Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

#207 - Insomnia and Narcolepsy: Tired of the Same Old Story

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Narcolepsy is often described as a disorder of excessive daytime sleepiness, but that description only tells part of the story. Many people living with narcolepsy also struggle with fragmented, restless, and unrefreshing sleep at night; and these symptoms that can look a lot like insomnia. In recent years, researchers have increasingly viewed narcolepsy as a disorder of sleep-wake instability, where the boundaries between wakefulness, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep become less secure. Understanding narcolepsy through this lens helps explain why someone can be profoundly sleepy during the day and still feel like they "can't sleep" at night. In this episode we will:

Explore why disrupted nighttime sleep is considered a core symptom of narcolepsy, not merely a side effect
Discuss the role of orexin (hypocretin) in stabilizing sleep and wake states and what happens when that system fails
Examine the surprising overlap between narcolepsy and insomnia symptoms, including frequent awakenings, vivid dreaming, and nonrestorative sleep
Review key research supporting the concept of sleep-state instability as a unifying explanation for many narcolepsy symptoms
Consider how treatments aimed at improving nighttime sleep consolidation may help patients feel more alert and functional during the day

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.thesleepreset.com/podcast

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#206 - Sleep Trackers in the Clinic--Help or Harm?: I Guess I Gotta Buy It

Sun, 31 May 2026 23:00:00 -0400

Sleep trackers have become one of the fastest-growing trends in modern health culture. Rings, watches, apps, and mattress sensors now promise to measure everything about your sleep, but are these devices actually helping us sleep better…or simply giving us one more thing to worry about? In this episode, we will:

Discuss whether sleep trackers improve sleep health or simply increase sleep-related anxiety
Explore whether sleep trackers are evolving from wellness gadgets into legitimate healthcare tools
Discuss the recent news surrounding Oura’s confidential IPO filing and what it says about the future of sleep technology
Explore the concept of “orthosomnia” and why the pursuit of perfect sleep scores may backfire
Review studies examining the accuracy of modern sleep trackers for total sleep time, REM sleep, and deep sleep
Talk about who may genuinely benefit from sleep tracking and who may actually be harmed by it.
Examine research suggesting that health data alone often fails to change behavior unless paired with education, coaching, or medical guidance

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor NOCTEM Health, please use the following link: https://noctemhealth.com/

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#205 - Socks In Bed: Taking All The Heat On Your Feet

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

People tend to have surprisingly strong opinions about wearing socks in bed. Some people swear by them, claiming they fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. Others find them uncomfortable, claustrophobic, or far too warm. But beneath this oddly polarizing sleep habit lies some genuinely fascinating science involving thermoregulation, circulation, and the body’s preparation for sleep. In this episode, we will:

Explore why warming your feet may actually help cool your core body temperature
Review the physiology of distal vasodilation and why warming the feet may help people fall asleep faster
Discuss the landmark research by Kräuchi, Raymann, Ko, and others examining foot temperature and sleep onset
Examine how socks may improve sleep continuity and reduce nighttime awakenings in cooler sleeping environments
Explain why warm feet and a cool bedroom may actually represent an ideal combination for sleep
Discuss the difference between healthy sleep-supportive habits and sleep rituals that can evolve into “sleep effort”
Review what types of socks may work best for sleep, including breathable and moisture-wicking fabrics

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#204 - Nidra for RLS: Voltage Running Through Your Skin

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Restless Legs Syndrome has long been treated as a medication problem. But what if one of the most important clues was hidden in the thing patients already know: movement helps. Nidra, a prescription neuromodulation device using tonic motor activation, attempts to borrow the benefit of movement without requiring patients to pace the bedroom at 2:00 AM. In this episode we will:

Review how Nidra stimulates the peroneal nerves to engage movement-related pathways
Explore the RESTFUL pivotal trial and the extension data that supported FDA authorization
Discuss what the studies showed for IRLS scores, global improvement, sleep quality, and safety
Examine why this therapy fits into the changing RLS treatment landscape
Identify which patients may be good candidates and who should avoid it
Share the practical keys to a successful Nidra experience, from placement to consistency

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#203 - What’s Next To Your Bed?: In The Dark, Try To Make It Work

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

What’s on your bedside table? A lamp? A phone? A book? A bottle of melatonin gummies? A tangled charging cable? In this episode we explore what our bedside environments reveal about our relationship with sleep itself. Using real listener-submitted nightstands and bedside drawers — including my own — we introduce the Sleep Sanctuary Index (SSI™), a playful but evidence-informed scoring system designed to determine whether the things beside our bed are helping or hurting sleep. Along the way we discuss insomnia psychology, sensory regulation, sleep consumerism, clutter, nighttime rituals, and why some bedside tables feel like sanctuaries while others feel like tactical survival stations.

In this episode we will:

Introduce the “Sleep Sanctuary Index (SSI™)” — a 100-point grading system for bedside tables and bedside drawers
Explore how clocks, clutter, visible cords, and environmental overstimulation may contribute to cognitive arousal and insomnia
Discuss research surrounding conditioned arousal, hypervigilance, and why the bedroom environment matters psychologically
Examine how sound machines, eye masks, earplugs, nasal strips, and breathing devices may support sleep by improving sensory control and reducing physiologic arousal
Analyze real bedside setups ranging from “Reflective Sleep Specialist” to “Tactical Survivor”
Discuss the rise of “sleep consumerism” and whether too many sleep interventions can paradoxically make sleep feel like work
Explore how nighttime environments can become associated with either safety and ritual…or vigilance and performance
Invite listeners to submit photos of their own bedside tables and drawers to receive an official Sleep Sanctuary Index score and Nightstand Personality Type designation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#202 - AI Sleep Therapists: Machines to Save Our Lives, Machines Dehumanize

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Artificial intelligence is quietly moving into one of the most human spaces we have: therapy. Chatbots now deliver cognitive behavioral strategies, respond with empathy, and are available 24/7 at a fraction of the cost of traditional care. But does that mean the therapist is on the verge of extinction? Or are we misunderstanding what therapy actually is? In this episode, we explore the science, the promise, and the limits of AI in mental health, and ask a deeper question about connection, loneliness, and what it really means to be “seen.” In this episode we will:

Review the current research on AI-based therapy, including randomized trials showing improvements in anxiety and depression• Examine where AI performs well, particularly in structured approaches like CBT and skills-based interventions
Explore the concept of “perceived empathy” and why AI can feel supportive without forming a true therapeutic relationship
Discuss the major limitations of AI, including safety concerns, crisis management, and lack of clinical judgment
Analyze real-world examples of therapy chatbots and hybrid care models already being used in clinical settings
Consider whether AI may actually worsen loneliness over time, despite reducing it in the moment
Reframe the future of therapy as collaboration rather than replacement, with AI extending care but not replacing human connection

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.thesleepreset.com/podcast

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#201 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: I Should Be Scared, But I Feel No Fear

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This week marks the 11th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Ellen Wermter FNP-BC. Ellen is a nurse practitioner and board-certified behavioral sleep specialist. In this episode, Ellen has graciously provided us her list. In this episode we will:

Find out what Ellen thinks are the top threats to your sleep
Focus on how nurse practitioners and physician assistats are playing a increasing large role in sleep medicine
Learn why Ellen's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists previously

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#200 - Sleep Reflections and Hopes: 200 More Before I Sleep

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sleep has never been more visible...or more complicated. In a world of sleep scores, optimization strategies, and endless advice, the pursuit of better sleep has quietly shifted into something more rigid, and for many, more stressful. At the same time, the science of sleep has never been stronger, and the opportunity to reshape how we think about insomnia and restoration has never been greater. Now, we step back and take stock. We examine the unintended consequences of modern sleep culture while looking ahead to what a healthier, more grounded sleep could look like by episode 400. In this episode we will:

Examine the unintended consequences of modern sleep culture and the rise of sleep-related anxiety
Explore how optimization and sleep tracking can paradoxically worsen sleep quality
Review the concept of orthosomnia and its clinical implications
Discuss how fear-based messaging around sleep may contribute to insomnia
Reframe what “good sleep” means through a clinical and behavioral lens
Imagine how sleep science, treatment, and public discourse could evolve over the next 200 episodes
Identify what elements of current sleep culture are worth keeping—and what should be left behind

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#199 - Sleep Fixes With Fine Print: The Only Risk That You Would Take

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sleep fixes are everywhere—magnesium, melatonin, mouth taping, CPAP, turmeric, even that glass of wine before bed. And the truth is, most of them work. But what often gets left out is the fine print: the dosing, the timing, the patient selection, and the unintended consequences that can quietly turn a good idea into a bad outcome. In this episode we will:

Examine how magnesium supplementation can drift into unsafe territory, especially in the setting of renal impairment
Review the risks of mouth taping, including aspiration, skin complications, and worsening undiagnosed sleep apnea
Explore the nuanced role of CPAP, including where it helps—and where it may not improve cardiovascular outcomes in milder cases
Break down turmeric and “golden milk” trends, including dose creep and emerging concerns around hepatotoxicity
Discuss the underappreciated risks of modafinil, including effects on contraception and potential teratogenicity
Provide a clear-eyed look at hypnotic medications and how they alter the perception of sleep more than sleep itself
Clarify why melatonin is best understood as a circadian signal—not a sedative—and how mistiming can backfire
Highlight additional “sleep fixes” like alcohol, naps, weighted blankets, and sleep trackers that come with their own caveats

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#198: The Loneliness Epidemic and Insomnia: Out by Myself

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Insomnia is often framed as a nighttime disorder—but what if, for many patients, it’s also a daytime problem of disconnection? As loneliness emerges as a major public health issue, a growing body of research suggests that social isolation and poor sleep may be deeply intertwined, each reinforcing the other in a self-sustaining cycle. Drawing on the work of Vivek Murthy and current sleep science, this episode explores how loneliness affects insomnia, how insomnia may worsen social disconnection, and what interventions actually help. In this episode we will:

Review how loneliness and social isolation are defined and why they matter for long-term health
Explain the biological and psychological mechanisms linking loneliness to insomnia, including hyperarousal and rumination
Examine experimental and longitudinal research showing that poor sleep can increase next-day loneliness and social withdrawal
Distinguish between objective isolation, subjective loneliness, and relationship quality—and why that matters clinically
Discuss evidence-based interventions including CBT-I, behavioral activation, mindfulness, and structured social engagement
Offer a practical framework for identifying and treating insomnia when disconnection is part of the clinical picture

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.thesleepreset.com/podcast

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#197 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: The Challenges We're Facing

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This week marks the 10th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Vanderbilt Professor of Neurology and Sleep Medicine Dr. Beth Malow. In addition to promoting her new book Beyond the Politics of Contempt—Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times, Dr. Malow has graciously provided us her list. In this episode we will:

