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PubMed2026

Daridorexant in severe obstructive sleep apnea: effects on sleep-disordered breathing and sleep.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of daridorexant on nighttime respiratory function and sleep in adults with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) without insomnia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period, crossover trial was conducted at a single sleep center in 16 adults (≥18 years) with severe OSA without insomnia. In each period, daridorexant 50 mg or placebo was administered every evening for 5 days. Primary and secondary endpoints were the treatment differences (daridorexant-placebo) for apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) during total sleep time (TST), respectively, after last dosing. A mean increase in AHI ≥10 events/h and mean decrease in nocturnal SpO2 ≤-2% were the minimum changes considered to be clinically meaningful negative effects. Other endpoints included TST, latency to persistent sleep (LPS), and wake after sleep onset (WASO). RESULTS: Mean baseline AHI was 51.2 events/h (range 30.8, 82.2) and mean SpO2 during TST was 92.1% (range 88.5, 94.3). No clinically meaningful effect of daridorexant on AHI or SpO2 during TST was detected. Treatment differences were -3.7 events/h (one-sided 95% CI ≤ +4.2) and - 0.12 % (one-sided 95% CI ≥ -0.6), respectively. Compared with placebo, daridorexant increased TST by 32.5 min (90% CI: 6.9, 58.2), associated with shorter LPS (-10.3 min [90% CI: -20.6, -0.02]) and a trend towards reduced WASO (-15.2 min [-31.2, 0.9]). Four adverse events were reported (daridorexant n = 3; placebo n = 1), all of mild intensity and none related to respiratory function. CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with daridorexant does not impair sleep-disordered breathing and may improve sleep in patients with severe OSA. CLINICAL TRIAL: ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05458193, NCT05458193. Statement of Significance Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent and associated, in 30%-50% of cases, with insomnia-related symptoms, yet the safety of insomnia medications in OSA remains unclear. Daridorexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist for the treatment of adults with insomnia disorder, previously showed no negative effect on sleep-disordered breathing in participants with mild/moderate OSA. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial evaluates daridorexant 50 mg (maximum therapeutic dose) in participants with severe OSA without insomnia. Repeated dosing (5 nights) did not impair nighttime respiratory function, as assessed by apnea/hypopnea index and nocturnal oxygen saturation. Moreover, improvements in sleep characteristics were observed with daridorexant, extending evidence that daridorexant 50 mg is safe and well-tolerated and may improve sleep in adults with severe OSA.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Wearable Sleep Monitoring in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Associations With Subjective Sleep Ratings and Neurocognitive Functioning.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are associated with increased fatigue, reduced quality of life, and neurocognitive dysfunction and have emerged as a common complication among pediatric cancer survivors. Sleep disturbances are particularly concerning given their potential to exacerbate existing neurocognitive impacts of cancer treatments. This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a home-wearable EEG-based sleep device (Sleep ProfilerTM) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors as well as associations between specific sleep parameters and neurocognitive functioning. PROCEDURE: Children (ages 8-12; M = 10 years, SD = 1.6; N = 23) >6 months post-treatment for ALL were enrolled at clinical visits and wore the Sleep ProfilerTM for two consecutive nights at home, followed by neurocognitive testing of attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and processing speed. Parents completed subjective measures of child sleep, anxiety, depression, and acceptability. Feasibility reflected the percentage of children wearing the device at least one night and the percentage of nights with good EEG quality data. RESULTS: All participants wore the device both nights, with 84% meeting the threshold for good quality measurement. Few children met recommended quantity and quality sleep thresholds based on objective measurement, including 5 patients with elevated snoring levels; 43.5% of subjective ratings fell above the threshold for sleep disturbance. Greater sleep latency was associated with worse inhibitory control (r = -0.42, p = 0.046), and total sleep time was positively associated with inhibitory control and attention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings confirm the feasibility and acceptability of home EEG sleep monitoring in school-age survivors, and associations of sleep latency and snoring with reduced neurocognitive functioning may offer modifiable risk factors for aspects of neuropsychological dysfunction common in pediatric survivorship. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: At the time this study was conducted, we were not required to register the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. It was a single-institution feasibility study without intervention, which was not considered a clinical trial.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effects of a programmed reflexology therapy on sleep quality, insomnia, and fatigue among individuals with poor sleep quality: evidence for autonomic nervous system modulation.

