Celebrity Sleep Secrets, and What You Can Learn From Them

Celebrities lead fabulous and often hectic lives—jetting across the country on a whim, partying at late-night hot spots, following rigorous touring or filming schedules—so it’s no surprise that sleep may not always be a number-one priority. When insomnia and prescription medication were implicated in Michael Jackson’s tragic death in June 2009, it raised the issue of how dangerous sleep problems can be if not treated responsibly. What other members of the glitterati have spent their nights tossing and turning? We’ve compiled a list of famous men and women, past and present, who have spoken out about or become known for their unique sleep issues. Here, see who gets too much and not enough—and what you can learn from each of them

Antidepressants as Sleep Aids: the Pros and Cons of Sedative Prescription Medications

Antidepressant medicines are often prescribed for people with insomnia. Best results are seen in people who also have depression.1 Doctors often prescribe low doses of certain antidepressants in an attempt to facilitate sleep, even though the medicines have not been well studied for insomnia.
Examples of the antidepressants that might be prescribed for insomnia are amitriptyline and trazodone.
The side effects of these medicines, which may include sexual dysfunction, weight gain, dry mouth and throat, racing pulse, confusion, and disturbed dreams, must be weighed against their potential benefits.
FDA Advisories. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued:
A warning on the antidepressants Paxil and Paxil CR (paroxetine) and birth defects. One new study showed that women who took Paxil during their first 12 weeks of pregnancy had a slightly higher chance of having a baby with birth defects.
An advisory on antidepressant medicines and the risk of suicide. The FDA does not recommend that people stop using these medicines. Instead, a person taking antidepressants should be watched for warning signs of suicide. This is especially important at the beginning of treatment or when the doses are changed.
References
Citations
Mahowald MW (2008). Disorders of sleep. In L Goldman, D Ausiello, eds., Cecil Medicine, 23rd ed., vol. 3, pp. 2696–2701. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

Iceland's Fashion Designers Flourish in the Downturn

In the heart of downtown Reykjavik sits a freshly painted pink building. The innards of the two-story metal structure have been gutted to make way for smooth concrete floors, diamond white walls and racks of clothing from Icelandic retailer, Nikita. Just a year ago, the same building was being readied for demolition. In its place were plans for an ultramodern shopping mall stretching several blocks across the capital's commercial district. Then came the crash.