Researchers suggest this daily habit can improve mental, physical health

From ctvnews.ca

A new study reveals just how important this simple habit can be to living a healthier, happier life

Building and maintaining a daily schedule can lower physical pain and aid against depression, especially for older people struggling with insomnia, researchers from the University of Missouri found earlier this year.

“If we are consistent with when we wake up, eat, work or study, interact with others and go to bed, those time cues help synchronize our internal body clocks,” Eunjin Tracyan, assistant professor in the school’s College of Education and Human Development, said in a press release.

“Over the long term, that seems to be linked with improved health outcomes.”

                 Research on insomnia suggests sleep deprivation could make us more sensitive to stressors. (©Vlue/shutterstock.com)

Researchers studied survey data from 67 older adults, 37 of which had insomnia. Those with insomnia reported pain and depression more than those without. Survey respondents who maintained consistent routines generally had less pain and depression.

Tracy thinks there may be a link between regular schedules and better health outcomes. She highlighted the relationship between the body’s internal clock, sometimes referred to as “circadian rhythm,” and healthier bodies and minds.

“Regardless of sleep quality, those who reported having a regular daily routine had lower levels of physical pain and less depression compared to those without a daily routine,” Tracy said.

Even a night out can upset one’s circadian rhythm, Tracy explained.

“There is growing awareness about the concept of social jet lag — waking up and going to bed at different times on weekends compared to weekdays — and the disruptions it causes to our circadian rhythm, so hopefully this research helps more people consider the health benefits of a daily routine,” she said.

Consistent daily routines and sticking to sleep schedules can help reduce physical pain and the symptoms of depression, according to Tracy’s research.

Upsetting regular sleep routines with light exposure, late-night snacking, or even just following daylight time changes can produce negative effects on overall health. In general, being a night owl is a health risk, while deep, regular sleep produces health benefits.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/researchers-suggest-this-daily-habit-can-improve-mental-physical-health/ 

Sleep: A Miraculous Medicine for Mental Health

From tmv.in/article

Sleep is a tranquil world hidden behind closed eyelids. It is a wonderful boon that allows us to forget the day’s toil and the anxieties that haunt the mind, preparing us for the promise of tomorrow. However, in the silence of the night, while most are lost in deep slumber, some fight a losing battle with time that refuses to move. When those sleepless hours pass heavily, a person loses more than just physical energy; they lose their mental equilibrium. When the turbulence of emotions drives sleep away, that very insomnia pushes the mind further into darkness. This is not merely a lack of rest for the eyes; it is a deprivation of the peace the soul requires.

Even when surrounded by loved ones or resting on a luxurious bed, sleep remains a natural response that must originate from within the brain. Insomnia isolates an individual. It creates an internal void, a fear of the unknown tomorrow, and a state where one loses patience over the smallest matters. These factors surround us like a dark cycle. Sleep is not just a time when the body shuts down; it is a moment when we practice self-love for our minds. Therefore, losing sleep means gradually losing our joy and enthusiasm. Only when we recognize sleep as a vital medicine can we return to a state of complete mental health with a smile.

The Heavy Mornings of Today’s Youth

For the current generation of young people, the primary reason for the distance from sleep is a lifestyle inextricably linked with technology. Smartphones, social media, and Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms have imprisoned the youth in a virtual world. Hours spent scrolling through reels or binge-watching web series cause time to slip away unnoticed. The "blue light" emitted from mobile screens deceives our brains into believing it is still daylight. Consequently, the production of melatonin , the hormone that induces sleep, decreases. Even if the eyes are exhausted, the brain remains alert. This phenomenon is now widely recognized as "Digital Insomnia."

Another major contributor is "Revenge Bedtime Procrastination." Young people, who find no personal time during the day due to the pressures of studies, jobs, or household chores, sacrifice their sleep for a sense of "freedom." They utilize the quiet hours after everyone else has gone to bed for activities they enjoy, chatting, gaming, or simply thinking. Over time, this reduction in sleep becomes a chronic habit. Compounding this is FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) ; the anxiety that they might miss a new update on social media keeps them in a state of constant alertness.

The career and educational pressures created by today’s competitive world are also eroding sleep. Overthinking the future, fear of exams, or looming office deadlines increase anxiety among the youth. Due to this mental stress, even when they reach the bed, the brain is unable to rest. Furthermore, changing dietary habits, specifically the consumption of high-caffeine beverages like coffee and energy drinks late at night or late-night binging on junk food, are completely disrupting the body’s internal biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm .

