Scientists discover how deep sleep builds muscle, burns fat, and boosts the brain - Science Daily

A good night's sleep does much more than leave you feeling refreshed. During deep sleep, the body releases growth hormone, a powerful chemical messenger that helps build muscle, strengthen bones, and regulate fat metabolism. For teenagers, getting enough sleep is especially important because growth hormone plays a major role in reaching their full height potential. Scientists have long known that insufficient sleep can interfere with growth hormone production. What remained unclear was exactly how the brain controls this process, particularly during non-REM sleep, the deep, restorative stage that typically dominates the earlier part of the night.

Among cancer patients, the high financial cost of cancer care is a prevalent problem. This financial burden is also associated with potentially harmful behavioral strategies that patients might use to cope with costs, such as delaying or forgoing treatment and skipping medications. Collectively, researchers refer to this impact as financial toxicity.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) could transform diabetes management for millions of Americans with type 2 diabetes who don't take insulin, according to findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The clinical trial found that adults using CGMs spent approximately five additional hours each day within their target blood sugar range compared with those receiving routine care. Nearly twice as many CGM users also achieved an A1c level below 7%, a common treatment goal for people with diabetes.