Find out what Dr. Malow thinks are the top threats to your sleep
Focus on how Dr. Malow looks at our divided political and stressful times as core drivers of sleep problems
Learn why Beth's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists previously

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#196 - Red Light Therapy: All I See Is Red

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Red light therapy has moved well beyond the world of skincare and into something far more biologically intriguing. From mitochondrial function to retinal aging to chronic tendon pain, specific wavelengths of light, particularly in the 630 to 670 nm range, are being studied for their ability to influence how our cells produce energy, respond to stress, and recover from injury. While the science is promising, it is also uneven, with strong signals in some areas and much thinner evidence in others. In this episode we will:

Review the fundamentals of photobiomodulation and how red light interacts with mitochondria
Learn about the differences between common wavelengths like 630 nm and 670 nm and why they matter
Examine the strongest evidence for red light therapy in skin health and cosmetic applications
Explore the emerging research on 670 nm light and retinal function, including effects on color contrast sensitivity
Break down the mixed clinical data on age-related macular degeneration and what multiwavelength trials are showing
Discover the preclinical evidence suggesting protection of retinal ganglion cells and neuroretinal tissue
Evaluate the research behind red light therapy for musculoskeletal pain, including plantar fasciitis and tendinopathies
Understand the limitations of current studies, including dosing variability and small sample sizes
Identify where red light therapy may fit as an adjunct versus where it falls short as a primary treatment

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#195 - Pillow Fight 2026: Lay It On The Line

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

It's NCAA Selection Sunday, and that means the Pillow Fight is back. This year we've assembled 16 new pillows, each full of hope that they will be the last pillow standing and hoist the SideSleeperZ Cup. In this episode, we will:

Explain the second annual Sleep Unplugged Pillow Fight tournament
Touch upon how important choosing the right pillow is for sleep
Breakdown the scoring system (25% Committee, 25% my blinded experience, 25% Sleep Specialist input, 10% Crowd/Social Media (Instagram) following, 10% 'Induced Fit', and 5% Packaging and Extras).
Introduce the 16 competitors: Authenticity50, Beckham Hotel, Bedgear, Brooklinen, Casaluna, Chamberlain Down, Coop, GeliSleep, Hästens, Hest, Lincove, Onyx, Pluto, Scrumptious, ViSpring, and Yogasleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#194 - Nocturnal Headaches and Sleep: No More Pain While You Sleep

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Waking up with a headache can feel ominous. Is it stress? Sinus pressure? Something neurological? In this episode of Sleep Unplugged, we break down nocturnal headaches in a practical, clinically grounded way. In this episode we will:

Review the most common causes of headaches that wake you from sleep, including migraine, cluster headache, hypnic headache, and sleep apnea
Learn how nocturnal headaches differ in children versus adults and what red flags parents should watch for
Determine when imaging is necessary and when it is not
Explore the connection between sleep stages, circadian rhythms, and specific headache syndromes
Find out why untreated sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea are a frequently missed cause
Discuss practical treatment strategies and prevention tips you can start using right away

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#193 - Insomnia and Success: Gonna Hit The Big Time

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Success looks good in the daylight, but at night, it often looks very different. In this episode we explore why insomnia is so common in driven, high-achieving, Type-A personalities. Is it stress? Hyperarousal? The Zeigarnik effect? We unpack the science, the psychology, and the cultural narrative that may be quietly rewarding sleeplessness. In this episode, we will:

Discover what the research says about achievement orientation, perfectionism, and insomnia
Outlinehyperarousal model of insomnia and why high performers may struggle to “turn it off”
Introduce the Zeigarnik effect and how unfinished goals hijack the sleeping brain
Learn why our culture romanticizes sleepless productivity and how that reinforces the problem
Contrast the difference between short sleepers, workaholism, and true chronic insomnia
Think about practical strategies for high achievers to protect sleep without sacrificing ambition

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#192 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Can I Go To Bed & Sleep Tonight?

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

This week marks the 10th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Margaret Park. In this episode we will:

Find out what Dr. Park thinks are the top threats to your sleep
Focus on how Dr. Park looks at practical patient and system failures
Learn why Margaret's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists before

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#191 - Creatine and Sleep: When You Sleep, Your Muscles Would Bulge

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Creatine has been a staple in the gym bag for decades. But is it just for bodybuilders chasing one more rep, or does it have something to say about sleep, brain energy, and resilience in a sleep deprived world? In this episode we will:

Break down what creatine actually is and how it works at the cellular level as a rapid energy buffer for muscle and brain
Explore why athletes swear by it, what the data really shows about strength and performance
Learn why creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard despite the marketing of newer forms
Review data about brain energy, sleep pressure, and whether creatine helps when the system is under stress
Tackle broader health claims of mood/depression, aging, cognition, and the often misunderstood relationship between creatine and kidney function
Touch upon creatine and hair loss
Review best creatine practices and warnings about its use

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#190 - Restless Legs Syndrome Shake-Up: Every Time a Problem Ends, Another One Begins

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Restless legs syndrome used to feel simple. If the legs were jumping, we reached for a dopamine agonist, the safer alternative to older meds. Over time, we learned that the very medication calming symptoms could make the condition worse. But just as guidelines changed in favor of gabapentin and related medications, new research raised concerns about the medications link to cognitive decline and dementia. So where does that leave patients? In this episode, we will:

Define restless legs syndrome and review why dopamine agonists became the standard treatment in the first place
Explain augmentation and rebound in plain language, and why it led to guideline reconsideration
Walk through the AASM’s updated recommendations and why gabapentinoids are now considered first-line therapy
Examine the recent study linking gabapentin exposure to increased dementia and mild cognitive impairment risk
Discuss what observational research can and cannot tell us about causation
Compare the real-world risks of dopamine agonists versus the emerging safety signals around gabapentin
Explore how these recommendations may be interpreted differently by sleep specialists versus primary care providers
Highlight the “rock and hard place” many patients feel caught in when every option carries caveats
Review practical strategies: iron optimization, careful dosing, monitoring for augmentation, and individualized care
Offer a balanced framework for making thoughtful, evidence-based decisions without panic or oversimplification

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#189 - Insomnia Electronics: Electricity So Fine

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

This month’s insomnia episode explores a provocative idea: can certain electronics actually help insomnia rather than harm it? While screens and devices are often blamed for poor sleep, some technologies aim to calm the nervous system, teach self-regulation, or reduce the anxiety that keeps insomnia going. In this episode we will:

• Revisit the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve, and why the “wandering nerve” has fascinated medicine for centuries
• Review the data for non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation and devices like Truvaga: what the research shows, what remains unclear, and whether stimulation truly reaches the vagus nerve
• Undwerstand how implantable vagus nerve stimulators for epilepsy differ from consumer wellness devices, and why that matters for insomnia
• Introduce the Muse Athena and the shift from passive neuromodulation to learning an active calming skill
• Unpack what we know so far about the data behind Muse devices and insomnia
• Consider Pavlok and behavioral technology: reducing anxiety around waking, oversleeping, and morning routines
• Learn how to think about sleep tech without falling into orthosomnia or gadget-driven sleep anxiety

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#188 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: I’m Tired but I’m Working

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

This week marks the 9th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Seem Khosla. In this episode we will:

Find out what Seema thinks are the top threats to your sleep
Focus on sleep priority failures...both of the patient and the clinician
Learn why Dr. Khosla's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists before

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#187 - Why is Donald Trump So Sleepy? My Mind Is Fading

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Recent headlines and viral clips have reignited conversation about Donald Trump appearing to fall asleep during public events. What’s actually going on? Trump has repeatedly said, in his own words and in interviews, that he doesn’t sleep much and doesn’t believe he needs much sleep. In this podcast we will:

Provide a brief tour of presidential and political history that shows short sleep has been common among leaders, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill Clinton
Talk about why sleep loss matters via a clear, science-based explanation of how chronic short sleep affects attention, decision-making, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance
Differentiate between “functioning” and functioning well, and discuss why people often overestimate how well they perform when sleep deprived
Pull in the cultural mythology of leaders who “never sleep” and why we tend to confuse exhaustion with strength, productivity, or toughness
Take a look at how sleep has become politicized, including nicknames, optics, and the public’s fixation on who looks tired and who doesn’t

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#186 - EMF and Sleep: Rays of Violet and Electric Blue

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are everywhere—from our phones to our Wi-Fi to the wiring in our homes. But do they actually disrupt sleep… or is this another modern sleep villain that gets more attention than it deserves? In this episode of Sleep Unplugged, we will:

Define what EMF actually is (ELF vs RF, and why “non-ionizing” matters)
Learn what research says—and doesn’t say—about EMF and the brain, including why subtle EEG changes don’t always translate into real-world sleep problems
Review what studies show about EMF and sleep, from brain waves and spindles to subjective sleep quality
Focus on Chuck McGill (Better Call Saul) as a case study, and why his story mirrors what we see in insomnia, hyperarousal, and perceived sleep threats
Determine if EMF-blocking devices actually work and look at physics vs marketing—and why many products overpromise
List some reasonable precautions without fear, and why chasing the “perfect sleep environment” can sometimes make insomnia worse

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#185 - Insomnia Resolutions: Seeing My Past to Let It Go

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

This week on the Sleep Unplugged podcast, we are looking at sleep resolutions made for the new year and why they often fail. In this episode, we present six insomnia resolutions that don’t ask you to “try harder” — because insomnia isn’t a motivation problem, a discipline problem, or a character flaw. In this episode we will:

Reframe why New Year’s sleep resolutions fail
Think about insomnia as a brain trained to stay alert and how that reshapes our insomnia therapy goals
Discuss how CBT-I actually retrains the brain (not willpower) and how it fits in with the way we view insomnia therapy
Learn why fixing insomnia requires better systems, better language, and better care, and not more effort
Understand why insomnia can be tough to fix alone

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#184 - 2025 Sleep Unplugged Awards: I Will Be King

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Once again we come to the end of another year and our 4th Annual Sleep Unplugged "Sleepy" Awards are upon us again. Join me in honoring the best and brightest in sleep in this podcast episode:

The 2025 Sleepy Award winners are:

Social Media Warrior Dr. Christopher J Allen (@sleepdrchris)

Sleep Outsider Award The Nap Ministry/Tricia Hershey (@thenapministry)

Sleep Vanguard Organization Natrol (@natrolofficial)

Sleep Sports Organization Toronoto Blue Jays

Sleep Podcast of The Year Deep Into Sleep/Dr. Yishan Xu (@dr.yishan)

Best Insomnia Advice Nada El Kouz (@wellpower.me)

Book of the Year Sleep Groove: Why Your Biological Clock Is So Messed Up And What To Do About It
Dr. Olivia Walch (@olivia.walch)