Finally, social and physical changes are impacting the sleep of young people. Staying up late on weekends and sleeping in during the day causes a lack of sleep on Sunday nights, leading to severe fatigue on Monday mornings. These undisciplined sleep schedules damage the brain's "sleep fuel." Insomnia causes more than just tiredness; it leads to irritability, lack of concentration, obesity, and severe mental health issues like depression at an early age.

Insomnia vs. Sleep Deprivation

As Dr. Lauren Waterman explains, there is a significant distinction between these two terms. "Sleep deprivation" occurs when outside circumstances, such as a crying baby or loud noises, prevent you from sleeping even though your brain is ready and willing. This is dangerous for physical health and heart longevity.

In contrast, "insomnia" is a change occurring inside the human brain. Here, despite having the opportunity to sleep, internal systems keep the individual awake. Interestingly, the brains of those with chronic insomnia often adapt to condense high-quality sleep into a shorter duration.

The Science of Sleep Cycles

During sleep, we actually wake up approximately 10 to 15 times every hour. This is an evolutionary trait dating back to our ancestors. While sleeping in caves or forests, the brain performed these micro-wakes to sense danger. These brief moments of alertness are also why we don't fall out of bed. Healthy sleepers do not remember these instances, but those suffering from insomnia notice every tiny micro-wake and begin to worry: "I can’t get back to sleep." This very anxiety acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake further.

Melatonin: The Light-Sensitive Hormone

Melatonin is a hormone naturally released by the brain as darkness falls. It signals the body that it is time to rest. However, in the modern era, the blue light from phones and computers obstructs this production.

Caution is particularly necessary regarding melatonin supplements . They are extremely sensitive to light. If exposed to light, they can become deactivated and lose their efficacy. Melatonin is only truly effective when kept in airtight, light-resistant foil packets. Otherwise, the tablets you consume may essentially be "empty" or inactive.

In India, the market for melatonin is expanding rapidly due to the rise in IT jobs and smartphone usage. It is also used under medical supervision for children with conditions like Autism to help regulate sleep. By 2026, it is expected to be even more widely available in pharmacies and online platforms like Apollo or Amazon in the form of gummies and tablets.

Warnings:

Pregnant women, individuals with diabetes, or those taking blood pressure medication should never consume melatonin without a doctor's advice. Recent studies warn that long-term use (over a year) may be linked to cardiovascular issues. It is best to choose supplements in foil packaging rather than clear bottles.

Pavlov's Theory and the Bedroom

Scientifically, a process called "Classical Conditioning" governs our sleep. Ideally, the moment you enter the bedroom, you should feel sleepy. However, for insomniacs, using the bed for work, phone scrolling, or arguments conditions the brain to view the bedroom as a place of "alertness."

This explains why someone might feel sleepy on the sofa but becomes wide awake the moment they hit the bed. By restricting the bedroom strictly to sleep, we can "reprogram" the brain to associate the bed with rest once again.

Tiredness vs. Sleepiness

Many confuse these two states. "Tiredness" (Fatigue) means having no energy or motivation to do work. "Sleepiness," however, means your eyes are closing and you are on the verge of nodding off.

Insomniacs often feel tired all day, but they do not feel "sleepy." This is because a chemical in the brain called orexin may be too active, keeping the brain in a state of hyper-arousal. This is famously termed as being "Tired but Wired."

The 15-Minute Golden Rule

If you have been in bed for 15 to 20 minutes and cannot fall asleep, do not force yourself to stay there. You should immediately get up, go to another room, and engage in a mundane activity, like reading a boring book. Return to bed only when you feel genuinely "sleepy." This prevents the habit of lying in bed for hours in distress and helps break the association between the bedroom and wakefulness.

Sleep Fuel: The Energy for Rest

From the moment we wake up in the morning, the brain begins to accumulate a chemical often referred to as "Sleep Fuel" (Adenosine). The more this fuel builds up, the faster we fall asleep at night.

Napping during the day "burns" this fuel, leaving an insufficient amount for the night. Additionally, waking up at the same time every morning is crucial for setting our internal "Body Clock." Sleeping in on Sundays makes it difficult for the fuel to accumulate properly for Sunday night, leading to the dreaded "Monday Morning Blues."

CBT-I: The Real Cure for Insomnia

While many resort to sleeping pills, these are merely temporary fixes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is a permanent solution. It removes the fears associated with sleep and "re-programs" the brain. Through techniques like sleep compression and disciplined habits, one can regain the ability to sleep without medication. This therapy also significantly helps in reducing symptoms of mental health issues like depression.

