Sleep
Readers Respond to the April 2022 Issue
Letters to the editor for the April 2022 issue of Scientific American
Sleep46 articles archived since 1845
Sleep
It Goes by the Name ‘Bedtime Procrastination,’ and You Can Probably Guess What It Is
Putting off sleep can have unfortunate consequences
Sleep
Should We Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent? Let’s Sleep on It
Scientists are less enthusiastic than the U.S. Senate about DST year-round
Biotech
Neck-Zapping Gadget Reduced All-Nighter Fatigue in New Study
And the benefits of two four-minute sessions persisted for hours
Neuroscience
People Answer Scientists’ Queries in Real Time while Dreaming
Researchers demonstrate that during REM sleep, people can hear—and respond to—simple questions such as “What is eight minus six?”
Neuroscience
Baby Bees Deprive Caregivers of Sleep
Bee larvae and pupae appear to secrete a chemical that does the work of a late-night cup of coffee for their nurses.
Behavior
The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Changing Our Dreams
Anxiety about social distancing and infection is altering how much we dream and the nature of our dreams themselves
Fitness
If You Don’t Sleep, You Will Go Insane
Originally published in March 1880
Sleep
How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
Do you really need eight hours of sleep each night to thrive? Savvy Psychologist Dr. Jade Wu breaks down the eight-hour sleep myth and offers three ways to find the best sleep for you
Neurology
Deep Sleep Gives Your Brain a Deep Clean
Slow-wave activity during dreamless slumber helps wash out neural detritus
Fitness
Getting More Sleep Can Reduce Food Cravings
There’s a connection between sleep and hunger. Getting better quality sleep may help with appetite, cravings, and ultimately, weight loss
Sleep
Why Do Some People Need Less Sleep? It’s in Their DNA
U.C.S.F. researchers find a gene for flourishing with less shut-eye
Fitness
Exercise to Sleep Better (and Vice Versa!)
If you’re not sleeping well, you may not be reaching your life goals, let alone your fitness goals
Sleep
Cuttlefish Are Dazzling, But Do They Dream?
The marine mollusks display behavior that resembles sleep, including cycles of rapid eye movement
Fitness
Weekday–Weekend Sleep Imbalance Bad for Blood Sugar Regulation
Weekday sleep deprivation with weekend make-up sleeping seems to be worse for blood sugar control than even chronic sleep deprivation alone.
Why Do We Sleep?
There are plenty of theories, but nobody really knows for sure
Neurology
Why Rocking to Sleep Is a Matchless Sedative—and Elixir
Back-and-forth motions may tweak the sensory organs that control our balance and spatial orientation
Neurology
Scientists Identify Genes Linked to REM Sleep
Mice that lack these genes do not engage in rapid eye movement sleep
Neuroscience
Sound Awake: “Noisy” Neurons May Repeatedly Disrupt Your Sleep
Study proposes novel sleep theory, but whether it can explain infant death syndrome remains less clear
Behavior
How to Get Children with Autism to Sleep
Poor-quality sleep may heighten behaviors including hyperactivity, compulsions and aggressiveness
