This week in sleep news…
46% of parents have given their child melatonin
A new study finds that almost half of parents have used melatonin supplements to help their kids sleep. The survey, which was conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, asked 1,003 adults with children this question: “Have you ever given melatonin to your child to help him or her fall asleep at night?” It found that 46% of parents with a child under 13 and 30% of parents with a child 13 or older have given melatonin. While analyzing their data, researchers also found that fathers were more likely to give their children melatonin than mothers and that millennial parents were more likely to give melatonin than other generations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents always consult with their child’s pediatrician before using melatonin.
Bright-light treatment’s power over stress-induced sleep problem
A new study in PLOS Biology shares that bright-light treatment can correct issues in the neural pathway linking chronic stress to sleep disturbances. The study focused on the crucial role of the lateral habenula, a brain region that is sensitive to light signals and that, when activated, influences non-REM sleep patterns. It’s known that chronic stress can increase non-REM sleep; however, this study showed that bright-light treatment inhibits certain neurons, reducing the sleep abnormalities caused by stress.
In sleep-centric social media ...
The New Yorker depicts the evolution of bedtime stories in one simple cartoon.
