Latest news with #AmericanAcademyofSleepMedicine
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How having a sleepy teen could save your kid from a future heart attack
For parents with a sleepy teenager, less variable sleep patterns could be a sign of a healthier future for their child. Teens who had better sleep habits at age 15 were found to have improved heart health seven years later, researchers at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine said on Monday. The healthy sleep habits include falling asleep and waking up earlier, spending a lower percentage of time in bed awake, and having lower variability in total sleep time and sleep onset. Average total sleep time did not predict future cardiovascular health. In teens, cardiac incidents are rare, but they can occur. Approximately 2,000 young and seemingly healthy people under the age of 25 die each year of sudden cardiac arrest, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart attacks in people under 40 have been increasing over the past decade, the Cleveland Clinic notes. 'Given the importance of sleep health for physical health and well-being in the short-term, we were not surprised to see a lasting association between adolescent sleep timing, sleep maintenance efficiency, and sleep variability with cardiovascular health in young adulthood,' Dr. Gina Marie Mathew, a senior post-doctoral associate in public health at Stony Brook Renaissance School of Medicine, explained in a statement. 'It was unexpected, however, that with and without adjustment for potentially confounding factors, total sleep time during adolescence was not a significant predictor of cardiovascular health during young adulthood,' she added. 'This single null finding, of course, does not indicate that total sleep time is unimportant. Rather, when paired with other studies, these findings underscore the complexity of sleep health and the need to consider multiple sleep dimensions as potential targets for promoting and maintaining cardiovascular health.' Mathew was the lead data analyst and author of the National Institutes of Health-backed research that was presented on Sunday at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting. To reach these conclusions, the researchers analyzed data from Princeton and Columbia University's Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study: the longest-running and only contemporary U.S. birth cohort study of young adults based on a national sample. Their data included 307 adults, the majority of whom were girls. At age 15, participants wore a device on their wrist for a week to measure sleep variables. At age 22, their cardiovascular health was assessed using their diet, physical activity, exposure to nicotine, body mass index, and measurements of fats in the blood, blood sugar, and blood pressure. They were scored based on these factors using the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8. Teens between the ages of 13 and 18 years old should sleep eight to 10 hours regularly to promote optimal health, the academy said. Getting the recommended number of hours is associated with improved attention, behavior, memory, mental and physical health, and other positive outcomes. However, Mathew pointed out that the results highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach to address the relationship between adolescent sleep health and cardiovascular health. 'Future research and recommendations should emphasize the importance of multiple dimensions of sleep health, including earlier sleep timing, higher sleep maintenance efficiency, and lower sleep variability as protective factors for long-term heart health,' she said.
UPI
a day ago
- Health
- UPI
CPAP or Zepbound? Patients, doctors debate sleep apnea treatment
Doctors favor treatment with continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines, researchers are slated to report this week at a meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Adobe stock June 9 (UPI) A clash is brewing between doctors and patients when it comes to treatment for sleep apnea in those with obesity, a new study reports. Doctors favor treatment with continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines, researchers are slated to report this week at a meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The machines keep airways open using mild air pressure provided through a mask patients wear while sleeping. But patients would rather treat their sleep apnea with tirzepatide (Zepbound), a GLP-1 weight-loss drug, researchers found. "The results highlight a need for real-world comparative effectiveness data of CPAP versus tirzepatide, and a potential mismatch between patient and provider preferences when managing comorbid obesity and obstructive sleep apnea," lead researcher Ahmed Khalaf said in a news release. He's a sleep technician in the pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine division at University of California-San Diego. Nearly 30 million adults in the United States have sleep apnea, a disease in which the upper airway collapses during sleep, causing people to wake repeatedly. CPAP has