Sleep Apnea Symptoms Linked to Memory and Thinking Problems

People who experience sleep apnea may be more likely to also have memory or thinking problems, according to a preliminary study released today, March 3, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online. The study shows a positive association but did not determine whether sleep apnea causes cognitive decline.

Poor sleep health associated with muscle dysmorphia in Canadian young adults

Getting enough sleep is crucial for our body to maintain vital health functions and is especially important for the growth and development of adolescents and young adults. But a new study from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work found an association between poor sleep and symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, the pathological pursuit of muscularity that is increasing in prevalence among young people.

New Insights on Long COVID

David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers the most common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. What is long COVID, and how common is it? (SOT@ :14, TRT :32) Why do some people get…

Medicine on the base of vitamin B6 improves memory and decreases fatigue after COVID

Scientists have showed that medicine on the base of vitamin B6 can be used for treatment of post-COVID asthenia – condition when patients complain of rapid fatigability, problems with memory and sleep. Taking of this product enabled 35% patients to improve memory, 40% patients began to sleep well, 42% of people began to get tired more slowly. Besides this taking this medicine enabled patients to experience physical activity easier. Results of the research are published in Magazine of Infectology.

Wintertime blues? Health expert offers tips to combat seasonal affective disorder

Millions are affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) every year. The annual pattern of winter depression and melancholy suggests a strong link between your mood and the amount of light you get during the day, says Lina Begdache, assistant professor…

Self-reported “night owls” more likely to have unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, significantly increased diabetes risk

A study of more than 60,000 middle-aged nurses found that people with an evening chronotype, or a circadian preference to feel energetic later in the day, experienced an increased risk for diabetes and were more likely to report unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as smoking, poor sleep and physical inactivity, compared with persons with a morning chronotype.

Sleep Plays a Major Role in Neurological Disorders Getting Good Sleep May Help Reduce Risk

Neurological disorders – including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease – cause sleep disturbances that make life extra challenging for people with those conditions. Improving sleep not only helps improve their quality of life, evidence is mounting that good sleep is vital for a healthy brain and may reduce the risk of some neurological disorders, according to neurologists speaking at the Presidential Symposium – Exploring Sleep Disturbances in CNS Disorders plenary session at the 148th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA).

Dr. Jaime Avila shares back-to-school tips that parents should know.

Jaime Avila, MD, at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research What can parents do to help ease back-to-school anxiety? (SOT@ :14, TRT :51) Some kids may not…

How Is Sleep Affected by Changing Clocks and Seasons?

How are you sleeping? A new study has found the transition from daylight saving time to standard time, when one hour is gained overnight, was associated with a brief increase in sleep disorders such as difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, but there was no such association when an hour is lost in the change from standard time to daylight saving time. The study is published in the May 3, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It also found a small difference in the amount of sleep people get depending on the season.

Sleeping pill reduces levels of Alzheimer’s proteins

Two doses of an FDA-approved sleeping pill reduced levels of Alzheimer’s proteins in a small study of healthy volunteers led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, although much more work needs to be done to confirm the viability of such an approach.

Cleveland Clinic Researchers Find Sleep Disturbances Prevalent in Long COVID

Cleveland Clinic researchers found 41% of patients with long COVID, had moderate to severe sleep disturbances. The retrospective analysis also identified risk factors for moderate to severe sleep disturbances, including race, hospitalization for COVID-19, greater anxiety severity and fatigue. After adjusting for demographics, Black patients were three times more likely to develop these sleep disturbances. The findings were published in Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Sleep Problems? You May Have An Increased Risk of Stroke

People who have sleep problems may be more likely to have a stroke, according to a study published in the April 5, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Sleep problems included getting too much or too little sleep, taking long naps, having poor quality sleep, snoring, snorting and sleep apnea. In addition, those who had five or more of these symptoms had an even greater risk of stroke. The study does not show that sleeping problems cause stroke. It only shows an association.

Not getting enough sleep could blunt antibody response to vaccination, leaving you more vulnerable to infection

In reviewing data from previous studies, a team lead by researchers at the University of Chicago and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) found that individuals who had fewer than six hours of sleep per night in the days surrounding vaccination had a blunted antibody response. That indicates efforts to promote heathy sleep duration ahead of an immunization could be an easy way to improve vaccine effectiveness.