Monthly Archives: March 2014

An innovative sleep study conducted utilizing adult identical twins as well as a separate study of adolescents within a community have both strengthened scientists’ understanding of the link between the amount of sleep that we get each night and our risk of experiencing depression. Continue reading →

As memory foam mattresses have become more and more popular, mattress manufacturers have been faced with a number of issues that have needed to be addressed, most notably the issue of chemical off-gassing from the materials that the mattresses have been composed of, and the question of ensuring the mattress’ comfort in terms of temperature. New materials have been utilized and controls put in place to take care of chemical odor, but as the baby boom generation of women find themselves facing the realities of menopause, and those very same women lead in decision-making responsibilities for the family’s mattress purchases, manufacturers have had to constantly redirect their efforts at ensuring that mattresses offer palatable solutions to the problem of temperature control. Continue reading →

In a unique study conducted at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, sleep researchers have made a real connection between the amount and quality of sleep that an individual gets and their appearance. Though many people have long complained about looking tired or having a problem with dark circles under their eyes when they haven’t gotten the sleep that they need, this study shows that sleep deprivation can have a much more far-reaching impact.  Continue reading →

Sleep scientists are constantly learning new and interesting facts about the way that we get our rest each night, all in the interest of helping people to awaken feeling more refreshed and having gotten enough sleep to be able to take on the day. Some of the most interesting studies that have been done in the last few years have examined the differences between the way that men and women sleep. Continue reading →

The National Sleep Foundation is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization committed to promoting education on the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. In that role they publish a number of brochures and support research programs that increase the public’s understanding of what is needed to encourage sleep as well as what might be getting in the way of a good night’s sleep. The group has recently embarked on a new program specifically geared at the bedroom and its role in creating the correct environment. The program is two-prong – it provides information and is also promoting and selling officially licensed National Sleep Foundation products that are designed to make the bedroom more conducive to restful and restorative sleep. Continue reading →

A rare sleep disorder that is genetically linked has been identified in fewer than forty families around the world. This tragic disease may contribute greatly to our understanding of the necessity for sleep. The disease is called fatal familial insomnia: it keeps those who suffer from it from falling asleep. They eventually die from exhaustion, and at this point the disease has no cure.  Continue reading →