Dr. Lara Hardman, MD

SUNDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep apnea, the condition that robs sufferers of deep sleep by endlessly and subconsciously waking them up, becomes more common as people age. Now, a small new study raises the possibility that it may somehow cause -- or be caused by -- Alzheimer's disease. Full Article

WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved new, lower-dose labeling for the popular sleep drug Ambien (zolpidem) in an effort to cut down on daytime drowsiness that could be a hazard while performing certain tasks such as driving.

The move fo...Full Article

FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- If you have trouble sleeping at night, you may be headed for more than just frustration and fatigue: Middle-aged and older adults with insomnia are more likely to be hospitalized and use home health care services, a new study suggests.

Preventing insomni...Full Article

FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- The widening American waistline may be feeding an epidemic of sleep apnea, potentially robbing millions of people of a good night's rest, a new study suggests.

The research didn't definitively link the rise in obesity to slee...Full Article

TUESDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep problems may increase men's risk for prostate cancer, a new study suggests.

"Prostate cancer is one of the leading public health concerns for men, and sleep problems are quite common," said study author Dr. Lara Sigurdardottir, of the University of...Full Article

WEDNESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- There has been a dramatic increase in the number of emergency-room visits related to sleep medications such as Ambien, according to a new U.S. study.

Adverse reactions to zolpidem -- the active ingredient in the sleep aids Am...Full Article

FRIDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- Drivers with the sleep disorder sleep apnea are more likely to nod off at the wheel and fail simulated driving tests than motorists without the condition, new research finds.

Scientists from the University Hospital in Leeds, ...Full Article

THURSDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Playing a certain type of sound stimulation during sleep might help improve your memory, a small new study suggests.

Slow oscillations in brain activity occur during slow-wave sleep and are critical for retaining memories. ...Full Article

FRIDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- The loss of an hour of sleep that comes with the switch to daylight saving time overnight Saturday can be uncomfortable if you don't take some simple steps to prepare, experts say.

To help you adapt, Dr. Praveen Rudraraju, dir...Full Article

TUESDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- About 30 percent of children have a sleep disorder, but the rate is even higher in children with special needs, an expert says.

This increased risk in children with special needs is likely related to physical and behavioral d...Full Article

SUNDAY, Jan. 27 (HealthDay News) -- It's no secret that your memory skills decline as you get older, making it harder for you to pick up new tasks or remember where you put your keys.

Now, a new study suggests that the culprit lurks in the lighter sleep that acc...Full Article

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Alcohol may help you get to sleep faster and sleep better at first, but it disrupts your sleep later in the night, according to British researchers who reviewed all known scientific studies on alcohol's impact on sleep.

The authors said they hope the...Full Article

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- If you feel underappreciated by your spouse, it may be because he or she isn't getting enough sleep, a new study suggests.

Sleep deprivation can leave couples "too tired to say thanks" and may leave a partner feeling as if the...Full Article

FRIDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Dogs have been known to assist their human companions in surprising ways, and now a new case study suggests they can even help patients with severe sleep problems stay awake during the day.

The report, published online Dec. 13 in the BMJ, describ...Full Article