
Sleeprate Blog
A Nation Tired & Overdosed: The Cycle of Insomnia, Drug Abuse, and the Digital Cognitive-Behavioral Solution
The problem: diagnosing insomnia in primary care Insomnia is defined as a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping (read more about Insomnia on our dedicated blog post). Common causes of insomnia include stress, an irregular sleep schedule, poor sleeping habits, mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, physical illnesses and pain, medications, neurological…
READ MOREHow to Improve Sleep? (Fall Asleep Faster With These 18 Tips)
How can you improve your sleep? Are you suffering from a lack of sleep? Is it hard for you to fall asleep or are you waking up multiple times at night? Are you waking up feeling unrested and unrefreshed? There’s no one magic answer to the question “how to improve my sleep” but there is…
READ MORESleep and the Immune System
Our immune system and sleep The immune system has a bidirectional relationship with sleep. An immune response, like a viral infection, can adversely affect sleep. Sleep strengthens the immune system, allowing for our bodies’ balanced immunity. On the other hand, lack of sleep can throw off the immune system. Studies suggest that people who don’t…
READ MOREHow Sleep Affects Relationships?
Sleep is more important to our relationships than we think, as it affects our health, mood and emotions, performance, and cognitive abilities. Sleep deprivation makes us easily distracted, reckless, and less able to integrate information, not to mention potentially more willing to take dangerous risks. Not the ideal mindset for spending time with other people. …
READ MOREIs Tracking Your Sleep With Apple Watch Enough?
A popular question searched online is “Can you track your sleep on Apple Watch?” so first, the answer is yes, you can track your sleep on Apple Watch, but not in the way you might want to. As of the end of 2020, all new Apple Watches come with a built-in sleep tracking app, simply…
READ MOREWearables: How They Monitor Sleep, Benefits, Risks, and More
The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are all too real, putting both our mental capabilities and physical health at risk for various chronic diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and more. However, the rapid growth of wearables and their data-monitoring capabilities gives us hope regarding their ability to help us learn about our…
READ MOREThe Profitable Solution for Insurance Companies
What if insurers would drastically change their mentality from the typical crisis-solving mentality to prevention? What if they became partners in their customers’ efforts to live the longest, healthiest life possible? and what is the most profitable solution for insurance companies that benefits their finance, as well as their customers’ health? How to keep customers…
READ MORESleep Duration: How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?
We all hear how important it is to get a good night’s sleep. Your parents always reminded you of it when you were little and went to bed each night…you learned about it in Biology class…and you’ve read all the research and studies out there about the need for sleep, and what it means for…
READ MORETelemedicine and Telehealth: The Difference and Their Benefits
What is Telemedicine? Telemedicine is the use of technology in the practice of medicine to deliver care from a distance. A physician in one location uses a telecommunications infrastructure to deliver care to a patient that is at a distant site. What is Telehealth? Telehealth refers broadly to electronic and telecommunications technologies and services used…
READ MOREWhat Is Insomnia? All You Need to Know About Insomnia
What Is Insomnia? We are born with a preset functioning internal clock controlling our sleep and wakefulness cycles. The modern daily lifestyle disrupts this internal clock, thus leading to sleep deficiencies. Today, struggling with sleep is the new normal – over 50% of the global population suffers from sleep deprivation or poor sleep and In 2016,…
READ MOREWhat is CBT-I? (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia)?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, CBT for insomnia, guides patients through a series of changes in sleep-related behaviors. The goal is to align the three systems that control our ability to sleep: (1) Sleep Drive – How tired we are, which is related to the number of hours of being awake. (2) Circadian Clock – Tune our internal…
READ MOREHow to Regulate Sleep for Shift-Work
Our nonstop, 24-hour society requires that some people work during nonstandard times (in the evenings or during the night). Working in shifts can lead to issues with your circadian rhythm, lead to more sleep disturbances or sleepiness than day workers, and is connected to various health conditions, commonly insomnia and excessive sleepiness, and, not so…
READ MORE5 Tips to Promote Productivity and Work-Life Balance
Workplaces that support a healthy work-life balance schedule are usually profitable companies. Working in such an environment makes employees appreciate their workplace and, therefore, more motivated to bring up new ideas and take up tasks at the office. That separation time from the office and daily tasks supports the employees’ well-being and allows them time…