been considered the gold standard for treating sleep apnea, but some patients find the machines too bulky and noisy. About 50% of people prescribed CPAP either can't use it often enough to matter or find it too bothersome, according to Harvard Medical School. Common problems include mask discomfort, dry mouth, breathing that feels out of sync and noise from the machine. Late last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound as the first drug to treat people with obesity and sleep apnea. At the time, the sleep medicine society hailed the approval as "a positive development for patients and clinicians, who now have another treatment option for this sleep disorder," according to a statement from the academy. But Zepbound is only for people with obesity and sleep apnea, the society noted. Also, Zepbound can reduce the severity of sleep apnea through weight loss, but might not cure the problem. For the new study, researchers analyzed nationwide online survey data from 365 patients, and also spoke to 17 sleep medicine professionals at UCSD. Doctors favored CPAP over Zepbound 53% to 26%, while patients favored Zepbound over CPAP 48% to 35%. Both doctors and patients supported treatment that combined CPAP and Zepbound, but doctors were more enthusiastic about combination therapy, 88% versus 61%. The patients' preferences are likely driven by their own experiences -- 78% said they were either current or former users of CPAP, results show. By comparison, only 23% of patients said they'd ever used Zepbound or Ozempic (semaglutide), the other prominent GLP-1 drug. Principal investigator Dr. Chris Schmickl, an assistant professor of medicine at University of California-San Diego, expressed surprise at the level of disagreement between patients and providers. "Recognizing differing attitudes toward treatment is crucial for developing a realistic and achievable action plan," he said in a news release. "Additional research to understand the underlying reasons behind these preferences will offer valuable insights for providers to guide treatment decisions." Researchers are scheduled to present these findings Wednesday at the society meeting in Seattle. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information Harvard Medical School has more on managing CPAP problems. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
CBT-I works for '70% of patients' — the Headspace Sleep Advisor on therapy for insomnia
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 12% of US adults are diagnosed with chronic insomnia, a disorder that makes falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. While treatment for insomnia can include medication, more and more people are turning to CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia). This form of therapy is designed to address the root factors contributing to insomnia, rather than just medicating symptoms. But how effective is it? We spoke to Dr Aric Prather, Sleep Advisor to wellness app Headspace, and the Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Research Program at the University of California at San Francisco, to find out more following the launch of Headspace's new CBT-I sleep programme Finding Your Best Sleep. Here's what he told us... "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold-standard empirically supported treatment for insomnia, and should be the first line treatment for individuals with insomnia before embarking on pharmacologic treatment," says Dr Aric. CBT-I also addresses the anxiety that develops with unpredictable sleep "Unlike hypnotic medication, CBT-I addresses the perpetuating factors that drive insomnia, and provides the patient with science-backed strategies to improve sleep by consolidating sleep and entraining their circadian rhythm. "CBT-I also addresses the anxiety that develops with unpredictable sleep by incorporating relaxation techniques and psychological strategies like cognitive restructuring. "The goal is to help patients better regulate their sleep, find some success in sleeping, and build confidence and resilience." "CBT-I focuses specifically on sleep and insomnia symptoms. Unlike other CBT therapies, CBT-I is heavily behavioral. We know quite a bit about what regulates our sleep biologically, so that's where we start. "Focusing on standardizing someone's wake up time, implementing stimulus control to reduce cognitive arousal in bed, and tracking sleep behavior via a sleep diary followed by restricting their time in bed to increase sleep consolidation can go a long way towards increasing the predictability at nighttime and reducing anxiety prior to and during the night." "CBT-I can certainly improve anxiety symptoms. In fact, several clinical trials demonstrate that individuals randomized to CBT-I show significant reductions in anxiety symptoms compared to those randomized to control conditions. "This isn't surprising given that poor sleep often leaves people more 'on edge' and anxious. Headspace also offers a guided program specifically for anxiety and depression, the CBT for Anxiety & Depression program, which incorporates CBT techniques specific to improving