Poor sleep quality is closely associated with autonomic dysregulation and increased risks of cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental disorders. Foot reflexology is a widely used complementary therapy; however, its physiological mechanisms and comparative efficacy remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to compare the effects of manual reflexology treatment (MRT) and foot massage equipment (FEM) on autonomic nervous system function, sleep quality, insomnia severity, and fatigue in adults with poor sleep quality. Using a randomized crossover design, 32 participants with poor sleep quality received MRT and FEM interventions for 6 weeks each (once weekly, 30-40 min/session). Heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and heart rate variability (HRV; time- and frequency-domain indices) were assessed at weeks 1 and 6 before and after each intervention. Subjective outcomes included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS). Following MRT, participants demonstrated significantly greater reductions in global PSQI scores and all PSQI components compared with FEM. MRT also resulted in larger improvements in insomnia severity and both mental and physical fatigue. In contrast, FEM primarily improved physical fatigue. Physiologically, MRT induced an immediate decrease in HR and significant increases in HRV time-domain indices (SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50), which were sustained after 6 weeks. Frequency-domain analysis further revealed reduced LF, increased HF, and a lower LF/HF ratio, indicating enhanced parasympathetic activity and cumulative autonomic modulation. In conclusion, programmed manual reflexology, delivered according to the TIDieR framework, is more effective than mechanical foot massage in improving autonomic balance, sleep quality, insomnia severity, and fatigue in individuals with poor sleep quality. These findings support MRT as a feasible and evidence-based non-pharmacological complementary intervention for sleep health promotion. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov; NCT Number: NCT07402460; Registered 3 February 2026.

Adult↗

PubMed2026

USleep: efficacy of app-based audio interventions to improve sleep disturbance in working adults, a multi-arm randomized controlled trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of three categories of standalone, audio-based sleep interventions (Bedtime Stories, Sleep Sounds, Sleep Skills) delivered via mental health application (MHapp) in improving sleep among working adults with sleep disturbance. METHODS: A multi-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted. Adults with self-reported sleep disturbances were recruited online and randomly allocated to Bedtime Stories, Sleep Sounds, Sleep Skills, or digital control. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on sleep disturbance and other related outcomes at baseline (t0) and after the 4-week intervention (t1). The primary analysis followed an intention-to-treat approach using mixed-effects models. RESULTS: A total of 495 working adults (mean age = 32.7 years; 55.8% female) were randomized. For sleep disturbance (primary outcome), the between-group Hedges' g effect sizes were very small and not statistically significant (Bedtimes stories vs. control: g = 0.12, 95% CI -0.13 to 0.37, Sleep Sounds vs. control: g = 0.14, 95% CI -0.11 to 0.39, Sleep Skills 0.07, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.29), with slightly greater reductions in sleep disturbance for the intervention groups than control. The same pattern was observed for sleep-related impairment, mental health, well-being, and pre-sleep arousal. CONCLUSION: Audio-based sleep interventions delivered via a MHapp did not demonstrate superior efficacy over a digital control condition in reducing self-reported sleep disturbance among working adults. Although safe and well-tolerated, their use as standalone treatments for sleep disturbance is not supported by these findings. Future research should explore effectiveness in real-world settings, including user content choice across categories, and use objective sleep measures. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at https://www.isrctn.com/ under "Evaluating the efficacy of audio-based digital tools to improve sleep on the Unmind workplace well-being platform"; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13426045; registration number: 13426045.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Sleep disturbances in children and adolescents with iron deficiency: Questionnaire-based and actigraphic findings.