When to Consult a Professional?

If sleep problems persist for more than three months and interfere with your daily life, you must consult a specialist. Identifying and correcting insomnia triggered by minor stress in its early stages prevents it from becoming "Chronic Insomnia." Sleep is not merely rest; it is a vital process that "cleanses" our brain. Therefore, it is everyone's responsibility to prioritize sleep and live a healthy life through disciplined habits.

https://tmv.in/article/sleep-a-miraculous-medicine-for-mental-health-date=2026-02-12

The simplest way teens can protect their mental health

From sciencedaily.com

Sleeping in on weekends might be one of the simplest ways teens can protect their mental health. A new study found that young people who made up for lost weekday sleep had a significantly lower risk of depression. While consistent sleep is still best, weekend catch-up sleep appears to offer meaningful protection. The findings highlight how powerful sleep can be for adolescent well-being.

Sleeping in on weekends to make up for lost sleep during the week may offer mental health benefits for teenagers and young adults, according to new research from the University of Oregon and the State University of New York Upstate Medical University.

The study found that people ages 16 to 24 who caught up on sleep over the weekend were significantly less likely to report symptoms of depression. Compared with those who did not recover sleep on weekends, this group showed a 41 percent lower risk of depressive symptoms.

The findings, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, add to growing evidence that sleep plays a critical role in adolescent mental health. Teens and young adults face ongoing sleep challenges while also being at higher risk for depression, yet this age group has rarely been examined in studies focused on weekend catch-up sleep.

Catching up on sleep over the weekend may help protect teens from depression. Researchers found that adolescents who slept more on weekends had a much lower risk of depressive symptoms. Credit: Shutterstock

Why Weekend Sleep May Matter for Teens

This research offers one of the first looks at weekend catch-up sleep among typical adolescents and young adults in the United States. Earlier studies on the topic focused largely on school-age teens in China and Korea.

Many U.S. teens accumulate sleep debt during the school week as they juggle academic demands, social activities, extracurricular commitments, and in many cases part-time jobs.

"Sleep researchers and clinicians have long recommended that adolescents get eight to 10 hours of sleep at a regular time every day of the week, but that's just not practical for a lot of adolescents, or people generally," said Melynda Casement, a licensed psychologist, associate professor in the UO's College of Arts and Sciences and director of the UO's Sleep Lab. She co-authored the paper with Jason Carbone, assistant professor of public health and preventive medicine and of family medicine at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University.

While the researchers stress that consistently getting eight to 10 hours of sleep each night remains the ideal goal, they also recognize that it is often unrealistic. When teens cannot meet that target during the week, sleeping longer on weekends may help reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.

"It's normal for teens to be night owls, so let them catch up on sleep on weekends if they can't get enough sleep during the week because that's likely to be somewhat protective," Casement said.

How the Study Measured Sleep and Mood

The researchers analysed data from 16- to 24-year-olds who participated in the 2021-23 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants reported their typical bedtimes and wake-up times on weekdays and weekends.

Using this information, the researchers calculated weekend catch-up sleep by comparing the average amount of sleep per weekend day with the average amount per weekday. Participants also reported their emotional well-being and were classified as having symptoms of depression if they said they felt sad or depressed every day.

How Sleep Patterns Shift During Adolescence

Biological sleep rhythms, known as circadian rhythms, naturally change during adolescence. These shifts make it harder for teens to fall asleep early, even when they are tired.

"Instead of being a morning lark you're going to become more of a night owl," Casement explained. "And sleep onset keeps progressively delaying in adolescence until age 18 to 20. After that, you start becoming more morning larkish again."

For many teenagers, the natural sleep window falls around 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. This schedule often clashes with early school start times across the United States. Because of this mismatch, many sleep experts and health care providers support efforts to delay school start times as a public health measure.

Why Teen Mental Health Is a Public Health Concern

Depression is one of the leading causes of disability among people ages 16 to 24, Casement said. In this context, disability refers broadly to disruptions in daily functioning, such as missing work, arriving late, or struggling to keep up with responsibilities.

"It makes that age range of particular interest in trying to understand risk factors for depression and how those might relate to delivery of interventions," Casement said.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Oregon. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260106224623.htm

What Your Sleeping Position Says About Your Mental Health

From verywellhealth.com

Key Takeaways

• There’s little scientific evidence linking sleep position to mental health, despite online claims suggesting otherwise.
• Chronic stress raises cortisol levels, disrupting sleep and worsening conditions like anxiety and depression.
• Establishing a calming bedtime routine can help reduce stress and improve sleep quality.