READ MOREJust Do It: Sleep Better and Boost Your Fitness and Workouts
More people than ever are aware of the necessity of exercise to get to peak physical health. However, only about 1 in 5 adults get the amount of exercise that is suggested by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Physically active people live longer and have lower risk for heart disease, stroke, Type 2…
READ MORENight Terrors, Sleep Talking, and Other Odd Nighttime Events
Unusual events occur sometimes at night. These events are intriguing, sometimes funny and other times scary. They are mostly harmless and weird phenomena that we understand only partially and study them, as they represent some kind of a naturally occurring experiment that can teach us a lot. Night terrors, Sleep talking and Sleep walking are…
READ MOREHow to Fall Asleep Faster? Sleeprate’s Secret Sauce
Not being able to fall asleep is a common problem in our society today. Even celebrities suffer from it – with George Clooney, Mariah Carey and others admitting to having trouble getting a good night’s sleep. In our previous posts, we’ve covered several ways you can sleep better – including avoiding caffeine at night, staying…
READ MOREHow a Good Night’s Sleep Will Help You Run Better
“I’m supposed to sleep eight hours at night so I can be well-rested for training during the day.” © Usain Bolt, 6-Time Olympic Champion Too often, runners will lose sleep to get to their training sessions early. What they don’t realize is that sleep can actually be their secret weapon, their “forgotten treasure.” Sleep is…
READ MOREHow sleep can boost your salary and performance
Looking to get that next promotion? Need a salary boost? Believe it or not − sleep can help you do this! A good night’s sleep can increase your productivity and help you earn more! Here’s why you should make sleep a top priority for your career: Sleep can increase your salary Research shows that…
READ MOREHow to Talk to your Doctor
What should I say to my doctor when I sleep poorly or can’t sleep at all? Many issues might be entailed, insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea, snoring, REM sleep disorders and more. In order for your physician to treat your condition or either direct you to further examination or sleep clinic do your best to be…
READ MOREStress and Sleep – Which Comes First?
Stress. Too much of it will affect your sleep. Sleep. Too little of it will affect your stress. In order for you to sleep better and be less stressed, you must treat both equally. Whether you’re constantly on the go, worried about work, or simply agitated by the news, chances are stress is a big…
READ MOREHow Does Sleep Help You Lose Weight?
The statistics are alarming: About 65% of Americans are now overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of obese adults jumped from 15% in 1980 to 27% in 1999. This trend doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon: the estimate is that 75% of the U.S. population will…
READ MORECan you really catch up on lost sleep?
A quite common answer of people when asked what they’ve got planned for the weekend is “Catching up on sleep.” But can you really make up for a sleep-deprived work week by sleeping in on weekends? The answer is yes. But also no. There is such a thing called sleep debt, which increases as you…
READ MORECampus Staff: 5 Important Tips to Help You Prepare for the Next Academic Year
There is a need for high-education institutions to prepare differently for the 2020-21 academic year. The ongoing COVID-19 challenge is unprecedented in general, especially regarding educational institutions, among them being universities and colleges. The scenario for universities and colleges has entirely changed in every aspect. Campuses that used to be bustling with students and professors are…
READ MOREWhat are the Fundamentals of Sleep?
Sleep is a very important part of our bodies health, fitness, and rejuvenation, and sleep deprivation can lead to many serious health problems. It is important to understand the fundamentals of sleep in order to change our behaviour for our health, seizing better days and feeling refreshed. What is sleep? Sleep is defined as a…
READ MORETelemedicine for Sleep: Decision Making in Diagnosis and Treatment of Behavioral Sleep Medicine
Today, people want a more personalized and convenient health care experience than ever before. New technologies like telehealth can also increase access to important data-based resources, improve patient-provider communication, and boost health outcomes, creating a more connected model of care (to find out more about the benefits of telehealth, read our blog post: telehealth and telemedicine…
READ MOREStudents and Sleep: Creating a Sleep-School Balance
When I was a freshman in college, my first test was an Anthropology exam – a seemingly straightforward exam that I had more than three weeks to prepare for. To me, it seemed like a piece of cake – and when it was two weeks and even one week away, I had the same feeling….
READ MOREBack to School… How Do You Get Kids Back to Sleep?
