Penn Sleep in the News

  • Can't Fall Asleep? Try Cognitive Shuffling, Rolling Your Eyes or Simply Wearing Socks December 11, 2025

    Longer, darker days during this time of year leave many people feeling sluggish. Surprisingly, wearing clean, breathable, loose-fitting socks to warm your feet at night helps lower the body's core temperature, signaling the brain to "get ready for sleep," said Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, a professor of Sleep Medicine. "When we warm up our feet by wearing socks, the blood vessels under the skin dilate not just in the feet but everywhere. This allows warm blood to come to the surface, and as it keeps circulating and coming to the skin, body heat is shed, and core body temperature eventually drops." Tags: philly_voice indira_gurubhagavatula sleep_medicine cognitive_shuffling regional_philadelphia EH fy26 2025 q2 December

  • Is Melatonin Safe? Heart Health, Side Effects and Alternatives Explained December 10, 2025

    In reviewing the potential for melatonin as a sleep aid, natural alternatives are also listed, including cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). A directory of CBT-I providers at Penn Medicine is listed as a resource. Tags: womans_world sleep_medicine cbt-i melatonin EH fy26 2025 q2 December

  • Struggling to Stay Awake in a Meeting? Here’s What to Do December 04, 2025

    Everyone knows what it’s like to be stuck in a boring meeting or class or watching a long performance and slowly feel the seemingly unstoppable force of sleepiness creep over you. Aside from prioritizing sleep, a brief jolt before the meeting may also help. For example, head to the bathroom to “rinse your face with cold water before the meeting,” said Amita Sehgal, MD, vice chair of Neuroscience, and director of the Chronobiology Program. Tags: cnn chronobiology amita_sehgal neuroscience sleep_medicine EH FY26 2025 Q2 December

  • Fatigue Is Still a Safety Risk for Air Travel December 02, 2025

    Staffing shortages have renewed discussion around impacts on both travel safety and working conditions for those who make travel possible, including air traffic controllers and other airport personnel. Even under normal conditions, irregular schedules, undiagnosed sleep disorders, and lifestyle factors contribute to fatigue-related errors. For example, a guest essay cites a 2008 study from Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, professor of Sleep and Chronobiology in Psychiatry found that sleep-deprived TSA agents were less able to detect weapons in bags. Tags: Philadelphia_Inquirer regional_philadelphia top_tier mathias_basner sleep_medicine psychiatry chronobiology guest_essay EH FY26 2025 q2 December

  • What to Know About GLP-1s and Melatonin November 11, 2025

    Many physicians are seeing a surge of patients interested in GLP-1s, including for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but more research is needed to understand the drug's impact when paired with melatonin, said Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, a professor of Sleep Medicine. “If we are working to address OSA, we may see an inherent correlation with improved sleep quality, duration, and satisfaction. That alone may be enough to improve sleep quality and symptoms of insomnia,” said Gurubhagavatula. When treating an individual’s sleep apnea with GLP-1’s and sleep issues persist, Gurubhagavatula recommended a formal sleep study or connect the individual with CBT-I treatment. Tags: Medscape sleep_medicine sleep_apnea glp_1 melatonin indira_gurubhagavatula Penn_Sleep_Center EH FY26 2025 Q2 November

  • Why VA Pays More in Disability for Sleep Apnea Than It Does for Some Lost Limbs November 07, 2025 1ef5

    Among debates around changes to disability payments for sleep apnea, experts say awareness of the condition’s benefits has spread quickly among veterans. “The common question I get is, ‘Is this compensable or not?’” said Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, a professor of Sleep Medicine. She noted that some veterans ask to be tested for it. “A lot of the time they tell me, ‘I know someone who got rated for this.’” Tags: Washington_Post sleep_medicine indira_gurubhagavatula top_tier sleep_apnea VA EH FY26 2025 Q2 November

  • Why You Keep Waking up at 3 AM and How To Sleep Soundly November 07, 2025

    Waking up in the middle of the night isn’t new. Before the Industrial Revolution, people commonly slept in two shifts, a pattern known as biphasic sleep. “The widespread use of artificial lighting allowed people to stay up later instead of going to bed shortly after sunset,” said Jenie George, MD, an assistant professor of Clinical Medicine (Sleep Medicine), noting that this shift “gradually changed our internal clocks to a later sleep onset.” Today, inconsistent sleep schedules, alcohol, caffeine, lack of exercise, or late-day naps can all confuse the body’s natural rhythm and make 3 am awakenings more likely. Tags: womans_world sleep_medicine jenie_george biphasic_sleep EH FY26 2025 Q2 November

  • Does Melatonin Increase Heart Failure Risk? New Study Reveals Surprising Link November 05, 2025

