Sleep & Health

How to Sleep

Should you drink more coffee? Should you take melatonin? Can you train yourself to need less sleep? A physician’s guide to sleep in a stressful age.

Focus Shifts from Sleep to True Circadian Health

We’re at the strangest place culturally when it comes to sleep. We’ve never been so obsessed: We buy smartwatches and Oura rings to track our sleep quality relentlessly every night; we pony up for the latest, greatest, smartest mattress; we gobble sleep tonics, CBD (and yes, Ambien and Xanax) and “sleep ice cream”; we pay to crawl into nap pods; and we travel far just to bed down at sleep retreats.

The '8 Hours of Sleep' Rule Is a Myth. Here's What You Should Do Instead

Sleep is the new worker's rights issue. It's also your gateway to improved productivity and cognition.

Do we really need eight solid hours of sleep at night?

The eight-straight-hours ideal dates back to the Industrial Revolution, when reformers seized on the divisibility of 24 into three equal periods to recommend eight hours of work, eight of rest, and eight of sleep. That kept factory owners from demanding 14 hours of work, but it had no scientific basis.

Sleep Training Truths: What Science Can (And Can't) Tell Us About Crying It Out

Welcome to parenthood! For many of us, parenthood is like being air-dropped into a foreign land, where protohumans rule and communication is performed through cryptic screams and colorful fluids. And to top it off, in this new world, sleep is like gold: precious and rare. (Oh, so precious.)

The Secrets of Sleep

Even God needed a seventh day to rest from all that he created.

Casper Dreams of Being Bigger Than Mattresses

The start-up wants to be the ‘Nike of sleep.’ It’s a slightly absurd concept — in a gigantic market.

Experts Answered Every Question We’ve Ever Had About Sleep

Does melatonin work? What’s my chronotype? And is it really that bad to look at my phone right before bed?

Pain and Sleep

If you are losing sleep due to a painful condition, you could be making your condition worse with each night that passes. In this guide, you'll learn more about how pain & sleep are connected and find a way to get a good night's sleep once and for all.

Sleep Is the Rodney Dangerfield of Health: It Gets No Respect

As important as sleep is — and the more we learn the more we realize sleep is the glue that holds us together — it’s unlikely it will every achieve equal status with exercise and diet. How is it that an activity that takes up about one-third of our lives doesn’t get more attention?

Sleep Myths: Fact or Fiction

If you want to get more sleep, then it’s time to separate the fact from the fiction and bust some of the more common sleep myths. The reality is we are often the biggest culprits of our own sleep deprivation. We find it hard to break bad habits and buy into sleep myths that hinder good sleep. So now it’s time to find out which sleep myths may be preventing you from getting a better night’s sleep.

Sleeping Well in the Digital Age

Between smartphones, computer monitors, TVs, and tablets, excessive screen time is the new normal. Studies show External link that the average American looks at their phone 46 times every day and spends 11 hours per day on gadgets. [1] That behavior disrupts our quality of sleep, which in turn negatively impacts our circadian rhythm — our internal clocks that regulate “behavior, hormone levels, sleep, body temperature, and metabolism,” according to the Nobel Prize recipients.

3 Crazy Myths and Facts About Sleep

At night, you can't sleep. In the morning, you can't wake up. Sound familiar? Get back on track with these three myths and facts about sleep.

Daylight saving time ends Sunday: 8 things to know about “falling back

The biggest consequence: The change shifts daylight back into the morning hours. For 9-to-5 office workers, it means saying goodbye to leaving work while it’s still light out. And for weekend workers, it means an additional glorious hour of sleep on Sunday. Hurrah! Yet there’s still a lot of confusion about daylight saving time. The first thing to know: Yes, it ends in the fall, just as the decrease in daylight hours is becoming noticeable. Let’s sort it all out.

Don’t Let the Snooze Button Make Your Morning Harder

Given that the snooze button is a firm part of our morning culture, it’s easy to see why we carried it into the smartphone era. But was it a wise decision? Should you push that button?

Healthy Sleep

Healthy Sleep: Understanding the third of our lives we so often take for granted is a Web site that aims to help the general public understand sleep and to get the sleep they need. It is based on the belief that sleep is of equal importance to two other key aspects of health: proper nutrition and regular exercise. Together, these three–nutrition, exercise, and sleep–form the three pillars of health.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

How much sleep you need changes as you age.

