insomnia

Katie Krimitsos is among the majority of American women who have trouble getting healthy sleep, according to a new Gallup survey. Krimitsos launched a podcast called Sleep Meditation for Women to offer some help.

Helping women get better sleep by calming the relentless 'to-do lists' in their heads

5:05pm April 26, 2024

by Yuki Noguchi

A recent survey found that Americans' sleep patterns have been getting worse. Adult women under 50 are among the most sleep-deprived demographics.

In January 1964, American student Randy Gardner sits on a bed next to various household objects he will later have to identify by memory as part of a sleep deprivation experiment in San Diego, Calif. Gardner set the world record during the experiment, staying awake for over 264 hours.

Science

Lessons from sleeplessness: The 60th anniversary of Randy Gardner's world record

6:37pm January 28, 2024

by Ashley Montgomery

Sixty years ago, 17-year-old Randy Gardner broke a Guinness world record by staying awake for 11 consecutive days. His experiment is one of the most well-documented cases of sleep deprivation.

Queue Listen Now

Planning a long-haul flight? Here's how to outsmart jet lag

5:00pm August 20, 2023

by Andrea Muraskin

Wondering how to prepare for sleep disruption? Should you take melatonin or other sleep aids? Here's answers from researchers and seasoned travelers — including NPR's international correspondents.

Insomnia has become even more common, sleep specialists say, with the rise of "collective social anxiety."

Health & Safety

How To Get Sleep In Uneasy Times

2:51pm June 02, 2020

by Patti Neighmond

Many people are struggling with insomnia like never before. Specialists explain why these times put an extra strain on our ability to get needed rest — and what to do about it.

More Americans have been getting less than seven hours of sleep a night in the past several years, especially in professions such as health care.

Health & Safety

Working Americans Are Getting Less Sleep, Especially Those Who Save Our Lives

11:24am October 28, 2019

by Patti Neighmond

The number of workers getting less than seven hours of sleep a night is rising. Stress and our culture of constant connection may be to blame.

Queue Listen Now

Sleep scientists say the power of a warm bedtime bath to trigger sleepiness likely has to do, paradoxically, with cooling the body's core temperature.

A Warm Bedtime Bath Can Help You Cool Down And Sleep Better

12:34pm July 25, 2019

by Susie Neilson

Research suggests a warm bath or shower an hour or two before bedtime can help you unwind and fall asleep faster. Why? It will help lower your core temperature, and that's a circadian sleep signal.

Different parts of the brain aren't always in the same stage of sleep at the same time, notes neurologist and author Guy Leschziner. When this happens, an individual might order a pizza or go out for a drive — while technically still being fast asleep.

From Insomnia To Sexsomnia, Unlocking The 'Secret World' Of Sleep

8:09am July 24, 2019

by Dave Davies

Neurologist Guy Leschziner, author of The Nocturnal Brain, says the brain can be in different sleep stages at once — which explains why people sometimes walk, eat and even have sex when sleeping.

Queue Listen Now

A 20-minute nap refreshes. Just don't sleep in so long on Sunday morning that you find it hard to fall asleep Sunday night.

Health & Safety

Nappuccinos To More Weekend Z's: Strategize To Catch Up On Lost Sleep

11:42am March 24, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

Sleeping in on the weekend or taking a brief nap can help you recover from a single bad night. But just five consecutive nights of too little sleep can lead to weight gain and elevated blood sugar.

A CPAP machine can treat obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder which causes people to temporarily stop breathing throughout the night. But the machines, which blow air into a person's airways, take some getting used to.

Health & Safety

You Snooze, You Lose: How Insurers Dodge The Costs Of Popular Sleep Apnea Devices

10:21am November 21, 2018

by Marshall Allen

Millions of sleep apnea patients rely on CPAP breathing machines to get a good night's rest. Health insurers use a variety of tactics, including surveillance, to make patients bear the costs.

'Insomnia' Is Both A Celebration And Lament Of Sleeplessness

11:55am November 14, 2018

by Heller McAlpin

Marina Benjamin's book is more impressionistic and personal than scientific: Don't look here for an explanation of the chemistry or biology of nocturnal wakefulness.