Sleep disorders

Oxytocin, often called “the love hormone,” may play a protective role in mood disturbances triggered by sleep loss and hormonal shifts during key reproductive transitions like postpartum and menopause, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

A new study led by UCLA investigators shows that Verbal Reaction Time (VRT), the amount of time it takes a person to respond verbally, can be a marker of sleepiness in older adults. The study, which measured participants’ voice data through standardized cognitive assessments, shows how VRT can passively detect excessive sleepiness, especially among older individuals using sedative medications.

According to a new study, presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Care of the Athletic Heart 2025 conference, sleep apnea may be more prevalent in younger female athletes than previously believed, especially among female athletes with higher levels of training. While obstructive sleep apnea has been observed in younger male athletes, the prevalence in female athletes and the association with cardiovascular risk is largely unknown.

In recent years, mobile applications designed to monitor health-related behaviors have gained popularity, with several incorporating game-like features to boost user engagement and effectiveness. This study investigated the impact of such a gamified app on sleep parameters and body mass index (BMI).

Last year, two popular smartwatches—the Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch—received Food and Drug Administration approval for features that can potentially alert the wearer that they may have sleep apnea.

Jet lag is one of the worst parts of long-distance traveling or shift work—it makes us tired and cranky, and also plays havoc with our metabolism (and therefore our weight). Now, new research on mice suggests that the way jet lag impacts our metabolism may depend on our sex.

A Mount Sinai-led team of researchers has enhanced an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered algorithm to analyze video recordings of clinical sleep tests, ultimately improving accurate diagnosis of a common sleep disorder affecting more than 80 million people worldwide.