Australia’s free-to-air channel SBSOne recently aired an interesting documentary based on the premise that we only need a few hours of sleep a night  (if that), to function normally.

One in three Australians suffer from poor quality sleep.  New research suggests sleep deprivation is costing the Australian economy more than $5.1 billion a year in both direct and indirect costs.

  Many people with asthma have sensitivities to certain drugs that can precipitate an asthma attack. If you have asthma, you need to be aware of which medications may be triggers. You do not need to avoid these medications unless you know they are asthma triggers for you. If these medications have never triggered your asthma, it is still best to take the medications with caution because a reaction can occur at any time.

Study suggests occasional treatment is effective and may reduce risk of decrease in growth.

Recent research now contests that the current recommended daily dosing of inhaled steroids for children under the age of five may be just as effective as less frequent treatments with a higher dose of inhaled steroids, leading to an overall reduced exposure to the drug.

Plan charts course for future sleep and circadian research identifying opportunities for collaboration.

Recently the NIH has updated its plan for research into new approaches to the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders.  Over the next three to five years, the institute has recommended research initiatives to include looking at the connection between sleep and circadian systems, studying the influence of genetic and environmental factors that could influence a person’s sleep health, and conducting more comparative effectiveness trials to improve treatments for sleep and circadian disorders.

1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, with more than 60% of cancer patients surviving more than five years after diagnosis.According to a recent US study the hidden psychological scars caused by the diagnosis of cancer can leave scaring akin to that inflicted by war, with the impact in some cases lasting for years.