Latest Articles
Healthier Sleep Magazine brings you expert-reviewed, accessible articles about healthy sleep and the sleep disorders that affect millions worldwide. In each issue you’ll find actionable tips to get healthy sleep. You’ll also learn about the latest advancements in sleep science and medicine. Healthier Sleep is a free resource for patients and the public. Print and digital publication is supported by World Sleep Society.
Current and Previous Articles
Risks and Benefits of Over the Counter Sleeping Pills
Insomnia is a common problem. Nearly 10% of the adult population suffer from chronic insomnia. Chronic insomnia is defined as symptoms (difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep or waking up earlier than desired wake time) occurring at least three nights a week and lasting for at least 3 months with impairment in functioning. This proportion increases with age. When these symptoms last for a period shorter than mentioned above (3 months), the disorder is termed
Women and Sleep: How Life Stages Affect Sleep
During the 2025 World Sleep Congress, Bei Bei, PhD, a research lead and clinical psychologist at Monash University Health Sleep Clinic, Australia, delivered a keynote presentation highlighting the unique challenges for women with insomnia and the need for CBT-I tailored specifically to women. This article highlights some of her latest findings regarding women and sleep. Differences Between Women and Men Sleep problems are common, but they affect women more often than men. About one in
Ask the Sleep Expert
What are the physical signs of poor REM sleep? Dr. Ramagopal: REM sleep is essential for emotional regulation, memory consolidation and enhancing recall and learning. Lack of REM sleep can present symptoms such as fatigue in spite of adequate sleep, irritability and mood swings. These patients also present with memory issues like forgetfulness and lack of recall and mood changes like anxiety and depression. How does stress impact sleep? Dr. Thomas: Stress activates highly conserved
Clinician as Advocate: Five Questions with Miguel Meira e Cruz
Miguel Meira Cruz, DDS, MSc, PhD, is Director of the Sleep Unit at the Cardiovascular Center of the University of Lisbon (CCUL@RISE), Lisbon School of Medicine, in Lisbon, Portugal. He is a clinician-scientist and educator internationally recognized for pioneering Dental Sleep Medicine in Portugal and for advancing research on the intersection between insomnia, sleep apnea, and cardiometabolic risk. Particularly through the INDEED study of co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA) and their mechanisms. He also
Sleeping Sickness
The Buzzword is Sleeping Sickness You may have seen a movie where someone contracts “sleeping sickness” after being bitten by a fly and immediately falls asleep. Although the effects may not be immediate like in the movies, there are cases of sleeping sickness contracted from insects. Trypanosomiasis is the scientific name for a parasitic disease otherwise known as sleeping sickness. It is usually contracted after being bitten by an infected tsetse fly, but it can
Sleep Disturbances of Menopause
Women are at risk for unique sleep issues throughout different stages of their lives. Some of these challenges can be traced to hormonal changes during perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Symptoms of menopause that affect sleep can include night sweats, increased urination, inflammation, restless legs, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea. While menopause begins at different times for everyone, the onset of hot flashes, hot sweats, decreased mental acuity, restlessness, daytime fogginess, and nighttime insomnia may precede
Migraines and Sleep Disorders: How One Affects the Other
Migraines are a type of unilateral (one-sided) episodic headache that usually lasts from four to 72 hours and are often associated with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise The headaches that characterize migraines typically presents as a recurring attack of pulsating pain on one side of the head or behind the eye. Migraines affect all sexes but are more common in females (1). Studies have also shown that poor sleep quality and sleep
Why Winter Makes You Sleepy and Summer Keeps You Up
How Seasonal Light Affects Your Sleep Have you ever noticed you get sleepy as soon as it’s dark in winter? Or found it impossible to wind down on those long, bright summer evenings? You’re not imagining it. Research tells us that the seasons and sunlight patterns where you live can change not only how long you sleep, but how well you rest. How the Sun Tells Your Body When to Sleep Your body has a
Bedtime Reads: The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia
The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: Get a good Night’s Sleep Without Relying on Medication By Shelby Harris, PsyD Up to 60 percent of women have trouble sleeping— which isn’t surprising, as they have a higher risk of developing insomnia. Addressing this issue can be more nuanced for women than for men; pregnancy and menopause are just two factors that add complexity to an already difficult problem. At the risk of jeopardizing work, parenting, relationships,
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