It happens every summer. Parents (at least all the ones I know) either treat their kids to later bedtime schedules or simply stop enforcing them. For many, it’s simply accepting reality. An 8:30 p.m. bedtime, which can be hard enough to stick to during the busy school year, is nearly impossible after a day full…
READ MOREUniversity of Iowa Case Study: Helping Students Improve Their Sleep
Get a Better Night’s Rest Sleep impacts academic performance and other areas of wellness. But despite sleep’s importance, it is not always the focus of the university’s wellness efforts. At the University of Iowa, we implement the Refresh Sleep Improvement Program, a sleep education program with an app and email versions. Program evaluation has shown…
READ MOREHow Sleep Affects Athletic Performance
Although the specific functions of sleep are not completely known, it is accepted that sleep is an active process that is as vital as food, water, and air. Sleep is crucial for good health in general, and for optimal physical and cognitive performance in particular. Sleep needs and quality are individual and may be altered…
READ MOREUniversities Facing Budget Cuts and the Strategic Benefits in Prioritizing Students’ Wellness
The COVID-19 pandemic has entirely changed the scenario for universities in every aspect. The campuses which used to be bustling with students and professors are now empty, as remote learning has taken over. This overnight change has left institutions with grave financial challenges. The financial situation of universities has deterred due to rising expenses and…
READ MORESleep Cycles – What Disrupts Your Sleep?
At one time or another, we’ve all experienced it. We fit in a reasonable amount of sleep and still wake up feeling unrefreshed and like we haven’t slept at all. So what’s going on? Well, simply put, you’re not getting enough sleep. And even when you think you’re sleeping, you might not be. Confused? Research…
READ MOREWhy Is Sleep-Life Balance Important?
Nowadays, people brag about how little sleep they get and how busy they are throughout the day. For example, Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, and Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin group, say they sleep only four to six hours a night; Indra Nooyi, who stepped down as CEO of PepsiCo in October, says…
READ MOREHow Sleep Lets You Outperform Your Competition (Fascinating Research)
Sleep is probably the easiest way to improve your performance. Behind the school desk, on the pitch, and basically in everything you do. Yes, sleep might be the secret sauce. And in this blog, I’ll prove it to you. You’ll learn that your brain gets cleaned when you sleep, why sleep is highly important for…
READ MORE6 Foods That Will Help You Sleep
Did you know there are certain foods that trigger a sleep-inducing hormonal response and work to calm the nervous system? For those who suffer from insomnia or sleep deprivation, knowing which foods can improve sleep is invaluable. So in order to avoid laying in bed waiting for some miracle to happen that will help you…
READ MOREThe Missing Link Between Sleep and Memory
It is quite common knowledge that sleep helps our memory. That is the reasoning everyone uses when they don’t want to spend the whole night studying/getting ready for an important day at work. But, it has not been made clear why exactly sleep is so helpful. A recent study that took place at the University…
READ MOREHow to Prevent Snoring
Classed as one of the most irritating bedroom habits, snoring affects as many as 30% of us with the chances increasing with age. Everything from your diet to allergies can affect your quality of sleep, but you may not have known that they have surprising effects on your snoring patterns. We share four changes that…
READ MOREStudent Wellness Matters: Innovative Student Wellness Strategy During Covid-19
The influence of the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting unprecedented financial pressure impact all aspects of activities and life on campus, from education to any additional services students should get while engaging in their studies. Life on campus – wellness centers under pressure The wellness centers on all universities and college campuses have a significant…
READ MOREUniversities’ Biggest Challenge: A Post COVID-19 Financial Crisis
We are experiencing the aftershocks of a global crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and only a few months after the COVID-19 outbreak, it seems like the world is taking back control. While humanity is preparing to continue the fight against the infectious agent by working on producing vaccines and efficient medications for the new…
READ MOREWorking Shifts? Read this Must-to-Know Sleep-Information
Sleep, for me, has been quite the learning process. Going to an academically rigorous high-school, I pulled plenty of all-nighters and generally got very little sleep. This increased my stress level, decreased my productivity, and made me gain weight. Following that, I spent two years working 24-hour shifts. This was even worse. It meant that…
READ MOREHaving Sleep Problems? Try Yoga!
