Latest in Sleep Medicine News

Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) and narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) are rare, chronic neurologic disorders of hypersomnolence. Narcolepsy type 1 results from the selective loss of orexin-producing neurons, leading to markedly reduced levels of orexin neuropeptides in the brain and CSF. NT2 shares some symptoms with the former but has no orexin deficiency. Both disorders manifest as a spectrum of debilitating symptoms, including excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy (NT1 only), fragmented nocturnal sleep, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Diagnosis is particularly challenging, especially in pediatric patients.

Enteral nutrition (EN) delivery is often interrupted in the intensive care unit (ICU), and while continuous 24-hour feeding is standard practice, emerging evidence from circadian biology and pilot trials suggests that daytime-restricted EN may enhance nutritional adequacy and patient outcomes by aligning feeding with biological rhythms.

Sleep-predominant network hyperexcitability is increasingly recognized as a potential disease-accelerating comorbidity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its prevalence and risk-factors remain debated, largely due to cohort-specific and methodological differences across studies. In this prospective case-control study, we investigated potential ways of improving detection, from translational approaches focusing on rapid eye movement (REM)-sleep to refined electroencephalogram (EEG) setups and added clinical questionnaires.

Palliative care seeks to enhance the quality of life for individuals with serious illnesses and their families by addressing physical, emotional, and psychological needs. This phenomenological study examines the lived experiences of 8 caregivers in palliative care settings in Türkiye, focusing on the challenges they face, the coping mechanisms they employ, and their reflections on the caregiving role. Special emphasis is given to both psychological and somatic signs of stress, along with the possible advantages of body-oriented resilience techniques.

Rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA) is a biomarker of sleep-related bruxism (SRB). Sleep quality and sympathetic nervous system activity are associated with SRB onset. We focused on fluctuations in blood glucose levels during sleep, which are considered to affect these factors.

This study aimed to examine the effects of pre-bedtime smartphone use on sleep quality and athletic performance in soccer players while also investigating potential time-of-day variations. In this randomized controlled crossover trial, 16 male elite-level players were assigned to either use a smartphone for two hours prior to bedtime or read magazines (control), separated by a one-week washout period. Participants completed morning and afternoon performance tests (cognitive and physical assessments) and sleep quality measurements. Nocturnal smartphone use significantly impaired sleep quality, increasing sleepiness after days 3 and 5 (p < 0.01; d=5.74, d=5.72, respectively), decreasing total sleep time, increasing sleep onset latency, and reducing sleep efficiency (all p < 0.01; d=1, d=4.59). Cognitive performance initially showed improved afternoon results, although following five days of smartphone use, this pattern reversed with enhanced morning performance (p < 0.01; d=0.53, d=1.48). Simple and choice reaction times deteriorated significantly in afternoon sessions compared to both baseline and control conditions (p < 0.01; d=0.96-3.47). Physical performance tests revealed decreased jumping ability and slower reactive agility times following five nights of smartphone use, particularly in afternoon sessions (p < 0.01; d=0.85-0.91). Five consecutive nights of pre-bedtime smartphone use impaired sleep quality and both cognitive and physical performance in elite soccer players, with stronger effects in afternoon sessions. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing device-free periods prior to bedtime and potentially adjusting training schedules when evening screen exposure is unavoidable. Future research should explore countermeasures for managing evening device exposure in elite athletes.

