Finger and Wrist Wearables for Tracking Sleep
Every sleep-tracking device that fits on the fingers or wrists can’t read brain waves. Instead, they take indirect clues such as movement, blood flow, and skin temperature to make an…
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One Session of CBT-I in a Primary Care Setting Improves Sleep
Chronic insomnia is commonly reported in the fast-paced nature of primary care settings. A recent study tested the efficacy of a one-session CBT-I intervention for primary care. Adult patients with…
EEG Wearables for Sleep
As reviewed recently in the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/brain-wave-tracking-sleep-wearables/?searchResultPosition=1), the Oura Ring, Whoop, and other wearables such as watches and Fitbits only estimate sleep based on different physiological characteristics such…
OTC Antihistamine Sleep Aids Are Associated With Increased Risk of Dementia
As reported by the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/well/mind/medications-dementia-risk-increase.html), there is strong evidence that antihistamines are associated with increased dementia risk. These medications, called anticholinergics, work by blocking the activity of…
Prescription Sedative-Hypnotics Are Associated With a 5-fold Suicide Risk
A recent 2026 study examined the pattern of sedative-hypnotic prescriptions associated with the risk of suicidal behavior among older adults with and without insomnia. The study included 8319 suicide cases…
Sleep and Cognitive Performance
A recent study assessed the relationship between sleep and cognitive performance in over 20,000 middle and older-age adults in China and the United Kingdom who were tracked for 20 years…
Is Amitriptyline (Elavil) Effective for Insomnia?
Low-dose amitriptyline (AM) is an off-label treatment in patients with insomnia. A recent randomized controlled trial demonstrated that AM is non-inferior to CBT-I in improving insomnia after 12 weeks. However, more…
Deep Sleep and Dream Sleep Decrease in Older Adults
A recent study examined age-related EEG sleep stage alterations in normal subjects whose sleep had been recorded for the first time 40 years ago. For their recent follow-up EEG sleep…
BZDs (benzodiazepines) and BZRAs (benzodiazepine receptor agonists) Disrupt EEG Sleep Quality
Insomnia in older adults is associated with widespread benzodiazepine (BZD) and benzodiazepine receptor agonist use (BZRA) such as Ambien despite evidence that chronic use of these sleep medications disrupts sleep…
No Association Between Sleep and Risk of Dementia
A new study examined the relationship between sleep and risk of dementia in 4700 participants with a mean age of 74 years who were followed for 5-19 years for development…