OBJECTIVE: Iron deficiency (ID), without or with anemia (IDA), has been linked to restless sleep and sleep-related movement disorders in childhood, but objective correlates are incompletely defined. We aimed to describe caregiver-reported sleep disturbances, restless legs syndrome (RLS) - related symptoms, and actigraphic sleep patterns in children and adolescents with ID/IDA, and to compare these findings with available sleep-asymptomatic control datasets. We finally explored short-term changes after iron supplementation. METHODS: In this single-center pilot observational study, 31 children with ID/IDA underwent baseline clinical/laboratory assessment and caregiver-reported sleep evaluation with the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) plus RLS-oriented items. Sixteen also completed home actigraphy, and 8 had follow-up after iron treatment prescribed in routine care. Baseline findings were compared with historical healthy control datasets without reported sleep disturbances; iron-status data were not available for the questionnaire control group; within-subject changes were explored in the follow-up subgroup. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, the ID/IDA cohort had higher SDSC total scores (43.97 ± 9.63 vs 34.61 ± 7.50; p < 0.001), with significant differences in the subscales difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), sleep-wake transition disorders (SWTD), and sleep hyperhidrosis (SHY). Ten of 31 screened children (32.25%) had clinically plausible RLS-related symptoms and higher SWTD scores. Actigraphy showed shorter sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, longer wake after sleep onset, and greater fragmentation. After iron treatment, parent reported restlessness improved, whereas actigraphic parameters showed only partial normalization. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric ID/IDA was associated with caregiver-reported and actigraphic sleep disruption, characterized by restless and fragmented sleep. These findings support systematic sleep assessment in children with low iron stores and consideration of iron status in the work-up of restless or nonrestorative sleep.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

The impact of acute sleep fragmentation on muscle blood flow responses to handgrip exercise.

Sleep fragmentation is reported to impair resting vascular function. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that acute sleep fragmentation would impair muscle blood flow during exercise. Twenty adults (10 females and 10 males) participated in a randomized crossover study that included one night of habitual sleep and one night of fragmented sleep. Sleep was assessed at home using wrist actigraphy. Arousals from sleep were increased by an audio alarm sounding every 30 min. The morning following each sleep condition, participants performed single handgrip contractions and rhythmic handgrip exercise at 15%, 30%, and 45% MVC. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured using Doppler ultrasound. Nightly awakenings and wake after sleep onset significantly increased by 18% and 43%, respectively, after fragmented sleep, leading to lower sleep duration (P < 0.001). Peak FBF and total hyperemic responses following single contractions were similar between sleep conditions (all P > 0.05). During rhythmic handgrip exercise, brachial artery dilation was reduced after fragmented sleep (main effect: 5.5 ± 4.8 vs. 3.3 ± 3.7%; P = 0.01), leading to a lower FBF response to rhythmic exercise (main effect: 122 ± 58 vs. 110 ± 56 mL/min; P = 0.04). Endothelial sensitivity to shear rate was similar between sleep conditions (habitual vs. fragmented: 0.039 ± 0.024 vs. 0.042 ± 0.031%/s-1; P = 0.77). In summary, acute sleep fragmentation decreases skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise. This finding suggests that blunted oxygen delivery may be a contributing factor for exercise performance deficits after disturbed sleep.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate that one night of fragmented sleep decreases steady-state blood flow and vascular conductance during low- to moderate-intensity handgrip exercise. This impairment was not due to an impaired rapid vasodilation to single contractions nor altered endothelial sensitivity to shear rate as these variables were unchanged after acute sleep fragmentation. These results reveal a negative impact of disrupted sleep on the steady-state muscle vasodilatory response to rhythmic contractions.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Exploring the perceptions, experiences, and behaviours that nurses and midwives face in relation to sleep: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.

