ADVERTISEMENT
A dark haired man is asleep on a grey couch under a darker grey blanket. A box of tissues is under his arm, and he is holding a tissue in one hand.
Why Do I Sleep So Much When I Am Sick?
Some elements of human immune systems serve important functions beyond fighting infections.
Why Do I Sleep So Much When I Am Sick?
Why Do I Sleep So Much When I Am Sick?

Some elements of human immune systems serve important functions beyond fighting infections.

Some elements of human immune systems serve important functions beyond fighting infections.

sleep science

Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living transparent nematode (roundworm), about 1 mm in length.
The Body, Not the Brain, Regulates Sleep
Rebecca Roberts, PhD | Aug 15, 2023 | 3 min read
Genetic screens have revealed three peripheral tissue genes that regulate sleep. What does this mean for sleep research?
A ball-and-stick plus ribbons molecular model of the hormone orexin, also known as hypocretin, isolated on a white background.
2023 Breakthrough Prizes Showcase Research in AI and Narcolepsy
Amanda Heidt | Sep 22, 2022 | 2 min read
Three prizes were awarded to six researchers working across the life sciences on cellular organization, protein structure, and the genetic underpinnings of a chronic sleep disorder.
Artistic representation of a brain depicted as a clock on a background with one half in dark blue with yellow stars and one half in light blue with clouds.
Which Neurons Go to Sleep First in Humans? fMRI Can Tell
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Aug 9, 2022 | 3 min read
By linking blood flow patterns to bioelectric signals in the brains of sleeping volunteers, scientists are studying the order in which brain regions fall asleep and wake up.
Black and white photo of Rechtschaffen looking at the camera
Pioneering Sleep Researcher Allan Rechtschaffen Dies at 93
Lisa Winter | Dec 22, 2021 | 2 min read
Rechtschaffen sought to understand the evolutionary purpose of shut-eye.
illustration of a broken DNA strand
DNA Damage Makes Zebrafish Sleepy
Sophie Fessl, PhD | Nov 18, 2021 | 4 min read
Buildup of a DNA-repair protein in brain cells spurs shut-eye in the fish, a study finds, and similar results in mice suggest the mechanism is widespread in animals.
J Allan Hobson smiling at camera, circa 2005
Groundbreaking Sleep Researcher J. Allan Hobson Dies at 88
Lisa Winter | Jul 29, 2021 | 2 min read
He famously contradicted Sigmund Freud’s views on the meaning of dreams.
sleep, lucid dreaming, dreaming, dreams, REM, communication, Morse code
Researchers Exchange Messages with Dreamers
Asher Jones | Feb 18, 2021 | 5 min read
Dreamers answered experimenters’ questions or solved simple math problems, showing that complex two-way communication between the dreaming and waking world is possible.
Infographic: The Technology Scientists Use to Engineer Dreams
Catherine Offord | Dec 1, 2020 | 1 min read
Researchers are experimenting with a variety of tools, from brain stimulation to audiovisual equipment, to try to take control of the sleeping brain.
Contributors
The Scientist | Dec 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the December 2020 issue of The Scientist.
Astrocytes, Not Just Neurons, Play a Role in Sleep
Abby Olena, PhD | Sep 24, 2020 | 4 min read
In mice, the brain’s main glial cell type exhibits distinctive patterns of activity across the sleep-wake cycle and influences the response to sleep deprivation.
Waves of Fluid Bathe the Sleeping Brain, Perhaps to Clear Waste
Abby Olena, PhD | Oct 31, 2019 | 3 min read
During deep sleep, rhythmic pulses of cerebrospinal fluid are coupled with slow waves of electrical activity and fluctuating blood levels in the human brain.
Sleep Is Critical for the Zebrafish Brain to Repair DNA Damage
Catherine Offord | Mar 6, 2019 | 2 min read
Neurons can only efficiently fix genetic injuries when the animals are asleep.
Rocking Improves Sleep, Boosts Memory
Catherine Offord | Jan 24, 2019 | 2 min read
Sleeping on a rhythmically swaying surface helps synchronize sleep oscillations in the human brain, a study finds.
Concussions May Stunt Recovery from Sleep Deprivation
Jef Akst | Nov 5, 2018 | 2 min read
People who have suffered traumatic brain injury had slower reaction times and more false starts after disrupted sleep than healthy controls, according to a study presented at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.
Blind Cavefish in Mexico Offer Clues to Sleep Regulation
Catherine Offord | Feb 6, 2018 | 2 min read
Two studies identify a signaling pathway that contributes to the fish’s sleeplessness.
Scientists Identify More-Precise Neural Correlates of Dreaming
Ashley P. Taylor | Apr 10, 2017 | 3 min read
By examining brainwave patterns in a posterior cortical area, scientists can predict when people are dreaming.
Bird Rests Both Brain Hemispheres During Flight
Tracy Vence | Aug 8, 2016 | 1 min read
Great frigatebirds can sleep while flying, researchers report.
Brain Listens During Sleep
Tanya Lewis | Jun 15, 2016 | 3 min read
People continue to hear and process words during light non-REM sleep, a study shows.
Examining Sleep’s Roles in Memory and Learning
Ashley P. Taylor | Jun 13, 2016 | 3 min read
Autonomic nervous system activity during sleep may help explain variation in the extent to which the behavior aids memory consolidation, a study shows.
ADVERTISEMENT