Sleep Trend Farewell Nighttime baby carrots

Sleep Crusader Award Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, MD (@fabsleepdoc)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#183 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: You Can't Live Like This

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This week marks the 8th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Roxanne Prichard. In this episode we will:

Find out what Roxanne thinks are the top threats to your sleep
Focus on wealth inequality
Learn why Dr. Prichard's list does not contradict our previous lists, but may very well explain them.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#182 - So You're Having A Sleep Study: Lying In Bed

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Ever wondered what really happens during a sleep study — and why we still rely on them more than 50 years after their invention? Take a behind-the-scenes look at the overnight sleep study, from its surprisingly quirky origins to its modern-day role in diagnosing sleep apnea, narcolepsy, parasomnias, and more. In this episode we will:

Learn how the polysomnogram was born — and why it became the gold standard in sleep medicine
Understand what actually happens during an overnight sleep study (yes, all those wires have a purpose)
Cover the rise of home sleep testing — when it works well, and when it can miss important diagnoses
Review special considerations for kids, athletes, and patients with complex sleep concerns
Take a peek at where sleep testing is headed next, from wearable tech to at-home EEG

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#181 - Sleep Aids and Dementia: All Manner of Pills

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

You probably saw the headlines out of California as they sent a jolt through the sleep world as well as social media: Do common sleep medications increase your risk of dementia? In this episode we will:

Review what the UCSF study actually found — and what the headlines got wrong
Determine which medications are most often implicated (benzodiazepines vs Z-drugs vs trazodone)
Take a deep dive into the three best studies on sleeping pills and dementia risk
Find out why some large studies do show a connection… and others don’t
Learn the real risks you should take seriously — even if dementia isn’t one of them
Think about how doctors should actually practice prescribing sleep meds in older adults

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#180 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Sleeping Eyes, You’re Missing (Out)

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 23:00:00 -0500

This week marks the 7th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, but it's the first time we have devoted an entire episode to the list. This week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Jade Wu. In this episode we will:

Find out what Jade thinks are the top threats to your sleep
Focus on mental health as a sleep detractor
Learn more about the concept of FOMO or "fear of missing out" and how research is indicating it is a real threat to the sleep of many

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#179 - The 4th Annual Holiday Sleep Gift Guide Extravaganza: The Perfect Gift

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Fear not, the Sleep Unplugged podcast is once again here to solve your holiday shopping dilemmas with some of my favorite sleep product companies. In this episode, we will explore a host of sleep-themed gift ideas and product recommendations. In this episode, we will feature the following products:

SideSleeperZ slip-proof sleep mask
Authenticity50 bedding
Bee Ulmo honey
BlueAir air purification systems (MiniRestful)
Dagsmejan sleepwear
Hästens mattresses and sleep products
Honeydew Sleep pillows
Loftie alarm clocks
Moonbrew drink mix
Natrol Sleep & Restore supplements
Ozlo sleep earbuds
Path water
QuietOn noise cancelling sleep earbuds
Sleeping Dove comforters
Sleep Protein
Truvaga vagal nerve stimulator
WeLove Creations earplugs
Zden

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#178 - Orexin Agonists Are Here: This Is The New Stuff

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The orexin receptor agonists are coming. After years of managing narcolepsy with stimulants, sodium oxybate, and wake-promoting agents, we soon will have medications that target the root cause of the disorder: the loss of orexin signaling. These new drugs—developed by Takeda, Alkermes, and Centessa—aren’t just incremental improvements. They represent a genuine shift in how we understand and treat hypersomnolence disorders. In this episode, we will:

Define what orexin is and why losing it destabilizes wakefulness, REM boundaries, muscle tone, and cognition
Learn how orexin agonists work—not as stimulants, but as replacement therapy for a missing neurotransmitter
Find out why OX2R is the key receptor, and how selective agonists restore stable wakefulness, reduce cataplexy, and normalize attention
Review the available clinical data from the new wave of programs: oveporexton (Takeda), alixorexton (Alkermes), and ORX750 (Centessa)
See what makes these drugs different from modafinil, amphetamines, solriamfetol, and oxybate therapies
Learn why Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 trials matter—with quick insights on how these drugs reached such strong results
Consider safety and side effects, including what Hy’s Law means and why regulators watch liver signals so closely
Look ahead to what these medications may mean for NT1, NT2, IH, and other hypersomnolence disorders in the coming years
Speculate why this class represents one of the most exciting moments in modern sleep medicine

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#177 - Sleep Fragmentation - Picking Up the Pieces

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

At the root of many sleep disorders of sleep fragmentation. It's a big part of sleep medicine that many people don't know much about. In this episode we will:

Define sleep fragmentation
Contrast the differences between arousals from sleep and awakenings from sleep
Understand why sleep fragmentation goes unnoticed by providers and patients alike
List some common causes of sleep fragmentation
Review how sleep fragmentation appears in sleep data
Touch upon research about sleep fragmentation specifically and performance
Provide strategies for reducing sleep fragmentation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#176 - Media and Insomnia: It’s So Hard To Tell From Just A Magazine

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The media can be a fantastic source of information about insomnia, or it can be a lens that distorts and confuses the issue. In this episode we will:

Contrast to contemporary insomnia articles from popular media
Understand the difference between causation and relationships
Learn how the use to percentages can distort the scale of an effect
Read how media frequently confuses "sleep deprivation" and "insomnia"
Evaluate an example of how media can positively educate and help readers understand insomnia better

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#175 - World Series, Performance, and Sleep: Out of the Blue

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

For the first time in my career, two team for who I work will meet for the championship, this time it's the Los Angeles Dodgers (my 10th year with the club) and the Toronto Blue Jays (my 3rd year with the club). In this episode we will:

Discuss my work in MLB
Talk about how these two teams came to sleep medicine as a performance tool
Learn how anybody or any organization could benefit from sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#174 - Hydration and Sleep: It's In The Water

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We talk endlessly about caffeine, alcohol, and sleep—but what about plain old water? In this episode, we will:

Dive deep into the fascinating relationship between hydration and sleep quality
Explore how dehydration disrupts sleep architecture—raising heart rate, cortisol, and even airway resistance
Learn how hydration supports thermoregulation, helps maintain slow-wave sleep, and prevents the dry-mouth awakenings familiar to CPAP users and frequent flyers
Break down the latest research, from studies showing that short sleepers have higher urine osmolality
Find out strategies for timing and optimizing hydration for better nights

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#173 - Sleep and Altitude: Only Look Up

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Whether you’re skiing in Aspen, hiking Kilimanjaro, or just wondering why sleep feels so strange in the mountains, altitude messes with your rest in fascinating ways. In this episode we will:

Explore the biology of what’s really happening in the brain and body when oxygen thins out
Find out why your sleep becomes fragmented and restless, and what recent research reveals about the role of hypoxia, periodic breathing, and even oxidative stress in your slumber at altitude
Share new data on how altitude amplifies both insomnia and sleep apnea
Unpack the science behind those sleepless nights at high elevation
Provide practical, evidence-based strategies to make them better

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#172 - Sleep Hygiene is Not Insomnia Therapy: Save Me Tonight

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We’ve all heard the sleep hygiene advice: turn off your screens, keep your room cool, avoid caffeine after lunch. While we can agree that these practices set the stage for better sleep, does engaging in them actually help those with sleep problems? In this episode we will:

Examine the intended role of sleep hygiene
Look at what research tell us in terms of using sleep hygiene as a tool for insomnia treatment
Dive into what it means for an insomnia therapy to work
Differentiate between actions geared at changing sleep behaviors and actions geared towards changing interpretations of sleep behaviors

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#171 - Getting Your Kid To Sleep Through The Night: Crying In My Sleep

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Few parenting debates stir more passion than how to help a baby sleep. In this episode, we will:

Explore the science and controversy behind “cry it out,” Ferber/check-and-console, and gentler alternatives
Review what research says about sleep outcomes, stress, and attachment
Think about this concept in relationship to varyting sleep needs
Unpack the safety concerns around bed-sharing and why guidance is so divided
Offer practical takeaways so parents can choose an approach that works—and feels right—for their family

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#170 - Sleep Earbuds and Earplugs: Of Course I’ve Had It In The Ear Before

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

When it comes to sleep, sometimes silence is golden—and sometimes it needs a little help. In this episode, we’ll explore the world of earplugs and earbuds designed to quiet the night and protect your rest, because sometimes the best way to protect your dreams is to put a little something in your ear. In this episode we will:

Determine why reducing noise can make such a difference for falling asleep and staying asleep
List the best earplugs made specifically for sleep—like BET SLUMBUR, Loop, Swanwick, and Happy Ears
Introduce new approaches to noise masking that blend soothing sound with comfort and advanced sleep tracking (Ozlo)
Revisit noise canceling innovations that actively fight disruptive sounds (QuietOn 4.0)
Learn how to match the right solution to your unique sleep environment—whether it’s a snoring partner, thin apartment walls, or unpredictable travel nights

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#169 - Periodic Limb Movement Disorder: Out At Night Moving

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We’ve all seen it—or maybe we’ve been told we do it: twitching, jerking, or kicking in the night. But when does this common sleep quirk cross the line into a diagnosable condition? In this episode, we will:

Define Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) and explain how it differs from simple nighttime movements
Explore its surprising prevalence in both adults and children—and its strong ties to Restless Legs Syndrome
Review leading theories of cause, from dopamine to iron to spinal generators
Highlight intriguing new research, including cardiovascular links and AI-based detection
Discuss treatment strategies—from iron replacement to dopaminergic medications and lifestyle approaches

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#168 - #MASA (Make America Sleep Again): Wake Me Up When September Ends

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Did you know…

Only 57% of Americans now say science has a mostly positive effect on society—down 16 points since before COVID?
And yet, 83% of people still trust their doctor more than anyone else when it comes to vaccine advice?