How Much Sleep Does My Child Need?

Sleep and children will always be a hot topic and a serious issue so it’s important that schools, public health departments and parents all work together to help combat sleep deprivation in children.

How Seniors Can Sleep Better

If you’re a senior, or you’re taking care of one, it’s not as important to understand why someone isn’t sleeping well than it is to get back to those regularly scheduled trips to dreamland. Yes, slightly more than half of seniors report sleep problems, but that means that there are plenty of seniors sleeping just fine. This guide focuses on what seniors, and their caretakers, can do to promote good sleeping.

How Smartphones Hurt Sleep

Blue light makes the brain think it's time to wake up, just as you're getting ready for bed.

How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Four out of five people say that they suffer from sleep problems at least once a week and wake up feeling exhausted. So how do you become a more successful sleeper?

How to get a good night’s sleep

A science journalist spent months researching sleep. Here’s what he found.

In Search of Forty Winks

Gizmos for a good night’s sleep.

Is Sleeping With the TV on Actually Bad for You?

Millions of people fall asleep with the TV on every night, but is it bad for your health? Read on.

It's Harder to Sleep if You're a Woman

Your period and the patriarchy are keeping you up at night.

Jet Lag... Timing is Everything

Welcome to the jet age. On any given day millions of people suffer from jet lag. Can we minimize the curse of modern day travel?

Late sleepers are tired of being discriminated against. And science has their back

Some people have a biological clock naturally set to a later time.

Q&A: Why Is Blue Light before Bedtime Bad for Sleep?

Two neuroscientists discuss how blue light negatively affects health and sleep patterns.

Science Explains Why We Really Do Need to Sleep a Third of Our Lives Away

Shakespeare wrote in his tragic play Macbeth that slumber is a “Balm of hurt minds” and “Chief nourisher in life's feast.” In this issue's cover story, sleep researcher Robert Stickgold explains the many ways those statements are far more than pretty turns of phrase. In fact, it is physiologically vital that we spend about a third of our lives unconscious.

Steps for More, and Better, Sleep

Two years ago, I summarized factors that commonly interfere with a good night’s sleep, but a quick review, followed by some valuable new tips that have helped me, may help you too.

The 2-minute guide to getting better sleep

Insufficient sleep is a public health problem. But while we hear plenty about how we should be getting more sleep, it turns out that quality of sleep can sometimes have greater benefits than the quantity. It might be worth trying to sleep better instead of just longer. Here are three simple tips to get you started...

The Best Temperature for a Good Night’s Sleep

Light and time aren’t as important as temperature, new research shows.

The Case for Sleep Medicine

Oh no, I groaned, reading the headlines, not another scare story about sleeping pills. As a lifelong insomniac who has extensively researched the topic, I find such stories alarming — but not because of the information they present. Rather, I’m afraid that they will cause doctors to stop prescribing these medications to people who need them.

The Day I Gave Up on Myself

No one battling sleepiness deserves to give up on themselves. I challenge the notion that "pulling an all-nighter" is a badge of honor. I envision a world where sleep is not a footnote on life, but a gateway to truly understanding our bodies and minds. Project Sleep's campaigns will not be passive or snoozy. Our mission is urgent and our passion is fierce. Join us in making sleep cool!

The Secrets of Sleep

From birth, we spend a third of our lives asleep. After decades of research, we’re still not sure why.

The Work We Do While We Sleep

Our physical health, too, seems to be intimately tied with sleep.

Time Poverty Wreaks Havoc on Sleep for Low-Income Americans

Chronic inadequate sleep can have serious, even life-threatening, consequences. “Sleep truly resides at the nexus of our social and physical environments,” explains Michael Grandner, a sleep researcher with the University of Arizona who has studied the intersection of sleep deprivation and social and environmental factors.

Want to fall asleep faster? Don't use an iPad before bed

Ninety percent of Americans frequently use electronic devices right before bed. And though it's a fun way to wind down, a new experiment shows that the bright screens are shining sleep problems directly into their eyes.

What Happens During Sleep?

Knowing more about what happens during sleep can help you get a better night’s rest as you understand the importance of the different stages. And once you know more about sleep, you can change your patterns and improve your life – asleep and awake!

What Happens To Your Body If You Get Fewer Than Six Hours Of Sleep Every Night?

