A survey by the National Sleep Council showed that teenagers get as little as four hours of sleep a night, staying up late to watch television, use the computer or engage in social media. Results indicated that one in three secondary school students survives on short bursts of “junk sleep” and shows up exhausted for school the next day.

Experts have linked poor quality sleep with weight gain and poor performance at school. 30% of teenagers surveyed were found to get only four to seven hours of sleep a night, with 40% responding that they felt tired during the day.

Read the full post on Teenagers Sleep Impacted by TV, Computers, Social Media.

A trial published in The Lancet medical journal suggests a medium-firm mattress is the best for a painful spine. 300 people took part in the Spanish study and found those on the softer mattress reported less back pain in the morning. The research, carried out by doctors from Madrid, Majorca and Barcelona, focused on “non-specific” back pain which is not directly linked to degenerative diseases such as arthritis, fractures or injury to the spine.

Read the full post on A Medium-Firm Mattress May be Better for Low Back Pain than a Hard Mattress.

A recent study from Stanford University presented at the SLEEP 2010 conference showed that Americans reported moderate to severe daytime sleepiness 33% more than their European counterparts. Almost 20% of those surveyed reported moderate to excessive sleepiness, and 11% reported severe sleepiness. Women reported more sleepiness than men.

Some interesting findings:
- 18% of people reported being sleepy in situations that require a high level of concentration.
- People who work at night, are insomniacs or are depressed showed the same rate of sleepiness, nearly two times more likely than the typical subject.
- People with obstructive sleep apnea were three times more likely to be sleepy – wear your C-PAP machine!

Read the full post on America is Sleepier Than Europe.

Regular aerobic exercise improves the quality of sleep, mood and vitality, according to a small but significant study from Northwestern Medicine. The study examined the effects of aerobic exercise on middle-age and older adults with a diagnosis of insomnia. The results achieved resulted in more dramatic improvement than pharmacological intervention, which is good news as the taking of few drugs allows for less potential negative interactions with medications that a person may already be taking for other health conditions.

Read the full post on Aerobic Exercise Improves Chronic Insomnia.

A study recently published in the journal Sleep noted an increased mortality risk in men who have insomnia with objective short sleep duration, and the risk is greater than previously estimated.

1,741 men and women randomly selected from central Pennsylvania were studied in the sleep laboratory and Pennsylvania State University and followed-up for 14 years. Insomnia was defined as subjects having a complaint of insomnia for at least a year. Additionally, subjects were divided into groups of “normal” or “short” sleep duration (more or less than six hours of sleep a night). When adjusting for other health conditions, it was found that male insomnia sufferers in the “short” sleep duration group had a 21% higher mortality rate! Insomnia and short sleep was not associated with an increased mortality rate in women. This research shows how important it is for people with insomnia, especially men, to get treatment for their condition.

Read the full post on Insomnia and Increased Mortality Rates.

A 2006 study found that most 6th – 12th grade students don’t get enough sleep, so with that in mind here are some back to school sleep tips from the National Sleep Foundation.

- About two weeks before the start of school, work on returning your child to a sleep schedule that is appropriate for school.
- Maintain this sleep schedule once it is set – don’t use weekends to catch up on sleep.
- Establish a quiet and relaxing routine before it is time to go to bed.
- Limit electronic device use (television, video games, texting) before bedtime.
- Avoid big meals just before going to sleep.
- Limit caffeine use six hours before going to sleep.
- Maintain a sleep-conducive bedroom environment. Keep the room dark with a comfortable mattress and proper temperature settings (mid to upper 60s).
- Be a role model for your child and follow appropriate sleep guidelines yourself.

Read the full post on Sleep Tips for Back to School.

Recent research has affirmed what top athletes have known for years – adequate sleep is necessary to achieve top athletic performance. While much is made of the role of diet and supplementation in athletic recovery and restoration, sleep is another key factor that professional and amateur athletes consider when designing their training programs. When I was coaching my Olympic athletes, I was always cognizant of the levels of volume and intensity of the different phases of training and I was sure to give the athletes enough time for adequate rest as part of their restoration program – it works!

Read the full post on Sleep, Restoration and Athletic Performance.

A new study from the University of Helsinki was published in the International Journal of Obesity and found that middle-aged women who suffer from sleep disorders are more likely to have weight problems than women who get eight hours of nightly sleep. Previous studies have established a link between weight gain and a lack of sleep, but this study was unique in that it suggested that the sleep problems actually preceded the weight gain of the study subjects. Approximately 7,300 adults between the ages of 40 and 60 took part in the seven-year study.

Read the full post on Link Between Lack of Sleep and Weight Gain.

Getting proper sleep is especially important for children, as it is vital for physical and mental development. One of the many challenges facing a new parent is accommodating the sleep routine of newborns. While newborns tend to sleep a total of 14-18 hours a day, they wake up frequently and require attention, feeding or nurturing.

Read the full post on Sleep Advice for Parents of Newborns.

Getting a good night’s sleep is key to your overall health, so the next time you have trouble sleeping try some of these proven restful techniques.

Read the full post on Sleep Relaxation Tips.