The April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine includes a special article proposing future research needs related to the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

A new study found that performance was significantly improved, despite a longer time awake, in the wake maintenance zone, a three-hour window of reduced sleep propensity that occurs shortly before the onset of melatonin secretion.

A study in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that obstructive sleep apnea severity is higher in African-American men than Caucasian men in certain age ranges, even after controlling for body mass index (BMI).

On April 5 the CDC reported that from 2005 to 2009, the prevalence of self-reported hypertension among U.S. adults increased from 25.8 to 28.3 percent. Among those with self-reported hypertension, use of antihypertensive medications increased from 61.1 to 62.6 percent.

A study of teens published online in Pediatrics on April 8 found that each additional hour of sleep was associated with a reduced body mass index (BMI), especially for teens with higher BMIs. Increasing sleep from 7.5 to 10.0 hours per day at age 18 predicted a reduction in the proportion of overweight adolescents by 4 percent.

A new study presents the preliminary psychometrics of the Children’s Report of Sleep Patterns (CRSP), a self-report measure for children. The CRSP demonstrated good reliability and validity, providing support for children 8 years and older reporting information about their own sleep patterns, sleep hygiene and sleep disturbances.

A study in the March 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine evaluated a consecutive series of 50 adult patients who participated in a stepped care model for chronic insomnia, in which non-responders to a less intensive therapy received a more intensive intervention.

A new study suggests that nocturia may worsen the already poor sleep of older adults with insomnia. Published in the March 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, results show that 54 percent of all log-reported nocturnal awakenings were associated with nocturia.

A brief summary of the Feb. 12, 2013, meeting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council (NHLBAC) is available online. NHLBI Director Dr. Gary H. Gibbons welcomed members and presented, "Imagining the Future--the NHLBI at 75: Toward a Diverse, Networked Scientific Community."

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites proposals for R01 research project grants (PA-13-125), R03 small grant programs (PA-13-123) and R21 exploratory/developmental research grants (PA-13-124) to study regional and international differences in health and longevity at older ages.