We physicians come to the noble profession to heal and help others. Over years of education and training, we learn to be compassionate and empathic not only toward our patients but also to people around us. Patients’ safety and care become our priority. And at some point, we forget about ourselves. We forget that we … Read more
Middle-aged and older adults with insomnia disorder may face increased odds of developing subjective memory decline compared with their peers who have only a few or no insomnia symptoms, an analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging suggests. “Since sleep is important for memory consolidation and other cognitive functions, disrupted sleep is likely to … Read more
As people age, symptoms of insomnia often creep in. They may toss and turn for hours, struggling to fall or stay asleep. Frequent nocturnal and early morning awakenings are very common in older adults. This, in turn, contributes to higher rates of depression, social isolation, and physical health issues. The combination of insomnia and depression … Read more
Both yoga and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) provide meaningful improvements in worry, anxiety, and insomnia in older adults that last even 6 months after discontinuing treatment, new research suggests. The study is the first to compare the long-term effects from the two interventions; And the results offer clinicians and patients two effective choices for researchers … Read more
Computer vision syndrome (CVS), a condition involving eye problems resulting from screen time with digital devices, is significantly associated with both insomnia and migraine — with stress as a central mediating factor, new research suggests. Investigators administered an online questionnaire to more than 700 adults, of whom 71% had CVS. Results showed the presence of … Read more
Two drugs have emerged as the optimal medications for treating insomnia based on the “best-available evidence,” but there are caveats. In a comprehensive comparative-effectiveness analysis, lemborexant and eszopiclone showed the best efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability for acute and long-term insomnia treatment. However, eszopiclone may cause substantial side effects — and safety data on lemborexant were … Read more
Electroacupuncture (EA) may significantly improve sleep quality in patients with depression who also have insomnia, new research suggests. In a study of more than 200 adults with depression and comorbid insomnia, change from baseline to week 8 on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was 3 points greater in the group receiving EA vs a … Read more
A new analysis reveals a bidirectional relationship between sleep patterns and schizophrenia, leading researchers to suggest that sleep may be a potential treatment target for the disorder. Applying a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, the investigators selected genetic variants from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted using data from UK Biobank and 23andMe. They … Read more
It’s an early Friday morning during the pandemic. I arrive at my clinic to find my 8 o’clock slot booked with a same-day patient. As a clinical psychologist embedded within a primary care team, I meet with patients at varying frequency. I had just met with this patient on Monday — twice in one week … Read more
Amy Costa Poor objective sleep efficiency may contribute to older adults overestimating their cognitive abilities, preliminary findings from a pilot study of objective and subjective cognitive measures have shown. The pilot study underscored the important role of objective sleep measures to better understand discrepancies when patients’ own reports of everyday cognitive function don’t align with … Read more