We’ve all lived through it—the pandemic reshaped our health, our trust, and our divisions, and those dividisions have been on full display recently as hearings have highlighted a growing distrust in the medical and scientific communities. In this episode, we will:

Explore why COVID was not just a disease, but a collective trauma—and how trauma often drives blame and denial
Examine the promise of MAHA (Making America Healthy Again) and the peril of dismantling expertise in the process
Confront the deep health inequities that make the U.S. lag behind other developed nations in life expectancy and outcomes
Ask why preventive medicine never fulfilled its promise in our healthcare system
Review how vaccines remain one of the greatest public health successes—even as skepticism grows
Unpack why rare side effects feel amplified when billions of doses are given
Revisit the vaccine rollout as both a modern miracle and a “fog of war” moment with inevitable missteps
Challenge the myth of “doing your own research” and why interpretation of science matters more than access
Discuss how shaming during the pandemic hardened divides instead of fostering change
Look ahead: why questioning science is healthy, but abandoning it could cost us the cures and treatments of the future

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#167 - Frequent Nighttime Urination: All Through The Night

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

When it comes to insomnia, many people begin their journey staring at the clock after yet another middle-of-the-night bathroom trip and wondering: is it my bladder or my sleep that’s broken? In this episode, we will:

Define what nocturia is—and what counts as normal versus abnormal
Explore why most people wake up first and then feel the urge to urinate
Reveal how nocturia can be a surprising red flag for obstructive sleep apnea
Distinguish between urinary problems that happen all day long versus nighttime-only frequency linked to sleep disorders
Challenge the myth that cutting off fluids during the day is an effective fix
Reassure you that a single nightly bathroom trip can be perfectly healthy

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#166 - 10 Ways to Sleep Better in a Hotel: Take Me to The Hotel

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We’ve all been there—different bed, strange noises, mystery thermostat settings—and suddenly your “dream” vacation or business trip comes with a side of sleeplessness. But hotel sleep doesn’t have to be a gamble. In this episode, we will:

Explore why the “first night effect” sabotages rest in unfamiliar places
Share 10 science-backed strategies to optimize any hotel room for sleep
Learn how to manage temperature, light, and noise—even when you can’t control the building
Discover how bringing small comforts from home can calm an over-alert brain
Review simple, evidence-based tricks to dodge jet lag and keep your circadian rhythm on track

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#165 - Headache and Sleep: Gotta Painful Swelling Brain

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Headaches don’t punch the clock at bedtime — in fact, for many, night is when they strike hardest. In this episode, we’ll:

Explore how disrupted sleep can trigger and intensify migraines, cluster headaches, hypnic headaches, and chronic daily headache
Examine the role of sleep apnea in “morning headaches” and how CPAP therapy can make them disappear
Review the latest research linking insomnia treatment to reduced headache burden — including new findings from a Seattle study on prazosin for posttraumatic headache in veterans
Break down the brain mechanisms connecting sleep and pain, from hypothalamic circadian control to CGRP signaling
Offer practical, research-backed strategies for patients and clinicians to address both sides of the equation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#164 - Temperature vs. Tired: Which Sign is Vital?

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

At every medical appointment, certain rituals unfold: height, weight, blood pressure, and—almost reflexively—temperature. But in asymptomatic patients, how often does that temperature reading actually matter? In this episode, we will:

Examine the origins of routine temperature checks and their current clinical value
Explore data showing how infrequently temperature readings in well visits lead to meaningful outcomes
Introduce the idea of sleep as a more relevant and revealing “vital sign”
Highlight how simple questions—like “Do you snore?” or “Are you sleepy during the day?”—can uncover high-impact sleep disorders
Contrast the diagnostic yield of temperature checks vs. sleep screening
Consider why sleep is still overlooked in routine care, despite its massive public health implications
Reimagine a future where sleep quality is as routinely measured—and meaningfully addressed—as blood pressure

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#163 - Insomnia and Public Health: You're Looking Tired And More Than A Little Human

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We all think we know what insomnia is: trouble sleeping, tossing and turning, maybe staring at the ceiling until sunrise. But does the public really have a clear picture of insomnia and does that impact the massive health impact it has? In this episode, we will:

Explain how insomnia is not a single problem but a progressive condition, starting with a few rough nights and, in some, developing into a chronic disorder
Explore why insomnia is often a disorder of perception, where patients significantly underestimate how much they sleep
Review what studies show about actual sleep time in insomnia—based on polysomnography, actigraphy, and other objective measures
Identify how public misunderstanding of insomnia has contributed to ineffective treatments and persistent myths
Walk through a new six-level clinical framework for managing insomnia, from public health education to relapse prevention
Highlight why “doing nothing new” after a bad night may be the best form of early treatment—and why CBT-I remains the gold standard when things don’t resolve
Discuss the role of hyperarousal, sleep identity, and over-attention to sleep in making insomnia worse over time

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#162 -Sleep in the Gilded Age: If You Know Your History

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In our modern world of blue light and burnout, it’s easy to forget that sleep has always been shaped by the forces of its time. In this episode, we travel back to the Gilded Age—a period of dazzling progress, deep inequality, and curious beliefs about sleep. In thenis episode, we will:

Explore how medical professionals in the late 19th century understood sleep—and misunderstood insomnia
Learn what physicians were prescribing to sleepless patients in an era of opium, electricity, and moral fatigue
Contrast the sleep practices of the working poor and the wealthy elite, and how each class shaped our modern assumptions
Examine the “rest cure,” neurasthenia, and other diagnoses born from a world grappling with industrial change
Discover the surprising technologies and bedding innovations that started appearing in Gilded Age bedrooms
Reflect on how beliefs from this gilded era still echo in our bedrooms today—from sleep hygiene to the fear of lying awake

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#161 - Sleep on Television: The Dream’s Dream on the Small Screen

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We’ve talked extensively about sleep and its science, but what happens when sleep becomes the story itself—on screen? Television has portrayed sleep, sleeplessness, and dreaming across decades of iconic storytelling. In this episode we will:

Highlight classic TV episodes where sleep or sleep disorders play a central role
Examine how sleep is portrayed in multiple genres
Review how accurately sleep is represented in some of the most famous shows
Discuss why sleep deprivation and dreaming are such powerful storytelling devices
Explore pop culture portrayals of sleep studies, insomnia, and dream manipulation
Share fun facts and behind-the-scenes trivia from episodes of The X-Files, Star Trek, The Simpsons, Schitt's Creek, and more

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#160 - Still Sleepy After CPAP: I'm Not Dead, I'm Not Myself

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We’ve explored sleep apnea in depth on the podcast—its causes, its severity, and the many ways it’s treated. But what happens when the sleepiness lingers, even after treatment? In this episode, we will:

Define sleep apnea, what it is—and what it isn’t
Learn how excessive daytime sleepiness is defined, both on its own and in the context of sleep apnea
Review the most common and effective treatments for sleep apnea
Explore how often treatment truly resolves sleepiness in patients
Consider why lingering sleepiness is frequently missed or dismissed
List treatment options for residual EDS in individuals with sleep apnea

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#159 - Extreme Insomnia: You're Killing Yourself If You Don't Believe It

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The Atlantic recently published a feature article entitled "Why Americans Can't Sleep." The article was written by Jennifer Senior, and fantastically accomplished writer (2022 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing, the 2022 National Magazine Award for Feature Writing, and the 2024 National Magazine Award for Columns & Essays) and details not only her own personal struggles with insomnia, but also attempts to dive deeper into sleep science and what she describes as a "public health emergency." In this episode, we will:

Look at this article in a list of similar articles and books over the decades that detail harrowing personal accounts of insomnia
Understand why the hook of these articles seems to mirror that of other news/extreme weather, where the thrust of the piece is centered around the insomnia being "the worst" and "the most severe"
Discuss how failure to differentiate sleep deprivation and insomnia can lead to erroneous conclusions
Examine how these pieces almost uniformly fail to define insomnia, and in doing so fail to define what a successful outcome/solution would look like. In other words, what does "work" mean?
Imagine what a truly revolutionary article about insomnia might look like

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#158 - Bruxism: Put You Through the Grind

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Bruxism or teeth grinding is a remarkably common occurrence and often happens during our nightly sleep period, disrupting sleep quality and continuity. In this episode we will:

Define bruxism
Explore the epidemiology of the condition
Look at some of the causes of teeth grinding
Touch upon proposed mechanisms of bruxism
Review recent bruxism research
List common treatments for the condition

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#157 - Weight Loss Drugs and Sleep Apnea: One Pill Makes You Small

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Weight loss drugs are everywhere and recently Zepbound (tirzepitide) made big news when it became the first FDA-approved sleep apnea therapy for mild to moderate sleep apnea. In this episode, we will:

Introduce and explain weight loss medications
Review the studies that convinced the FDA to approve Zepbound for sleep apnea
Provide an overview on this class of weight loss medications
Evaluate the risks and determine who is a best match for this therapy
Touch on the cost and difficulty in getting these drugs approved
Revisit Apnimed's SynAIRgy press release and how it relates to our discussion in episode 110 of the podcast

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#156 - Research from the 2025 SLEEP Scientific Conference: Make Me a Poster

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

You are looking live at the Seattle Conference Center where sleep researchers from around the world are converging to carry around tote bags and share the latest and greatest sleep research. I was there and saw it all. In this episode we will:

Discuss AI and its emerging role in sleep research
Learn why napping continues to show positives in attention and performance
Continue the focus on chrononutrition and how sleep and circadian factors affect metabolism
Witness the emergence of women's health and menstrual timing and how it is gaining traction in the sleep community
Differentiate subjective sleep versus reality in surprising ways
Test novel wearable and headbands in sleep
Evaluate the heightened focus on adolescent sleep
Praise the continued efforts to study sleep and it's impact on mood

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#155 - Oral Appliance and Sleep Apnea: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

So far on the podcast we had talked about sleep apnea as well as the treatments CPAP and surgery. On this episode of the podcast, we discuss another popular treatment option: oral appliances. In this episode we will:

Review the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea
Outline the mechanism via which oral appliance work
List the pros and cons of oral appliance for surgery
Discuss how the oral appliance fits into the landscape of sleep apnea therapy

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#154 - Sleep and the Threat of Danger: I Won’t Do You No Harm

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

One of the biggest obstacles in insomnia treatment is the perceived threat of physical harm related to the sleep difficulty. It's a major cog in the insomnia-fear-arousal cycle. In this episode we will:

Utilize two case studies to illustrate the disruption that fear of harm causes with insomnia recovery
Discuss insomnia is a disorder of distress, not danger
Talk about the lack of any evidence that acute sleep loss causes medical harm
Challenge the catastrophizing that characterizes insomnia
Contrast behavioral and cognitive therapies over medical therapies

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#153 - The Ten Worst Things For Sleep: Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing

Mon, 26 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

When we did the snooze button episode of the podcast, it all started with a declaration that the snooze button was the worst thing for sleep. While it's fairly clear the snooze button is not, what is? In this episode, we list the top 10 worst things for sleep. In this episode we will:

List what I believe the top ten worst things for sleep are
Provide a nugget of research to back it up
This will be a dynamic list that we will update from time to time

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#152 - Sleep and Temperature Regulation: Gonna Make You Sweat

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Sweating at night is a common complaint in the sleep clinic. While night sweats are often thought of as being the exclusive domain of post-menopausal women, their causes can be surprisingly varied. In this episode we will:

Review the epidemiology of night sweats
List the cause both benign and more concerning
Discuss how night sweats specifically impact sleep quality and architecture
Review interventions to help with the problem

