This week in sleep news:
Neandertal DNA may be the reason behind your sleeping patterns
Have you ever wondered why certain disorders or diseases have a higher genetic risk? New research has found that over 40% of the Neandertal (the closest evolutionary relatives of present-day humans) genome can be put together from non-African people and that individually, each non-African person’s DNA is around 2% Neandertal. Scientists have used this information to conduct a study to learn more about the impact of these genetic variants on behavioral traits as well as our risk of developing diseases. They found that Neandertal DNA showed an association with several traits that are associated with central nervous system diseases. Among the traits with the strongest Neandertal DNA contribution are smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and sleeping patterns.
New sleep disorder discovered
A team of researchers has identified a new sleep disorder that’s been disrupting the lives of trauma survivors for ages. Published in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the study identified trauma associated sleep disorder, or TSD, as a distinct sleep-related disorder, or parasomnia, that incorporates traumatic experiences and clinical features of trauma-related nightmares and disruptive nocturnal behaviors. The study, which is the largest to focus on TSD, spanned five years and included 40 service members who had experienced trauma, mainly from combat, and were experiencing dream enactment. The study comprised a clinical interview and video-recorded sleep study.
Their key finding was that most of their patients had parasomnia behavior, movements, or vocalizations in REM sleep. Parasomnia behavior is almost never captured in the sleep lab but is frequently cited by patients as a symptom they’re experiencing at home.
Sleep kits help children manage the effects of trauma
In a new study, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that sleep kits designed for foster children appeared to be helpful in most cases. The kits for teenagers included sleep aids like a sound machine, aromatherapy spray, and a sleep mask. The kits for younger children contained matching stuffed toys to share with someone they felt connected to, along with a rechargeable night-light. All kits included a journal, a guide to sleep hygiene, and directions for downloading a free age-appropriate relaxation app.
Scientists had 20 foster parents respond to the survey. Eleven said the kits helped "very much," five others reported they helped "somewhat," another two reported no improvements in sleep, and two said they didn't know the effect.
In fun sleep news...
Think you can sleep when “there’s something strange in the neighborhood”? Then book a three-night stay at the Ghostbusters Firehouse. Sony has teamed up with Vacasa to offer a Halloween-themed stay at the recreated Ghostbusters Firehouse in Portland, OR. The building is equipped with the ’busters’ gear, games, and snacks, plus the Ecto-1 ghost-fighting vehicle. Act quickly: The three-night stay opens for booking next Friday, October 21, at 10 a.m. PT, for a stay commencing October 28.
In sleep-centric social media...
TikTok user alijahforever perfectly sums up the confusion all stomach and side sleepers have about back sleepers.
