What type of sleeper are you? Scientists have discovered 16 types of sleeper after they have studied the activity tracker data for over 100,000 people.

How was the study conducted?

The scientists grouped people ranging from those who sleep all the way through the night and do not nap in the day, to those who suffer significant periods of wakefulness during the night. Out of this data, 7 types of insomnia were classified, which the researchers believed offered great insights.

For instance, insomnia with short sleep duration was associated with impaired neurocognitive functioning, while insomnia with average sleep duration was linked to anxious-ruminative profiles.

The activity tracker also showed how the sleep patters of those who worked in shifts affected because their working hours switched. Their circadian rhythms were out of sync. This is the natural process that regulates sleep-wake-cycle. When this is out of sync, it may lead to shorter, less good-quality sleep.

What are the 16 types of distinct sleep categories?

As per the research which based its data from smart wristbands used by the United Kingdom Biobank, there were 16 categories of sleep, distributed into 6 broad categories.

Those that fall in the first category experience insomnia with long sleep duration and 'midawake', which is when you wakeup in middle of the night. Then there is a spectrum of people who sleep all the way through the nights without taking naps in the day. Cluster 2 and 4 are further split into a's and b's, which indicates sleep cycle of shift workers.

Cluster:

1: Insomnia with long sleep duration and midawake

2a: Irregular sleep schedule

2b: Fragmented sleep with short sleep duration

3a: Insomnia with normal sleep duration

3b: Insomnia with short sleep duration

4a: Longer 24 h periodic sleep/wake cycle

4b: Major

5: Sleep without day-time sleep window

Then comes clusters 3b and 4b, which are further split into 8 subcategories, which makes it the total of 16 categories of sleepers.

3b-1 is a bigger cluster and includes people who sleep deeply but cannot fall asleep easily once they are woken up. 3b-2 includes short-duration sleepers who show a mix of short wake-ups and some longer hours spent staring at the ceilings. While 4b-1, another large cluster is for the long sleepers and 4b-2 is all the morning people, and 4b-6 are all the night people.

Cluster:

3b-1: Insomnia with short sleep duration and long term midawake

3b-2: Insomnia with short sleep duration and long and short term midawake

4b-1: Long sleeper

4b-2: Morning person

4b-3: Shorter 24 h periodic sleep/wake cycle

4b-4: Insomnia with short sleep duration and short term midawake

4b-5: Insomnia with normal sleep duration and long term midawake with less fragmented sleep

4b-6: Night person

Scientists have pointed that those in the 4b-4 and 4b-5 categories are defined as 'preinsomnia', as both the clusters show normal wake-up duration in the middle of the night, but the former cluster wake and fall asleep repeatedly and frequently.

“The Boys” actress Erin Moriarty is using her platform to spotlight an often-overlooked autoimmune condition— Graves' disease. In an intimate Instagram post, Moriarty, 30, explained how she thought her symptoms were just stress and exhaustion but was properly diagnosed with Graves' disease last month—an autoimmune disease that impacts 1 in 100 Americans.

Erin Moriarty, posted on Instagram to announce she has been diagnosed with Graves' disease. At first, she had written off her symptoms as just "stress and fatigue." But after treatment began last month, she felt an incredible change in her health. "Within 24 hours of starting treatment, I started feeling the light turn back on — and it's just gotten brighter ever since," she posted. Encouraging her fans to listen to their own health, she added, "If your light is fading, even a little bit, go get checked."

This revelation doesn't just underscore the need to heed our bodies—it also yanks Graves' disease out of medical invisibility and into mainstream health conversation. Here's what you need to know about the condition, its symptoms, who it most affects, and how early diagnosis can be a life-saver.

What Is Graves' Disease?

Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly targets the thyroid gland, leading it to release excessive hormones beyond what the body requires. It results in hyperthyroidism—overactive metabolism—and impacts almost every organ in the body.

As stated by the National Institutes of Health, this hormonal excess can interrupt the normal energy balance of the body and lead to a wide range of symptoms that may go unseen or be attributed to contemporary stressors.

Moriarty's story is typical of numerous instances in which early symptoms of autoimmune malfunction are written off. "Autoimmune disease presents differently in everybody/every body," she wrote. In her case, it was a strange degree of fatigue and emotional burnout. "If I hadn't attributed it all to stress and fatigue, I would've caught this sooner."

