Sleep news, features and articles

An analog alarm clock on a split background, with the left side representing a night sky and the right side representing a daytime sky
(Image credit: Rimma_Bondarenko via Getty Images)

Sleep is a crucial physiological process that gives the body the opportunity to fully rest and rejuvenate itself. Humans spend around a third of their lives sleeping and yet many of us still fail to regularly catch those precious winks. Sleep deficiency can cause an array of physical and mental health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and depression. Discover what happens in the brain while you sleep, why some people need less sleep than others, whether white noise can help you sleep better and more in our latest articles below.

Discover more about sleep

—Sleep: Facts about how and why we sleep

—How long can you go without sleep?

—Can you hear yourself snore?

Latest about Sleep

Would you get rid of daylight saving time?

By Sophie Berdugo published

The clocks in the U.S. will be "falling back" on Sunday, Nov. 2, marking the end of daylight saving time for 2025. If you could decide, would you abandon it forever?

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Scientists have just defined five sleep profiles — and some could help spot mental illness

By Theresa Sullivan Barger published

Researchers have identified five distinct profiles that map to certain brain signatures. Each profile is tied to certain behaviors and cognitive issues.

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Cropped shot of a young woman asleep on her side.

REM sleep may reshape what we remember

By Anirban Mukhopadhyay published

Researchers trace how different sleep stages may fine-tune what we remember, trading specifics for more general knowledge.

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Switching to daylight saving time has long been associated with various acute medical conditions. A new study into its chronic impacts argues for scrapping it entirely.

Abandoning daylight saving time could prevent over 300,000 stroke cases a year in the US, study claims

By Sophie Berdugo published

Springing forward by an hour each March knocks the circadian rhythm out of alignment. A new model of the chronic health impacts argues for scrapping it entirely.

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Sleep: Facts about how and why we sleep

By Mindy Weisberger published

Learn facts about sleep, during which the body rests, recuperates and performs essential repairs.

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Rare genetic mutation lets some people thrive on just 4 hours of shut-eye

By Patrick Pester published

A newly identified mutation helps super-sleepers get by on just four to six hours of shut-eye per night, while the rest of us need around eight hours. Researchers described the SIK3-N783Y mutation in a new study after testing it on sleep-deprived inbred mice.

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a woman with insomnia sits in bed

Why do we get a 'second wind' of energy at the end of the day?

By Clarissa Brincat published

That second wave of energy is a normal part of the human circadian rhythm, but lifestyle factors also play a role.

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a rendering of a bed floating in the clouds

Science of sleep quiz: How much do you know about sleep and dreams?

By Nicoletta Lanese, Emily Cooke published

Test your knowledge of how sleeping and dreaming work.

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A close-up image of a person pouring white pills from a brown bottle onto their palm.

Early study reveals why sleeping pills may not supply the best-quality snooze

By Emily Cooke published

A new study in mice suggests that sleeping pills may impede the brain's ability to "cleanse" itself during sleep.

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An artist's rendering of a molecule

'Love hormone' oxytocin may be missing link between sleep apnea and high blood pressure

By Christoph Schwaiger published

Scientists found that two brain-made chemicals, including oxytocin, may play a role in increasing blood pressure after repeated periods of low oxygen.

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