Common Sleep Myths Endanger Public Health

TUESDAY, April 16, 2019 -- Mistaken beliefs about sleep are common and pose a significant health threat, a new study warns.

Among these myths: some people only need five hours of sleep; snoring is harmless; a drink before bedtime helps you fall asleep.

CPAP Brings Longer Life for Obese People With Sleep Apnea: Study

MONDAY, April 15, 2019 -- There's good news for the millions of obese Americans with sleep apnea: Researchers report the use of the CPAP mask may greatly increase their chances for a longer life.

Use of the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask was tied to a 62% decline in the odds for death over 11 years of follow-up.

AHA News: Irregular Sleep Could Impact Your Heart Health

FRIDAY, March 8, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- It's not just lack of sleep and poor sleep that can put the heart at risk -- getting to bed on time may also matter, new research suggests.

The new study took the unique approach of looking at how much night-to-night difference a person had in sleep duration and what time he or she fell asleep. People with irregular sleep patterns had a higher risk for a cardiovascular event, including stroke, congestive heart failure and coronary heart disease, the study found.

Sleep Apnea May Be Linked With Alzheimer's Marker

SUNDAY, March 3, 2019 -- Millions of Americans are left drowsy each day by sleep apnea, and new research suggests it might also raise their odds for Alzheimer's disease.

It isn't clear, however, if sleep apnea causes the buildup of "tau" protein tangles in the brain that are a marker for Alzheimer's, or if the increased tau helps cause the apnea, the researchers said.

Sleeping In on Weekends May Not Repay Your Sleep 'Debt'

THURSDAY, Feb. 28, 2019 -- People who are sleep-deprived during the week often try to make up for it on weekends. But a new study suggests the tactic may backfire.

Researchers found that weekday sleep loss had negative effects on people's metabolism -- and "catch-up" sleep on the weekend did not reverse it.

Evening Exercise Won't Wreck Your Sleep

MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 -- Sometimes, it's just not possible to fit in a workout in the morning or afternoon. But if you hit the gym in the evening, will you be up half the night?

New research says no. The Australian study found that 30 minutes of high-intensity interval training didn't have any negative impact on sleep.