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Long-Term Wearable Data Offers Personalized Approach to Defining Insufficient Sleep

Long-Term Wearable Data Offers Personalized Approach to Defining Insufficient Sleep

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have introduced a personalized short sleep (pSS) framework, utilizing long-term data from wearable devices to define insufficient sleep on an individual basis. This new approach, published in 'Sleep Medicine,' moves beyond universal sleep cutoffs, such as the commonly used six-hour threshold. The study, which followed 462 working adults for up to a year using Oura Rings and daily smartphone assessments, sets a personalized threshold at one hour below an individual's 75th percentile of sleep duration. This percentile is considered an estimate of sleep obtained when occupational and social constraints are reduced. While the population average for short sleep remained similar between the conventional and personalized methods (around 35-37% of nights), the personalized approach identified different individuals and nights as experiencing insufficient sleep. For instance, a habitual short sleeper might consistently fall below six hours but not be consid...
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Health tips to help Californians prepare for the fall time change

Health tips to help Californians prepare for the fall time change

The fall time change is approaching. Here's what Californians should about when clocks fall back and tips to help your body adjust.
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What to know about the fears of pneumonic plague in Russia

What to know about the fears of pneumonic plague in Russia

The death of a pathogen researcher in Siberia has raised concerns about pneumonic plague
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Anti-Inflammatory Diets Emphasize Whole Foods to Combat Chronic Inflammation

Anti-Inflammatory Diets Emphasize Whole Foods to Combat Chronic Inflammation

Anti-Inflammatory Diets Emphasize Whole Foods to Combat Chronic Inflammation
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Daily Walking Offers Significant Health Benefits Beyond Weight Loss, Studies Show

Daily Walking Offers Significant Health Benefits Beyond Weight Loss, Studies Show

Daily Walking Offers Significant Health Benefits Beyond Weight Loss, Studies Show
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Russia says checks following Siberian plague lab death are complete

Russia says checks following Siberian plague lab death are complete

MOSCOW, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it had completed health checks on all the contacts of a deceased lab worker at a plague research facility in Siberia, signalling a desire to draw a line under the affair.
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Moscow’s secrecy about a suspected plague case follows a pattern from the Soviet era

Moscow’s secrecy about a suspected plague case follows a pattern from the Soviet era

The Kremlin has long maintained a culture of secrecy when it comes to controlling public information, especially involving accidents -- from industrial disasters to health emergencies
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Cerevance Parkinson's Drug Solengepras Shows Promise in Phase 3 Trial, Paving Way for FDA Discussions

Cerevance Parkinson's Drug Solengepras Shows Promise in Phase 3 Trial, Paving Way for FDA Discussions

Cerevance, a neuroscience spinout from Takeda, announced that its Parkinson’s disease therapy, solengepras, successfully met its primary endpoint in a late-stage clinical trial. The Phase 3 ARISE trial demonstrated that a high 150-mg dose of solengepras significantly reduced daily 'off time'—periods when standard Parkinson's drugs wear off and symptoms return—by 0.61 hours compared to placebo at week 12. This benefit was observed as early as the second week of treatment. Additionally, the therapy increased 'on time' without difficult symptoms like dyskinesia, which are involuntary, erratic movements associated with Parkinson’s. The study also noted improvements in daytime sleepiness and overall quality of life, suggesting broad motor and non-motor benefits. The ARISE study involved 341 Parkinson's patients experiencing motor fluctuations with standard levodopa and other medications. At baseline, patients averaged 5.65 hours of off time daily, which dropped by 1.56 hours in the 150-mg solengepras group vers...
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UN health agency wants more details from Russia on suspected pneumonic plague case

UN health agency wants more details from Russia on suspected pneumonic plague case

A top official with the World Health Organization says the U.N. health agency doesn’t know how a lab employee in Siberia died amid concerns about plague, and she called on Russia to provide more information
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Mediterranean Diet Emphasizes Plant-Based Foods and Healthy Fats for Disease Prevention and Management

Mediterranean Diet Emphasizes Plant-Based Foods and Healthy Fats for Disease Prevention and Management

Mediterranean Diet Emphasizes Plant-Based Foods and Healthy Fats for Disease Prevention and Management
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Existing Drug Shows Promise in Targeting Neuroinflammation for Alzheimer's and Other Neurological Conditions

Existing Drug Shows Promise in Targeting Neuroinflammation for Alzheimer's and Other Neurological Conditions

New research from the University of Birmingham indicates that an existing drug could be repurposed to target neuroinflammation in various brain conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. A team led by Professor Nicholas Barnes identified a critical receptor, the P2X7 receptor, which triggers inflammatory signaling in brain cells. By blocking this receptor with a specific antagonist, researchers observed a significant reduction in the inflammatory response within human brain tissue. This discovery, published in the journal Brain, involved studying live cultures of human brain cells and tissue obtained during neurosurgery. The team also developed a method to convert white blood cells into microglia-like cells, which are central coordinators of the brain's immune system, to better understand their response to inflammation signals. This approach allowed them to interrupt inflammatory triggers released by damaged microglia.
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U.S. Life Expectancy Rises to 79 Years Post-Pandemic, Focus Shifts to Healthspan

U.S. Life Expectancy Rises to 79 Years Post-Pandemic, Focus Shifts to Healthspan

Life expectancy in the United States has rebounded to 79 years following a decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. This figure, while an improvement, still lags behind comparable countries such as Japan (84 years) and Norway (82 years). Alongside the traditional focus on lifespan—the total number of years lived—medical professionals are increasingly emphasizing 'healthspan.' Healthspan refers to the duration of life lived in good health, free from debilitating diseases or disabilities that limit quality of life. Doctors define lifespan as the chronological age humans can expect to achieve, with an average of about 80 years in the U.S., though it can be slightly lower for men and higher for women. The concept of healthspan highlights the importance of not just living longer, but living healthier for a greater portion of one's life. This shift in focus acknowledges that while medical advancements can extend life, the quality of those extended years is equally crucial.