Medical

The purpose and effects of sleep have been probed by a team of researchers at the University of Surrey and University College London. In a hypothesis published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, the educational establishments mentioned hypothesise that the biological function of sleep is to allow for "the vital repair and maintenance" of the cells in our brain. The research also found that this repair function can only occur if the individual neurons are aligned precisely at a time scale of seconds...

Researchers have warned that those suffering from breathing difficulties during the night may be experiencing early signs of Alzeimer's disease. Although it is unknown what exactly the link between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and Alzeihmer's is, evidence suggests that some people who suffer from this particular disorder may already have developed pre-symptomatic dementia. The most common of these SDB's is obstructive sleep apnea, affecting around four per cent of middle-aged men and two per...

A woman has had to resort to dieting throughout the day in order to balance out the 2,500 calories she eats whilst she’s asleep. Lesley Cusack, 55 from Cheshire, suffers from a rare Sleep Related Eating Disorder (SRED) that means she eats up to a day’s worth of ca...

A new study has concluded that the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea in the US is generally higher for those of an African-American background, and in certain age ranges, even in the face of a variety of results for body mass index (BMI). The research, conducted by Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit ...

Many people will tell you that to get the best night of sleep in bed, you shouldn't surround yourself with things relating to work - computers, mobile phones and even notepads can cause disharmony that affects your ability to get good rest. However, in centuries past, some of the most important decisions in the country were made in the bedroom - and by the most important person in the land. A new exhibition at Hampton Court Palace delves into the way that the royal bed was used in years gone by....

Bed bugs have long been the scourge of boudoirs around the globe, but a new discovery inspired by the natural world may be the best way to stop infestations in future. The bloodsucking insects, which are known to result in burning, itching and swelling effects on the skin, can hide nearly anywhere in a person's home, whi...

If bedding down each night is a difficult task for you, then the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) may have something that's perfect for you - or at least a healthcare professional that is addressing the issue. The NSF excitedly revealed that it is now offering a comprehensive and free online sleep disorders resource for all...

You may think that an Oscar-winning actress may have a remarkable number of social engagements that keep her from going to bed early on an evening, though one of the silver screen's more down-to-earth leading ladies is doing exactly that - and she's proud of it. Jennifer Lawrence, the 22-year-old star who took home the Best Ac...

The strongest indicator of whether a man is developing dementia with Lewy bodies is if he acts out his dreams during sleep, according to the latest research from Mayo Clinic. Researchers discovered that the second most common form of dementia in the elderly is five times more likely to appear if those developing it experie...

Sleep is an important requirement for a person that learns two new and potentially competing tasks in the same day, as it helps consolidate learning, according to new research at the University of Chicago. Using starlings as a means of discovering this trend - a bird species that provide a great model for studying memory ...