Your body rewards you when you sleep 7 to 8 hours during the night, but it will penalize you severely, if you turn it upside down. The reason is because of the diurnal hormone rhythm that we all have built in.

What’s the Best Way to Make Sure You Get Sleep When You Have the Flu?

Catching Z’s is no easy thing when you’re fighting chills, headaches and coughs. One expert offers tips on how to help your body recover from illness

Why being a night owl may lead to earlier death

Imagine being jet-lagged every day. That’s what late sleepers feel. And it may be harming their health.

Your Body Is Much Busier Than You Think During Sleep (So Start Getting Enough, Already)

Sleep is really important, your body does repairs and maintenance and your brain basically sorts out all the things you did so you can start anew. If you skip sleep then you will not get the maintenance you need, the body will deteriorate and health issues will arise.

Waking Up to the Need for (Enough) Sleep

Many resign themselves to not getting enough sleep, while many others don't realize how much they need or what insufficient sleep does to the body and brain. Educating society about these facts is key to making changes that can result in a more rested—and therefore healthier and more productive—populace.

The Better Sleep Council

Ready to learn more about getting a good night’s sleep? The Better Sleep Council’s mission revolves around helping people understand how a quality mattress aids in sleeping more soundly – from choosing the right mattress to tips on sleep.

n2sleep

Sleep is a vital element of life, just like eating and breathing. Sleep allows your body to rest. During sleep, many necessary actions take place in your body. For example, your muscles and tissues grow and repair. Your brain is busy regulating hormones and storing memories. A lack of quality sleep interferes with the body’s natural functions and can even contribute to disease. A good night’s sleep is necessary for your body to recharge and revitalize so you can feel alert and productive the next day. n2Sleep invites you to learn more about sleep by exploring our helpful resources.

National Center on Sleep Disorders Research

The National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR), located within the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was established in 1993 to combat a serious public health concern.

National Sleep Foundation

Alerting the public, healthcare providers and policymakers to the life-and-death importance of adequate sleep is central to the mission of NSF. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for Americans who suffer from sleep problems and disorders.

Phantom Sleep Resources

Phantom Sleep Resources to help people with sleep problems understand, identify, and overcome sleep apnea, snoring, and other sleep disorders.

Project Sleep

Believing in the value of sleep, Project Sleep aims to improve public health by educating individuals about the importance of sleep health and sleep disorders. Project Sleep will educate and empower individuals using events, campaigns and programs to bring people together and talk about sleep as a pillar of health.

Sleep Disorders Guide

Learn more about sleep disorders including sleep apnea.

Sleep Education

The Sleep Education Blog is a one-of-a-kind resource for individuals with sleep disorders or their families and friends. This site boasts a wide variety of sleep resources, covering the sleep topics that matter most. The Sleep Education Blog delivers its news straight from the digital mouth of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for the benefit of readers (and sleepers) everywhere. Stop by to learn about recent sleep disorder studies, advocacy and awareness events, and the impact sleep disorders can have on everything from body weight to cognitive abilities. - Healthline

Sleep for Science

The E.P. Bradley Hospital Sleep Research Laboratory, directed by Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D., is an internationally-recognized center for research on sleep and development...Make yourself at home and learn how to get involved as a research participant or a member of our team. Our alums have a special home here.

Sleep Health Foundation

The Sleep Health Foundation aims to raise public awareness of sleep health issues and to improve public health and safety. This includes highlighting the consequences of sleeping difficulties and the ways that these may be resolved.

Sleep Junkies

SleepJunkies.com provides news, views, and a fascinating insight into sleep in the 21st century.

Sleep Scholar

Aimed at sleep disorder professionals and curious patients alike, Sleep Scholar offers high-quality blog posts on medical controversies, recent research, and sleep-related news. Designed and directed by a large board of medical and sleep professionals, this expert blog offers a wealth of information and insight to its audience. Learn about sleep medicine straight from the professionals behind the science, and take advantage of this educational resource to help you – or your patients – achieve a better night’s sleep. - Healthline

Sleep Sisters

We are here to help. We are the Sleep Sisters, Dr. Debbie Freidman Sasson and Melissa Freidman Zdrodowski. We provide supportive consulting services to help you and your kids get back to sleep. As working moms with young kids, we have both struggled through sleep training, teething, vacations, illnesses, potty training, and more. We know how tough it can be to parent to your children, manage your family and household, and succeed at your job when you aren’t getting enough sleep. Let our family help yours get the sleep your need.