anxiety and depression symptoms. "The course has been shown to decrease anxiety & depression symptoms, improve sleep quality and positively impact mental health and wellbeing (results currently being prepared for peer review)." "Some people tend to benefit more from CBT-I than others, though much more research is needed to clarify these differences. There is little downside [to CBT-I], and it's likely to provide you with a greater sense of control over your sleep "There is some evidence that shorter sleepers with insomnia- those sleeping less than six hours, for example- may struggle with CBT-I more than longer sleepers. "This is likely because one of the active mechanisms for why CBT-I is effective is through time in bed restriction, which may not be as powerful in those already getting little sleep. "In my clinical experience, CBT-I may also be less effective in individuals with complex psychiatric or medical presentations. "In some cases there may be conditions or medications that are impacting sleep where CBT-I may not completely resolve the sleep concern." "While CBT-I remains the gold standard for treating insomnia, it isn't always accessible. Headspace's sleep course 'Finding Your Best Sleep' was created to expand low-cost access to effective sleep support. Unlike sleep medications, CBT-I does not carry any long term risk "The course expands access to proven sleep support by offering expert-led, self-guided sessions that can be completed anytime, anywhere. Included with a Headspace membership, it offers flexibility and affordability—removing common barriers to care. "The course has been clinically proven to improve insomnia after practicing just 10 minutes a day over the course of 18 days. "I hope that anyone who is struggling with insomnia will consider a trial of CBT-I in any way that is accessible to them. There is little downside, and is likely to provide you with a greater sense of control over your sleep experience. "Unlike sleep medications, CBT-I does not carry any long term risk. Moreover, the strategies learned through CBT-I can be useful well into the future and sleep changes as our lives unfold." "My suspicion is that stress and feelings of uncertainty are the most likely culprits of insomnia. For so many- too many- we feel like we are in a state of hypervigilance, and this results in nights of disturbed sleep. In turn, we often lack the emotional resources to deal with the stressors the following day, leading to yet another night of poor sleep. Thankfully, programs like CBT-I can help provide a roadmap to better regulate our sleep, and when coupled with stress management strategies, can help us cope with this stressful world." "First, I would say that they are not alone. In fact at least 30% of adults, if not more, are not getting adequate sleep. The second piece of advice is to take stock of your sleep life. Is it that you are getting sleep but don't feel refreshed? At least 30% of adults, if not more, are not getting adequate sleep "Is something disrupting your sleep? Are you so pressed for time that you are not giving yourself enough opportunity? The answer to these questions will lead to different solutions. "If you are worried about your sleep, the first step could be to talk to your doctor to make sure that you don't have a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, disrupting your sleep. "If not and you're looking for a personalised approach, consider trying CBT-I through a sleep specialist, I always suggest that people explore the Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine directory to find someone in their region."
Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
'CBT-I is the gold-standard treatment for insomnia' — an expert shares his go-to method for helping people with sleep disturbances
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 12% of US adults are diagnosed with chronic insomnia, a disorder that makes falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. While treatment for insomnia can include medication, more and more people are turning to CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia). This form of therapy is designed to address the root factors contributing to insomnia, rather than just medicating symptoms. But how effective is it? We spoke to Dr Aric Prather, Sleep Advisor to wellness app Headspace, and the Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Research Program at the University of California at San Francisco, to find out more following the launch of Headspace's new CBT-I sleep programme Finding Your Best Sleep. Here's what he told us... "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold-standard empirically supported treatment for insomnia, and should be the first line treatment for individuals with insomnia before embarking on pharmacologic treatment," says Dr Aric. CBT-I also addresses the anxiety that develops with unpredictable sleep "Unlike hypnotic medication, CBT-I addresses the perpetuating factors that drive insomnia, and provides the patient with science-backed strategies to improve sleep by consolidating sleep and entraining their circadian rhythm. "CBT-I also addresses the anxiety that develops with unpredictable sleep by incorporating relaxation techniques and psychological strategies like cognitive restructuring. "The goal is to help patients better regulate their sleep, find some success in sleeping, and build confidence and resilience." Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "CBT-I focuses specifically on sleep and insomnia symptoms. Unlike other CBT therapies, CBT-I is heavily behavioral. We know quite a bit about what regulates our sleep biologically, so that's where we start. "Focusing on standardizing someone's wake up time, implementing stimulus control to reduce cognitive arousal in bed, and tracking sleep behavior via a sleep diary followed by restricting their time in bed to increase sleep consolidation can go a long way towards increasing the predictability at nighttime and reducing anxiety prior to and during the night." "CBT-I can certainly improve anxiety symptoms. In fact, several clinical trials demonstrate that individuals randomized to CBT-I show significant reductions in anxiety symptoms compared to those randomized to control conditions. "This isn't surprising given that poor sleep often leaves people more 'on edge' and anxious. Headspace also offers a guided program specifically for anxiety and depression, the CBT for Anxiety & Depression program, which incorporates CBT techniques specific to improving anxiety and depression symptoms. "The course has been shown to decrease anxiety & depression symptoms, improve sleep quality and positively impact mental health and wellbeing (results currently being prepared for peer review)." "Some people tend to benefit more from CBT-I than others, though much more research is needed to clarify these differences. There is little downside [to CBT-I], and it's likely to provide you with a greater sense of control over your sleep "There is some evidence that shorter sleepers with insomnia- those sleeping less than six hours, for example- may struggle with CBT-I more than longer sleepers. "This is likely because one of the active mechanisms for why CBT-I is effective is through time in bed restriction, which may not be as powerful in those already getting little sleep. "In my clinical experience, CBT-I may also be less effective in individuals with complex psychiatric or medical presentations. "In some cases there may be conditions or medications that are impacting sleep where CBT-I may not completely resolve the sleep concern." "While CBT-I remains the gold standard for treating insomnia, it isn't always accessible. Headspace's sleep course 'Finding Your Best Sleep' was created to expand low-cost access to effective sleep support. Unlike sleep medications, CBT-I does not carry any long term risk "The course expands access to proven sleep support by offering expert-led, self-guided sessions that can be completed anytime, anywhere. Included with a Headspace membership, it offers flexibility and affordability—removing common barriers to care. "The course has been clinically proven to improve insomnia after practicing just 10 minutes a day over the course of 18 days. "I hope that anyone who is struggling with insomnia will consider a trial of CBT-I in any way that is accessible to them. There is little downside, and is likely to provide you with a greater sense of control over your sleep experience. "Unlike sleep medications, CBT-I does not carry any long term risk. Moreover, the strategies learned through CBT-I can be useful well into the future and sleep changes as our lives unfold." "My suspicion is that stress and feelings of uncertainty are the most likely culprits of insomnia. For so many- too many- we feel like we are in a state of hypervigilance, and this results in nights of disturbed sleep. In turn, we often lack the emotional resources to deal with the stressors the following day, leading to yet another night of poor sleep. Thankfully, programs like CBT-I can help provide a roadmap to better regulate our sleep, and when coupled with stress management strategies, can help us cope with this stressful world." "First, I would say that they are not alone. In fact at least 30% of adults, if not more, are not getting adequate sleep. The second piece of advice is to take stock of your sleep life. Is it that you are getting sleep but don't feel refreshed? At least 30% of adults, if not more, are not getting adequate sleep "Is something disrupting your sleep? Are you so pressed for time that you are not giving yourself enough opportunity? The answer to these questions will lead to different solutions. "If you are worried about your sleep, the first step could be to talk to your doctor to make sure that you don't have a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, disrupting your sleep. "If not and you're looking for a personalised approach, consider trying CBT-I through a sleep specialist, I always suggest that people explore the Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine directory to find someone in their region."
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Among youths, are night owls more impulsive than morning larks?
