Sleep deprivation (SD) is a critical risk factor for cognitive decline and is closely linked to psychiatric disorders. The hippocampal CA2 region is critically involved in encoding social memory and regulating emotional behavior, and it has been implicated in various neuropsychiatric conditions. However, how SD affects CA2-dependent synaptic plasticity and related behaviors remains poorly understood. Here, we subjected mice to 5 h of SD via gentle handling and examined synaptic plasticity, molecular signaling, and social recognition memory. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that SD markedly impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) in CA2 and disrupted social recognition memory, as evidenced by failure to distinguish novel from familiar conspecifics. These deficits were accompanied by upregulation of adenosine A1 receptors and PDE4A5, along with reduced expression of plasticity-related proteins including PKMζ, ERK, and BDNF. Moreover, caffeine-induced synaptic potentiation was diminished in SD mice, whereas caffeine supplementation reversed both synaptic and behavioral impairments. Together, these findings demonstrate that SD compromises CA2-dependent plasticity and social cognition through adenosine receptor signaling and identify CA2 as a vulnerable, therapeutically relevant region. Targeting adenosine pathways may represent a novel strategy to mitigate sleep loss-related cognitive dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Sodium Houttuyfonate improves cognitive impairment in mice after chronic sleep deprivation by inhibiting microglial inflammation and ferroptosis.

Ketogenic diet attenuates late gestational sleep deprivation-induced aggression in adult offspring mice.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated airway obstructive during sleep, leading to breating pauses, reduced sleep quality and decreased blood oxygen levels. Polysomnographic data in Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients were analysed to explore correlations between Apnea Hypopnea Index, Mean Apnea hypopnea Duration, oxygen desaturation and sleep stages. Among 136 Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients, Mean Apnea hypopnea duration showed a mild correlation with Apnea Hypopnea Index but no association with age, weight and height. Patients with longer Mean Apnea hypopnea duration had association ( P < 0.05) with poorer oxygenation, lower average saturation, loss of sleep, Mean oxygen desaturation, shorter sleep latency, less Non Rapid Eye Movement 3, more Non Rapid Eye Movement 1 and higher arousal/desaturation. After adjusting Apnea Hypopnea Index, Mean Apnea hypopnea duration remained significantly associated with Epworth Sleep Scale, sleep latency, Non Rapid Eye Movement 1/3, arousal index and all oxygen metrics. These associations were stronger in severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea ( n = 90), while in mild-moderate cases ( n = 46), only Non Rapid Eye Movement 3 duration correlated negatively with Mean Apnea hypopnea duration ( r = -0.14, P = 0.02). Mean apnea hypopnea duration emerged as an independent marker of oxygen desaturation and sleep disruption in OSA, beyond the Apnea Hypopnea Index. Its critical relevance was more pronounced in severe cases suggesting added value in assessing disease burden. Incorporating event duration into routine evaluation may refine patient stratification and guide targeted management strategies.

Night shift work is known to disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to significant physical and mental health challenges, including fatigue, sleep deprivation, and long-term health risks. For nurses working the night shift, these factors compromise both their own well-being and patient safety. Addressing these challenges is critical to improving outcomes for both staff and patients. This study aimed to explore nurses' perspectives on night shift work, identify fatigue countermeasures, and elicit nurses' recommendations for improving working conditions. This mixed-methods study was conducted in two phases. In Phase One, night shift nurses at 12 hospitals within a northeastern U.S. health care system were surveyed to assess their night shift experiences. Phase Two employed focus groups at six of those hospitals to gain insight into night shift nurses' perspectives on the challenges they face and suggestions for improvement. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data. Thematic analysis of focus group transcripts was conducted to identify themes. The survey results identified gaps in night shift support, including limited access to in-person education and hot, nourishing food. Recognition of night shift nurses' unique needs was the overarching theme from the focus groups. Seven additional themes further described those needs and indicated areas for improvement: safety at night--from feeling safe to being terrified; drowsy driving; need for a break; "we're tired"--napping; nourishment at night; self-care; and night work is undervalued. The results support findings from prior research and underscore the persistent challenges night shift nurses face. While these challenges are well documented, changes to address them have been limited. Health care organizations must move beyond acknowledging the issues to implementing evidence-based interventions and structured programs. Addressing the concerns of night shift nurses is imperative and necessary to safeguard nurses' health and well-being; reduce turnover; and ensure safer, high-quality patient care.