BACKGROUND: The importance of sleep for nurses and midwives is increasingly being recognised. Poor sleep is known to have negative impacts on physical health, mental wellbeing, and work performance. This has prompted efforts to promote and support staff sleep. However, further efforts are needed to understand how nurses and midwives consider and manage sleep to ensure that meaningful and effective interventions are adopted and sustained. AIMS: This review of qualitative evidence aims to examine nurses' and midwives' perceptions, experiences, and behaviours around sleep. METHODS: This review followed JBI's systematic meta-aggregative approach including development of an a priori protocol. A systematic search of six electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus) was undertaken to identify qualitative studies that examine nurses' and midwives' perceptions, experiences, and behaviours related to sleep. The search was conducted on the 10th of October 2024. Study selection, quality appraisal, data extraction, and synthesis followed JBI approaches and the ConQual approach was used to report assessment of synthesised findings. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies were included for review, and 245 findings were aggregated into 24 categories and nine synthesised findings related to the perceptions, behaviours, and experiences. While sleep was perceived as important, poor sleep was often understood as an expected and inevitable part of the job and that there was a need to always be awake to provide continual care. Experiences influencing sleep related to personal circumstances and work-related factors, as well as professional training and institutional practices. A range of behaviours, including planning time to sleep, using sleep aids, modifying the sleep environment, and altering daytime behaviours were also described. CONCLUSION: This review identified a range of perceptions, behaviours, and experiences that may influence the sleep of nurses and midwives which are vital to supporting individual and workforce wellbeing and safe, effective clinical practice. Insights from this review can be used to better understand nurses' and midwives' relationship with sleep and to develop and enhance targeted sleep interventions and programs that aim to promote and support healthy sleep among nurses and midwives. Open Science Framework Registration: 10.17605/OSF.IO/F32UM.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Improving Sleep and PTSD Outcomes in Service Members: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Long-Term Effects of an Integrated Treatment.

Trauma-induced sleep disturbances often persist after successful posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. While integrated protocols combining sleep and exposure-based treatments may maximize outcomes, prior studies are limited and have largely relied on subjective sleep measures or failed to include long-term follow up assessments. Active-duty service members with PTSD (n = 82) were randomly assigned to Compressed Prolonged Exposure (CPE) treatment or Trauma Management Therapy (TMT), which integrates exposure therapy with sleep hygiene training and other skills-based interventions. PTSD symptoms and actigraphy-based sleep were measured at baseline, posttreatment, 3- and 6-month follow-up and data were compared between groups and across time. Posttreatment, both groups showed negligible to small changes in sleep compared to baseline. However, the TMT group evidenced improvements in most sleep parameters by the 3- and 6-month follow-ups, while sleep health generally worsened in the CPE group over time. Between groups, those randomized to TMT exhibited better sleep efficiency (g = 0.24) and onset latency (g = -0.34) at 3-month follow-up, and better sleep quality (g = 0.70), efficiency (g = 0.51), and wake after sleep onset (g = -0.52) at 6-month follow-up. Within both treatment groups, poorer sleep at the 6-month follow-up was correlated with greater PTSD symptom severity measured at the same time point. Integrated treatment for sleep and PTSD produced superior objective sleep outcomes compared to exposure alone, with the most meaningful improvements in sleep observed 6 months after treatment completion. Several critical directions for future studies are discussed.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Written vs. verbal sleep hygiene strategies administration in track and field athletes: a randomized controlled trial study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep hygiene strategies (SHS) are practical, evidence-informed recommendations to enhance both the quantity and quality of sleep in athletes. However, little is known about how these strategies could be communicated and implemented in practice. The primary objective of this study is to investigate how different methods of delivering SHS (written vs. verbal) affect sleep hygiene and sleep parameters in athletes. METHODS: The study was a three-arms randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07083544) involving track and field athletes competing at the regional or national level (N.=66). Athletes were randomized to either a control group (CON=22), a written SHS group (W-SHS=22), or a verbal SHS group (V-SHS=22). Sleep characteristics were assessed by actigraphy and sleep diary during a ten-day baseline period (T0) and a ten-day intervention period (T1). Six objective sleep parameters and the Sleep Regularity Index were assessed. Participants also completed a training diary and the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI). RESULTS: No statistical differences were found between and within groups in training and sleep parameters, but SHI scores improved significantly in the intervention groups between T0 and T1, with differences compared to the control group. A non-significant improvement in total sleep time was observed in the intervention groups, primarily due to earlier bedtimes. CONCLUSIONS: While significant differences in objective sleep measures were not observed, the trends suggest that both written and verbal SHS interventions can modestly improve sleep-related behaviors, particularly by encouraging earlier bedtimes and slightly extending total sleep duration.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Cross-Kingdom Genomic Conservation of Putative Human Sleep-Related Genes: Phylogenomic Evidence From Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Sleep is a widespread and evolutionarily conserved process observed in diverse organisms, from jellyfish to mammals, hinting at its origin as a life-supporting mechanism over 500 million years ago. Although its fundamental purpose and mechanisms remain unclear, sleep's evolution and adaptive significance continue to be debated. This study explores the evolutionary origins of sleep using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model organism, identifying 112 putative sleep-related genes across species and highlighting the evolutionary conservation of sleep-regulatory pathways. Additionally, discovering uncharacterized proteins with high sequence similarity and significant e-values suggests unexplored roles in sleep regulation, underscoring the potential of C. reinhardtii to reveal new insights into the molecular basis of sleep. This study provides a foundation for identifying previously unknown sleep-associated proteins, particularly within single-celled organisms, which may offer novel perspectives on the biological role of sleep. The study demonstrates that phylogenomic analysis of diverse model organisms can expand our understanding of the evolutionary trajectory of sleep and its fundamental function, paving the way for further research in sleep biology and its health implications. Overall, the fundamental functions of sleep observed in higher animal phyla originated from its primordial activities, demonstrating an evolutionary continuum wherein more specialized tasks were integrated with sleep's essential restorative properties.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii↗