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#151 - Sleep and Back, Neck, and Shoulder Pain: Sorry For The Hurt

Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

When it comes to symptoms that cause us to seek medical help, there are few that top pain. Pain occupies a unique space within the world of sleep, in particular back, neck, and shoulder pain. In this episode we will:

Provide an overview of sleep-related pain
Explore the relationship between sleep disturbances and pain
Learn how sleep disturbances can be a strong predictor of the development of pain
Examine studies linking REM sleep loss and increased pain indices
Review specific sleep research on the various regions of pain
List treatment options and weigh their effectiveness

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#150 - Bedtime Stories: Without You, I Just Can’t Go To Sleep

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Over the last several years, adult 'bedtime stories' have become a ubiquitous internet method used by many to help themselves fall asleep at night. In this episode we will:

Define bedtime stories
Explore what makes them useful for some as a bedtime ritual for sleep
Discuss the role these techniques play in insomnia
Dissect the ways in which these stores could actually work against someone overcoming their insomnia
Think about the specific role these stories can play in healthy insomnia recovery

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#149 - Creating a Bedroom Sanctuary: Here May Ye Rest A While

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

There is nothing more pleasing to the soul than wandering into a space that makes you feel protected, present, and at peace. Many elements involved in the creation of a comfortable bedroom sanctuary have been covered on the podcast. Now, we work to synthesize them all into your Zen den masterpiece. In this episode we will:

Think about how room color choices affect relaxation and sleep
Design the lighting that will best support our sanctuary's mission
Consider how decorations can work to sooth or distract from the goal of rest
Evaluate the role of air filters in our room design
Look at materials on the floors and walls in terms of sound dampening
Define 'biophilic design' and explore how it will shape the direction of the room
Embrace organic and natural bedding materials instead of synthetics
Remove clutter from the space and thoughtfully consider the pros and cons of electronics
Create a "travel version" of our room choices when possible

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#148 - The Truth About Medical Practices: It’s an Illusion

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

As the owner of a private medical practice, I know how difficult it is for the solo provider/small group to keep the doors open and deliver quality care, especially if the providers participate with insurance carriers. This fact not only affects providers, but as we will explore in the episode, it can often directly impact they options for care a patient receives. In this episode we will:

Understand the obstacles and misperceptions baked into a career in medicine.
Examine the debt of the typical medical doctor after finishing medical school
Calculate the problematic combination of 1) starting a career in debt, and 2) starting a career relatively late
Compare the rate of the rising costs of running a medical practice with the relative rate of medical insurance reimbursement
Evaluate the massive burdens that insurance companies place on providers in the form of prior authorizations (PA)
Learn how to navigate your own care in this difficult climate

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#147 - Idiopathic Hypersomnia: All I Wanna Do Is Wake Up In The Morning

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We have talked extensively about Type 1 and Type 2 narcolepsy on the podcast, but what about its mysterious cousin idiopathic hypersomnia (IH)? What is IH and why is it so hard to diagnose? What is its relationship with narcolepsy, and how do we treat it? In this episode we will:

Define idiopathic hypersomnia
Look at its incidence rate next to narcolepsy
List the key characteristics that differentiate it from narcolepsy
Learn the factors that make it difficult to diagnose
Highlight the first FDA-approved treatment for the disorder

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#146 - Cognitive Shuffling: Ain’t Nothin’ To It

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A recent New York Times article entitled "A Simple Technique to Help You Fall Asleep" by Christina Caron details a technique dubbed cognitive shuffling that took the internet by storm as a treatment for a racing mind at night. In this episode we will:

Define cognitive reshuffling
Explore its origins in other 'distracting' techniques including the original--counting sheep
Discuss the role these techniques play in insomnia
Dissect the ways in which we discuss these therapies, including how we view them through the lens of research
What do these therapies teach us about insomnia and lasting solutions

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#145 - Hypnic Myoclonus: Jerk Your Body

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We have all experienced it...you're sitting in bed, nodding off, and suddenly you awaken with a start feeling like you are about to fall down stairs. Hypnic myoclonus is estimated to affect as many as 60-70% of individuals, but what is it? In this episode we will:

Define hypnic myoclonus, often referred to as "sleep starts" or "hypnagogic jerks"
Review the symptoms of the phenomenon
Speculate of the evolutionary cause
Characterize individuals at the highest risk
List the causes of hypnic myoclonus
Discuss diagnostic and treatment options

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#144 - Missing Sleep Apnea: I Thought Someone Would Notice

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

26 million adult Americans have sleep apnea and 80-90% represent undiagnosed cases. Why have these numbers remained so high when there are easier diagnostic and treatment options than ever? In this episode we will:

Discuss obstacles to diagnosis
See how the lack of symptom specificity adds to the problem
Consider if lack of provider awareness is really an issue
Look at fear as a factor holding patients back
Evaluate the difficulty of getting sleep studies

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#143 - Pillow Fight 2025: Simply The Best

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Everyone loves the NCAA basketball tournament...teams colliding in a winner-take-all tournament for basketball supremacy. Haven't you ever dreamed about a similar competition between different pillows? Well dream no longer because that bedding showdown is here. Pillows are so important to our sleep, which is why I have assembled 17 of the finest to square off in a battle the likes of which have never been seen. In this episode we will:

Explain the first annual Sleep Unplugged Pillow Fight tournament
Touch upon how important choosing the right pillow is for sleep
Breakdown the scoring system (25% Committee, 25% my blinded experience, 25% Sleep Specialist input, 10% Crowd/Social Media (Instagram) following, 10% 'Induced Fit', and 5% Packaging and Extras).
Introduce the 17 competitors: Atluxe, Authenticity50, Bedgear, Cariloha, Casper, Coop, DozyBoy, Lagoon, Layla, Luxome, MVMI, Nest, Pillow Cube, Pluto, Silk & Snow, Tempurpedic, and Twilla

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#142 - Death to Daylight Saving Time: For Clock Back Move And Make It For A While

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

As we recover from yet another "spring forward" into Daylight Saving Time again, it seems a good time to revisit the topic we initially covered in episode 18. While that episode sought more to explain the origins of the practice and how to best adjust, this episode is more of a declaration as to why the entire practice should be abolished in favor of permanent standard time. In this episode we will:

Unpack the support for eliminating the clock change and why many lawmakers have ignored science and pushed for a permanent adoption of daylight saving time (DST)
List the many entities and groups that support the adoption of permanent standard time
Briefly touch upon the few "cons" to permanent standard time and how they are both questionable and dwarfed by the available research in favor of permanent standard time
Explain the circadian and health benefits of permanent standard time
Explore the school performance benefit of eliminating DST
Measure the positive environmental impact of adopting standard time all year
Dive into productivity increases when the standard time is adopted
Learn why permanent daylight saving time already failed in the 1970s
Debunk the noting that the practice was started to benefit farmers; not only is this not true, but farmers opposed it because of the reduction in morning light

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#141 - Light Therapy Revisited: Put on the Red Light

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

It has been a while since we have focused our attention on light therapy and sleep. For this Insomnia Monday, I thought a revisiting of light therapy might be in order. In this episode we will:

Touch on new research that serves to minimize the role that blue light plays in terms of sleep harm
Look at other colors of light and how that might affect sleep and health
Evaluate research looking at light therapy and insomnia
Expand our thinking about insomnia into a place that includes circadian disorders and causes/contributors

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#140 - Fear of The Snooze Button: Shut Me Down with a Push of Your Button

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In 2024, the Independent published an article entitled, "Experts Issue Warning About Using the Snooze Button." Previously, a sleep specialist said the snooze button was "one of the worst things you can do." Is any of this true? Could there potentially be a benefit? In this episode we will:

Touch upon the history of the snooze button
List some theories why it might be harmful to sleep/health
Characterize the typical snooze button user
Look at the average time one might snooze
Provide some insight as to various snooze button motivations
Learn why snoozing can be a strategy for dealing with sleep inertia
Review some surprising research about snoozing potentially helping with cognitive abilities

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#139 - Heart Rate Variability and Sleep: Like a Moving Heartbeat

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Heart rate variability (HRV) is everywhere, and in no space has it made a bigger splash than in sleep medicine. Not only is HRV influenced significantly by sleep, but it is also at the core of wearable sleep technology. In this episode we will:

Define heart rate variability
Discuss what increased or decreased heart rate variability means
List the medical conditions often associated/predicted by changes in HRV
Characterize how HRV is utilized in sleep medicine
Contrast how different stages of sleep are reflected in HRV changes and how this is utilized in wearable technology
Touch upon the factors that positively and negatively influence HRV

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#138 - The Subtle Art of Hurkle-Durkling: Swim in a Deep Sea of Blankets

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

If you pay any attention to sleep hygiene advice, you have probably heard many times that you should get up at the same time every day for optimal sleep. But does that mean you can never lounge around in bed a little in the morning? According to the Scottish, not at all. In fact, they have a term for it: hurkle-durkle. In this episode of the podcast, we will:

Define "hurkle-durkle"
Differentiate hurkle-durkling from bedrotting, another popular social media trend
Review the factors that seem to be necessary for a proper hurkle-durkle experience
Explore how this concept, applied in moderation, can be applied to our feelings of positivity or negativity about being in bed awake

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#137 - Insomnia and Vagal Nerve Stimulators: Are You Getting the Vibe?

