On the surface, it's simple: when night falls, our bodies get sleepy. But behind the scenes, a series of complex molecular events, controlled by our genes, is hard at work to make us groggy. Now, research suggests that a newly identified gene known as insomniac may play a role in keeping us asleep. By cloning and testing this gene in fruit flies researchers say they have discovered an entirely new mechanism by which sleep is regulated.

It's been said that timing is everything, and that may be particularly true when it comes to the ability to fight off disease. New research shows that the success of host immune defense depends in part on an organism's "body clock." The study may lead to therapeutic strategies designed to optimize the immune response and to protect patients at the time when they are most vulnerable.

An extremely heated debate has just arisen in the field of pediatric sleep medicine - a field that is generally not very excitable.

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The amount and quality of sleep you get at night may affect your memory later in life, according to new research.

Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and soda are the pick-me-ups of choice for many people, but too much caffeine can cause nervousness and sleep problems. Caffeine Zone, a new software app developed by researchers, can help people determine when caffeine may give them a mental boost and when it could hurt their sleep patterns. The software takes information on caffeine use and integrates it with information on the effects of caffeine to produce a graph of how the caffeine will affect the users over time.

Helen Keller once wrote: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.” As we navigate through challenging times toward a better future, it’s useful to visit some tried and true ideas regarding life hardiness and resiliency.

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New research finds that 16- to 18-year-olds perform better academically when they shave about two hours off what current guidelines prescribe.

Children and adolescents with obstructive sleep apnea had substantial improvements in attention, anxiety and quality of life after treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) —- a nighttime therapy in which a machine delivers a stream of air through a mask into the nose.

In my practice, the majority of my patients are women. I'm often asked by patients (and friends!) why insomnia is more common in women. As a result, I'm going to dedicate my first few posts to sleep disorders common to women, discussing problems that can occur throughout her life. Today, we'll discuss what happens during pregnancy and what can be done to sleep better.

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A large-scale survey on teens and sleep has made a big splash in the news recently with its results: most teens are not getting enough sleep, and their lack of sufficient sleep is being associated with a whole series of risky, unhealthy behaviors, from smoking and drinking to sexual activity and over-eating.

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Albert Einstein said of the theory of relativity, "I thought of it while riding my bicycle." New ideas tend to bubble up and crystallize when you are inside the aerobic zone. While walking, jogging, biking...you are able to problem solve in way that is different than when you are sitting at your desk. Neuroscientists are just beginning to understand this phenomenon.

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Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley examined the relationship between sleep abnormalities and the brain areas related to emotions. They discovered that REM sleep processes emotional experiences, so that these experiences feel less painful, difficult, and emotionally charged after sleep.

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In a previous blog I discussed the relatively new field of forensic sleep medicine. This has become a more recognized and important area of study and practice as sleep related crimes have come to greater attention. Dr. J. Steven Poceta recently published an interesting series of clinical and legal cases in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

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I recently received this email from a reader:

"Dear Professor McNamara,

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Can't get your teen out of bed to go to school? Maybe the problem isn't him. Maybe the problem is his changing body.

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A new study sheds light on why some children may need to urinate more often during the rest cycle. Researchers found sleep deprivation caused healthy children, ages 8-12, to urinate significantly more frequently, excrete more sodium in urine, have altered regulation of the hormones important for excretion.

People with severe sleep apnea may have an increased risk of silent strokes and small lesions in the brain, according to a small study.

Sleeping disorders have been known for some years to increase the risk of diabetes. Scientists have now linked a gene that plays a key role in synchronizing biological rhythms to type two diabetes.

When we are dreaming the unconscious is supposed to be in charge. But what if we can consciously take charge of the process?

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Scientists have found new evidence for a link between the body clock hormone melatonin and type 2 diabetes. The study found that people who carry rare genetic mutations in the receptor for melatonin have a much higher risk of type 2 diabetes.