Inhale, Exhale… Inhale, Exhale… Inhale, Exhale… Did you ever stop to think what yoga stands for? The word ‘YOGA’ comes from the word ‘yuj’, which means to join together or to harness. The intuitive thought is to join body and soul, but if you stop and think about it, can it mean something else? What are…
READ MORESummer Travel: Surviving Jet Lag
There are plenty of ways summer travel can cut into our much-needed sleep. Many of us miss the comfort of our own beds. Some of us are usually out late and up the very early in the morning to make the most of the travel experience. But the biggest and most dreaded factor that disrupts…
READ MOREWhat Causes Sleep Deprivation? Part 3
This is the third and last part in our series about causes for insomnia. In part 1 we highlighted the psychological factors that contribute to insomnia and in Part 2, the environmental factors that contribute to insomnia. In this post, we will focus on physiological contributors. Snoring may signal a temporary narrowing or blockage of…
READ MOREIs Insomnia Hurting Your Performance at Work?
Insomnia is a national epidemic. Depending on who you ask, as many as 40-70 million people in the US have insomnia or some other chronic sleep disorder. And it’s costing them more than a good night’s rest. Aside from such associated health woes as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and major heart related issues, recent research published…
READ MORESleep for Stress: 5 tips to manage stress and sleep better
Calm down, rest up. It’s a catch-22: when you’re stressed it’s difficult to get a good night’s sleep, but a good night’s sleep will help lower your stress levels. Stress is a very basic response that allows us to adapt, respond, and cope with environmental threats, social and economic demands, and changes. A certain amount…
READ MORESleep and Smoking: A Stimulant You Probably Don’t Want
“I make it a rule never to smoke while I’m sleeping”. This was a quote from the great Mark Twain, and it may never be truer than it is today. World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) happens on May 31, and it’s a yearly reminder to the tobacco epidemic and its impact on public health, particularly…
READ MOREWhat Are the Stages of Sleep? Your Secret Weapon for Better Sleep
We spend one-third of our life sleeping. Today, it is known that getting a good night’s sleep is as essential to our survival as food and water. But even though we know that we all need sleep, its biological purpose remains a mystery for most people. The curiosity surrounding the time from when we close our…
READ MORETop Signs You are Sleep Deprived
Are you sleep deprived? Even if you’ve been able to trick your body into not feeling tired, whether it’s through sugar or caffeine, your body may be trying to tell you in other ways: Has your sex drive gone down? Are you forgetful? Are you making what you consider stupid mistakes? Are you gaining weight?…
READ MOREHow Much Sleep do I Need?
There is no standard for the amount of sleep an individual requires. Each person is unique. In simple terms, you need enough sleep to avoid drowsiness and to perform at optimal efficiency during the day. That need changes with age, so what works best in one stage of your life may not be appropriate for…
READ MOREWhat Causes Sleep Deprivation? Part 2
In Part 1 of our blog series on Causes for Insomnia, we highlighted a few of the psychophysiological factors that cause poor sleep. In this second part we will describe a few environmental factors that can contribute to insomnia. For better or worse, kids can wreak havoc on parent’s sleep, many of whom slept fine…
READ MOREHow Does Stress Affect Sleep?
Sleep and stress are connected tightly. Epidemiological studies report a gradual decline in average sleep time in developed countries since the end of the 19th century. That drop has been even more pronounced in the last few decades. At the same time, these studies report a commensurate increase in anxiety. This makes perfect sense because sleep…
READ MORESleep-Deprived Mothers: How to Cope
Dear Moms, the weight of the world is on your shoulders. If you are a stay at home mom, a single parent, or juggling your career and family life, we feel your rising feelings of stress from all the things you have to accomplish in one day. We know that you never finish your impossible…
READ MOREObjective and Subjective Measures of Daytime Sleepiness
Daytime sleepiness is a common issue in the 21st century. You work hard for many hours and have a troubled mind. This has an effect on the quality of your sleep and therefore affect your daytime alertness. In order to measure and treat your daytime sleepiness, one would have the option to either objectively or…
READ MORESleep Medication Pros and Cons
We live in a fix-it age where quick fixes are at the front. People are drawn to everything that can quickly and easily fix different aspects of their lives, from diets to hair tonics that promise to make us feel better and feel great about ourselves. There are ways and products that work, and there…
READ MOREBasic Rules for a Good Night’s Sleep
Maintaining a good night sleep can be quite tricky these days. With multiple stimulating factors such as stress, tasks for your job after working hours, binging until late hours of the night, your children waking up in the middle of night and the list goes on. In order for you to take care of your…
READ MOREWearables and Sleep: Connecting the Missing Link of Sleep Monitoring
The Impact of Wearables on Sleep Tracking Today, people want to better quantify and optimize every aspect of their health, and sleep is no different. Optimizing sleep habits is paramount to staying fit. Without quality sleep, we feel unfocused, powerless, and unproductive. What may hold the key to learn more about how we can improve…
READ MOREWhat Causes Sleep Deprivation? Part 1
Can’t sleep? You’re not alone. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. Over 10% of the population suffers from chronic insomnia and nearly 50% of the population experiences intermittent insomnia. Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall back to sleep, or waking…
READ MOREShould Parents Permit Late Night Cram Sessions?