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 23:00:00 -0500

Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulators are often advertised as insomnia therapies, "helping you fall asleep faster" or "helping you sleep through the night. Do they work? In this Insomnia Monday episode of the podcast, we will:

Introduce vagal nerve stimulators
Describe the path and role of the vagus nerve
Understand the role of the parasympathetic nervous system
Examine the limited research on vagal nerve stimulators and sleep
Understand the scale of the placebo effect in sleep/insomnia research
Differentiate a statistically meaningful change in sleep/polysomnographic parameters from a "real world" meaningful change in someone struggling with insomnia
List the strengths and criticisms of vagal nerve stimulators including study size and study design
Learn who is the right candidate for vagal nerve stimulators

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#136 - Cancer and Sleep: Gotta Be Strong to Fight Them

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

When we think about the deleterious effects of poor sleep, cardiovascular and cognitive/psychological consequences typically come first to mind. One of the less obvious and less understood effects is that of cancer which was listed as a probably carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2007. Since that time, there has been considerable efforts to understand the role plays in cancer. In this episode we will:

Evaluate the original research looking at sleep and cancer risk
List the cancer types commonly associated with poor/inadequate sleep
Highlight studies that cast doubt on this relationship
Review factors related to sleep and shift work that might influence risk
Speculate on possible mechanisms that lead to carcinogenicity
Touch upon steps one can take to lessen cancer risk associated with poor sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#135 - Blood Glucose and Sleep: Sweet As Sugar

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The relationship between sleep and blood glucose is a powerful one and it impacts our weight, the way we eat, and countless other health metrics. In this episode we will:

Introduce the concept of glycemic control
Define insulin sensitivity and how it relates to diabetes
Learn why sleep deficiency increases blood sugar levels
Stress the role that cortisol and growth hormone play in glucose regulation and how sleep impacts both
Explore the relationship between sleep stage and glucose regulation
Emphasize sleep deprivation as a negative factor in glycemic regulation
Understand the common pathway of sleep disorders and blood sugar control
Follow the bidirectional relationship between elevated blood glucose levels and poor sleep quality

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#134 - Sleep in Times of Catastrophe: Burn Out The Night

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

While the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires continue to burn in California, firefighters and other first responders work tirelessly around the clock. What does their ability to bypass sleep for 48-60 hours mean in terms of individuals with insomnia, and what does this kind of work do to their own health? In this episode, we will:

Frame the ability to temporarily derive ourselves of sleep as being a powerful tool and not necessarily a sign that sleep is bad or broken
Examine the sleep of first responders, in particular firefighters
Touch upon that vast number of firefighters with undiagnosed sleep disorders
Think about the role sleep schedules play in their sleep and health

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#133 - Insomnia and Exercise: You Better Run

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

When it comes to insomnia treatments, there probably is no better intervention than exercise. If you are not already convinced, in this episode we will:

Discuss the benefits of exercise on various sleep parameters and insomnia specifically
Outline the amounts of exercise that seem to make the most difference
Explore the reasons why exercise might improve sleep quality and minimize the manifestations of insomnia
Evaluate the types of exercise best suited to improve sleep quality

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#132 - 2024 Sleep Unplugged Awards: The Best of What's Around

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Believe it or not, but the 3rd Annual Sleep Unplugged "Sleepy" Awards are upon us again. What better way to close out the year of sleep than to recognize some truly exceptions individuals and organizations within the field of sleep. Join me as we celebrate some of the brightest stars in this podcast episode:

The 2024 Sleepy Award winners are:

Social Media Warrior Dr. Upneet "Neety" Chawla
(@sleeping.beauty_md)

Sleep Outsider Award Equinox Hotels

Sleep Vanguard Organization Mattress Firm

Sleep Sports Organization Los Angeles Dodgers

Sleep Podcast of The Year The SRS Podcast/Dr. Jesse Cook
(@sleepandsports)

Best Insomnia Advice Teresa (DeNike) Power (@sleepbetternyc)

Book of the Year Navigating Life with Restless Legs Syndrome
Dr. Andrew Spector (@andrewspectormd)

Sleep Trend Farewell Sleepy Girl Mocktail

Sleep Crusader Award Dr. Michael Grandner (@michaelgrandner)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#131 - Sleep Apnea Surgeries: Some Greater Awakening

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

For many people who have sleep apnea, they look to surgery as a means to a "greater awakening" which can at times, lead to disappointing outcomes. What exactly is meant by "sleep apnea surgery" and why doesn't everyone get it? In this episode we will:

define sleep apnea and how we measure its severity
discuss the adults who are most appropriate candidates
look at the various ways "success" is defined with surgical outcomes [reduction in respiratory events, health outcomes, sleep measures] and how that might be at odds with how one feels after surgery
touch upon bariatric as a form of sleep apnea surgery
list the various procedures that target the nose/nasal cavity, jaw, tongue, and throat
highlight the hypoglossal nerve stimulator/Inspire therapy and talk about patient populations that work well with this therapy

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#130 - Sleep Unplugged Book Club #2-The Sleep Apnea Hypothesis: If Everything Goes Wrong

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Sleep apnea is the bread and butter of the sleep clinic and the most common cause of excessive daytime sleepiness. But do you really know the extent to which sleep apnea can ravage your health? Is it the cause of aging? In this episode we will:

Explore Brandon Peters' new book The Sleep Apnea Hypothesis
Dissect his question, "Are you getting older or are you getting sleep apnea?"
List the many common complaints of aging that are actually caused by sleep apnea
Touch on the many obvious sleep complaints and not so obvious complaints linked to sleep apnea

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#129 - How to Take The Perfect Nap: Lay Your Weary Head to Rest

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We started a dialogue about napping way back in episode 17. The napping discussion continues. In this episode, we will:

Discuss reasons for napping
Revisit the current literature around performance
Look at new research on napping and cognition and memory
Reexamine the research on nap length and performance
List the components of a perfect nap environment
Touch upon the potential negatives associated with napping
Conclude by looking at napping and cardiovascular risk as well as risk for dementia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#128 - How To Stop Taking Sleeping Pills: I Can Never Stop, I Can Never Quit

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Insomnia treatment often involves pills and when those pills fail to solve the problem (or even if them seem to help) the desire to discontinue the pills may arise. In this episode we will:

Discuss the overall theory of sleeping pills
Highlight the use of Trazodone as a sleeping aid
Walk through strategies and useful ways to discontinue sleeping pills
Explain why individuals wean oof of medications
Touch upon the dangers and risks of discontinuing sleeping pills
Explore why discontinuing medications is difficult

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#127 - The 3rd Annual Holiday Sleep Gift Guide Extravaganza: You Just Won't Be Able To Do Without It

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Sleep Unplugged podcast is back to solve your holiday shopping dilemmas with some of my favorite sleep product companies. In this episode, we will explore a host of sleep-themed gift ideas and product recommendations. In this episode, we will feature the following products:

GroundingWell grounding/earthing products
Beadgear pillows and linens
Bearaby weighted blankets and unique pillows
Boka nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste
Dore and Rose mulberry silk sleep mask
Loop Dream earplugs for sleep
Luminette 3 light therapy glasses
Lunya washable silk pajamas
Mattress Firm king bed for queen price
QuietLab anti-snoring mouthpiece
Rematee anti-snoring belt
Ryze mushroom coffee and hot chocolate mix
Sleeper Hold travel pillow
Swanwick blue-blocking glasses and lighting solutions
The Sleep Solution/The Rested Child books
Yogasleep Dohm Nova noise machine and Rohm+ travel noise machine and speaker
zDen personal/pet sleep environment
Zzzquil breathing strips

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#126 - Sleep and Air Travel: Go For a Ride In The Sky

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

With the holidays fast approaching, many will take to the skies bound for destinations all over the world. Sleeping on a plane can be the difference between a pleasant Thanksgiving event and a contentious meal ending in frustration. Being prepared to sleep on a plane is an artform. In this episode we will:

Discuss the ins and outs of seat selection
Go through a comprehensive list of items to help with sleep on a plane
List some strategies for hitting the ground running when you arrive

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#125 - Weight Loss and Sleep: Nice Skinny, Roller Skate Skinny

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

There is a complicated relationship between sleep and weight, and it's worth unpacking this to some degree. In this episode we will:

Look at the data on weight loss in sleep apnea patients and how it impacts disease state
Review the reverse situation of how CPAP therapy affects short and long-term patient weight
Understand the consensus opinion about sleep deprivation and weight gain
Sort through the different data on weight gain and one theory about the mixed results

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#124 - Grief and Sleep: Won't You Stop and Remember Me?

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Grief is a both a common cause of acute insomnia and a massive perpetuating factor of chronic insomnia. The relationship between grief and insomnia/sleep is complex and bidirectional. In this episode we will:

Outline the relationship between grief and sleep and how it acts as a causative factor
Discuss how long-term insomnia can lead to complex grief
Differentiate different grief subsets: late life spousal bereavement, complex grief, parental grief
Follow patterns of grief: resilient, recovering, and chronic
Evaluate the treatment of insomnia as a means to combat chronic grief

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#123 - Fear of the Dark: There's No Need To Be Afraid

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Fear of the dark is a common phobia seen in children that can greatly affect their sleep. In this episode we will:

define fear of the dark
differentiate between nyctophobia (fear of the night), scotophobia (fear of the dark/what the dark could be hiding), or lygophobia (fear of twilight)
describe the ages that it commonly presents, peaks, and disappears
list some causes of fear of the dark
understand why there may be an evolutionary cause for the disorder
discuss treatments aimed at minimizing fear of the dark and its impact on sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#122 - Bedwetting/Enuresis: Golden Slumbers

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0400

We have touched upon bedwetting in several episodes, but we have never dedicated an entire episode to the topic. In this episode, we will:

define enuresis/bedwetting
differential between primary and secondary enuresis
discuss the differences between monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic enuresis
uncover the risk factors for enuresis
list the causes of the disorder
review the treatments for enuresis
touch upon adult enuresis

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#121 - Hurricanes, Climate, and Sleep: It Is Time For Stormy Weather

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Climate change is not only a growing threat to our planetary survival, but it is also a major player in the health and safety of people everywhere. Our sleep health does not escape the widening reach of global climate consequences. In this episode we will:

Discuss the research linking climate change to sleep and sleep inequalities
Focus on research linking the threat of hurricanes to declining sleep quality and quantity in adults and children
Understand that the sleep risk extends well beyond the acute weather disaster
Recognize that the threat extends to first responders and workers at all levels who deal with climate crises

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#120 - Sleepmaxxing: Broke The Limit

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Up until recently, getting more sleep was not exactly cool and absolutely not something to brag about. Gen Z may be changing that perception on social medial as they brag about getting more sleep, better sleep, and pushing the concept of sleep perfection to the "max." In this week's episode, we will:

Highlight Kate Lindsay's September 8, 2024 New York Times article entitled How The Pursuit of Perfect Sleep Can Backfire
Define "sleepmaxxing"
Discuss the pros of celebrating more/better sleep publicly
Relate this movement to the term orthosomnia
Understand why this movement could have very negative implications for the insomnia community
Consider where our optimal placement on the sleep spectrum should be

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#119 - Media and Sleep Product Ratings: You Look Like You’re The Best

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Over the past few years, the topic of sleep has permeated the media landscape like few other topics in science and medicine. This has led to not only a fascination withing the public about the topic, but also a wild west-like race to financially capitalize on sleep products. But which products are better than others? In this episode, we will:

discuss the ways in which the media "rank" various sleep products
dive into the ways in which these ratings are determined
contrast this with the relatively small amount of credible research available for these determinations
understand how these awards and certifications are often bought or acquired through means other than a product's merit in the field
stress that the only way to know if a product is going to work well for you is to try it

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#118 - Apple Watches and Sleep Apnea: Watch It Now, Here It Comes

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

On September 16th, 2024, Apple announced their new sleep apnea detection feature for their Apple Watch device had received FDA approval for the detection of mild to moderate sleep apnea. While this is an exciting development in the consumer medical field. In this episode, there are some concerns about this technology. In this episode we will:

