September 17, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Does sleep affect risk of illness?
Dear Doctors: My husband thinks that sleeping for more than five hours a night is a waste of time. But I just read that not getting enough sleep can predispose to illness. Is this correct? I would love to be able to persuade him that sleep is actually good for you. Getting enough hours of […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, sleep health, sleep insufficiency
August 9, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Is it safe to use an allergy drug as a sleep aid?
Dear Doctor: I’m leery of sleep drugs, so I’ve been taking the allergy drug diphenhydramine HCL to help me sleep. Now I read that it should be taken only for a limited time. What’s the story on this drug? Diphenhydramine HCL is a sedating antihistamine. The medication has been used since 1946 for allergies, but […]
Tags: allergies, antihistamine, Ask the Doctors, diphenhydramine HCL, insomnia, research, sleep aid
July 23, 2018
Ask the Doctors – A thank you to readers, plus a tip to combat sleep apnea
Dear Readers: When we first began writing this column, we wondered how we would know if it was reaching anyone. The answer came almost immediately, via your letters, all of which are read. It has been heartwarming to learn that we have helped many of you, delightful to discover how studious and curious you are […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, sleep apnea, sleep apnea tip
July 19, 2018
Ask the Doctors – How can I feel more energetic as I age?
Dear Doctors: I’m about to turn 60 and when I spend the afternoon playing with my 7- and 9-year-old grandsons, I’m wiped out. Is there anything that I can do to feel and be more energetic? I want to be an active grandmother and not just sit on the sidelines. We’d like to begin by […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, eating healthy, fatigue, healthy aging, sleep
June 25, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Is my newborn sleeping too much?
Dear Doctors: We brought our first baby home from the hospital and it seems as though all he does is sleep. Is this normal? How much sleep should a newborn be getting? First, let us reassure you – as long as your son is feeding regularly, urinating and eliminating regularly (about eight diapers per day) […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, newborns, REM sleep, sleep
May 28, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Does light from smartphones interfere with sleep?
Dear Doctors: I recently sent my mom an email at midnight, and ever since she’s been after me to stop using my smartphone after bedtime. She insists that the light from the screen interferes with sleep patterns. Is that really true? We’re pretty sure this isn’t the answer you’re looking for, but your mother is […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, blue light, body clock, circadian rhythms, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, sleep, smartphones, tips for a good night's sleep
March 10, 2018
Ask the Doctors – My wife’s uncle seems to sleep all day. Is this normal?
Dear Doctor: My wife’s uncle, who lives with us, is 76 and obese. I have noticed he sleeps an awful lot — to me, anyway. He sleeps approximately five or six hours a night and then later while sitting on the couch. He frequently takes afternoon naps or will fall asleep while reading and will […]
Tags: abnormal heart rhythms, afternoon naps, breathing sounds, continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP, deep sleep, diet, Dr. Robert Ashley, geriatrics, heart, heart attacks, male
March 7, 2018
Teens need sleep for healthy mind and body
By uclahealth 
Sleep experts say that about one-third of our day should be spent sleeping so the remaining hours can be as productive as possible. And according to Iqbal Rashid, MD, a UCLA pediatric sleep medicine specialist, adequate sleep is especially critical for adolescents. “What I want people to understand is that sleep is a necessity, not […]
Tags: bedtime, brain development, Dr. Iqbal Rashid, hyperactivity, internal clocks, mood problems, oversleep, pediatric sleep medicine, sleep debt, sleeping, UCLA Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine
January 26, 2018
Feeling overwhelmed by barrage of distressing news? Try doing good as an antidote
By Leigh Hopper 
“Ballistic Missile Threat Inbound To Hawaii. Seek Immediate Shelter. This Is Not A Drill,” the emergency alert read. Although it was a false alarm sent out by mistake in mid-January, the missile warning seemed plausible in today’s anything-can-happen, extreme news environment. “The sheer volume of stressful events occurring on a near-daily basis can make people […]
Tags: managing stress, mental health, self-care for U, trauma, vicarious trauma
November 17, 2017
Considering an all-nighter? Pity your poor brain cells and skip it.
People get too little sleep for lots of reasons. But whether you’re binge-watching Game of Thrones or nursing a colicky baby, the results are the same: you’re really tired the next day. Now a new UCLA study shows that your brain cells get sleepy, too. And that can lead to some serious spacing out… with […]
Tags: brain cells, memory, neuronal firing, sleep, sleep deprivation, visual perception