It’s final exam season, and for many parents, that means doing whatever they can to either support or discourage their kids’ late-night cramming. But a lot of parents are left in indecisive state, wondering which stance to take. We want our kids to perform well on their exams, but should we allow them to engage…
READ MORECauses of Poor Sleep
When you sleep poorly, your are miserable during the day – it’s hard to concentrate, you are irritable, suffer from headaches, tired, and just want to go back to sleep so you can wake up feeling refreshed. Why do people suffer from poor sleep? What causes poor sleep, and how can you identify the specific…
READ MORECOVID-19 boosts the new global digital health conquest: The patient-centric perspective
COVID-19 and the post-COVID-19 world turn digital health from a “nice to have” trend into a vital requirement at the public and at individual levels. The COVID-19 outbreak caused by a new coronavirus made conventional care impossible as the social distancing and lockdown placed a barrier to regular patient-doctor encounters. The burden to the hospitals,…
READ MORESleep in quarantine: Sleep Quality VS. Sleep Quantity (By the sleep stages)
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has consequences beyond the viral disease with its morbidity and mortality, as it impacts households, financial security, and causes anxiety and sleeplessness. Regular daily activities are replaced by new and mostly damaging daily routines for people confined to their homes. Sleep gets a hit and stress increases. Sleep is essential for…
READ MOREWhy do people suffer from poor sleep? What causes poor sleep, and what’s the connection between sleep and our mental health?
When you experience poor sleep, you feel pretty miserable during your days. It’s hard to concentrate, you’re irritable, have consistent headaches, and the only thing you want is to go to bed, sleep well and wake up refreshed. When poor sleep is persistent, the first stop people go to get help from, is their doctor….
READ MORESleeprate’s self-help sleep solution can help: Sleeprate’s modest contribution to help you navigate to safe shores
Suffering from sleep problems? If professional help is unavailable, or if the problems are not severe, simple measures such as creating a regular daily routine, planning healthy meals, implementing some simple fitness exercises, practicing relaxation or meditation or yoga, can help. Easier to say than done. There are self-help digital solutions out there. Mobile applications…
READ MOREIs TV Binge-Watching Costing You Sleep?
Last year we had a feeling all the multi-episode consumption was cutting into some viewers’ sleep time so we ran a survey to see how much sleep people were losing. The results? Not only did the majority (55%) of respondents admit their marathon TV sessions were costing them up to three hours of sleep in…
READ MOREWhy Sacrificing Sleep for Late Night Study Sessions Is Bad for Students, and What to Do Instead
It’s final exam season, and for most college students, that means a lot of late-night cramming and very little sleep. To keep their energy up, many students will be reaching for one, several, or all of the energy-boosting products that are at their disposal. But while the rush they get from coffee, energy drinks, Ritalin,…
READ MORESleep Deprivation: How it Affects Your Behaviour and Safety
Sleep deprivation is a major public health concern in many countries. One example everyone knows about: accidents caused by sleepy drivers. It turns out that sleepy driving is a concern that plagues about 60% of adult drivers as 168 million Americans have driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the past year alone. Alarmingly, 37%…
READ MOREHow does Melatonin Impact Sleep?
If you have trouble sleeping, sooner or later, you may consider taking melatonin. What is melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone made by a small gland in the brain; when it is dark, this hormone is released into the bloodstream and tells our body that it is night and time to start winding down for sleep….