Touch upon the numbers when it comes to sleep apnea
Understand why there is a market for sleep apnea detection
Describe the technology Apple uses to detect sleep apnea
Review the concept of true positive, true negative, false positive, an false negative results and how they relate to the concepts of sensitivity and specificity.
Compare the sensitivity of the Apple Watch to chance, home sleep testing, etc.
Consider the ideal sleep apnea screening characteristics

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#117 - Seasons of Sleep: As The Old Sun Dies

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As summer comes to an end, it's a good time to examine how seasonal change tends to affect our sleep. In this episode we will:

Refresh our memories about circadian factors related to sleep
Look at seasonal trends in sleep times, bed times and wake times
Evaluate factors such as light, temperature, and exercise as well as other surprising sleep variables that change with the season
Examine various sleep stages and how seasons affect their quality and quantity
Dive into new research suggesting that in addition to seasons affecting sleep characteristics, our sleep characteristics may be intrinsically changing to prepare us for various seasons

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#116 - Sleep Unplugged Book Club #1-Navigating Life With Restless Legs Syndrome: Bouncing 'Round the Room

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

For the first installment of the Sleep Unplugged Book Club, we will examine Andrew Spector's new book Navigating Life with Restless Legs Syndrome. This also marks a revisiting of the topic we covered in episode #13 (Restless Legs Syndrome: You Gotta Move). In this episode we will:

Introduce Dr. Andrew Spector, a Duke University professor of neurology and restless legs expert
Update and supplement information from episode #13 of this podcast about restless legs syndrome (RLS)
Explore the role of iron in RLS and how to use ferritin and transferrin levels to guide potential therapies
Touch upon the idea that despite different causes of RLS, determining the precise reason why you have RLS may not be particularly essential for choosing therapies
List new treatment options that are not prescription medications
Reexamine difficulties and downsides to dopamine agonist therapies
Cautiously look at the use of benzodiazepines and opioids in perhaps a new light
Touch upon other prescription medications that might be useful in the disorder
Mention the relationship between insomnia and RLS

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#115 - Insomnia and Sleep Debt: Pay It Back

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

There is no topic in sleep more likely to incite a riot between sleep experts than the concept of a sleep debt. Does it really exist? Can a sleep debt ever be repaid? If so, how long? In this episode, we will:

Define sleep debt
Examine a new population study on the effects of sleep debt on cardiovascular risk
Attempt to consolidate the available research into guidelines for dealing effectively with sleep debt
Differentiate between sleep debt responses in insomnia sufferers and sleep deprived individuals
Touch on how accurately understanding personal sleep need directly impacts sleep debt

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#114 - Inflammation and Sleep: I’m On Fire

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We have touched on inflammation as a central pathway connecting sleep disorders and dementia (episode 99), injury (episode 70), pain (episode 48), and cardiovascular disease (episode 35). In this episode, we shine the spotlight directly on inflammation and learn how it is connected to sleep. In this episode we will:

Examine the reciprocal relationship between inflammation and sleep
Understand how cytokines play a role in the inflammatory cascade, but also in sleep regulation
Learn the circumstances that tend to raise cytokine levels, including sleep deprivation, sleep disruption, and excessive sleep
Explore severe situations of sleep deprivation in animal models and learn how the resultant "cytokine storm" is virtually incompatible with life
Follow the link between inflammation and chronic diseases, including dementia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#113 - Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome: In The Dark, I Feel Your Resistance

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Somewhere between normal nocturnal breathing and sleep apnea exists a strange entity. This condition, often debated in terms of its mere existence is upper airway resistance syndrome, and knowing about it can be the difference between solving your sleep-related breathing woes and continuing your struggles. In this episode we will:

define upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS)
review the concept and pathophysiology of upper airway resistance
contrast how this disorder is defined in comparison to sleep apnea
learn the difference between an AHI (apnea-hypopnea index) and an RDI (respiratory disturbance index)
understand how different sleep studies (in-lab studies, home sleep studies/home sleep tests) might differ in their ability to diagnose the disorder
list the various treatments that can be applied to the diagnosis

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#112 - Sleep Walking: To Get Up and Go, Memory's Remote, Now I’m Standing Up The Morning After

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Sleep walking is probably the most recognized and discussed parasomnia, but it can also create significant confusion and danger for those affected. In this episode, we will:

Define sleepwalking
Differentiate somnambulism and noctambulism
Evaluate how age and genetics affects the condition
Characterize the parasomnia
List the causes of sleep walking
Discuss disorders associated with the disorder
Touch upon ways to assess sleepwalking
Emphasize treatments and how to make environments safe for sleepwalkers

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#111 - Sleep Schedules and Insomnia: Wasting the Dawn

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We often talk about the amount of sleep individuals need creates confusion for insomnia patients. In this episode we dive deeper into this concept with a way in which to think about sleep need. In this episode we will:

Revisit sleep need
Understand why 8 hours is not right more many individuals
Touch on the complicated nature of determining how much sleep one needs to sleep
Define the "Good Night Rebound Bias"
Learn how perception impacts sleep
Describe how sleep journals can be made into more powerful tools for sleep need
Learn how to calculate a Internight Sleep Variability Score

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#110 - The Sleep Apnea Pill: Wired On The Pills You Took

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Sleep apnea is a very common medical problem that affects a large portion of the population. The treatment options leave much to be desired including what is by far and away the most common treatment: the CPAP device. This reality has led to the quest to find a medical treatment for sleep apnea, and one investigational drug AD109, has received some early attention. In this episode we will:

Discuss the history of medications being tested as potential treatments for sleep apnea
Review how sleep apnea is classified in terms of its severity
List the current therapies for sleep apnea
Describe the two components of AD109, and the mechanism of action of these drugs
Evaluate the design and results of a recent study of AD109 in mild sleep apnea
Put in perspective what these result mean in real world situations

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#109 - Sleep in the Elderly: What A Drag It Is Getting Old

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Aging is a certainty of life, and with it comes changes in sleep. Understanding these changes is central to life-long pursuit of healthy sleep. In this episode we will:

Discuss whether or not older individuals sleep less than younger individuals
Evaluate the role of schedules and schedule flexibility in the sleep of the elderly
Learn why the circadian rhythm diminishes with age
Spotlight the role of exercise in the sleep of seniors
Look at various sleep disorders of the elderly
List the consequences of poor sleep in older individuals

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#108 - The Menstrual Cycle and Sleep: God's Little Gift Is On The Rag

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The menstrual cycle has long been associated with sleep. Emerging research is uncovering more of a bidirectional relationship with sleep. In this episode we will:

Provide an overview of the menstrual cycle
Evaluate the reciprocity of the relationship between sleep and the menstrual cycle
Discuss the roles of estrogen and progesterone in the cycle and how their relationships might affect sleep
Review the 4 stages of the menstrual cycle and how they often impact sleep
Look at interventions related to personal knowledge of your own menstrual cycle

Episode Written by Maeve Winter

To participate in the study mentioned in the podcast, use the link below:
https://tccolumbia.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1M5sOpYMa1Ld0mG

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#107 - Avoiding a Sleep Divorce: Let's Stay Together

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Like it or not, the concept of a sleep divorce seems like it is here to stay. Sleeping in separate beds or bedrooms is a popular option for solving sleep issues, but is it the right choice? Are there better options. In this episode we will:

Look at historical research about partner sleep
Define a sleep divorce
Introduce the Scandinavian Sleep Method
Understand how sleep timing/chronotype plays a role is sleep compatibility
Learn how sleep-related movements change over time in a relationship
Evaluate the role of relationship conflict in sleep health
Focus on snoring as a common variable leading to a sleep divorce
List interventions that may help avoid a sleep divorce
Touch upon light as a source of sleep conflict

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

# 106 - Hypnosis and Sleep: Hypnotized, Mesmerized By What My Eyes Have Found

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

"You are getting sleepy" is what I think about when I think of hypnosis, and given that it has been looked at as a treatment for insomnia, it makes a lot of sense. While the research linking sleep and hypnosis is a both thin and evolving, there are studies to learn from. In this episode we will:

Look at the history of hypnosis as a sleep/insomnia tool
Define hypnosis and learn why a failure to agree on a definition of hypnosis hurts research
List common signs of hypnosis
Evaluate two literature review studies on hypnosis and insomnia
Focus on insomnia in insomnia subgroups: mild cognitive impairment, post-menopausal women, and children
Review techniques for hypnosis

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#105 - Sleep and Air Quality: The Air Is Finally Safe To Breathe Again

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Lately, much seems to be made about the relationship between air quality and sleep. Air purification systems have jumped on the sleep bandwagon as have good old fashioned house plants. But is there any evidence supporting this connection? In this episode we will:

Look at research connecting air quality and sleep quality among various populations
Evaluate the research linking air quality measures and sleep metrics in different countries
List the possible mechanisms through which air quality might affect sleep
Discuss some prospective studies aiming to create different air quality sleeping environments and determine how they do or don't affect sleep and associated variables
Touch upon the link between air quality and general performance
Expand upon the role indoor plants play in relationship to an individual's sleep and mood
Answer the questions as to whether or not plants can effectively filter indoor air quality in a meaningful way

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#104 - Sleep Deprivation: Get Up, Get Up! Wake Up, Wake Up!

