https://medicalxpress.com/sleep-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Sleep & Recovery For decades, neuroscientists have been trying to uncover the neural processes that allow humans and various other animals to recall emotional experiences of past events. Past studies have identified a network of brain regions that support the encoding and consolidation of these memories. These regions include the hippocampus and the amygdala, as well as the para-hippocampal, perirhinal, prefrontal, parietal and retrosplenial cortices. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-brain-replays-emotional.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:10:01 EDT news695898378 Being an early bird or a night owl may be defined by your genetics, but Pitt research published March 16 in The Journal of Physiology suggests that those who rise early may receive some protection against conditions such as type 2 diabetes in return. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-heart-rhythms-reveal-early-bird.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:40:03 EDT news695996577 A randomized controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of proximal hypoglossal nerve stimulation, or pHGNS, (an implanted stimulation therapy targeting specific sectors of nerves in the tongue) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) found that pHGNS significantly reduced breathing interruptions during sleep and improved patient-reported daytime sleepiness without any significant adverse events. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-implanted-nerve-obstructive-apnea-safe.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:00:02 EDT news695893982 A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center, published in Sleep and Breathing, reveals a significant link between obstructive sleep apnea and skeletal muscle quality. This finding may indicate an increased risk of muscle deterioration with aging, something many of us are unaware of. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-obstructive-apnea-linked-poorer-muscle.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:20:02 EDT news695916541 In 2025, Lara Weed and Jamie M. Zeitzer of Stanford University published an article linking the practice of seasonal time changes (Daylight Saving Time) to negative health outcomes, ranging from acute symptoms (heart attacks and strokes) to chronic conditions (obesity). Now, Professors José María Martín-Olalla (University of Seville) and Jorge Mira Pérez (University of Santiago de Compostela), after analyzing the methodology applied in that study, have concluded that "what the world read as scientific evidence against time change has turned out to be a mathematical illusion." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-physicists-refute-famous-daylight-poses.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:02 EDT news695910292 Melatonin is a naturally produced molecule that has long been suspected to play a role in healthy sleep, but it has been unclear how it does so. Now, Caltech researchers have discovered a mechanism through which melatonin promotes sleep, using zebrafish models in the laboratory. The research was conducted in the lab of Professor of Biology David Prober and is described in a paper published in Current Biology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-melatonin-visual-sensitivity-zebrafish.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:20:04 EDT news695909041 New research reveals that as people age, naps may be an easily trackable warning sign of underlying conditions or declining health. A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham and Rush University Medical Center followed 1,338 older adults for up to 19 years to track napping habits and associated mortality rates. They found longer, more frequent, and morning naps were associated with higher mortality rates. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-daytime-napping-patterns-reveal-hidden.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:40:07 EDT news695902321 Depression is among the most widespread mental health disorders worldwide, affecting an estimated 1 in 20 people. It is characterized by persistent sadness, hopelessness, disrupted sleep patterns, changes in appetite and a loss of interest in everyday activities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-movement-mood-depression-early.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:40:01 EDT news695552078 Timing exercise to match body clock chronotype—the natural predisposition to morning or evening alertness—may lower cardiovascular disease risk among those who are already vulnerable, suggests research published in the open access journal Open Heart. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-body-clock-chronotype-cardiovascular-disease.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:30:03 EDT news695294521 Humans and most other organisms have internal biological clocks that track the daily cycle of sunrise and sunset. These clocks help time our sleep, metabolism and other essential body functions over the course of a day, creating daily patterns called circadian rhythms. Research shows that when these rhythms are disrupted—by jet lag, lack of sleep or irregular work schedules—people can suffer long-term negative health effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-baby-body-clock-synchronize-local.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:40:01 EDT news695048979 The numbers are sobering: nearly 80% of the world's teenagers don't get enough physical activity, according to the World Health Organization. But a new longitudinal study from Université de Montréal suggests the seeds of that sedentary lifestyle—or an active one—may be sown much earlier than anyone realized. Like when a child is 2.5 years of age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-play-age-decade-motion.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:06 EDT news695033641 Research from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Tulsa proposes a new model to explain why nightmares can persist over time in children and how therapy can be designed to break that cycle. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-nightmares-persist-children.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:01 EDT news695015521 Mount Sinai researchers have created an analytic tool using machine learning that can predict cardiovascular disease risk in millions of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder, according to findings recently published in Communications Medicine. The team said their study is the first to provide estimates of whether continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a widely used therapy for obstructive sleep apnea, will increase or decrease an individual's cardiovascular risk. It highlights the potential for precision medicine and varied approaches to tailor clinical care and reduce cardiovascular disease risk in vulnerable patients. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ai-cpap-massively-heart-apnea.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:40:03 EDT news694971481 An estimated 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and both its prevalence and cost are expected to increase, with global costs projected to reach $2 trillion dollars by 2030. Current treatments for preventing or treating dementia have limited efficacy; therefore, public health efforts have also aimed at healthy lifestyle factors to reduce the risk of dementia before symptoms occur. Healthy behaviors such as regular physical activity and good sleep hygiene are known to support cognitive health. However, there remains a need to better understand their relationship to dementia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-physical-linked-subsequent-dementia.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:01 EDT news694795416 Organoids are miniature, simplified versions of an organ. Over the past two decades, scientists have developed them for the gut, lung, liver, mammary gland, brain, and more. Now, researchers at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) have organoid-ized the pineal gland, a small structure in the brain that regulates sleep patterns through its production of the hormone melatonin. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-lab-grown-pineal-gland-organoids.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:40:01 EDT news694860494 A bit of sugar before a class test, a piece of chocolate before an important negotiation, a muesli bar before a marathon—the important role glucose plays in coping with stressful situations has been well researched. When we consume sugar, the body reacts more strongly to stress by releasing more cortisol. In addition, our heart rate remains elevated for longer. This means that more energy is available in acutely stressful situations. The negative long-term consequences are also well known: increased risk of high blood pressure, obesity and cardiovascular disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-sugar-undermine-meditation-massage-calm.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:50:01 EDT news694799701