YORK, Pa. —
Study shows people can get longer REM sleep during the winter
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is considered to be the time when vivid dreams occur during rest.
Researchers in Germany found winter weather and decreases in daylight can affect those who sleep in city settings specifically. The study participants got 30 minutes more of REM sleep in the winter compared to the summer season.
Results will need to be validated in a group without sleep difficulties. Seasonal changes may be even greater in a healthy population, the researchers said.
Researchers concluded society might benefit from schedule accommodations that would allow humans to respond to changing seasons. Going to sleep earlier in the winter could also help.
Study: One in five kids have disordered eating behaviors
A new study found that more than one in five children and adolescents show signs of disordered eating.
In fact, the study, published in Jama Pediatrics, analyzed studies from 16 countries and found that 22% of kids between the ages of 6 and 18 showed signs of it.
Signs can include distorted self image, strict dietary rules and scrutinizing how much one exercises in relation to eating. Over time, these behaviors can progress and lead to a person being diagnosed with an eating disorder.
The study says parents should look out for signs of disordered eating in their children and get professional help as soon as possible if they notice any of the behaviors.
Man in Germany has been cured of HIV
The 53-year-old man is now one of the very few people on Earth to be successfully treated for the virus.
HIV typically lasts a lifetime, but a new treatment may offer hope for a permanent cure.
The patient tested positive for the virus in 2008 and then developed leukemia three years later. He underwent a stem cell transplant in 2013 to treat the cancer and his donor ended up having a rare mutation that stopped the HIV virus from entering his cells.
The patient stopped taking antiretroviral medication in 2018 and today has no detectable traces of HIV. The United Nations program on HIV and AIDS estimates that over 38 million people worldwide are living with HIV.