during sleep. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-vibrations-contribute-apnea.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:40:10 EDT news700737039 Anyone who has had a bad night knows that they can feel "foggy" the next day. This fogginess may extend to our memory: remembering where we went, who we met or what happened during the encounter. Neuroscientist Robbert Havekes from the University of Groningen studies memory loss due to sleep deprivation. In a study published in the journal Science Advances on June 10, Havekes and lab member and first author Adithya Sarma show that sleep deprivation makes mice forget social encounters. However, they found that the social memories are not gone; the mice just can't seem to recall them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-sleepy-mice-met-asthma-drug.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:40:10 EDT news700396682 University students who aren't always enthused about walking across campus for class can take heart in new research that suggests lots of daily steps translate to improved mental health and better sleep. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-linked-healthful-rest-college-students.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:20:05 EDT news700234149 By inducing specific patterns of activity in small portions of the brain in awake mice, researchers have triggered a recalibration of neural connections that normally only occurs during sleep. This new approach offset the effects of sleep deprivation on memory tasks and revealed features of sleep that are key to its restorative effect. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-trigger-effect-brain.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:40:11 EDT news700133685 How we sleep may have lasting impacts on our brain health as we age. A new University of Arizona study has found that several common sleep behaviors may be linked to signs of brain aging. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-struggle-common-habits-brain-aging.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:40:01 EDT news699887521 Sleep loss dulls alertness and coordination, and it can produce effects similar to severe intoxication, making actions like driving incredibly risky. But there's no clinical test for determining when someone is dangerously sleep deprived. Now, researchers report a step toward a non-invasive test for sleep deprivation in the Journal of Proteome Research. In a study of 20 men, they identified molecular differences in saliva after a full night's rest and 24 hours without sleep. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-deprived.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:50:02 EDT news699725402 Postpartum and perinatal depression are known challenges for those going through pregnancy, but there has been less focus on the more prevalent disorder of anxiety. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-anxiety-pregnancy-priority.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:20:01 EDT news699707941 Daylight saving time isn't just a seasonal inconvenience—it may also pose significant neuropsychological risks for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who experience biannual clock shifts, especially those living with chronic mental illnesses. That's according to a major new study by a team of researchers from New Mexico State University's College of Health, Education and Social Transformation and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-daylight-worsen-cognitive-psychological-problems.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:40:05 EDT news699620161