READ MOREWhat is a Sleep Disorder?
Along with human history, the mystery of sleep preoccupied the minds and souls of great philosophers and thinkers, poets, and artists. The entire understandings regarding sleep were based on observation. Some observations serve as the basis for a branch of medical science: Sleep Medicine. This relatively new field deals with the overlooked part of human…
READ MORESleep and Relationships: Your Dates Want to Know If You Snore
Uh oh. If the 75% of people we polled in our latest survey are to be believed, all the single people need to be more upfront about their snoring before they reach that point in their relationship where they can both hit the sack together. Does this mean online dating sites will start requiring you…
READ MOREDon’t Drive while Sleepy
A growing public health concern in many countries is the number of traffic accidents attributable to sleepiness. Drowsiness leads to the same level of impairment as driving under the influence of alcohol; and like alcohol consumption, people seldom perceive the degree of their own impairment. The best estimate is that roughly 25% of fatal accidents…
READ MORELong Term Health Consequences of Poor Sleep
We’ve all had times when we experienced poor sleep when we couldn’t fall asleep or we woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t fall back asleep. You feel tired the next day and time can’t pass by fast enough to get home and fall into bed. Now imagine having this kind of…
READ MOREHow does Alcohol Affect your Sleep?
Alcohol influences sleep significantly. Its most obvious impact is shortening the time to fall asleep (sleep latency), which is why it is a popular aid for people who have difficulty falling asleep. It increases the amount of deep sleep during the first half of the night as well. This may be viewed as a sleep…
READ MORESleep and Love: The Untold Story
Better sleep leads to a better life. This is even more true than in your love life. First and foremost, sleep is intimately connected to your sex drive. Numerous psychologists have reported that lack of sleep is a major contributor to a litany of sex-related problems, including: (1) Decreased interest in sex (2) Low libido…
READ MOREDaytime Sleepiness – Is It Normal?
Daytime sleepiness is the propensity to fall asleep at inappropriate times during the day. The degree of daytime sleepiness correlates directly to the amount and quality of sleep during the previous night. The duration people need to stay awake varies with each individual, but surveys and research indicate most people perform optimally with 7.5 –…
READ MOREWhat Factors Influence your Sleep?
Sleep needs are determined by different factors, mainly age, individual and genetic characteristics, the duration of the previous wakefulness period, as well as an internal biological clock that sets a daily, or circadian rhythm. Age and sleep: close to birth babies sleep 16 to 18 hours a day in time intervals spread around the clock….
READ MORESleeprate Names The Top Public Enemies of Sleep
In identifying the top enemies of sleep, perhaps a more appropriate term would be “frenemies,” because in fact some of the biggest disruptors are things we normally consider positive. Technology, social life, family, entertainment — all enrich our lives immeasurably, but can wreak havoc on our sleep patterns. Consider for example how difficult it was…
READ MOREWhat Is Rem Sleep? The Meaning of Rem and Non-Rem Sleep Stages
At one time or another, we’ve all likely woken up after a dream and wondered, ‘What happened? What was that dream about?’ And though we might sometimes remember what we dreamt, we’ve probably all had that feeling of waking up disappointed that we just cannot remember our dreams – even though we know we had…
READ MOREHow Can Sleep Cure Jet Lag?
Recently in the middle of a long Transatlantic flight to the U.S., I started to wonder how I would function at the important business meeting I had the next morning – seven time zones and an entire world away from home. I turned to my neighbor that I’d been talking to during the flight, and…
READ MOREAre You an Owl or a Lark? Morning vs. Evening Type
Do you prefer getting up at the break of dawn, or do you come alive at midnight? Our internal master circadian clock is our biological clock that tells our body and mind when it’s time to sleep and when to wake up and comprises thousands of nerve cells in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a structure located in…
READ MOREHow to Fall Asleep Fast
Don’t you wish there was a quick and easy trick for falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow? Unfortunately, for many of us, it is not that simple. So, is there a secret for how to fall asleep fast? Well, there is no magic trick. Sleep is an automatic process, like breathing….
READ MOREThe Importance of Sleep
What Is Sleep? Sleep is both universal and fascinating. Although we spend a third of our lives sleeping, scientists still don’t fully understand its nature. The best definition for sleep available today is descriptive: A natural behavioral state (another is wakefulness) governed by the nervous system that is characterized by perceptual disengagement and motor inactivity….
