Free Republic

All over the world, scientists are experimenting on soldiers to keep them awake beyond the limits of normal endurance. Researchers are engineering, and militaries are deploying, chemically enhanced troops. Of all the superpowers we’ve imagined, the one that has turned out to be most attainable—so attainable we’re already using it—is the ability to go without sleep. Much of this research, which focuses on a drug called modafinil, is openly sponsored and supervised by military agencies. The United States leads the pack, conducting experiments

There are many reasons why people get insufficient sleep in our 24/7 society, from early starts at work or school, or long commutes, to caffeine-rich food and drink. But the precipitating factor is an often unappreciated, technological breakthrough: the electric light. Without it, few people would use caffeine to stay awake at night. And light affects our circadian rhythms more powerfully than any drug. Just as the ear has two functions (hearing and balance), so too does the eye. First, rods and cones enable sight; and second, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) containing the photopigment... --snip-- The US Institute...

Insomniacs desperate for some zzzs may one day have a safer way to get them. Scientists have developed a new sleep medication that has induced sleep in rodents and monkeys without apparently impairing cognition, a potentially dangerous side effect of common sleep aids. The discovery, which originated in work explaining narcolepsy, could lead to a new class of drugs that help people who don't respond to other treatments. Between 10% and 15% of Americans chronically struggle with getting to or staying asleep. Many of them turn to sleeping pills for relief, and most are prescribed drugs, such as zolpidem (Ambien)...

Sleep paralysis happens when people become conscious while their muscles remain in the ultra-relaxed state that prevents them from acting out their dreams. The experience can be quite terrifying, with many people hallucinating a malevolent presence nearby, or even an attacker suffocating them. Surveys put the number of sleep paralysis sufferers between about 5 percent and 60 percent of the population. [Say what?] One man told her about his frequent sleep paralysis episodes, during which he'd experience extremely realistic hallucinations of a young child, skipping around the bed and singing nursery rhymes. Sometimes, the child would sit on his pillow...

If the woman in your life woke up grumpy this morning, don’t be too hard on her. It is, apparently, only natural. Scientists have discovered that women need more sleep than men. And chances are, she’s not getting enough. In fact, the best thing a loving husband or partner can do is perhaps persuade her to get a few extra hours snuggling under the duvet. Or face the consequences. Scientists say women suffer more than men, both mentally and physically, if they are forced to skimp on their sleep. As well as a higher risk of heart disease, depression and...

After a restless night of sleep, filled with nightmares where velociraptors and chainsaw-wielding maniacs chase you down, you wake up and wonder what caused such vivid, frightful dreams. Could it have been that spicy Thai food you had before bed? Actually, there is some evidence that eating a spicy meal shortly before going to sleep can lead to some wacko dreams. In fact, eating anything too close to bedtime can trigger more dreams, because the late night snacks increase the body’s metabolism and temperature, explains Dr. Charles Bae, MD, a sleep medicine doctor at Sleep Disorders Center at the Cleveland...

Windsor on Monday joined the growing number of municipalities which have voted to end the decades-old practice of adding fluoride to the water supply in the fight against tooth decay. “A lot has changed in the last 60 years … fluoride is not the be-all and end-all to prevent tooth decay,” said Mayor Eddie Francis, who voted with the majority.… “I want to be shown that when we ingest this, we are safe,” said Kimberley DeYong of Fluoride Free Windsor. She and others said not a single study among those cited by fluoridation proponents looked specifically at the industry-sourced chemical...

A little humor. Let's fall asleep to someone cleaning their gun. Heck! It's reassuring as heck! With a soft voice, of course. ;-)

You'll lose an extra hour of light but gain an hour back this weekend as daylight saving time officially ends. As standard time resumes at 2 a.m. Sunday, it's time to "fall back," so set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed tonight. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time. Daylight saving time is mandated by governments, which instituted the time switch during World Wars I and II to save energy and resources for the war effort. Previously, daylight saving time was observed in the United States from April until mid-October.

The goodnight kiss is a thing of the past and most of us sleep with our backs turned to our partner, according to a new study. The research into our nocturnal habits suggests romance is now dead in British bedrooms. Indeed, a quarter of lovers say they cannot bear their partner touching them while they are sleeping. The sleep behavior study found that 54 percent of Brits choose to turn away and sleep with their back to their lover in a bid to get a good night's sleep. And it isn't just cuddling that's off the agenda as 90 percent...