    New research suggests that chronic use of melatonin supplements could be a warning sign of heart failure among people with insomnia. However, Philip Gehrman, PhD, an associate professor of clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, noted that any effects are "very modest." Instead, evidence-based treatments for insomnia include cognitive-behavioral therapy, lifestyle changes and, sometimes, prescription medication. Tags: today sleep_medicine philip_gehrman melatonin cbt-i insomnia EH FY26 2025 October q2

  • How Daylight Saving Time Could Impact Your Sleep November 04, 2025

    As our clocks 'fall back' for daylight saving time, Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, a professor of Sleep Medicine, shares what impact it could have on our sleep and day to day activities. "Disrupted sleep can lead to driving accidents, you can end up being late for work, not performing well, making mistakes," she said, adding that long-term sleep deprivation is associated with obesity and weight gain. OG link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#/clip/view/c74dc483-1d1a-4a3f-9d77-ebeabd85fc74?token=50f562bf-af71-4d6f-9868-da2b61ed1166 Tags: CBS3 regional_philadelphia broadcast indira_gurubhagavatula communications_placement sleep_medicine daylight_saving_time Penn_Sleep_Center EH FY26 2025 Q2 October

  • What Is Orthosomnia? The Sleep Disorder Tech Can Cause November 03, 2025

    Orthosomnia is a condition characterized by poor sleep that stems from an obsessive pursuit of optimal sleep. Often, that pursuit involves wearable sleep trackers or apps, which, according to Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, a professor of Sleep Medicine, often don't measure sleep, itself. “They use indirect data like heart rate, movement or body position to estimate whether the person is awake or asleep. They may even tell you that this ‘sleep’ is ‘light,’ ‘deep’ or ‘REM’ sleep.” Tags: Huffington_Post indira_gurubhagavatula sleep_medicine Penn_Sleep_Center orthosomnia EH FY26 2025 Q2 October

  • Sleep Quality Trumps Quantity—Here's How To Get Higher-Quality Sleep, Per Experts November 03, 2025

    The quality of your sleep is important to focus on because it “improves concentration, learning, and memory consolidation,” said Jenie George, MD, an assistant professor of Clinical Medicine (Sleep Medicine). “It also supports creativity and decision-making.” Quality includes getting restorative sleep stages [REM and deep sleep] which are needed for physical recovery, emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and immune function. Tags: Womens_Health jenie_george sleep_medicine EH FY26 2025 Q2 October

  • How Yoga Can Help With Sleep Apnea September 25, 2025

    Some research has shown that breathing exercises associated with yoga, in addition to exercise, may help ease obstructive sleep apnea symptoms. Penn Medicine is cited in identifying the mechanisms behind sleep apnea: a blockage occurs when your throat muscles relax to the point that tissues block the airway. Risk factors include having excess fat, sleeping in a certain position, and even tonsil size. Tags: everyday_health sleep_medicine sleep_apnea EH FY26 2025 Q1 september

  • When Should You See a Doctor About Sleep? September 09, 2025 1b45

    Racing thoughts or trouble getting comfortable are possible signs of insomnia and restless leg syndrome, a condition characterized by an uncontrollable urge to move your legs. According to Philip Gehrman, PhD, an associate professor of clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, while stress or anemia may contribute to both conditions, there’s often no one common cause for these sleep disorders. To get an official diagnosis, you have to experience these symptoms for at least three months. Tags: New_York_Times top_tier sleep_medicine psychiatry philip_gehrman restless_legs_syndrome insomnia EH FY26 2025 Q1 September

  • Behind the Hype of Bed Shopping and Better Sleep September 03, 2025

    Shopping for a mattress is supposed to lead to better sleep, but the experience itself can be a nightmare. Richard Schwab, MD, chief of Sleep Medicine, said that while a mattress is an important component, the impact of technology has grown, with some smart watches tracking sleep by noting the time and position of the body during the progression of sleep stages and cycles. Tags: New_York_Times top_tier sleep_medicine richard_schwab EH FY26 2025 Q1 August

  • How Our Tongues Impact Sleep Apnea August 22, 2025

    Obesity is considered a top risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, and one of the first places we gain weight is our tongue. A 2020 study led by Richard Schwab, MD, chief of Sleep Medicine, used MRI scans to examine how weight loss affected sleep apnea scores, and images showed that their slimmer tongues were a primary reason. “Now that we know tongue fat is a risk factor and that sleep apnea improves when tongue fat is reduced, we have established a unique therapeutic target that we’ve never had before,” Schwab added. Tags: New_York_Post sleep_medicine richard_schwab obesity EH FY26 2025 Q1 August