Within 24 hours of starting treatment, Moriarty reported feeling "the light coming back on"—evidence of how rapidly Graves' disease can recover with the proper treatment when caught early.

Signs of Graves' Disease to Watch Out For

Graves' disease has no one, obvious symptom. Rather, it's usually a disorienting mix of physical and emotional symptoms. Early signs are:

• Sensitivity to heat
• Unexplained weight loss even though appetite is normal or increased
• Fatigue, insomnia, or nervousness
• Anxiety, irritability, and tremors
• With worsening of the disease, people may have:
• Rapid heart rate or palpitations
• Increased bowel movements
• Shortness of breath
• Interrupted menstrual periods
• Erectile dysfunction or decreased libido

One of the more overt effects is Graves' ophthalmopathy—occasionally seen in a third of patients—which may result in:

• Bulging or irritated eyes
• Blurred or double vision
• Light sensitivity
• Eye pressure or pain

It is rare that patients will develop Graves' dermopathy, a thickened and colored skin eruption, particularly on the shins.

What Causes Graves' Disease?

Though precise causes are unknown, the Cleveland Clinic identifies a combination of environmental and genetic factors. A renegade immune system starts to make antibodies that hyperstimulate the thyroid gland. Heredity accounts for approximately 79% of the risk factor, but stress, infections, and hormonal changes may serve as the trigger.

Moriarty's experience is familiar to many young women who discount recurring symptoms until they have reached a crisis point. "Within 24 hours of starting treatment," she wrote, "I began to feel the light coming on."

Who's Most at Risk?

Graves' disease is a relatively uncommon condition, but it strikes disproportionately against women, five times more likely to be diagnosed than men. Risk factors are:

• Family history of autoimmune disorders
• Deficiency in vitamin D or selenium
• Smoking
• Underlying conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, or rheumatoid arthritis

Women in their 20s and 30s—such as Moriarty—are especially susceptible, making it even more important to be aware of it early on, says Yale Medicine.

Treating Graves' Disease

In the U.S., treatment usually begins with medicines known as antithyroid medications, such as methimazole or propylthiouracil, which suppress the production of thyroid hormones. Most individuals start feeling better within a short time, but complete remission takes anywhere from 12 to 18 months.

When medications do not bring long-term relief from Graves' disease, more intensive measures may be needed. Radioiodine therapy is a common technique that destroys the excess thyroid tissue. When the condition is more severe or does not respond to other measures, a thyroidectomy might be necessary. Because both procedures can result in hypothyroidism, hormone replacement therapy is usually lifelong to sustain hormonal equilibrium. As in the case of Erin Moriarty, identifying symptoms early and taking prompt action can greatly enhance the quality of life and avert complications.

What Are The Risks of Not Treating Graves' Disease?

Untreated, Graves' disease can severely impact overall health and result in several complications. One of the more alarming risks is atrial fibrillation, a form of irregular heart rhythm that can worsen to heart failure or stroke. In extreme cases, the patient can suffer a thyroid storm — a sudden and life-threatening injection of thyroid hormones. The disease also leads to osteoporosis over time, making the patient more prone to fractures through weakened bones. Furthermore, there's also a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer. For pregnant women, the stakes are even greater: if left untreated, Graves' disease can result in severe consequences including miscarriage, preeclampsia, preterm labor, and low birth weight. These complications make early diagnosis and continued management critically important.

Celebrity disclosures like Moriarty’s bring invaluable attention to conditions that are often misunderstood or stigmatized. By sharing her journey, Moriarty not only shed light on Graves’ disease but also issued a crucial call to action,“Go get checked.”

If you’ve been experiencing persistent fatigue, rapid heartbeat, or unexplained weight loss, don’t ignore the signs. In Moriarty’s words: “If yours is dimming, even slightly, go get checked.”

Memory loss can be seen as a normal sign of aging. As our age progresses, so does our ability to retain certain things. Dementia, however, is different than just forgetting things. It not only affects your memories, but it also changes your behavior patterns and thinking capabilities as well. It can change a person to their core, even the things that may be a huge part of their personality.

A charity is highlighting key dementia symptoms that are more than just "normal aging." A recent survey shows that a huge 85% of people in the UK put off getting help. Getting a diagnosis early means the person can get the best support and treatment they need as soon as possible.