READ MOREWhy Should You Maintain Good Sleep Habits Through the Holidays?
Whether you’re traveling to visit relatives or hosting relatives in your own home this holiday season, it’s needless to say you’ve been busy making arrangements. But have you included maintaining healthy sleep habits in your holiday planning? It may sound unnecessary, but think about it. Holiday festivities do tend to keep everyone up late, and…
READ MORENatural sleep remedy that’s all about the holiday season
Autumn is here, the holiday season is upon us and Halloween is just around the corner. There’s lots of pumpkin laying around. In case you’re wondering what to do with all the pumpkin flesh and seeds you carved out of your Jack-o’-lanterns, we have a couple of surprising health benefits of… you guessed it, pumpkin,…
READ MOREWhat is CBTi? (Part II: Sleep Restriction)
In Part I, we explained CBTi (Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia) and introduced you to Sleeprate’s CBTi-based Stanford-developed program we use to improve people’s sleep and discussed how it uses Stimulus Control to establish the bed as a cue for sleep. This week we’ll discuss another important aspect of the CBTi: Sleep Restriction. While Stimulus…
READ MOREWhat is CBTi? (Part I: Stimulus Control)
Sleeprate’s self-help app doesn’t only monitor a very detailed assessment of your sleep but also provides treatment for Insomnia through an exclusive Stanford-developed CBTI (Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia) program. Unless you’re a psychologist, this is probably Greek to you, so here’s a crash course in CBTi. CBTi made easy CBTI is a therapy technique that…
READ MOREHow does warmer weather affect your sleep?
The Washington Post covered our latest survey on summer stress, including the fact that “80% are saying they sleep better in cool weather.” It turns out that this statistic has more to do with science than personal preference. As a Stanford Biology professor told WebMD, “When you go to sleep, your set point for body…
READ MORESleeprate In The Annual SLEEP conference (2018) in Baltimore
The Sleeprate Science Team recently came back from Baltimore, where they attended the Annual Sleep Meeting 2018. It was a pleasure for our representatives to meet outstanding sleep professionals from all around the world, present our research and exchange opinions. Yuval Altmam, Algorithm Engineer at Sleeprate, spoke on how alcohol impacts our sleep in his…
READ MOREThe Men’s Health Week Challenge by Sleeprate: Small Change, Improved Health
As Men’s Health Week approaches, Sleeprate challenges you to make a small change in your lifestyle that will have a big impact. Stay tuned as we reveal the X-factor towards a healthier life… As a contemporary man, you have an endless supply of thoughts and formulas swimming around in your head. Not the least of…
READ MOREMeet SleepX – the sleep tracker app for Apple Watch
Thrilled to share very special news – we are launching the ultimate sleep tracker app specifically designed for Apple Watch users! SleepX helps you track your sleep patterns, gain better understanding of your sleep, and ultimately optimize your energy levels for a healthier and more productive lifestyle. How it Works The app uses a combination…
READ MORE“Reasons For Skepticism About The Latest Online Insomnia Cure” – a Response from Dr. Anda Baharav
On August 29th 2016 David DiSalvo published an article on Forbes called: “Reasons For Skepticism About The Latest Online Insomnia Cure”. In the article Mr. DiSalvo raises a few concerns about CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and specifically about CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) online programs. Some the concerns raised in the article are quite…
READ MORE4 Companies That Value Sleep
A study conducted by Swan Medical shows that over 50% of employees in the United States experience poor or insufficient sleep. “So?”, you may ask, “don’t we all pull all-nighters? And why should companies care? It’s not like these employees are falling asleep at work”. Actually, they kind of are. According to the Swan Medical…
READ MOREThank you for Sharing Your Stories
At Sleeprate, we strive to give you the best resources and tips to improve your Sleep-Life Balance. We want to help you achieve your health and fitness goals because you are living proof that sleep is an essential part of your overall health and fitness. Your stories give us great insights into how your productivity,…
READ MOREDoes the Full Moon Affect Our Sleep?