Sleep Studio

Sleep Studio emphasizes the importance of dreams and the sleep cycle as an integral part of every day. The brand understands that sleep and dreaming are fundamental, intimate and personal.

Sleepio

Let's build your sleep improvement program

SleepMultiMedia

SleepMultiMedia is a comprehensive computerized textbook of sleep medicine with text, sound, graphics, animation and video.

Talk About Sleep

A world leader in the sleep field by providing quality information, support and resources to sleep disorder patients, their family, friends and healthcare professionals.

The Sleep Judge

Here at www.thesleepjudge.com you’ll find reviews that are more experiential than praiseworthy. We provide honest reviews that not only spotlight the good features, but also point out the short-comings, because let’s be honest, no matter how much you love that mattress or sleep machine, you can always find something about it that needs modification.

The Sleep Lady

There is a gentle, proven method to get a good night’s sleep for you and your child…

The Sleep Revolution

In The Sleep Revolution, Arianna shows how our cultural dismissal of sleep as time wasted compromises our health and our decision-making and undermines our work lives, our personal lives – and even our sex lives. She explores all the latest science on what exactly is going on while we sleep and dream. She takes on the dangerous sleeping pill industry, and all the ways our addiction to technology disrupts our sleep. She also offers a range of recommendations and tips from leading scientists on how we can get better and more restorative sleep, and harness its incredible power.

Wake Up to Sleep

Wake Up to Sleep, ResMed’s comprehensive patient support community, was inspired by patients to help others better understand sleep apnea and embrace sleep therapy as a way to improve their health and quality of life. Accompanying patients throughout their journey from awareness through successful treatment, the community enables patients to return to a happy, healthy and energy-filled life.

World Sleep Day

World Sleep Day is an annual event, intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, social aspects and driving. It is organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) and aims to lessen the burden of sleep problems on society through better prevention and management of sleep disorders.

Center For Sleep Research

A major focus of the laboratory is on narcolepsy, its anatomy, pathophysiology and treatment. The laboratory is the site of one of three national centers for the study of sleep apnea. Our goal is to analyze the mechanism(s) responsible for the loss of muscle tone in the upper airway that underlies the neurological component of sleep apnea.

Circadian

CIRCADIAN is the leading international research and consulting firm that assists shiftwork and extended hour operations optimize the productivity and safety of their 24/7 workforce.

Dream Journal

Dream Journal is a free service that allows you to create and customize your very own online dream journal

Dreamviews

Dreamviews is a web-based resource for all information related to sleep, dreams and lucid dreaming. We host a variety of tutorials, videos, articles, and classes, as well as the largest and most active community of dreamers on the web.

Healthcare Industry Today

The world's leading source for Healthcare Industry News...Constantly updated news and information about Sleep Disorders.

Hypersomnolence Australia

Our primary purpose is to support the medical community work towards better treatment options and ultimately a cure for the neurological disease “Idiopathic Hypersomnolence” - IH (also referred to as Idiopathic Hypersomnia). We also aim to support all people with IH and to people with *Narcolepsy by being a strong advocacy, raising awareness & educating others.

Leesa

Tips, tricks and how-tos for everything you need to know about sleep and rest.

Medical News Today

The latest Sleep News & Sleep Disorders News & Insomnia News articles published daily.

MedIndia

Medindia provides you with the latest news and research breakthroughs on Sleep

Night Terrors Resource Center

The purpose of this site is to help people understand that there are medical solutions and reasons for Night Terrors.

RT SleepWorld

RTSleepWorld is a dynamic, comprehensive web portal that delivers the latest information to Respiratory Care, Sleep Medicine and EEG Professionals. Our content is hand picked and updated on a daily basis. We search the world for the latest and most relevant articles and bring them together in one place.

ScienceDaily

ScienceDaily is one of the Internet's leading online magazines and Web portals devoted to the latest research for sleep issues.

Slate

There are few things in life better than drifting off to sleep. After a long day of toil and tribulation, retreating to the comfort of bed, and then to the sweet release of unconsciousness—perchance to dream?—is a blessing, one of the most natural joys human beings can experience. And yet, despite its apparent simplicity, sleep has become incredibly complicated.