Cardiac arrhythmias affect 1%-5% of the global population, with atrial fibrillation (AF) being the most common and clinically relevant. While AF is traditionally linked to electrical and structural remodeling of the atria, growing evidence highlights a critical yet underexplored contributor: dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS regulates heart rate and rhythm through sympathetic and parasympathetic inputs, and its imbalance can initiate and sustain AF by promoting ectopic activity, shortening refractory periods, and enhancing reentry circuits. Autonomic dysregulation is further impacted by lifestyle and environmental influences. Excessive alcohol intake, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, and extreme physical exertion have all been shown to modulate autonomic activity and elevate the risk of AF. Additionally, social determinants such as socioeconomic status and healthcare access indirectly influence AF susceptibility through chronic activation of neurocardiac stress pathways. Mechanistically, emerging research implicates sympathetic hyperinnervation, neuroinflammation, and dysfunction of intrinsic cardiac ganglionated plexi as key contributors to arrhythmogenic remodeling. However, current animal models often fail to capture the complexity of human neuro-cardiac interactions due to species-specific differences in cardiac anatomy, innervation patterns, and immune responses. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models offer an alternative, patient-specific platform to study ANS-driven mechanisms in AF. This review focuses on the role of the ANS in AF pathophysiology, examining the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which autonomic dysregulation promotes arrhythmia. We explore current therapeutic interventions of autonomic-driven AF and discuss the potential of new models to improve mechanistic insight and therapeutic development.

To elucidate the role of adenosine A1 receptors (A1R) in the medial parabrachial nucleus (MPB) for bidirectional sleep-wake regulation and homeostatic control. Bilateral microinjections targeted the MPB in rats, administering: adenosine (0.5/1.5/4.5 nmol), A1R agonist CPA (1.5 nmol), A1R antagonist CPT (1.7 nmol), or adenosine deaminase inhibitor EHNA (2.0 nmol). Sleep architecture was quantified via EEG/EMG, with histological verification of MPB targeting. Adenosineergic modulation: 4.5 nmol adenosine increased NREM sleep by 149.1% (P = 0.0002) and reduced wakefulness by 47.6% (P = 0.0004). Endogenous amplification: EHNA elevated NREM sleep by 85.2% (P = 0.019), confirming physiological adenosine action. A1R-specificity: CPA mimicked adenosine (NREM ↑63.2%, P = 0.011), whereas CPT increased wakefulness by 46.3% (P = 0.021). Homeostasis disruption: Following sleep deprivation，CPT attenuated post-deprivation rebound (NREM recovery ↓43.8%, P = 0.042; REM rebound abolished). A1R in the MPB critically regulates NREM sleep and contributes to homeostatic responses through bidirectional adenosine signaling, identifying this brainstem nucleus as a novel regulatory hub. Dose-dependent efficacy (threshold: 1.5 nmol) suggests therapeutic potential for sleep disorders.

A data-informed multidimensional composite score for stress assessment.

Factors associated with inadequate sleep among high school students in New Mexico: Data from the New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey 2015-2023.

Sleep restriction and cardiovascular disease risk: insights into potential mechanisms and sex differences.

