An anthropological study of modern hunter-gatherers in Tanzania suggests that the difference in sleep schedules may be an age-old survival mechanism. The team observed daily lives of a modern hunter-gatherer community of the Hadza people in Northern Tanzania. After a day of procuring food, the Hadza, the young and old alike, gather to sleep in […]
Tag: sleep
For better sleep, spend more time in the sun – even in the winter
Shorter days and cooler temperatures prevent us from spending as much time outdoors in the winter than we do in the summer. But new research suggests that better sleep in the winter requires spending more time outside. Recent data suggest that, thanks to our modern lifestyles, our light exposure in the winter is reduced by […]
Sleep deprivation makes for dangerous drivers
Drivers receive plenty of warning against getting behind the wheel while tired, but a recent study shows just how detrimental lack of sleep can be to traffic safety. Drivers who get less than four hours of sleep per night are 11.5 times more likely to crash than those who sleep for the recommended duration of […]
A good night’s sleep can make it harder to suppress negative memories
Sleep to forget? Apparently not, when it comes to negatively charged memories you’re actively trying to suppress. New research found that negative associations were easier to recall after a good night’s sleep, even if the individual has been actively trying to suppress those memories. In the study, subjects were given memory suppression tasks which involved […]
For better sleep, limit your smartphone use
Going device-free an hour before bedtime or turning on the ‘night shift’ on your smartphone may not be enough to improve sleep. A new study found an association between smartphone screen time throughout the day and the user’s quality of sleep. Longer average screen time throughout the day was linked to poorer sleep quality and […]
This is why you feel groggy after sleeping in a new place
When sleeping in an unfamiliar environment, half of your brain doesn’t really sleep. Instead, that hemisphere stays awake to “guard” against potential threats. In a new study, researchers from Brown University monitored the brain activity of 35 people in a sleep lab over the course of two nights. The first night sleeping in the new […]
A possible explanation for visually vivid dreams during REM sleep
Researchers have found that during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep the human brain is responding in a way similar to visual processing during wakefulness. This may explain why individuals woken from REM sleep often report vivid dreams, and may reflect visual imagery during dreaming. The research team studied the activity of the medial temporal lobe […]
Turning off screens could help teenagers get a better nights sleep
Viewing screens on electronic devices such as computers, cell-phones, tablets, or television has a negative effect on teenagers sleep patterns, according to new research. The authors conclude that recommendations should be updated and new guideline developed for healthy electronic media use before bedtime. A study of nearly 10,000 Norwegian teenagers, aged 16 to 19, has lead researchers […]
Sleep apnea not linked to cancer
People suffering from sleep apnea are not more likely to develop cancer, a new study shows. Sleep apnea is a common disorder where breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep; about 5 per cent of Canadian adults over 45 experience it. Previous reports had hinted that the low blood oxygen levels brought on […]
