Doctor’s Orders: Jan. 23, 2006

THE CASE FOR HITTING SNOOZE

That groggy discombobulation you feel upon waking is technically called sleep inertia, and a study in J.A.M.A. reports that it can be as debilitating as being legally drunk. Its most severe effects, however, usually fade in 10 min.

42% vs.

29%

The percentage of risk of suffering major depression that can be attributed to genes, in women vs. men, according to a study of 42,161 twins by researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

COUGH SYRUPS DON’T HELP

New guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians discourage the use of over-the-counter cough syrups, saying they do little to relieve cold-related coughs. The doctors recommend taking an antihistamine instead.

BREASTFED KIDS, SLIMMER TEENS

A new study in Epidemiology finds that the longer infants are breastfed–as opposed to bottle-fed–the less likely they are to become overweight as teens. Experts recommend breastfeeding exclusively for Baby’s first six months.