Dementia has no cure; hence, the best way to ensure one's quality of life does not severely decline, one must get treatment quickly. While you may not be able to eradicate the disease, you can get its symptoms under control.

Why People Delay Seeking Help

A survey by the Alzheimer's Society found that only a third of people tell their doctor about dementia symptoms within a month of noticing them. This includes noticing symptoms in themselves or a loved one. Only 15% sought help "immediately," meaning most people (75%) waited to get advice.

Many of the 1,100 people surveyed stayed quiet because they weren't sure if the symptoms were from dementia or just normal aging. About one in three people (33%) who noticed symptoms kept their worries to themselves for over a month. Another 11% hadn't even talked about their concerns despite seeing the first signs. This delay often leads to people waiting a long time for medical advice, with almost a quarter waiting more than six months to see a doctor.

Early signs of dementia, like trouble following conversations, difficulty concentrating, and memory lapses, are often mistaken for normal aging things like hearing loss or simply forgetting things. The survey also found that 16% of people actively "avoid" getting a diagnosis because they're scared of how it might affect their relationships. Plus, 44% worried about family or caregivers starting to "talk down" to them.

Key Early Indicators of Dementia

The survey pointed out seven possible early signs of dementia:

• Trouble following a conversation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory loss
• Hearing loss
• Forgetfulness
• Mood swings
• Difficulty moving

The former CEO of the Alzheimer's Society emphasized the need to be more open about dementia, saying we "can't continue to avoid the 'd' word."

Dementia vs. Normal Aging: What's the Difference?

The charity helps explain the difference between signs of Alzheimer's and dementia versus typical age-related changes. Signs of Alzheimer's and dementia often include:

• Poor judgment and making bad decisions
• Inability to manage money
• Losing track of the date or season
• Struggling to have a conversation
• Misplacing things and being unable to find them again
• Making a bad decision once in a while
• Missing a monthly payment occasionally
• Forgetting which day it is but remembering later
• Sometimes forgetting a word
• Losing things from time to time

Mental workload refers to the amount of cognitive effort someone is using at any given moment. For jobs that require intense focus and decision-making, staying in an optimal zone of workload is key. Too little, and the person may get bored and lose concentration. Too much, and they may become overwhelmed, risking mistakes.

Traditional tools to measure mental workload, like questionnaires or wired EEG (electroencephalography) and EOG (electrooculography) devices, are often bulky or unreliable. Questionnaires are subjective and taken after tasks, and existing EEG/EOG systems don’t allow for freedom of movement or real-time alerts.

How the E-Tattoo Works

The e-tattoo is made of a stretchable, graphite-based conductive material and is stuck to the forehead with a conductive adhesive. It includes:

• Four EEG electrodes placed on different forehead regions to track brain activity
• EOG electrodes around the eyes to monitor eye movements
• A reference electrode behind the ear
• A flexible printed circuit connected by tape and powered by a lightweight battery

All components are coated with additional conductive materials for accurate signals. The electrodes send data wirelessly to a computer or device, enabling real-time monitoring.

The device is disposable and custom-made, while the circuit and battery are reusable. According to the researchers, the entire setup is expected to cost under $200.

Testing the Device

To test the device, the team recruited six participants for a “working memory” task involving letter and location recognition. Each participant was shown a sequence of letters and asked to click a mouse if the letter or its position matched one shown previously. The difficulty level varied across four stages.

As tasks became harder, EEG readings showed increased brainwave activity linked to higher mental effort. The researchers then fed this data, along with task difficulty, into a machine-learning algorithm. After training, the algorithm successfully predicted a participant’s mental workload based on EEG and EOG data alone—better than random chance.

Future Applications and Cautions

Dr. Nanshu Lu, one of the lead authors of the study published in the journal Device, said the ultimate goal is to enable the e-tattoo to decode signals and send real-time alerts to an app. That way, users can recognize when they are approaching cognitive overload and take steps to delegate tasks, rest, or refocus.

But Lu cautions that the solution is not simply switching to an easier task. “Optimal mental performance occurs when the workload is just right—not too high, not too low,” she explained.

As development continues, the e-tattoo may soon become a powerful tool to support mental well-being and precision in professions where lives depend on focus.