Awake In America

Caffeine leads to sleep problems in children

December 22, 2010

Researchers found that 75 percent of children surveyed consumed caffeine on a daily basis, and the more caffeine the children consumed, the less they slept.

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Jet lagged and forgetful? It’s no coincidence

December 21, 2010

Chronic jet lag alters the brain in ways that cause memory and learning problems long after one’s return to a regular 24-hour schedule, according to research findings.

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SIDS spikes 33% on New Year’s Day

December 21, 2010

It’s not a happy holiday thought, but an important one: The number of babies who die of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, surges by 33 percent on New Year’s Day.

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Santa’s health at-risk by all-night sleigh rides

December 20, 2010

Each year Santa and his elves and team of reindeer stay awake for days and nights so he can deliver presents to children the world over on Christmas.

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Night light may cause depression

December 18, 2010

Exposure to even dim light at night is enough to cause physical changes in the brains of hamsters that may be associated with depression, a recently released study shows. Researchers found that female Siberian hamsters exposed to dim light every night for eight weeks showed significant changes in a part of the brain called the [...]

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Researchers find increased alertness, memory-prolonging protein in brain

December 18, 2010

Image via Wikipedia University of California Irvine researchers have identified a novel mechanism in the brain that boosts memory. In collaboration with scientists at Germany’s University of Munster, the UCI team found that a small protein called neuropeptide S can strengthen and prolong memories of everything from negative events to simple objects.

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