(Reuters) -Semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials on Thursday forecast first-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates, helped by a recovery in

The IOC says Russia and Belarus won't get a formal invitation to the 2024 Paris Olympics when more than 200 national teams receive their traditional invites later this month

Decisions made by Niger's ruling juntas will be crucial as to how Islamist extremism spreads.

Dr Robert Jordan provided routine check-ups, vaccinations, and crucial medical consultations to kids in south suburban neighborhoods

MEXICO CITY Mexican inflation likely slowed in August for the seventh straight month, with the closely watched core

Mayor Eric Adams said, 'Our children are being inundated by influencers, by those who consider themselves to be credible messengers'

Consistently sleeping less than five hours a night could increase the risk of depression, research suggests. Poor sleep has been considered a side-effect of mental ill health in the past, but the new study found that the link between sleep and mental illness is more complex. People with a stronger genetic predisposition to short sleep – less than five hours in a given night – were more likely to develop depressive symptoms over four to 12 years, the study led by UCL researchers found. But those with a greater genetic predisposition to depression were not more likely to have short sleep. Using genetic susceptibility to disease, we determined that sleep likely precedes depressive symptoms, rather than the inverse Lead author Odessa Hamilton The experts also found that the link was not exclusive to those who were genetically inclined towards sleeping for shorter periods, and people who regularly dozed for five hours or less – without the genetic association – were also more likely to have depression. Lead author Odessa Hamilton, UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: “We have this chicken or egg scenario between suboptimal sleep duration and depression, they frequently co-occur, but which comes first is largely unresolved. “Using genetic susceptibility to disease, we determined that sleep likely precedes depressive symptoms, rather than the inverse.” Researchers used genetic and health data from 7,146 people recruited by the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), with an average age of 65. Short and long sleep durations, along with depression, are major contributors to (the) public health burden that are highly heritable Senior author Dr Olesya Ajnakina Analysis of genetic and health data suggested that short sleep was associated with the start of depressive symptoms, like feeling sad or lonely. Senior author Dr Olesya Ajnakina, UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, said: “Short and long sleep durations, along with depression, are major contributors to (the) public health burden that are highly heritable. “Polygenic scores, indices of an individual’s genetic propensity for a trait, are thought to be key in beginning to understand the nature of sleep duration and depressive symptoms.” When looking at non-genetic associations between depressive symptoms and sleep duration, the researchers also found that people sleeping five hours or less were 2.5 times more likely to develop depressive symptoms. And people with signs of depression were a third more likely to suffer from short sleep. Suboptimal sleep and depression increase with age, and with the worldwide phenomenon of population ageing there is a growing need to better understand the mechanism connecting depression and a lack of sleep Professor Andrew Steptoe The study, published in Nature, Translational Psychiatry, also revealed a link between sleeping long and developing depressive symptoms. According to the findings, people who slept for more than nine hours were 1.5 times more likely to develop depressive symptoms than those who sleep an average of seven hours. However, depressive symptoms were not associated with sleeping longer four to 12 years later, which corresponded to the genetic findings. Professor Andrew Steptoe, head of Behavioural Science and Health, UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: “Suboptimal sleep and depression increase with age, and with the worldwide phenomenon of population ageing there is a growing need to better understand the mechanism connecting depression and a lack of sleep. “This study lays important groundwork for future investigations on the intersection of genetics, sleep, and depressive symptoms.” People enrolled in the study had an average of seven hours’ sleep a night. More than 10% slept for less than five hours a night at the start of the study period, rising to more than 15% at the end of the study. The proportion of people classed as having depressive symptoms increased by about three percentage points, from 8.75% to 11.47%. In the study, data on sleep and depressive symptoms were combined from two Elsa surveys conducted two years apart, as sleep duration and depression are known to fluctuate over time. Sleep duration and depression are both partly inherited from one generation to the next. Earlier studies have suggested depression is about 35% heritable, and that genetic differences account for 40% of the variance in sleep duration. Read More World Osteoporosis Day: The risk factors and early warning signs everyone needs to know about How to support a child with a stammer From colourful gowns to drones, these wedding trends are set take over 2024 Call The Midwife ‘should come with a health warning’ Halloween: 10 wicked ways to kit out your haunted house Black magic: Go back to black this season with the catwalk-inspired trend

Oil held a two-day drop as concerns about waning demand in top importer China were tempered by an

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose party scored a thumping win at Sunday's election, is a conservative political dynasty scion credited with putting the debt-ridden country back...

Arsenal travel to Brentford for a tricky outing as the Premier League resumes following the international break. Mikel Arteta’s men started the day one point off the lead but behind Manchester City and Liverpool in the table and will keep the pressure on the champions with a victory this evening. Brentford, having another stellar season, have already been successful against some of the top sides this year by drawing against Tottenham and beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Thomas Frank will be targeting a spot in the top 10 and potentially a place in Europe following the Bees’ great start and to achieve that they’ll need to continue taking points away from the bigger clubs. Aaron Ramsdale has another chance to impress his manager as he is confirmed to be starting in goal. David Raya, Arteta’s seeming first choice keeper, is unable to play against his parent club and a strong performance from Ramsdale will keep him in the thoughts of the Spaniard. The match is also Arteta’s 200th in charge in all competitions, and he has the most wins compared to all previous Arsenal managers to reach that milestone. Follow all the action below plus get the latest odds and tips for the match right here:

Unless you're well organized, you’ve probably misplaced something in the past month. Maybe your couch

The death toll from floods that have devastated many parts of Kenya has almost doubled to 120, a government...