A pill for sleep apnoea takes a big step forward, a huge study puts a number on the "right" amount of sleep, and melatonin gets a closer look. Here is what caught our eye this week.
A once-a-night pill for sleep apnoea moves closer
Results from a large late-stage trial of a tablet called AD109 were published this week. Taken once before bed, it is designed to help the throat muscles stay firm during sleep so the airway is less likely to collapse. Across 646 adults who could not or would not use a CPAP machine, breathing interruptions fell by roughly 44 per cent over six months, compared with about 18 per cent on a placebo. Around one in five people stopped because of side effects such as dry mouth and nausea, and the drug still needs regulatory approval, with a decision in the US not expected before early 2027.
Why it matters: CPAP works well but plenty of people cannot get on with it, so a real alternative would be welcome. If you snore heavily or wake unrefreshed, our guide to sleep apnoea symptoms and testing in the UK explains what to look for and how to get checked.
Source: ScienceDaily / American Thoracic Society
Half a million people, 23 "ageing clocks" and one sleep sweet spot
Researchers at Columbia University used data from around half a million UK Biobank participants to estimate how quickly different organs were ageing, then compared that with how long people said they slept. The pattern was a clear U shape: both short sleepers (under six hours) and long sleepers (over eight) showed faster biological ageing across the brain, heart, lungs, immune system and more. The lowest ageing scores sat between about 6.4 and 7.8 hours a night. The study, published in Nature, is observational, so it cannot show that sleep length itself causes faster ageing - very long sleep in particular may be a sign of other health issues rather than the cause.
Why it matters: It is reassuring confirmation that seven-ish hours is a sensible target for most adults, and a reminder that "more is better" does not apply to sleep. If you are consistently short of that, our piece on how to sleep better with insomnia is a good place to start.
Source: ScienceDaily / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Long-term melatonin use back under the microscope
A large records-based analysis of more than 130,000 adults with chronic insomnia found that those with a year or more of documented melatonin use were around 90 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with heart failure over the following five years than matched non-users. The work was first presented at the American Heart Association's conference last November and has been doing the rounds again this week. It is preliminary, has not yet been peer reviewed, and comes with real limitations: the researchers could not see how severe anyone's insomnia was, and in countries where melatonin is sold over the counter, many users may have been miscounted as non-users. The authors themselves say it cannot prove cause and effect.
Why it matters: In the UK melatonin is prescription-only, so this is mainly a conversation to have with your GP if you have been on it for a long stretch. It is also a nudge that "natural" does not automatically mean "no questions asked" - and that the habits around bedtime often do more heavy lifting than any supplement.
Source: ScienceDaily / American Heart Association
Back to school: screens and games top the list of sleep stealers
With term starting, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine is running its annual Student Sleep Health Week from 14 to 18 September. In a survey of just over 1,000 parents, video games (51 per cent) and social media (44 per cent) were the most common things reported to knock children's sleep off course, ahead of homework, friends and after-school activities. The academy's guidance is nine to twelve hours a night for 6 to 12 year olds and eight to ten hours for teenagers, and it suggests working backwards from wake-up time to set a realistic bedtime.
Why it matters: The first few weeks of term are when routines are set, for grown-ups too. A consistent wind-down and a screen curfew are cheap, boring and effective. Our guide to building a bedtime routine that actually works applies just as well to a ten year old as it does to you.
Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine
That is the week. The big picture from all four stories is the same one we keep coming back to: a steady seven or so hours, at a regular time, with the airway open and the screens off, beats almost anything you can buy in a bottle.
Here's to your best night's sleep yet. SleepyDeepy.
