This week in sleep news …
Octopuses can dream
A study, published on June 28 in Nature, shows striking similarities between the sleeping behavior of octopuses and that of humans. The research has shown that octopuses enter an active sleep phase similar to rapid eye movement sleep in humans, suggesting the existence of this sleep across species. Scientists also found that sleep disturbances cause octopuses to reenter this active stage more frequently, underscoring the REM cycle’s necessity. Octopuses’ skin patterns also change during this active sleep phase, suggesting they may be dreaming in their unique way.
President Biden uses a CPAP machine
Presidents — they’re just like us! This week it was revealed that President Joe Biden has recently started using a continuous positive airway pressure machine to treat sleep apnea, a condition that affects nearly 1 billion people across the globe. Biden was seen by reporters on Wednesday with indentation marks on his face indicating he had been wearing some type of wide strap, which prompted a statement from White House spokesperson Andrew Bates confirming that the president has started using a CPAP machine. CPAP machines are the gold standard of sleep apnea treatments, and they can immensely benefit the user in other ways, including improving sleep quality and lowering risk of cardiac conditions and stroke.
Certain late-night activities may lead to later teen bedtimes
What teens choose to do with their evening may impact their sleep onset time (not the time you get in bed, but the time you actually fall asleep). A study from Brigham Young University published in the Journal of Research in Adolescence found that some things teens do in the evening can lead to earlier bedtimes, longer sleep times, and greater ease falling asleep; accordingly, other activities can hinder and shorten sleep. The activities that promoted sleep included doing homework, talking to parents, and playing sports in the early evening, as well as other activities that use some brainpower or physical exertion a while before going to bed. In contrast, hanging out with friends, viewing social media, visiting public places, snacking, and watching TV all cut into sleep time when they took place late at night. Researchers are hoping that parents and pediatricians use this information to encourage healthy sleep times for their teens.
In sleep-centric social media ...
Having a luxurious feeling bed doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. Chantel Mila shared some hacks on Instagram on how to treat yourself to inexpensive luxuries.
