The following article was sent to me by a Mensa acquaintance of mine. I found a few intereting items in it, one about bullying that was very interesting.
ALISON HARDIE SENIOR NEWS WRITER ( ahardie@scotsman.com)
MARGARET Thatcher, Napoleon and Florence Nightingale all famously got by on four hours, but a conference on sleep has uncovered some startling results for mere mortals who try to follow in their footsteps.
Delegates at Sleep 2007 will today unveil the full details of their investigations into what can happen when people deprive themselves of sleep, or radically change their sleeping patterns
The results are particularly important for students and the parents of young children, as both groups appear particularly susceptible to problems if they do not get enough sleep.
Lisa Witcher of the University of Louisville, Illinois, said: "Parental reports [we made] indicate poor sleep is associated with both internalising and externalising behaviour problems, specifically those associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder."
For adults in taxing professions, the consequences of not enough sleep can be grave.
A lack of sleep is said to have been a contributory factor to a number of international disasters such as Exxon Valdez, Chernobyl, and the Challenger shuttle explosion.
More than 5,000 leading researchers and clinicians are meeting today to take part in the four-day Sleep 2007 conference in the US city of Minneapolis.
The aim is to bring together cutting-edge research into serious sleep problems including insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea in an effort to improve diagnosis and treatments.
The conference does have some good news for people suffering the misery of insomnia.
Researchers in Brazil reported significant improvements in a group of 24 sufferers once they were trained to relax before bed by conjuring positive images in their minds before attempting sleep.
Snoring link to hyperactivity
CHILDREN who snore may have an increased risk of behavioural problems including hyperactivity, attention problems and even perfectionism, according to a study.
Researchers at the University of Louisville, Illinois, interviewed the parents of 52 children between the ages of five and eight who were identified as snoring "frequently" or "almost always".
The results showed many of the children had symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The researchers said: "While no causation can be inferred ... this deserves further study."
Late nights are bad for studies
GOING to bed late not only means less sleep, but also a poorer-quality rest - and students who adopt a late-night habit will see it hit their academic results. That is the outcome of a study by scientists in South Korea who examined the sleeping habits of 399 students at Pohang University.
One of the researchers said: "This shows that the greater one stayed up at night, the more maladjusted [one becomes] in college life, in terms of mental health and academic performance.
"It seems important to give relevant information and helpful guidance on good sleep habits to students from the beginning of college life."
Potential to end bullying
CHILDREN who are aggressive or bullies at school may be exhibiting behaviour triggered by sleep-related health problems.
A study carried out in Michigan, in the United States, found that young people who bully also tended to suffer sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD).
As one in ten children is affected by SRBD - the most common is snoring - the findings could be significant in work being done by schools to curb bullying and aggressive behaviour.
Worries just melt away
INSOMNIACS who relax before bed by conjuring up calming images can overcome their condition, according to a study.
A group of 24 chronic insomniacs took part in tests at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in which half were given CDs designed to help listeners relax and release their worries.
The results showed the severity of insomnia in the experimental group diminished and their worries about sleep also improved.
The success of this "imagery rehearsal therapy" trial may lead to improved treatment for insomniacs.
A recipe for poor results
STUDENTS who sit up all night "cramming" for an exam should simply put away their books and go to bed to ensure better marks.
Research has concluded that all-night studying marathons are no substitute for regular and substantial nights of sleep and can cause low marks.
Pamela Thacher , of St Lawrence University, New York State, said: "Sleep in college students is generally inadequate, irregular and of poor quality. As sleep quality and quantity decrease, academic performance worsens. This study [of 111 students] indicates that the use of a single night of total sleep deprivation is not an effective practice for achieving academic goals."
Batting ahead of average
ATHLETES who obey their trainers' demands to get extra sleep before a big event will do better, research has shown.
A study of six healthy students in a United States university baseball team found that after a two-week period during which they were asked to get as much sleep as possible, their athletic prowess was greatly improved.
They could run faster, throw baseballs further and reported feeling more energetic and generally in a better mood. The study was carried out by Cheri Mah of Stanford University.
Maths involves counting sheep
MEDICAL, engineering and maths students are more likely to be cursed with sleep disorders than those studying for a humanities degree, according to research.
When a group of 129 students were asked to record their levels of sleep quality and consequent sleepiness, those studying humanities consistently did "significantly" better.
Aryn Karpinski, of West Virginia University, is now attempting to find a cause for the differences, because "poor sleep quality affects academic performance".
Weekend lie-in 'addles brain'
TEENAGERS who burn the midnight oil during the week and then make up for it by staying in bed all weekend are storing up academic problems.
Academics have found that the confusion irregular sleeping patterns causes to the body clock can muddle the brain.
Researchers at Brown University, Rhode Island, found that "when teenagers stay up late and sleep in over the weekend it resets their daily clock. This can push back the brain's cue to be awake on Monday morning for school".
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