This week in sleep news:
More high schools switch to later start times
Ridgewood High School in Bergen County, New Jersey, is one of the latest high schools to push back the time school starts each morning. The district voted to push back their start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. after Fairleigh Dickinson University released a poll that found a majority of New Jersey residents would not only prefer a later start time, but even support legislation that would make it so high school couldn’t legally start any earlier than 8:30 a.m. each day. New Jersey currently holds the 12th-earliest start time in the country with a 7:51 a.m. average, though perhaps those rankings will change across the board as many school districts opt to follow the science when setting their start times.
Inconsistent sleep habits tied to higher risk of dangerous plaque buildup in the heart
Sleeping an inconsistent amount from night to night may increase your chance of developing a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, according to findings in a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study focused on the link between sleep habits and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is an accumulation of fatty plaque inside artery walls that makes blood vessels stiffer and narrower over time, reducing blood flow and oxygen distribution throughout the body. Eventually these fatty deposits can form blood clots, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Researchers found that people whose bedtimes varied by 90 minutes or more during the week were more likely to show signs of atherosclerosis by up to 40%.
In more fun sleep news
Comedy fans should not sleep on the news that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have paired up for a multi-city comedy tour. Named Restless Leg, the tour will start in Washington, D.C., then move on to Chicago, Boston, and lastly Atlantic City, N.J. Poehler has spoken about her sleep issues in the past, so we can only assume that the tour name is inspired by Zzz’s.
In sleep-centric social media…
Were you one of the unlucky ones that didn’t land tickets to Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour? Luckily, we can all live vicariously through our dreams.
Parents in wintry climates around the world are rethinking their babies’ nap locale after a viral TikTok pointed out that parents in Norway and Denmark routinely leave their babies outside to nap in brisk air. Not only is it normal, but it’s been recommended by nurses, since studies there show that babies sleep better and longer outside. They’re not left totally unattended though: Most parents keep a close eye — and a baby monitor — trained on them.