PubMed2026

Efficacy of Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy for Nocturnal GERD Symptoms and Associated Sleep Disturbances: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

GOALS: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy in relieving nocturnal reflux symptoms and sleep disturbances. BACKGROUND: Nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is commonly associated with sleep disturbances. The benefits of PPI therapy for GERD-related nocturnal reflux and sleep disturbance remain unclear. STUDY: We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases from inception to March 1, 2026, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with GERD and sleep disturbances that compared any PPI to placebo or an alternative therapy. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients experiencing relief from nighttime heartburn. Secondary outcomes included relief from GERD-related sleep disturbances, changes in subjective sleep quality, work productivity, and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). RESULTS: Five RCTs involving 1495 patients met the inclusion criteria. Three placebo-controlled trials consistently showed that PPI therapy improved nighttime heartburn relief and GERD-related sleep disturbances compared with placebo. Subjective sleep quality and sleep-related daytime functioning also generally improved with PPI therapy. However, the findings were more heterogeneous across trials because of differences in study populations, comparators, and outcome measures. Across the placebo-controlled studies, TEAEs were generally similar between the PPI and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: PPI therapy was associated with improvement in nighttime heartburn and reflux-related sleep disturbances, especially in patients with reflux-driven nocturnal symptoms. The available evidence also suggests potential improvement in subjective sleep quality and sleep-related daytime functioning.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Genetic risk scores, perceived neighborhood disorder, and sleep duration.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Most studies of neighborhood context and sleep health emphasize direct effects and fail to account for the role of genetics. In this paper, we draw on the socioecological model to examine the interplay of genetics, neighborhood context, and sleep health. We specifically examine the independent and joint effects of genetic risk scores (GRS) and perceived neighborhood disorder on sleep duration. METHODS: We combine genomic and cross-sectional survey data from the All of Us Research Program, a non-probability sample of 22 575 adults of European ancestry living in the United States. We use the sleep duration-increasing risk allele count for 78 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to construct weighted genetic risk scores. Our analyses include an index of perceived neighborhood disorder and an objective measure of sleep duration based on wrist actigraphy. RESULTS: Genetic risk scores are inversely associated with neighborhood disorder, positively associated with continuous sleep duration, and inversely associated with the odds of short sleep. Neighborhood disorder is inversely associated with continuous sleep duration and positively associated with the odds of short and long sleep. The association between genetic risk scores and sleep duration (continuous and categorical) is invariant across levels of neighborhood disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses confirm the independent direct effects of genetic risk scores and neighborhood disorder on sleep duration. Our findings extend the socioecological model by assessing the role of genetics in the study of neighborhood context and sleep health. Although we observed a gene-environment correlation between genetic risk scores and perceived neighborhood disorder, there was little indication of genetic confounding and no evidence of gene-environment interaction.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Sleep stage-dependent distribution of interictal epileptiform discharges in epilepsy: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Sleep and epilepsy interact through complex bidirectional mechanisms. Although NREM sleep facilitates interictal epileptiform discharges (IED), the diagnostic contribution of individual sleep stages remains uncertain. In particular, it is unclear whether deeper sleep stages such as N3 provide an advantage over N2 for spike detection or localization in clinical (electroencephalography) EEG practice. METHODS: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for studies reporting quantitative IED measures across sleep stages in patients with epilepsy. Eligible studies included scalp EEG, video-EEG, polysomnography, or