Among adolescents, night owls appear to be more impulsive than their morning lark peers, according to a new study being presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual conference in Seattle. Those with a self-reported preference for staying up late and sleeping in — the night owls — reported 'greater negative urgency and lack of perseverance, which are two aspects of impulsivity,' according to material from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The release said they were more apt to act impulsively when they experienced negative emotions and they quit tasks that felt difficult. But when objective measurements of circadian phase were used, the research didn't find an association between sleep-time preference and impulsivity. 'Surprisingly, we did not find a significant link between dim light melatonin onset and impulsivity in our sample,' said lead author Riya Mirchandaney, a doctoral candidate in clinical-health psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. 'This suggests that there may be unmeasured psychological or behavioral factors influencing both impulsivity and the self-assessment of circadian preference, regardless of the timing of an individual's internal circadian clock.' The academy describes circadian rhythms as biological rhythms that all living organisms have. It's a body clock synchronized to a 24-hour light-dark cycle. 'Circadian preference reflects an individual's desired timing of sleep and wake, and circadian timing can be objectively measured by analyzing saliva or blood plasma to detect dim light melatonin onset,' the group notes. More than 200 adolescents took part in the research across two different studies. They were average age of 17 and just over 6 in 10 were female. The study relied on self-reported assessments of impulsivity and circadian preference, then lab samples of saliva were used to assess biological circadian phase by looking at dim light melatonin onset. For a week, the participants also wore a wrist device to estimate their sleep midpoint and sleep duration. Each also completed an assessment of impulsivity at bedtime. Mirchandaney said the results might one day be used to study how to help teens temper impulsivity, 'a well-established contributor to alcohol and substance use,' per the release. The researchers believe that adolescence could be a valuable developmental period for using therapeutic interventions to advance sleep and circadian timing. The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism both contributed to funding the study. Its abstract was published in an online supplement of the journal Sleep. Other studies back up the link between adolescent sleep and impulsive behaviors. For example, in 2019, a study from Sweden published in Sleep Medicine: X reported a 'bidirectional' link between adolescent sleep problems and impulsive behaviors over time. 'Youths who experienced sleep problems also experienced increased difficulties with impulse control, and problems regulating impulses were also linked with increases in sleep problems, and these effects were systematic over two years. Moreover, age did not moderate these associations but impulsive behaviors had a larger impact on girls' insomnia as compared to boys,' per that study. Johns Hopkins University has reported that 'teens love to label themselves 'night owls,' trading stories of all-nighters and sleeping away an entire Saturday.' The article notes that adolescent and teen years are a time when a natural shift in circadian rhythm occurs, so they are frequently wide awake at 11 p.m. and then sleep-deprived because of school start times and homework and other activities. Pediatrician Dr. Michael Crocetti reported that teens need between nine and nine-and-a-half hours of sleep, which is an hour more than they needed when they were 10. The extra hour — if they actually get it — helps with growth, brain development and also protects from some serious consequences like depression and poor choices like drug use. That article ties in some suggestions to encourage more sleep among teens, including starting the day with a burst of sunshine, linking car privileges to good sleep, encouraging afternoon naps and banning texting from the bedroom, among other things. The experts at Johns Hopkins also suggest avoiding a drastic summer shift of pushing the sleep schedule too far off track because school's out. That could make it very hard to get back on track when school resumes. But it could also create other issues, like moodiness or excessive sleepiness during the day. There are other reasons to ponder youthful sleep patterns, including the fact that bad habits formed early may stick or create long-lasting challenges. And it's not just among adolescents, either. As Deseret News reported in 2022, night owls may be more apt to develop heart disease or diabetes than are the morning larks. And those who rise early 'seem to burn more fat as an energy source and are often more active than those who stay up late.' Those are findings from Rutgers University, published in the journal Experimental Physiology. The study said the two groups were similar in body composition, but the early risers were more sensitive to insulin levels in their blood and burned fat better while exercising and resting. Night owls didn't burn as much fat for energy; they used carbohydrates.
