Disturbed sleep linked to mental health problems in natural disaster survivors

The researchers surveyed survivors two years after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Results show that 94% reported experiencing subsequent insomnia symptoms after the disaster. Two years later, 42% showed clinically significant levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and nearly 22% had symptoms of depression. There were significant positive correlations between sleep disturbances and peritraumatic distress (i.e., emotional reaction during and immediately after the event), PTSD, and symptoms of depression. Resilience did not appear to be a buffer against sleep disturbance…

Hurricane season has begun. Here’s a look at Atlantic storms since the 1850s

Hurricane season is back and all eyes are looking toward the Atlantic for signs of a brewing storm.  And even as forecasters predict a near-normal season, it takes just one to wreak devastation — and no one can say for sure when and where a strike will happen.  Data from the National Weather Service shows that any part of the eastern coastal U.S. is vulnerable, from Texas to Maine.

Here’s a look at a the history of Atlantic hurricanes since the 1850s, using data from the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship program….