intracranial recordings. Mean IED rates per minute were derived when possible. Comparisons between NREM and REM sleep and between N2 and N3 stages were performed using study level non-parametric tests. Risk of bias was assessed with the ROBINS-I tool. RESULTS: Ten observational studies including 266 patients (mean age 30.1 years) were analyzed. IED rates were significantly higher during NREM than REM sleep (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, W = 0, p = 0.0019, r = 0.87). No significant difference was observed between N2 and N3 sleep, although median spike rates were slightly higher during N3 than N2 (0.99 vs 0.86 IED/min). REM showed the lowest activity. CONCLUSIONS: NREM sleep consistently exhibited higher IED rates than REM sleep, reinforcing the neurophysiological association between sleep stage and epileptiform activity without establishing diagnostic superiority.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Causal Effects of Gut Microbiota on Morning Chronotype, Insomnia and Sleep Duration: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota has been shown to be closely associated with brain function; however, whether it exerts a causal influence on sleep traits remains to be further explored. Mendelian randomization (MR) is an emerging epidemiological approach that uses whole-genome sequencing data to infer causal relationships. In this study, we conducted a two-sample MR analysis to investigate the causal effects of gut microbiota on three domains of sleep traits: morning chronotype, insomnia, and sleep duration. METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms strongly associated with 196 gut microbiota taxa were selected as instrumental variables. Morning chronotype, insomnia, and sleep duration were used as outcomes. MR and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the causal relationships between gut microbiota and sleep traits. RESULTS: Three taxa (Bifidobacteriales, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Bifidobacterium) were negatively associated with morning chronotype, while Tyzzerella 3 showed a positive causal effect on morning chronotype. Oscillibacter was negatively associated with insomnia, whereas four taxa (Negativicutes, Selenomonadales, the Clostridium innocuum group, and Lachnoclostridium) were identified as risk-increasing factors for insomnia. Lentisphaerae and Victivallaceae were positively associated with sleep duration. Actinobacteria and Alistipes had negative effects on long sleep duration, whereas Ruminiclostridium 6 was positively associated with long sleep duration. Four taxa (Victivallales, Anaerofilum, Lentisphaerae, and Lentisphaeria) were negatively associated with short sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that specific gut microbiota taxa may be positively or negatively associated with sleep traits. These results offer new insights into the potential role of gut microbiota in sleep regulation and provide a basis for future studies aimed at understanding whether modulating microbial composition could influence sleep health.

Mendelian randomization↗

PubMed2026

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation influences sleep quality and insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Impairments in sleep quality, timing, or duration disrupt normal sleep patterns. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) protocols on sleep outcomes. Thirteen randomized controlled trials with parallel or crossover designs that applied tVNS intervention and assessed sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and insomnia severity (Athens Insomnia Scale and Insomnia Severity Index) were included. Effect sizes were calculated by comparing changes between the active tVNS and control groups. Moderator analyses examined whether stimulation of different targeted regions influences sleep outcomes. Meta-regression analyses examined potential relationships between the effects of tVNS protocols on sleep quality and demographic characteristics and multiple tVNS parameters, respectively. The random-effects meta-analysis indicated that tVNS protocols influenced better sleep quality and lower insomnia severity. Moderator variable analysis revealed that tVNS targeting the concha region induced better sleep quality. Meta-regression analysis revealed that better sleep quality was associated with lower ages of participants. These findings suggest that tVNS protocols, particularly those targeting the concha, were associated with favorable changes in sleep quality and insomnia severity, with age potentially moderating the treatment response.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Genome-wide identification and functional validation of the WW domain containing oxidoreductase gene associated with sleep duration.

