Easy Sleepers May Have Leg Up on Longevity
 (NY, Reuters Health, 2/4/03)

Dr. Mary Amanda Dew the University of Pittsburgh, and her colleagues, recorded the brain activity of 185 older adults while they were asleep and then tracked them for about 13 years. Their findings show that people who had trouble falling and staying asleep and/or experienced too much or too little of the dream phase of sleep (REM) had a shorter life span than their peers. The scientists speculate that changes in sleeping patterns may signal underlying problems that may compromise a person’s wellbeing. They recommend adopting healthy habits; including, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime, eschewing lengthy daytime naps and setting aside a quiet, dark area for sleeping.