Some TikTok creators claim that certain sleep positions, like the “mountain climber” or “flamingo,” reveal high stress or emotional tension.

While this sounds compelling, there’s little scientific support for that idea.

Does Your Sleep Position Mean Anything?

Bruce Tammelin, MD, medical director of the Providence St. Joseph Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, told Verywell that sleep position research is limited, noting the most-cited paper dates back to the 1970s.

Current research instead focuses on sleep quality and its link to physical and mental health. One study found that sleeping on your side may help the brain clear waste, possibly lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Still, experts say the strongest connection lies between stress and sleep: each can worsen the other, regardless of how you sleep.

                                                                                                               Andrii Lysenko / Getty Images

How Does Stress Affect Your Sleep?

When you are under stress, your body responds by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which releases cortisol, a critical hormone in managing your body’s reaction to stress.

In addition to controlling our sleep-wake cycle, cortisol helps us regulate our metabolism and reduce inflammation. Prolonged, elevated cortisol levels or chronic stress can disrupt these processes, leading to inflammation, chronic pain, depression, and even the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Cortisol levels are meant to slowly decline throughout the day. When elevated cortisol levels persist into the evening, this hormonal imbalance interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps your body sleep properly. With time, these high cortisol levels can lead to sleep disorders like insomnia and exacerbate anxiety and depression.

This creates an unhealthy cycle in which stress leads to poor sleep, amplifying stress and making it even harder to sleep.

“If you don’t get highly efficient and unfragmented sleep, you can either have anxiety or depression,” Tammelin said. However, patients who receive treatment for their sleep problems often see significant improvements in their mental health, too.

Studies have found that many sleep disorders, including sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, narcolepsy, daytime sleepiness, and nightmares, are more common in people experiencing mental health difficulties.

Neurodivergent people, particularly those with ADHD, often face even greater challenges in getting quality sleep due to low melatonin levels at night, sensory issues, or a more active nervous system.

How to Reduce Stress Before Bed 

Certain night-time behaviours, like teeth grinding and covering your ears while sleeping may indicate nervous system activation, but they’re not necessarily a reflection of your daytime stress levels, Kyoungbin K. Im, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in sleep medicine and associate professor at UC Irvine, told Verywell.

They may actually be activations or reactions to physical stress at that moment. However, some sleep disturbances, such as sleepwalking, night terrors, and other movement-related disorders, are commonly seen in people under a lot of stress, said Im.

If stress interferes with your sleep, establishing a bedtime routine and incorporating relaxation techniques before bed can help signal your body that it's time to unwind.

Here are some ways you can help your body get the rest it needs:

• Keep work and daytime activities out of the bedroom
• Avoid anything stimulating within three hours of bedtime
• Practice progressive muscle relaxation before bed

With these simple modifications, you can create a more restful sleep environment and allow your body and space to rest and recover. 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/sleeping-position-mental-health-11852215

Sleep Is a Powerful Defence Against Alzheimer’s Disease

From sleepreviewmag.com

Deep sleep activates the brain’s waste-clearing system, reducing harmful beta-amyloid and tau build-up. Maintain your sleep to help maintain brain health

Key takeaways:

• Deep, slow-wave sleep drives the glymphatic system, which clears beta-amyloid and tau more efficiently than during wakefulness.
• Poor or fragmented sleep slows this clearance, allowing toxic protein accumulation that contributes to Alzheimer’s pathology.
• Beta-amyloid oligomers disrupt neuronal communication early, setting off a cascade that later enables tau tangles to spread.
• Sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea and insomnia can worsen protein build-up and should be treated proactively in at-risk individuals.
• Stable sleep routines, CPAP for sleep apnoea, and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia may help support long-term brain health.

Most of us think of sleep as a way for us to recharge, so we can focus better, feel better, and have more energy. But science has shown us that it is much more than just that. Sleep is not just rest; it is repair. During the deepest stages of sleep, the brain brings in its “cleaning crew,” a system that washes out the waste that builds up during the day. When sleep is poor or disrupted, this clean-up system does not work as well.

The Brain’s Nightly Cleaning Crew

In 2012, scientists discovered the glymphatic system, a kind of plumbing network that washes away toxins from the brain.

