/newsroom/taxonomy/term/3426/all en /newsroom/channels/news/dream-discovery-melatonins-key-role-rem-sleep-revealed-358233 <p>A significant breakthrough in the understanding of sleep mechanism opens new promise for treating sleep disorders and associated neuropsychiatric conditions: Scientists have pinpointed the melatonin receptor MT1 as a crucial regulator of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.</p> Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:47:59 +0000 claire.loewen@mcgill.ca 314450 at /newsroom /newsroom/bruno-da-costa Sun, 21 Jan 2024 01:10:26 +0000 lawrence.chiang@mail.mcgill.ca 307620 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/more-sleep-boosts-teens-ability-cope-pandemic-333420 <p>While poor sleep was linked to higher levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, more teens actually obtained the recommended amount of sleep compared to pre-pandemic sleep patterns, according to a new study from ���ϲʿ������. Changes to daily routines triggered by lockdowns allowed teenagers to follow their biological impulse to wake up and sleep later, reducing daytime sleepiness.</p> Thu, 16 Sep 2021 13:43:24 +0000 shirley.cardenas@mcgill.ca 275385 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/early-bird-or-night-owl-study-links-shift-worker-sleep-chronotype-331281 <p>Getting enough sleep can be a real challenge for shift workers affecting their overall health. But what role does being an early bird or night owl play in getting good rest? Researchers from ���ϲʿ������ find a link between chronotype and amount of sleep shift workers can get with their irregular schedules.</p> Tue, 01 Jun 2021 13:26:58 +0000 shirley.cardenas@mcgill.ca 268650 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/mothers-not-fathers-multiple-children-report-more-fragmented-sleep-327613 <p>Mothers with multiple children report more fragmented sleep than mothers of a single child, but the number of children in a family doesn't seem to affect the quality of sleep for fathers, according to a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jsr.13238">study</a> from ���ϲʿ������.</p> Tue, 12 Jan 2021 19:48:19 +0000 shirley.cardenas@mcgill.ca 256016 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/parents-shouldnt-worry-about-their-babys-inconsistent-sleep-patterns-326612 <p>New parents often expect their baby to start sleeping through the night around the time they reach six months of age. But according to a new <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.10.005">study</a> led by Professor Marie-Hélène Pennestri, parents should view sleep consolidation as a process, instead of a milestone to be achieved at a specific age. Tracking 44 infants over a period of two weeks, she found that sleeping patterns vary greatly – not only for different babies, but also night to night for the same baby.</p> Wed, 02 Dec 2020 14:00:00 +0000 shirley.cardenas@mcgill.ca 251664 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/globe-and-mail-covid-19-pandemic-keeping-you-night-heres-expert-advice-how-get-some-sleep-321455 <p>Keeping a routine is important for everyone, including children and adolescents, says pediatric sleep expert <strong>Reut Gruber</strong>, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry at ���ϲʿ������. Your brain needs “zeitgebers” (time givers), or cues from the environment, to recognize day from night, she says. These zeitgebers include having breakfast and exposing yourself to daylight in the morning, for instance, <strong>Dr. Gruber</strong> says. At night, the body produces melatonin when it gets dark, which tells your brain it is time to go to sleep.</p> Thu, 02 Apr 2020 18:57:05 +0000 amelia.souffrant@mail.mcgill.ca 206148 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/time-bed-bad-sleep-habits-start-early-school-age-children-285985 <p>Bad sleep habits in children begin earlier than many experts assume. That’s the takeaway from a new study led by ���ϲʿ������ researchers. The findings suggest that official sleep guidelines for young school children should be revisited – and that parents ought to maintain firm bedtime rules throughout children’s primary-school years.</p> Tue, 20 Mar 2018 14:23:44 +0000 cynthia.lee@mcgill.ca 34832 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/we-need-talk-about-school-start-times-265256 <p> Fri, 20 Jan 2017 20:52:09 +0000 cynthia.lee@mcgill.ca 26638 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/could-quality-sleep-have-do-sex-differences-262690 <p>You may have noticed that women are more prone to sleep disturbances than men. They are, for instance, up to twice as likely to suffer from insomnia than men. Could there be a link between the body clock that regulates sleep and being a female or a male? Yes, according to an original study conducted by Dr. Diane B. Boivin of ���ϲʿ������’s Department of Psychiatry and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute.</p> Mon, 12 Sep 2016 16:25:23 +0000 priya.pajel@mail.mcgill.ca 26163 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/great-canadian-sleepwalk-road-good-nights-262156 <p><em>"To sleep - to sleep, perchance to dream</em>”, these words made famous by William Shakespeare, in the play <em>Hamlet</em> are familiar to many of us. But did you know that sleep is just as important as diet and exercise for a healthy lifestyle?</p> Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:16:15 +0000 vincent.allaire@mcgill.ca 26091 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/rapid-eye-movement-sleep-keystone-memory-formation-260845 <p><em><strong>By Bruno Geoffroy </strong></em></p> <p>For decades, scientists have fiercely debated whether rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – the phase where dreams appear – is directly involved in memory formation.</p> <p><span>Now, a study published in Science by researchers at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute (���ϲʿ������) and the University of Bern provides evidence that REM sleep does, indeed, play this role – at least in mice.</span></p> Fri, 13 May 2016 15:52:18 +0000 katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca 25827 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/small-increases-sleep-improve-grades-260065 <p><strong><em>By Cynthia Lee, <a href="/newsroom">���ϲʿ������ Newsroom</a></em></strong></p> <p><em>​Family and community involvement key in empowering students to make healthier choices regarding their sleep</em></p> <p>Elementary school-age children who improved their sleep habits also improved in their academic performance, according to a study by researchers at ���ϲʿ������ and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in partnership with the Riverside School Board in Montreal.</p> Mon, 04 Apr 2016 14:59:05 +0000 nima.adibpour@mail.mcgill.ca 25645 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/it%E2%80%99s-all-good-night%E2%80%99s-sleep-240986 <p><span>Making sure school-aged kids get to sleep at a regular hour is often a struggle for parents. But a study by researchers at ���ϲʿ������ and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in Montreal suggests it’s well worth the effort: the researchers found that a good night’s sleep is linked to better performance in math and languages – subjects that are powerful predictors of later learning and academic success.</span></p> Thu, 08 Jan 2015 15:33:47 +0000 christopher.chipello@mcgill.ca 21826 at /newsroom