Hooowwwl! Another full moon comes to our evening sky on April 4, inspiring many to talk of men transforming into werewolves and people going crazy. Of course, it’s all hooey. There’s no scientific evidence we know of that supports any correlation between lunar cycles and human behavior. That doesn’t mean the moon doesn’t affect us….
READ MORESleep Tracking: How does Sleeprate compare to other sleep apps?
There are several sleep trackers that use actigraphy, or body movements, to estimate sleep onset and duration. Actigraphy is often measured with sensors embedded in a watch or bracelet, or even your iPhone. Any tracker that involves placing your iPhone on your bed to measure sleep is using actigraphy. With actigraphy, the basic assumption is…
READ MOREHow does Sleeprate measure sleep?
First of all, how does one measure sleep? The gold standard is polysomnography, or PSG for short. When patients are referred to a sleep laboratory, it is very likely that their sleep will be measured using PSG. Poly is Latin for many, and in polysomnography many aspects of body functioning are monitored including brain waves,…
READ MORESleep and Relationships: What’s Love Got to Do With Insomnia?
How important is sleep for your relationship? Sleep is more paramount to your relationships than you might think. “All of the things it takes to make a relationship work are probably completely decimated by lack of sleep,” says W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist based in Charlottesville, VA, and the author of The Sleep Solution. When you’re…
READ MOREWe’re Celebrating the end of Daylight Savings by offering you a chance to win a Sleep Improvement Kit
It happens every year. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but how many of us actually plan for it? Yes, I’m talking about the time change that will happen for most Americans at 2 a.m. on November 2. But relax—really—it’s the good time change. The one that gives us an extra hour to play with…
READ MORECan Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) Help with Sleep?
Over the summer, I read an article about ASMR or autonomous sensory meridian response. Despite its somewhat clunky moniker, ASMR has become a huge hit among a growing subculture of users on YouTube and Reddit where they watch, share and discuss videos of people talking in soft consonants, folding towels, tapping on hairbrushes, and other…
READ MOREWhat the Heart Tells Us About Sleep
Most of us love to sleep. And surprise—our hearts love it, too. But the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says more than a quarter of the U.S. doesn’t get enough of the stuff. And it’s hurting more than our energy levels—it’s harming our hearts. Did you know sleep deprivation is associated with a number…
READ MORECBTI Part III: Reducing Sleep-Interfering Arousal/Activation
In Part I we introduced SleepRate’s “secret sauce,” CBTI (Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia), the exclusive, Stanford-developed program we use to improve people’s sleep, and discussed how it uses Stimulus Control to establish the bed as a cue for sleep. In Part II, we discussed another important aspect of the CBTI: Sleep Restriction. This week,…
READ MOREAlcohol and Sleep: The Unlucky Side of St. Patrick’s Day
Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday. Perhaps we should consider making St. Patrick’s Day always fall on a Friday, because as one of the biggest drinking days of the year, people are bound to be hurting at work the next day. Sure, there are the hangovers, but what many people overlook is the effect that…
READ MORESurviving Spring Forward
Let’s be honest. Most of us have no idea what daylight savings time is supposed to accomplish, other than offering one weekend in the fall when we feel very well rested, and one in the spring that gives the coffee industry a major boost. In contrast to the cherished “fall back” weekend, most of us…
READ MORESpring Forward Sleep Tips
Check out these tips for keeping your sleep on track this Sunday!
READ MOREFacing Down Our Sleep Deprivation Epidemic
Imagine you just woke up from sleeping for 25 years. Hopefully you’d feel well-rested, because you’d be anxious to get out of bed and see what you missed! In actuality, most of us spend one-third of our life asleep (roughly 25 years for most of us), and 8 years dreaming. Yet, for about 1 out…
READ MOREWant to Lose Weight? Sleep Better!
When it comes to losing weight we hear a lot about nutrition and exercise, but one critical component is often left out of the conversation: sleep. In 2010, scientists estimated that 1.5 billion of the world’s population was overweight and 500 million were clinically obese. It’s even worse in America, where it’s estimated that 75%…
READ MORESleeprate Launches to Help Millions of People Suffering with Poor Sleep Take Control of their Nights
We’ve been developing sophisticated technology over the past five years to understand and assess the underlying causes of poor sleep. Today we are proud to publicly launch our service for the millions of people who suffer from poor sleep. We understand not only the importance of sleep, but also the three main causes of sleep…
READ MORE