Here is how we think it works:

• Cerebrospinal fluid flows through the brain like a rinse cycle.
• It mixes with fluid between brain cells, picking up waste, including beta-amyloid and tau proteins, clumps of which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
• It flushes them out through channels that work best when we are in a deep, slow-wave sleep.

A 2013 study showed that beta-amyloid is cleared about twice as fast during sleep compared to wake. In other words, poor sleep does not just make you tired; it leaves your brain potentially soaking in waste.

Roles of Beta-Amyloid and Tau

Beta-amyloid and tau proteins are not bad guys by design. Under normal conditions, they play essential roles in brain health.

• Beta-amyloid helps regulate how strongly brain cells communicate by supporting learning and memory. It may also play a part in the brain’s immune defence, protecting against infections.
• Tau proteins act like scaffolding inside neurons, stabilizing transport highways (microtubules) that carry nutrients and signals within the cell.

The problem begins when the balance is off. In Alzheimer’s, beta-amyloid is either overproduced or not cleared effectively. Instead of staying soluble and functional, it forms small clumps called oligomers. These clumps block communication between neurons, disrupt calcium balance inside cells, and trigger inflammation. They gather into sticky plaques that irritate the surrounding brain tissue.

With tau, stress from amyloid build-up and inflammation causes tau to become hyperphosphorylated, which chemically alters it in a way that causes it to detach from microtubules. Detached tau misfolds and clumps together into “neurofibrillary tangles.” These tangles spread from cell to cell, shutting down the transport system and starving neurons.

Beta-Amyloid: The Spark

Beta-amyloid build-up starts the chain reaction. The most dangerous forms are the oligomers, the tiny clumps that form before plaques are visible. They disrupt synapses, trigger inflammation, and undermine memory circuits. In this case, you can think of sleep as your brain’s dishwasher. If you skip a cycle, the dirty dishes pile up.

Tau: The Wildfire

Once tau build-up starts to occur, it spreads. It chokes off communication between brain cells, causing widespread network breakdown. If beta-amyloid lights the match, tau is like the wildfire that spreads it. Together, they drive the destructive changes that define Alzheimer’s disease.

This two-step process of amyloid setting the spark and tau fuelling the fire drives the classic brain damage of Alzheimer’s, loss of synapses, shrinking brain volume, and the gradual decline of memory and cognition.

The Sleep-Protein Cycle

These protein build-ups can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep leads to less protein clearance, more build-up causes worse sleep, and worse sleep leads to even more build-up.

This vicious cycle can start years before memory loss appears. In fact, many people who later develop Alzheimer’s first notice changes in sleep, such as restlessness, fragmented nights, or vivid dreams, long before cognitive decline.

Why This Matters for Sleep Patients and Families

Sleep is not just a wellness hack. It is a core part of your brain health. Just like we check cholesterol and blood pressure, we should be paying attention to sleep.

• People who are at risk for Alzheimer’s should be screened for sleep disorders.
• Conditions such as sleep apnoea, insomnia, and disrupted body clocks are not just annoyances; they can worsen brain changes.
• Treatments such as CPAP for sleep apnoea or therapy for insomnia may help protect long-term brain health. 
• Even simple steps such as keeping a consistent bedtime, limiting caffeine late in the day, and reducing screen time before bed can make a difference over the years.

Whether you are protecting your own brain health or supporting a loved one at risk for Alzheimer’s, the steps are similar.

Patients can:

• Stick to regular sleep and wake times to keep the body clock stable.
• Build a calming bedtime routine, dim lights, avoid late-night news or screens, and give the brain a chance to wind down.
• Changes in sleep, snoring, frequent waking, or restless nights are worth mentioning to a doctor.
• Ask for sleep assessments during check-ups, especially if memory issues or a family history of Alzheimer’s are present.
• Seek evaluation and treatment for sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea or insomnia. Treatments like CPAP or cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia can improve both sleep and brain health.
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Caregivers and loved ones can:

• Encourage and support regular sleep schedules.
• Help create a quiet, restful environment at night.
• Watch for signs of disrupted sleep and share observations with healthcare providers.
• Advocate for proper sleep evaluations and follow through on recommended treatments.
• Offer patience and reassurance, since good sleep routines are easier to stick with when they are supported by others.

We do not have a cure for Alzheimer’s, but sleep offers something powerful, an everyday, natural defence system that can slow or even delay the earliest steps of disease. For patients, families, and caregivers, it is one of the most important investments in long-term brain health that we can make.

https://sleepreviewmag.com/sleep-health/sleep-whole-body/brain/sleep-powerful-defense-against-alzheimers-disease/