Insomnia tied to depression risk in Japan

2011-11-04T16:00:22Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who struggle to get a good night's sleep are twice as likely, on average, to suffer from depression down the road as those who sleep soundly, Japanese researchers report.

After surveying thousands of adults in a rural Japanese town over the course of two years, a team from Tokyo Medical University found...

Jackson claimed propofol drip was safe, nurse tells court

2011-10-25T18:30:37Z

Michael Jackson begged to be given a propofol drip to help him sleep two months before he died, saying medics had assured him it was safe, a nurse told his doctor's manslaughter trial Tuesday.

The King of Pop told nurse Cherilyn Lee, a holistic expert, that doctors had told him he could take the drug -- a surgical anesthetic -- intravenously as long as ...

Insomnia linked to higher heart attack risk

2011-10-24T19:30:46Z

As if you didn't have enough to worry about during those sleepless nights, a Norwegian study out Monday suggests that people with insomnia face a 27 to 45 percent higher risk of heart attack.

About one-third of people report having trouble sleeping and should see a doctor for help, urged the authors of the study published in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association.

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Transcept gets shorter review on sleep drug

2011-10-04T11:00:25Z

(Reuters) - Transcept Pharmaceuticals Inc said health regulators granted a shorter review period of two months for its experimental sleep drug, reviving hopes for the treatment and sending company shares up as much as 34 percent.

The treatment Intermezzo had been considered virtually dead by

Insomnia affects 23 percent of US workers: study

2011-08-31T18:30:31Z

Insomnia affects around 23 percent of US workers, and brings a national cost for the sleeping disorder at $63.2 billion, a study showed Wednesday.

On average US workers lose 11.3 days of productivity each year due to insomnia, according to a report from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, to be released in the...

Valerian may aid menopausal sleep problems: study

2011-08-31T10:30:32Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The popular herbal sleep aid valerian could help ease some of the sleep problems that can come with menopause, a small study suggests.

Valerian root has been used since ancient Greek and Roman times for various health problems, including insomnia. Modern science is split on whether the herb works: some studies have indicated that it can ease insomnia, but few rigo...

Valerian may help menopausal sleep problems: study

2011-08-30T19:30:26Z

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The popular herbal sleep aid valerian, which has been used since ancient Greek and Roman times for various health problems, may also help ease some of the sleep problems that can come with menopause, a study said.

Modern science, though, is split on whether the herb works. Some studies have indicated that it can ease insomnia, but few rigorous clinical trials have put va...

Insomnia, fatigue common in people with cancer

2011-08-10T19:30:26Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More than half of cancer patients may suffer symptoms of insomnia during treatment, and for some, sleep problems can persist for months afterward, according to a new study.

The findings "point to the fact that sleep, including insomnia symptoms, are a really big problem for cancer patients," said Carol Enderlin, who studies sleep in breast cancer pati...

Pushing Western medicine with fear in India

2011-07-07T09:30:33Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - If you sleep less than six hours a night, you're increasing your risk of developing or dying from heart disease by 48 percent. At least, that's what U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Abbott would have 1.2 billion people in India believe.

But doctors say the grim message, which appeared in a newspaper ad in India...

Toddlers' sleep, eating problems often go together

2011-03-03T14:31:10Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents who have a hard time getting their babies and toddlers to sleep at night may also often have trouble at mealtime, new study findings suggest.

So-called behavioral insomnia, where a young child regularly resists bedtime or has trouble staying asleep, is common -- seen in up to 30 percent of children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years.

A similar ...

To help overcome insomnia, get out of bed: study

2011-01-24T20:30:11Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - For insomniacs to get better sleep, spending less time in bed may be key -- one part of short-term behavioral therapy that could help older adults beat insomnia, according to a study.

Daniel Buysse, at the University of Pittsburgh Sch...

Short-term pill-free therapy may help insomniacs

2011-01-24T15:00:08Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A few short visits and phone calls with a nurse may be enough to help insomniacs get their zzz's, suggests a new study of sleep-deprived older adults.

Researchers found that more than half of participants overcame chronic insomnia within a month of starting a brief behavioral treatment.

The key ingredient in the therapy, according to lead researcher Dr...

Common sleep drug can leave people groggy, clumsy

2011-01-13T13:00:24Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The popular sleep drug Ambien can leave even the healthiest older people groggy and prone to stumbling, falling and confusion when they wake up, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

The drug, sold by Sano...