We aim to investigate the relationship between sleep quality, psychological health, and quality of life (QOL) in highly trained athletes. Elite athletes (n = 118, 20.1 ± 0.64 years; 39 females; 50 world class; 102 aged ≤ 25 years; and 76 practicing individual sports) responded to the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), insomnia severity index (ISI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), Depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS), world health organization QOL (WHOQOL), and bespoke questions related to sleep hygiene. High percentages of the sample reported low or very low sleep quality (62%), moderate or excessive daytime sleepiness (51%), sleeping 7 hours or less (60%), and moderate or severe insomnia (16%), implying a modest sleep health. Female athletes reported higher PSQI (p < 0.05; d = 0.25), ESS (p < 0.05; d = 0.37) and DASS (p < 0.05; d = 0.27) scores compared to males. Young athletes (i.e., ≤ 25 years) reported higher PSQI (p < 0.05; d = 0.49) and DASS (p < 0.05; d = 0.34) scores compared to older athletes (i.e., > 25 years). Individual-sport athletes reported higher ESS (p < 0.05; d = 0.37) and lower QOL (p < 0.01; d = 0.51) scores compared to team-sport athletes. Higher DASS scores were associated with higher PSQI (t = 3.68; β = 0.3) and ISI (t = 4.78; β = 0.36) scores. Lower physical health (i.e., sub-scale of WHOQOL) was associated with higher DASS (t = -5.01; β = -0.42) and ISI (t = -8.02; β = -0.61) scores. Higher PSQI scores contributed to lower WHOQOL scores (t = -4.81; β = -0.41). In summary, the current study highlights reciprocal relationships between low sleep quality, low mental health and low QOL. Elite athletes (especially sub-groups of female, individual, and young athletes) showed a low sleep quality, potentially affecting their physical and psychological health and QOL.

College environments confer risk for sleep health, with discrimination compounding this risk for marginalized college students, in line with the sociocultural determinants of health framework. Multiracial (alternatively, mixed-race or biracial) college students may be susceptible to poor sleep quality due to their unique experiences of Multiracial-specific discrimination as well as general, everyday discrimination. Further, negative affect may play a role in the discrimination-sleep association. The current cross-sectional study investigated the association of general and Multiracial discrimination and negative affect with global sleep quality among a convenience sample of 193 Multiracial college students. Participants were recruited from a predominantly White institution in 2021 and completed an online survey reporting lifetime discriminatory experiences (general and Multiracial-specific), negative affect (depressive and anxiety symptoms), and past-month global sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). Findings from a hierarchical linear regression model indicated that covariates (i.e., age and sex) accounted for 2% of the variance in sleep quality. General discrimination explained 11% of additional variance, and Multiracial discrimination accounted for a further 4% of variance and was associated with poor sleep quality (=.23, <.001) beyond general discrimination, age, and sex. Negative affect also significantly predicted poor sleep quality when added in the model (=.56, <.001), further accounting for 25% of variance. Exploratory ancillary analyses suggested that negative affect may account for the discrimination-sleep quality relation and sleep quality may account for the discrimination-negative affect relation. Findings extend limited research on Multiracial college student sleep health and its associations with both general and Multiracial-specific discrimination and negative affect.

Postmenopause is commonly associated with vasomotor symptoms, musculoskeletal discomfort, weight gain, gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, and increased cardiometabolic and autoimmune risk. A 52-year-old woman presented with hot flashes, weight gain, joint stiffness and pain, and abdominal bloating. Genomic profiling revealed variants affecting methylation, detoxification, and metabolic regulation. Functional testing identified global sex hormone decline, impaired Phase II estrogen metabolism, vitamin D insufficiency, an atherogenic lipid profile, increased intestinal permeability, and elevated toxin burden. A phased, precision nutrition plan was implemented, combining dietary modification, targeted nutraceuticals, gut-directed therapy, detoxification support, sleep optimization, and stress management, alongside bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). After 6 months, the patient experienced resolution of vasomotor symptoms and GI bloating, marked reduction in musculoskeletal pain and Medical Symptoms Questionnaire (MSQ) scores, improved sleep quality, and favorable lipid changes. This case demonstrates the potential of genomically informed precision nutrition, integrated with functional testing, to guide personalized interventions that enhance metabolic health, symptom resolution, and overall quality of life (QoL) in postmenopausal women.

This study investigated the clinical characteristics, lifestyle, and psychological factors of patients with chronic migraine in Eastern Taiwan, a region with limited healthcare accessibility and a distinct demographic profile. Preventive medication use and exercise participation were treated as modifiable factors for improving migraine management.