de Morais Ferreira, AB, Halson, S, Galvão-Coelho, NL, de Almeida, RN, Nakamura, FY, and Mortatti, AL. Impact of sleep restriction and intensified training on mucosal immunity and psychological responses in young soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 40(7): e703-e713, 2026-This study analyzed the effects of training intensification during a period of sleep restriction (SR) on mucosal immunity (salivary IgA), upper respiratory tract health, mood states, and stress tolerance in young soccer players. Sixteen male youth soccer players completed 7 weeks of training with varied workloads. Weeks 3 and 5 involved a 75% increase in internal training load (ITL); however, although sleep was unrestricted in week 3, allowing for an increase in total sleep time (TST) (+53 minutes vs. baseline), week 5 included a ∼10% reduction in TST (-44 minutes vs. baseline). Internal training load was assessed using session-rating of perceived exertion, and sleep was monitored via actigraphy. Salivary IgA, upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) severity (Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey), perceived recovery status (PRS), stress tolerance (Daily Analysis of Life Demands of Athletes), and mood states (Brunel Mood Scale) were evaluated weekly. Salivary IgA concentrations significantly decreased in both intensified training weeks (week 3: β = -87.41, p = 0.007; week 5: β = -114.04, p < 0.001). However, only in week 5, this reduction was accompanied by a significant increase in URTI severity ( p = 0.001), heightened fatigue (χ 2 (6) = 42.499, p < 0.001), reduced vigor (χ 2 (6) = 49.422, p < 0.001), impaired PRS ( p < 0.001), and lower stress tolerance ( p = 0.001). In contrast, during week 3, despite the intensified training, PRS, mood states, and stress tolerance remained stable. These findings emphasize the protective role of adequate sleep during intensified training, as greater sleep availability in week 3 may have mitigated the negative effects observed in week 5. Ensuring sufficient sleep during periods of high training loads is essential to maintain physical and psychological health.

This study examined the impact of extended wakefulness on interoceptive accuracy and how individual differences in interoception related to subjective sleepiness. Twenty-four healthy university students participated in the study. Interoceptive accuracy was assessed using the heartbeat-counting task during daytime and midnight sessions. Interoceptive accuracy did not differ significantly between the sleep conditions. However, subjective sleepiness was negatively correlated with interoceptive accuracy at midnight. Individual differences in interoceptive function may be associated with variability in perceived sleepiness under sleep pressure. These findings highlight the potential role of interoception in explaining why some individuals experience a mismatch between subjective and objective sleepiness.

Impact of Chronotype-Based scheduling on sleep EEG in first seizure Patients: A pilot study.

Postweaning exercise improves sleep deprivation effects.

This review discusses current research (between July 2024 and January 2026) on sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease, highlighting underlying biological processes, clinical outcomes, and therapeutic strategies. More than a billion adults worldwide are affected by sleep disorders that significantly increase heart disease risk. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is increasingly recognised as an independent predictor of major cardiovascular complications, with nocturnal hypoxaemia emerging as a critical marker for risk stratification. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may decrease cardiovascular complications in selected high-risk patients with OSA. In addition, irregular sleep patterns and insufficient sleep duration are associated with arrhythmias and cardiac failure. Sleep disruption contributes to adverse cardiac remodelling through mechanisms involving oxidative stress and autonomic dysfunction. Genetic studies further support a direct causal relationship between OSA and coronary heart disease. Sleep has been added by the American Heart Association to its Life's Essential 8 framework, emphasising its role in cardiovascular health. Sleep disorders represent a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor that warrants systematic assessment and targeted management. Optimal sleep health encompasses sufficient duration, appropriate timing, and regularity. Treatment of sleep disorders-particularly OSA with CPAP therapy in carefully selected high-risk populations-can confer cardiovascular benefits.

The impact of poor sleep on women's midlife transition: A qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Early school start times are widely reported as a major contributor to adolescent sleep insufficiency. Although prior research indicates that later school start times are associated with improved adolescent sleep, region-specific challenges are perceived to complicate implementation. This study aimed to examine reported variations in school start times and adolescent sleep patterns across World Health Organization (WHO) regions, and to summarize perceived barriers and potential solutions for implementing sleep-promoting start times globally. An online survey was administered to members of the International Pediatric Sleep Association and invited participants from the World Sleep Society. Respondents were asked to estimate typical school start times, bedtimes, rise times, and sleep duration for middle and high school students in their respective countries. Respondents commonly reported early school start times across WHO regions with 51% reporting middle schools, and 52% reporting high schools, frequently starting before 8:00 a.m. Reported patterns varied by region, with early start times perceived as most common in the Americas, South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, and African regions, and later start times more frequently reported in Europe and the Western Pacific. Respondents also reported concerning perceptions of adolescent sleep adequacy: 43% indicated that most middle school students in their country were perceived to obtain less than the recommended 8h of sleep per night, increasing to 70% reporting this for high school students. Frequently reported barriers to adopting healthier start times included parental, governmental, and school-level resistance, while proposed solutions emphasised education, stakeholder collaboration, and legislative approaches to support later start times. These findings highlight widespread reported concerns regarding adolescent sleep duration and the perceived global challenges associated with modifying school start times. Region-specific strategies, informed by local contexts and stakeholder perspectives, may be required to address barriers and support the adoption of later, sleep-promoting school schedules.

Sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, particularly for complex, hippocampal-dependent tasks, such as associating faces with names. While numerous studies have examined the impact of sleep on memory, the specific effects on episodic face recognition, perceptual face processing, and the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Thus study was designed to systematically evaluate the role of sleep in face recognition memory, learning, and consolidation in humans. A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science identified English-language, peer-reviewed studies published up to February 5, 2026. The authors independently screened articles, extracted data, and cross-verified results. The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines to maintain methodological rigor and transparency. Across 19 included studies, overnight sleep, post-learning sleep, and targeted naps showed the strongest benefits for face-related learning and memory, particularly in associative and hippocampal-dependent tasks, such as face-name and face-face memory. Slow-wave sleep/N3 and targeted memory reactivation were associated with improved cued face-name recall, while REM sleep and sleep spindles appeared to contribute to implicit face priming, emotional face memory, and adaptive face-learning processes. Sleep deprivation and sleep restriction generally impaired face-memory performance, particularly when tasks required episodic retrieval, associative binding, emotional discrimination, or sustained cognitive control. In contrast, simpler face-recognition or familiarity-based tasks showed weaker and less consistent sleep-related effects, often suggesting protection against forgetting or interference rather than robust memory enhancement. Sleep mainly benefits face learning when tasks require binding, episodic retrieval, emotional processing, or consolidation, while simple familiarity recognition shows weaker effects.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is associated with dysregulation of monoaminergic systems and heightened impulsivity, both of which are strongly influenced by sleep. Adolescence represents a neurodevelopmental period of increased vulnerability to sleep loss. The present study investigated the effects of acute sleep deprivation (24h; ASD-24h), subacute sleep deprivation (48h; SASD-48h), and chronic sleep deprivation (72h; CSD-72h) on self-injury-like behavior (SILB) in adolescent rats. Male Wistar rats underwent SD using the multiple-platform method and were monitored for SILB at 4-hour intervals over seven days following SD. The severity of SILB was manually scored using a scoring table by an experimenter who monitored the animals' behavior. Time and group differences were assessed by statistical analysis of variance. Body weight was also measured to evaluate physiological effects of SD. All SD paradigms elicited significantly elevated SILB scores compared to controls over the seven-day post-deprivation period (P < 0.001). CSD-72h produced the highest cumulative SILB burden, as reflected by the largest area under the curve (AUC). Although SILB scores remained below the severe injury threshold (score < 3), moderate self-injury was consistently increased in all sleep-deprived groups. These results indicate that sleep loss induces sustained, duration-dependent elevations in SILB in adolescent rats. While the underlying neural mechanisms were not directly assessed, the findings suggest that prolonged sleep deprivation may disrupt neurobiological systems regulating self-directed behaviors, highlighting the need for further mechanistic studies.

Aim of the Study: The widespread proliferation of smartphones has rendered them an integral component of contemporary life; however, their excessive and uncontrolled use has emerged as a global public health concern. While smartphones serve as valuable educational tools, their overuse has been associated with adverse outcomes, including sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, and sleep-related disorders. Methodology: A multi-university descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among university students in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A total of 11 universities within the twin cities were selected, and data were collected using online questionnaire. The survey instrument included sections on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and smartphone usage patterns, and incorporated standardized measures such as the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Neck Disability Index, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Findings: The findings indicated that smartphone addiction was significantly higher among female students compared to male students (p = 0.0086). The addiction scores ranged from 10 to 58, neck disability index scores ranged from 0 to 48, and PSQI scores ranged from 3 to 18. No significant association was observed between smartphone addiction and overall sleep quality. However, a strong positive correlation (p = 0.000) was identified between smartphone addiction and neck disability. Additionally, a statistically significant association (p = 0.03) was found between sleep quality and neck disability among participants. Conclusion: In conclusion, although smartphone addiction did not significantly influence sleep quality in this sample, it was strongly associated with musculoskeletal discomfort, particularly neck disability. These findings highlight the need for amplified awareness and precautionary measures to mitigate the physical health consequences of excessive smartphone use among university students.