Moleendo Stewart can’t say for sure what’s caused his lifelong sleeping problems. But he has his suspicions. There’s the childhood spent in loud, restless neighborhoods in Miami. “You hear people shooting guns all night, dealing drugs,” said Mr. Stewart, 41, who lives in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn. He also cites his weight, 260 pounds, down from a peak of 310.

AND NOW . . . amidst billowing clouds of fragrant, aromatic first- and second-hand premium cigar smoke. . . it is time for . . . that harmless, lovable little fuzz ball, the highly-trained broadcast specialist, having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have, from behind the golden EIB microphone, firmly ensconced in the prestigious Attila-the-Hun chair at the Limbaugh Institute of Advanced Conservative Studies, serving humanity simply by showing up, and he’s not retiring until every American agrees with him, do NOT doubt him, with shrieks of joy at the mere mention of his name...

Would you like to experience Superman-style flight? Do you want to conquer your fear of elevators or resolve issues with a long-dead relative? What would you pay to jam with Jimi Hendrix or get writing advice from Ernest Hemingway? Lucid dreaming promises all this and more, and Bitbanger Labs wants to give it to you with the Remee Lucid Dreaming Mask. The science behind the mask is relatively simple. There are five stages of sleep, divided into two broad categories: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, where dreams occur, and non-REM sleep. We cycle through these stages multiple times per night,...

Morning Joe likes to think of itself as the most scintillating three hours on morning TV. But did the show have a soporific effect on Michael Steele? When the camera cut to him today at 7:50 ET, Steele appeared to be, well, I believe the polite term is "resting his eyes." Hat tip NB reader Susan J, who points out Steele is due considerable slack since he was up late doing primary coverage for MSNBC. Steele rebounded quickly and was able to laugh off the moment. View the video here.

The stress of daily life has sparked a new phenomenon - sleep texting. People with the rare condition send incoherent text messages while asleep to their friends and family - completely unaware that they are doing it. Sleep specialist Dr David Cunnington, of Melbourne Sleep Disorder Centre in Australia, said patients had reported incidents of sleep texting - and he has advised people to leave their mobile phones outside the bedroom. I did what? Dr David Cunnington claims 'sleep texting' sufferers send incoherent messages to friends and family members - and have no recollection of doing so I did what?...

Circadian disruption and sleep restriction contributing factorsResearchers from Sweden have uncovered an association between shift work and increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Those who engage in off-hour employment before the age of 20 may be at risk for MS due to a disruption in their circadian rhythm and sleep pattern. Findings of this novel study appear today in Annals of Neurology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society. Previous research has determined that shift work—working during the night or rotating working hours—increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, thyroid disorders, and...

Every one of us has a mysterious double life. For about two thirds of the time we are conscious beings, thinking about the world within and without, and negotiating our ways through the obstacles of life. For the other one third of the time we are nearly lifeless lumps of flesh, unconscious to everything but our own fantasies, as we lie flat in bed asleep. We all know that sleep is important for health. But for an activity that consumes about 8 hours of everyday of life, surprisingly little is thought about the act of sleeping, or the way our...

Please excuse the vanity, fellow FReepers. I need some ideas on how to find a very slow leak in a Sleep Number interlocking-chamber air mattress. When the mattress is aired up all the way, it will fully deflate by morning with body weight on it. (So 8-9 hours?) With no body weight on it, it holds air for days. With/without body weight on it, there is no audible hissing sound, no current of escaping air that can be felt by hand, and no obvious tears or pinholes. The seams appear to be intact. The air hoses aren't twisted or crimped...

Please excuse the vanity, fellow FReepers. I need some ideas on how to find a very slow leak in a Sleep Number interlocking-chamber air mattress. When the mattress is aired up all the way, it will fully deflate by morning with body weight on it. (So 8-9 hours?) With no body weight on it, it holds air for days. With/without body weight on it, there is no audible hissing sound, no current of escaping air that can be felt by hand, and no obvious tears or pinholes. The seams appear to be intact. The air hoses aren't twisted or crimped...

Intellect thrives on sleep Land of nod is a learning experience Cramming all night might help you to scrape through exams, but it won't make you clever in the long run. Human and animal experiments are lending new support to a common parental adage: that a good night's sleep is essential to learning. "Modern life's erosion of sleep time could be seriously short-changing our education potential," warned Robert Stickgold of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the meeting of American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston this week. Many pianists find that sleeping on a tune can help ...