Sleepless in America

Healthy rest, problem sleep, and the dreams and nightmares therein

John Cline Ph.D.

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19, Melatonin, and the New Year

Sleep is important for good health. Research has shown its importance in combatting infectious diseases. COVID-19 affects sleep negatively, and good sleep may help cope with it.

Flaming June

How Is Sleep Regulated?

Both sleep and waking are controlled by a complex underlying system that involves two interacting processes know by researchers as S and C.

The Universe Within

Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy and Sleep

Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy is a promising approach to more effective treatment of psychological disorders. Sleep may be an important factor in how this treatment works.

Creative and logical halves of human mind.

Psychedelic Dreams

Recent research is showing the connection, both physiologically and phenomenologically, between psychedelic states and dreams.

Childish Sweet Dreams

Dream Logic

Dream logic is the nonsensical logic of sleep. It is based in the psychology of the sleeping brain and has been a source of inspiration in cinema and in science.

Taijitu

Intensive Sleep Retraining

Intensive Sleep Retraining is a promising treatment for insomnia but is expensive and cumbersome to use. New technology may make it more affordable, reliable, and available.

Taijitu

The Pandemic, the Protests, and Dreams

Many people are reporting dreams related to the major events of our times. This is because dreaming is essential to the processing of emotionally relevant life experience.

Taijitu

COVID-19 Sleep Recommendations

Sleep clinicians are concerned about the impact of the pandemic on sleep. New guidance to help understand the stress involved and how to cope with it have been released.

Matthew Hopkins, Witch Finder General. From a broadside published by Hopkins before 1650.

Guantanamo, Walking the Witch, and How Sleep Deprivation Kills

Sleep deprivation is painful and debilitating. It can cause death in animals. Recent research, involving the gastrointestinal system, gives clues as to how this happens.

Taijitu

How Is Excessive Sleepiness Treated?

Excessive daytime sleepiness increases the risk of accidents and make it difficult to function occupationally and socially.

Taijitu

Good Sleep Is Needed More Than Ever in Stressful Times

We are dealing with a situation that has not previously occurred in our lifetimes. We need to be resilient in the face of rapid change and intense stress. Good sleep can help.

Microscopy image showing SARS-CoV-2.

Sleep in the Time of Pandemic

In stressful times such as this, it is important to not neglect sleep. It may even help keep our immune systems healthy.

Taijitu

Can Getting Too Little Sleep Hurt Your Heart?

For the first time, a recent study provided strong empirical evidence that getting too little sleep is associated with the development of atrial fibrillation.

Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888)

Blue Light: Friend or Foe?

Blue light is biologically active and directly affects the circadian rhythm. Whether this is healthy or harmful depends on the timing.

Taijitu

I Just Watched a Whole Season of Breaking Bad and It Is 3 AM

Binge-watching television programs is a new form of entertainment consumption that has implications for insomnia, sleep quality, and daytime fatigue.

Taijitu

Could There Be a Genetic Reason for the Need to Sleep?

Research indicates that the purpose of sleep may lie at the cellular level. Decreased activity of DNA in sleep may allow for needed repairs to chromosomes damaged in wakefulness.

Taijitu

First Responders and Sleep

Sleep problems limit the effectiveness of first responders and increase the danger of their work. A comprehensive approach is needed to ensure first responders get adequate sleep.

German armed forces, June 1942 – cropped, otherwise unaltered.

Hitler, Meth, and the War: Sleepless on the Western Front

During World War II waring nations often used powerful stimulants to decrease the need for sleep and improve mental effectiveness. Unfortunately, there were long range costs.

How Do Brains Dream?

The use of advanced imaging techniques has led to increased understanding of the brain mechanisms responsible for sleep and dreams.

Taijitu

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Dreams have presented an enigma throughout human history but new research is illuminating the sources and reasons for their existence.

Edwin Landseer - Scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Titania and Bottom (1848)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

It is midsummer, a time often associated with dreams of future love. But what are dreams and where do they come from? Science has found it difficult to answer these questions.

Taijitu - "Yin and Yang" by Klem - This vector image was created with Inkscape by Klem, and then manually edited by Mnmazur.

Sleep Hallucinations: Could This Be Psychosis?

Careful evaluation is needed when patients hear, see, or feel things that are not there. Sleep-related hallucinations are usually benign but could indicate a serious disorder.

Representation of tau protein - Jawahar Swaminathan & MSD staff at the European Bioinformatics Institute - http://www.ebi.ac.uk/

New Findings on Sleep and Brain Health

New research shows that sleep deprivation increases the production and spread of proteins associated with the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Weighted Blankets Can Help with Insomnia

Recent research shows that weighted blankets can help some people fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly.

Caffeine Naps?

Can we increase the effectiveness of naps? A cup of coffee before a brief nap can improve alertness more than the coffee or nap alone.

Treating Nightmare Disorder

Psychological and behavioral therapies and medication are used to treat nightmares. The most effective treatments help to change the content and emotional tone of nightmares.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

When Nightmares Disturb More Than Sleep

Nightmare disorder occurs when nightmares are intense, frequent, deeply disturbing, and cause difficulty with daytime functioning.

"Yin and Yang" by Klem

Do You Sleep to a Binaural Beat?

Slightly different frequencies can be delivered to each ear resulting in a binaural beat. These beats can be given at the frequency of known brain wave bands and may help us relax.

"Yin and Yang" by Klem

Understanding Misophonia

Misophonia is a disorder of extreme emotional responses to innocuous sounds like slurping or lip-smacking. Treatments are being developed.

What Is ASMR and Why Are People Watching These Videos?

ASMR is a sensory experience some people have; it's evoked by certain mundane sounds and sights. Some find it calming and say it helps them sleep.

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