https://medicalxpress.com/sleep-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Sleep & Recovery Among the younger part of the population, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression are widespread and growing issues. But why are our sleep and mental health in such poor condition? And why does it seem so difficult to improve the situation? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-young-people-mental-health-poor.html Thu, 21 May 2026 14:40:01 EDT news698586543 Why are conditions such as chronic stress, depression, cardiovascular disease, fragmented sleep, and aging all associated with a higher risk of dementia? In a new review piece in Science, University of Rochester Medicine neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMSc, proposes that many of these seemingly different conditions may converge on the same biological problem: disruption of a sleep-dependent brain rhythm that helps clear waste from the brain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-night-shift-clearance-dementia.html Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:12 EDT news698571481 Competing in esports, also known as electronic sports, can mean training for several hours a day in front of a screen. Whether people participate in video game competitions at the professional or amateur level, they face physical and cognitive demands. Jane Konidis, M.D., a physiatrist and director of Gaming and Esports Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, shares tips to protect your health, whether you're using a video game console, computer, or smartphone for esports activities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-health-esports-circuit-competitive-video.html Thu, 21 May 2026 12:20:06 EDT news698582641 Positional therapy can be a long-lasting and effective treatment for patients with positional obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to research presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-positional-therapy-benefits-obstructive-apnea.html Wed, 20 May 2026 12:30:02 EDT news698398921 High-resolution data collected across the United States show negligible evidence of adverse health outcomes tied to wind turbine exposure, a study finds. Despite helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, wind turbine installations have raised concerns about potential health effects, particularly from infrasound and low-frequency noise emissions. However, the evidence, often based on small samples or self-reported symptoms, remains inconclusive. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-human-health-unaffected-turbines.html Wed, 20 May 2026 12:20:10 EDT news698497562 Many insurers stop covering continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) devices if patients don't use them regularly in the first 90 days. But new research presented at the ATS 2026 International Conference shows that many patients who initially struggle to meet these early-use thresholds do go on to use and benefit from CPAP therapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-early-cpap-struggles-dont-treatment.html Wed, 20 May 2026 12:10:02 EDT news698400583 Lighting accounts for almost 8% of the world's energy usage. It makes up around 10–20% of domestic energy bills, with an even higher proportion in commercial premises like offices. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-smarter-energy-bills-boost-health.html Wed, 20 May 2026 11:40:01 EDT news698494502 A study by Kuopio University Hospital and the University of Eastern Finland shows that sleep disturbances during pregnancy may be a significant risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-disturbances-pregnancy-gestational-diabetes.html Tue, 19 May 2026 16:00:06 EDT news698420085 Tirzepatide GLP-1 medication is known to improve sleep apnea for people with both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity, but not all patients benefit equally. Now, new research presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference narrows down which patients are likely to have the best treatment outcomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-patients-benefit-tirzepatide-glp-obesity.html Tue, 19 May 2026 10:30:01 EDT news698309937 While sleep is essential to health, women face unique challenges to getting quality sleep across key life stages. According to new survey results from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than a third of women ages 45–64 report frequent nighttime waking (37%) and night sweats or hot flashes that disrupt sleep (35%) due to menopause, while more than a quarter have increased daytime fatigue (29%) and trouble falling asleep (27%). Only 6% of women in that age group say their sleep quality has not changed during menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-menopausal-women-hot-night.html Mon, 18 May 2026 14:40:02 EDT news698331356 Sleep complaints may be an important Alzheimer's disease risk factor in older women with a higher genetic predisposition to the disease, according to a new study from researchers at the University of California San Diego. The findings suggest that women with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer's who reported poorer sleep also showed greater memory difficulties and more Alzheimer's-related brain changes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-poor-alzheimer-older-women.html Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:04 EDT news698315702 A once-nightly oral pill helped control obstructive sleep apnea in a large, Phase III clinical trial presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference. The drug, called AD109, is the first therapy to treat OSA by addressing its underlying mechanisms and targeting the neuromuscular causes of airway collapse. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-nightly-pill-airway-collapse-obstructive.html Mon, 18 May 2026 07:00:03 EDT news698052901 A healthy brain may help protect thinking and memory skills from the early effects of Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found. Dementia is currently the leading cause of death in Australia and Alzheimer's disease is its most common form—accounting for more than 70% of cases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-health-linked-resilience-early.html Fri, 15 May 2026 09:37:19 EDT news698056562 When work gets stressful, the standard advice is familiar: exercise more, eat better, sleep more, and cut back on unhealthy habits. But our new research study suggests not all healthy habits offer the same protection from chronic work stress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-diet-buffering-health-toll-chronic.html Thu, 14 May 2026 12:31:49 EDT news697980662 Northwestern University engineers have developed a small, wireless polygraph system you can wear. Unlike polygraphs used in television crime dramas, this wearable version isn't optimized to detect lies. Instead, engineers and physicians designed it to sense underlying stress hidden deep within the body—no interrogation room required. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-wearable-polygraph-tracks-hidden-stress.html Wed, 13 May 2026 14:00:07 EDT news697824781 An analysis of biological clocks throughout the human body suggests that too few hours of sleep—and too many—may speed aging in the brain, heart, lung, and immune system and is associated with a wide range of diseases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-faster-aging.html Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:17 EDT news697883187 People often describe anesthesia as something that puts a patient in a "deep sleep." An anesthesiologist enters the operating room, and part of their mission is to ensure that the patient is completely unaware of what is happening around them until they wake up, often several hours later. Scientists and doctors have long debated what happens to the brain under anesthetic drugs during a surgical procedure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-deep-anesthesia-brain-strange-state.html Wed, 13 May 2026 08:37:48 EDT news697880221 While some people can spring out of bed at six in the morning and go straight into their day, others prefer to wake up later as they're most productive in the afternoon or evening. This difference is due to your chronotype—the biological tendency to prefer certain times of day for sleep, waking and activity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-wrong-body-clock-affect-workouts.html Tue, 12 May 2026 14:40:03 EDT news697809902 New research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health shows that teenagers today are getting less sleep than any generation before them. This lack of sleep causes daily fatigue and reduced functioning, alongside long-term health concerns including poor mental health, academic difficulties and chronic disease later in life. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-today-teens.html Tue, 12 May 2026 12:20:01 EDT news697806362 Nature-based group activities can reduce loneliness, improve sleep and cognition, and increase a sense of connection to nature in older adults living in care homes. Focusing on nature, including outdoor excursions and contacts with the natural world, the activities boosted well-being and health through peer support and activity content. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-nature-based-group-outings-loneliness.html Thu, 07 May 2026 21:40:02 EDT news697359268 Insomnia is a common problem, affecting as many as 20% to 60% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal US women. Because of its possible severe physical and psychological effects, ongoing research is focused on identifying effective treatment options. A new study suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy intervention may produce at least short-term benefits. Results of the study are published in Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-menopausal-insomnia.html Wed, 06 May 2026 22:00:01 EDT news697297117 If your child has trouble falling asleep, you are not alone. And when a child does not sleep well, it can affect everyone's sleep in the home. Many families are looking for a simple solution, and melatonin often feels like an easy one because it is sold over the counter and is widely seen as "natural." But natural does not always mean that it is risk-free or the right choice for your child. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-melatonin-shouldnt-bedtime-kids.html Wed, 06 May 2026 21:00:01 EDT news697269628 Annual medical checkups typically cover the basics: diet, exercise and mental state. Surprisingly, many primary care providers fail to ask about one of the fundamental contributors to well-being: sleep. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-apnea-compromises-good-night-rest.html Wed, 06 May 2026 16:00:02 EDT news697293100 Humans and other mammals cycle through distinct sleep phases. One of them is easily recognized by the darting motion of the eyes behind closed lids, giving it its name: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This is the state in which we experience our most vivid, intense dreams. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-fish-reveal-distinct-states-eye.html Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:06 EDT news697287301 Many people finish the workday not just tired but wired. Their mind keeps racing, their body feels tense, and even in moments that should be restful they feel a lingering sense of urgency. Conversations replay in their mind, unfinished tasks resurface, and their nervous system seems unwilling to power down. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-workplace-stress-hijacks-nervous-headaches.html Tue, 05 May 2026 12:40:04 EDT news697202642 Most parents are aware of the current advice to switch off all screens at least an hour before bed. However, a recent study reveals this may not be necessary for every child. The study, from Deakin's Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition in partnership with The University of Queensland, revealed the interaction between screens and sleep may be more complex than first thought, with the impact of screens on children potentially being less pronounced. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-screens-child-healthy-bedtime-routine.html Sun, 03 May 2026 12:00:01 EDT news696603107 Staying active is known to improve sleep, but the research findings are mixed regarding the best workout. Some studies say light walking or stretching is best, others prefer moderate-intensity workouts like jogging—and some even find that vigorous exercise such as swimming makes sleep worse. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-older-adults-mild-cognitive-impairment.html Sun, 03 May 2026 10:30:01 EDT news696781592 You might have heard people talking about their nervous system being "overloaded" or "dysregulated" when they're going through periods of heightened stress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-people-nervous-overloaded-reset.html Sat, 02 May 2026 19:00:01 EDT news696592169 For many children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), adenotonsillectomy (T&A) improves sleep efficiency (SE) and resolves OSA, according to a study published online April 12 in Laryngoscope: Investigative Otolaryngology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-adenotonsillectomy-efficiency-pediatric-obstructive-apnea.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:00:01 EDT news696777365 "I should stop." Have you ever said those words to yourself as you scrolled through one disheartening online post after another? This phenomenon is popularly known as doomscrolling. You may wonder: Why is it so difficult to stop doomscrolling once you start? More importantly, what can you do to break free from the negative spiral? Craig Sawchuk, Ph.D., a psychologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, offers insights. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-doomscrolling-scroll-mental-health.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:20:04 EDT news696776881