sleep

Even in The Depths of Sleep, Our Brains Are Alert to Stranger Danger, Says New Study

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Even as we slumber, our industrious brains continue working to keep us alive. They ensure our heartbeats and breathing remain on track, wash off the waste they’ve accumulated throughout the day, and sort and file our memories. Now it seems they achieve all this and more while also monitoring our surroundings for stranger danger, a new … Read more

Sleep: Unknown voices spark more activity in sleeping brain than familiar ones

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Unfamiliar voices seem to put the sleeping brain on alert in a way that familiar voices don’t Humans 17 January 2022 By Jason Arunn Murugesu Electroencephalography (EEG) is used to monitor brain activity Shutterstock / NPS_87 The sleeping brain is more active if it hears unfamiliar voices rather than familiar ones. The finding suggests that … Read more

This Study on Teenager Sleep Impacts Has Once Again Proven School Should Start Later

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The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on people’s mental health, and young people are a particularly affected group, with school closures cutting off millions of both young and older children from their friends, teachers, and any semblance of normal life.   The negative psychological effects of this have been documented in many studies, … Read more

The Science of a Good Nap

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For a society constantly trying to over-extend, over-perform, and over-deliver, skipping out on sleep may be seen as the ultimate badge of productivity. It’s a lifestyle we most associate with the rich and powerful of the world, not to mention the hustle-drunk tech bros of Silicon Valley – but it’s not even a new thing. Even … Read more

Sleep and creativity: Waking up after the first few minutes of sleep may help us solve problems

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A technique for interrupting the first stage of sleep helps people solve a maths problem – the same approach was used by Thomas Edison and Salvador Dali Mind 8 December 2021 By Clare Wilson Salvador Dali thought an unusual sleep state could boost creativity Photo12 / Alamy Where does creativity come from? According to people … Read more

‘Twilight Zone’ Sleep Hack Really Can Spark Creative Thinking, Scientists Say

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A sleep technique described by surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and famous inventor Thomas Edison might actually work to inspire creativity, researchers have found. To get the creativity boost, you essentially need to wake up just as a certain sleep stage sets in, where reality seems to blend into fantasy.   To use the technique, visionaries … Read more

Hormone replacement therapy: Large study finds HRT does not increase risk of dying early

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A study of 300,000 people shows that HRT for menopause symptoms doesn’t increase the risk of early death, helping to overturn outdated fears about its safety Health 10 December 2021 By Alice Klein A woman applying a hormone replacement therapy patch Phanie/Alamy A large UK study has provided reassurance that taking hormone replacement therapy to … Read more

Edison was right: Waking up right after drifting off to sleep can boost creativity | Science

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When Thomas Edison hit a wall with his inventions, he would nap in an armchair while holding a steel ball. As he started to fall asleep and his muscles relaxed, the ball would strike the floor, waking him with insights into his problems. Or so the story goes. Now, more than 100 years later, scientists … Read more