A pediatric urologist explains how the bladder and the brain communicate to wake you up when you need to ‘go’ – and how that communication might break down.
As July temperatures soared to triple digits, hundreds of homeless people lived on the street outside Phoenix’s largest shelter.
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As US cities struggle to reduce homelessness, two scholars explain how planners can reform shelter design to be more humane and to prioritize mental health and well-being.
The hunt for sleep has become a global industry, with apps, drugs, self-help remedies. In a new book, author Marie Darrieussecq contemplates the curse of insomnia.
Dreams keep our brains ticking over. They wash the thoughts from the day’s events at a molecular level. They might even help us imagine what’s possible during our waking hours.
In the heat of the summer, time can sometimes appear like it’s melting away. However, our body clock is there to keep track of the hours gone by.
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Exposure to screens before bedtime can contribute to chronic sleep deprivation, which raises the risk for anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts.
A cup of coffee might provide you some pep, but it won’t fully make up for lost sleep.
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While a cup of joe or a brief nap during an all-nighter might help you feel a little more alert, it won’t offset cognitive impairments from sleep deprivation when you’re performing complex tasks.
Mary Breheny, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Rosie Gibson, Massey University
Self-help articles and books usually point to the things we can do personally to get a good night’s sleep. But the wider social and economic causes of insomnia deserve more attention.
Research shows that sleep deprivation impairs communication between brain regions and brain blood flow, damages brain wiring and makes a young brain look like an aged brain.
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Ancient humans chose to sleep less, which had evolutionary benefits. For modern humans, sleeping less is futile and detrimental, but fitness may be a powerful ally in today’s epidemic of sleep loss.
Parents spend more time actively engaged with their kids – such as helping with homework or reading together – during the school year than during summer. But the difference is almost three times greater for moms than for dads.
The issue of poor sleep needs particular attention in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teenagers who have high rates of poor health, social and emotional well-being and education.
Nighttime is much more than a source of danger or an occasion to party – it’s a portal into a different world, with rhythms, challenges and lifestyles of its own.
Past age 50, men are much more likely to have REM sleep behavior disorder than women.
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