Individual differences in sleep duration have been reported, and genetic components of sleep duration have been identified showing various heritability. To identify genetic variants that contribute to sleep duration, we conducted a human genome-wide identification on sleep duration and performed confirmatory experiments using a Drosophila model. Genome-wide association study in human was analyzed to determine the association of the genetic variants with self-aware sleep duration from two community-based cohort, Ansan (cohort 1, n = 4635) and Ansung (cohort 2, n = 4205), recruited from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Individual single nucleotide variants (rs16948804 and rs4887991) in the WW domain containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene were associated with self-aware sleep duration in human (p-values, 1.11 × 10- 7 and 2.05 × 10- 7, retrospectively). To examine the functional relevance of the WWOX gene identified in the genome-wide association study, we analyzed the sleep duration of Drosophila loss-of-function mutants. The deletion of Wwox in flies reduced sleep duration and quality with average bout length during daytime and increased night-time sleep duration (all of p-values < 0.01). Our findings suggested that WWOX expression is associated with sleep duration in both humans and Drosophila and genetic factors play a role in inter-individual variability in sleep characteristics.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A systematic review of sleep hygiene interventions in physically and operationally demanding occupations.

Workers in physically and operationally demanding (POD) occupations (e.g. military personnel, emergency responders, law enforcement) experience disrupted sleep due to irregular schedules and high-stress work environments. Given the importance of sleep for physical and cognitive performance, interventions to improve sleep in POD occupations are crucial yet remain under-researched. To investigate the effectiveness of sleep hygiene interventions in improving sleep quality and quantity outcomes for POD occupations, a systematic review was conducted across five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, Web of Science) in September 2024. Eligible studies involved workers in POD occupations where a sleep hygiene intervention was compared against a waitlist or passive control. Ten studies were included, eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and two non-randomised controlled trials (NRCTs). Narrative synthesis identified Structured Training Programs (n = 7), Phone Assistance Programs (n = 2), and Single Lecture Interventions (n = 1). Evidence certainty ranged from Very Low to Moderate, converging towards Low quality due to imprecision, risk of bias, and indirectness. Structured Training Programs showed moderate improvements in sleep quality and small-to-moderate effects on sleep duration. Phone Assistance Programs had minimal effects, and Single Lecture Interventions had negligible impact. Higher-quality research is urgently needed to assess sleep hygiene interventions in POD occupations.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

The feasibility and efficacy of weighted blankets as a sleep intervention for people with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: a pilot randomised crossover trial.

Sleep disturbances contribute to disease progression in dementia and result in reduced quality of life. Non-pharmacological interventions are recommended for the management of sleep and other behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), although these interventions can be challenging to implement. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of weighted blankets as a sleep intervention for people with BPSD in a neurobehavioural unit. Fourteen residents, serving as their own control, slept two weeks with a weighted blanket and two weeks with usual bedding in a crossover trial. The primary outcomes were sleep duration and efficiency, measured via a Withing's sleep analyser and sleep disordered behaviours, measured by the sleep disorder inventory (SDI). Secondary outcomes included responsive behaviours, measured by the Neuropsychiatric index (NPI), falls incidents, restrictive practice incidents and use of pro re nata psychotropic medications. Generalised Estimation Equation (GEE) method was used for analysis. There was no statistical evidence that weighted blankets improved sleep or behavioural outcomes for people with BPSD, however fewer fall incidents, wakings and restrictive practices were reported during weighted blanket use. Weighted blankets were considered feasible and acceptable with high recruitment rates, nil participant withdrawals and no adverse outcomes, however there was variable compliance to the intervention protocol and the Withings did not adequately measure sleep. Whilst there is insufficient effectiveness evidence for further trials, weighted blankets can be offered to people living with dementia as a low risk sleep intervention option, with the caveat that there is currently no effectiveness evidence.

Behavioural Symptoms↗