This week in sleep news…
Blue-light-blocking glasses may not do much
A meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about blue-light-blocking glasses published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found no clinically meaningful difference in eye health for those who wear the glasses. The review looked at eye health, visual performance, and sleep benefits in studies ranging in size from five to 156 participants. Results for sleep quality were indeterminate and require additional general-population research.
Long sleep duration may be associated with carotid plaque burden
Heart health and sleep have long been linked, with previous studies pointing to a relationship between sleep duration and stroke risk. However, the pathology behind this association hasn’t been well studied. A new study, published in Stroke, aimed to determine the association between sleep duration and subclinical carotid plaque burden, which is a precursor of stroke. The results showed that long sleep duration was significantly associated with carotid plaque presence and larger total plaque area. Additionally, short sleep duration and daytime sleepiness showed no association with carotid plaque burden.
What helped Bill Gates value sleep
It’s common for powerful leaders and executives to brag about not needing sleep, and for years, Bill Gates was no exception. On the premiere episode of his new podcast, Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates, the visionary and philanthropist spoke with Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen, founders of Hilarity for Charity, about why watching his father succumb to Alzheimer’s disease helped Gates prioritize sleep.
In fun sleep news...
Care to sleep in a spud? Ahead of National Potato Day tomorrow, potato chip company Lay’s is giving away a two-night stay at the Big Idaho Potato Hotel. Billed “the only potato hotel in the world,” the 28-foot-long, 12-foot-wide hotel is made from steel, plaster, and concrete, and sits in South Boise near the Owyhee Mountains. To enter, visit:
In sleep-centric social media...
Did you know you can put a lobster to sleep? Jacob Knowles, a Maine lobster fisherman, took to TikTok this week to share the secret to putting a lobster to sleep: some soft shell strokes and humming.