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

While we have touched on sleep deprivation in other episodes, particularly as it relates to confusion with the concept of insomnia, in this episode, we devote the entire program to a discussion of the topic. In this episode we will:

Define sleep deprivation
Go through the symptoms of sleep deprivation and research into many of these signs
Touch upon how we look for and measure sleep deprivation
Contrast sleep deprivation with insomnia
List some common causes of sleep deprivation
Discuss treatment options and relative validity of these interventions

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#103 - Research from the 2024 SLEEP Scientific Conference: Pleasant Dreams at the Sleep Brain Drain

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The 2024 SLEEP meeting just concluded in Houston where the greatest sleep minds come together and share the amazing academic and scientific projects and research they have been working on. Each year, the Sleep Unplugged podcast brings you some of the more noteworthy research and practical data from the meeting. In this episode we will:

Review studies demonstrating poor sleep leading to selecting more processed and higher sugar content foods.
Examine how extroversion leads to higher caloric content at night
Understand how circadian misalignment in adolescents negatively affects athletic performance
Dispel the notion that vitamin supplementation can make up for inadequate sleep
Ponder how menopause might affect heart rate variability at night and cardiac risk
Evaluate the use of personalized light therapy to reduce insomnia in shift workers
Find out how napping affects one night of sleep deprivation
Look how alcohol negatively affects heart rate at night
See how surprising data in veterans shows insomnia more related to risk than sleep apnea
Revisit cannabidiol use for insomnia and what the data shows

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#102 - New Insomnia Solutions: Wrap it Up and Let Me Sleep

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 23:00:00 -0400

Insomnia requires a multidisciplinary approach to solve and what's right for one individual may not be for another. In this episode, I introduce eleven different products that I have been sent and talk about who might benefit from their use. In this episode, we will:

Discuss Ryze mushroom beverage mix and learn how it might help promote relaxation and serve and a late-night coffee substitute
Review the Python H2 Bionic Molecular Hydrogen Water Bottle and learn more about emerging research on hydrogenated water's potential benefits
Test the Moonbird, a portable screen-free breathing and biofeedback device measuring HR and HRV
Demo the Chill Pill, a small device that delivers a pulsating stimulus that could help relax some individuals at night
Contrast the features of the Sleep.me mat with wearable sleep trackers and how the passive mat might benefit some sleepers
Test out sleep earplugs by Swanwick and BET Slumbur as well as a new sleep mask my Swanwick
List the different ways the Organic Human Bean Body Pillow could benefit a multitude of sleepers and their various sleep obstacles
Revisit the GroundingWell mat
Dive into the Aura Circle multisensory sleep mask
Learn how the FireFly recovery system might be helpful for some RLS patients in terms of and "off label" way of disrupting the sensations they feel in their legs

*None of these products are designed to diagnose or treat medical problems. You should discuss all potential sleep interventions with your physician before trying them.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#101 - Sleep and the Armed Forces: Join the Military Service

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The United States Military has a fascinating relationship with sleep. What organization needs it more, but often finds themselves neglecting it. In this episode we will:

Explore the sleep challenges of military training schools
Document the sleep deprivation of military officers
Review the Air Force regulations related to sleep
List the various obstacles that often prevent those serving in the military from getting adequate sleep
Discuss the consequences of inadequate sleep in the armed forces
Touch upon people/organizations in the military trying to improve sleeping conditions and education

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#100 - 100 Surprising Tips, Tricks, Hacks, and Secrets for Amazing Sleep: Here's a List

Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Sleep Unplugged podcast, here is a all-encompassing list of 100 habits and good practices healthy sleepers employ. How many are you currently following? In this episode we will:

Highlight ways to improve your sleep
Think about items that might indicate your sleep is not optimized
Evaluate our habits, activities, food, and attitudes around sleep
Use these 100 tips as a proactive guide for improving sleep and knowing which previous episodes of the podcast might be helpful to listen to (or review)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#99 - Dementia and Sleep: Because I Don’t Remember

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In episode 62, we began to look at the role sleep plays in memory. In episode 65, we looked at the condition REM behavior disorder and how this neurodegenerative condition is often associated with telling sleep disorders. We continue both of these dialogues in this episode. In this episode we will:

Look at research linking sleep disorders and inadequate sleep to dementia
Single out Lewy body dementia as a particular concern when sleep is chronically disrupted
Determine how much sleep seems to be optimal when it comes to dementia prevention
Examine other sleep-adjacent factors (exercise, sedentary habits) that tend to predict dementia
Discuss theories as to why sleep and dementia are linked
Uncover the vague nature and lack of evidence supporting how we manage the sleep of dementia patients
Show the lack of evidence supporting bright light therapy in managing sleep issues in dementia patients
List some best practices when it comes to helping patients with dementia sleep better

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#98 - Insomnia and Belief: You Only Perceive What You Believe

Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

One of the aspects of insomnia that can be both a perpetuating factor and and target for treatment is exploring dysfunctional beliefs. In this episode we will:

Explore different types of insomnia beliefs
Understand how these beliefs impact insomnia therapy
Look at the relationship between dysfunctional sleep beliefs and depression and alcohol abuse
Examine sleep beliefs in the general public as well as younger/university populations
Determine ways in which these beliefs can be targeted in insomnia therapy

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#97 - Nightmare Disorder: Nights So Cruel I Thought I'd Die

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Dreams happen, and unfortunately, sometimes those dreams are nightmares. For most, these terrifying nights are few and far between. For a small few, nightmares become a frequent and unwanted nighttime norm. In this episode we will:

Revisit parasomnias, in this case nightmare disorder, and determine what defines it
Differentiate this disorder from night terror/sleep terror disorder
Explore the epidemiology of the problem
List its underlying causes
Review the medications often used to treat the problem
Discuss other treatment options often employed in the disorder

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#96 - Narcolepsy Stories: My Patience Has Reached Its End

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Narcolepsy is a misunderstood medical disorder and as such, it generates some fascinating stories and anecdotes when you treat narcolepsy. In this episode we will:

Discuss the difficulties narcolepsy patients go through just refilling their medications
Dissect the idea of narcolepsy patients and abuse of their drugs
Evaluate the enthusiasm the medical community has for the treatment of narcolepsy
Consider some of the less obvious obstacles narcolepsy patients face
Understand the difficulties with the depictions created of narcolepsy patients

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#95 - Sleep and Breath: Every Breath You Take

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0400

The health benefits of yoga are widely espoused, but for many, the belief is that the benefits are derived mainly from the physical nature of the poses or asanas. The breathing exercises and techniques (pranayama) are often ignored. In this episode, we will:

-Explore the sleep-specific benefits of breathwork to not only bring oxygen to the brain, but to also influence the energy of the body (referred to as prana or chi).
-Review the various stages of breathing and why many individuals practice an incomplete/inefficient form of breathing
-Practice a three-part deep breathing diaphragmatic breathing technique called Deerga Sawasam ("Three-part breath")
-Link these breathing techniques to the engagement of the parasympathetic nervous system, instrumental in reducing anxiety and relaxing into sleep
-List various research studies looking at the positive effects of pranayama in terms of lowering anxiety/stress and improving sleep
-Add this to our sleep toolbox as an accessible method for calming our minds and preparing for restful sleep

Written by: Maeve Winter

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#94 - Grounding and Sleep: I Felt The Earth Beneath My Feet

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Though widely regarded as pseudoscience for many years, there has been a recent resurgence in the practice of earthing/grounding. This practice aims to dissipate excess electrical charge and reestablish electrical homeostasis. While the act of grounding is common practice in high voltage appliances, is it really necessary of beneficial in the human body when currents are miniscule in comparison. In this episode, we will:

Explain the concept of grounding in modern electrical wiring
Discuss the electrical nature of the human body
Review studies claiming physiological changes in grounded individuals such as increased ferritin and lower blood glucose levels
Evaluate studies showing grounding effects on blood pressure
Use stress as a sleep surrogate and review available literature of the effects of grounding on stress in both animal and human models
Switch to pain as a potential sleep disruptor and discuss the studies showing reduced pain and faster recover via grounding
Touch on the large limitations of this small body of research and the ways in which bias and poor study construction can influence results
Dispel concerns about the "dangers" of grounding

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#93 - 10 Strange Insomnia Treatments: Rock Yourself to Sleep

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

There are no shortage of insomnia treatments and we have covered many on this podcast. In honor of April Fool's Day, we spotlight 10 unusual treatments and continue our yearly tradition of sharing the funniest listener comments about the show. In this episode we will:

Discuss biofeedback as a potential insomnia therapy
Evaluate the act of rocking or vibration as a sleep-inducing action
Look at various mental tricks like pretending your alarm has just gone off
Touch upon visualization techniques involving rising warmth or light passing through the body
Review acupuncture as an insomnia therapy
List the benefits of a clean room
Find ways the direction of your bed might be influencing your sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#92 - Sleep and Nicotine: I’d Have Another Cigarette But I Can’t ‘Sleep’

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

When it comes to substances affecting sleep negatively, it seems alcohol and caffeine hog all of the spotlight. But what about nicotine? While the number of younger individuals who smoke is declining, the advent of vaping and oral nicotine pouches is rising, and the effects on the sleep of the users is not positive. In this episode we will:

Examine the effects of nicotine on sleep
Look at the effects of nicotine withdrawal on sleep metrics
Understand the potential bidirectional relationship of effect
Compare the effects with other stimulants and chemicals
Evaluate the potential nicotine dose effect on sleep
Touch upon the effect of nicotine on sleep spindle activity and how that might impact memory

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#91 - Drowsy Driving: Asleep at the Wheel

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In a 2017 study, approximately one-third of the respondents reported having fallen asleep driving within the last month. Sleepy driving is a massive public health problem leading to thousands of preventable accidents, deaths, and injuries every year. In this episode we will:

Define drowsy driving
Outline the scope of this public health problem
Evaluate the causes of drowsy driving
Look at factors making drowsy driving more likely or dangerous
Characterize the level of impairment in terms of alcohol consumption
Touch upon laws about drowsy driving accidents
Identify drowsy driving risk factors
List ways to mitigate the problem

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#90 - Sleep and Hospitality: Gotta Hurry On Back To My Hotel Room

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

One of the most interesting trends in sleep is the growing number of hotels and hospitality centers that are embracing sleep as a primary focus for their patrons. Equinox Hotel in New York City has fully embraced the topic in almost everything they offer their guests from spa experiences to a room that goes "Dark, Quiet, and Cool" with the touch of a button. In this episode, we will:

Highlight some efforts by hotels in the past to fold sleep into their services
Contrast the Equinox Hotel's massive exploration of ways to improve sleep with British Cycling's "Marginal Gains" philosophy
Touch on hospitality research that supports their patrons wanting an enhanced physical environment, and better interactions/outcomes, and how focusing on sleep can achieve this goal
Examine the physical space of the hotel room and understand how its appointments affect sleep
Go beyond the hotel room to look at food menus, fitness club offerings, and spa treatments as means to improve sleep
Think about the potential hotel/sleep industry partnerships with the hotel the ideal proving grounds for emerging sleep products and technology

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#89 - Circadiansomnia: I Was Up Before The Dawn

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Over the last two years, we have covered several circadian rhythm disorders...jet lag disorder and shift work disorder as well as covering the general concept of a circadian rhythm. For some individuals, they have an intrinsic desynchrony with the times they are expected to be awake. In this episode we will:

Review the role of the circadian rhythm in sleep
Touch upon previously covered circadian disorders
Define chronotype its relationship to quality sleep
Examine the parallels with circadian disorders and the transition to daylight saving time
Understand the causes of circadian rhythm disorder
List some treatments for these disorders

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#88 - Weighted Blankets: Pushing Down On Me, Pressing Down On You

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Weighted blankets have soared in popularity over the past decade and they often promise better sleep. What exactly dose the evidence say and for what practical purposes can these products be useful? In this episode, we will:

Review the nervous system pathways for perceiving touch and pressure
Describe how pressure has a calming effect on the body via parasympathetic system activation
Explore the origins of more widespread weighted blanket use in the autism and sensory integration communities
Weigh the available research concerning weighted blankets and sleep/insomnia
Discuss theories on why weighted blankets might exert their effects
Touch upon other conditions that weighted blankets might help treat

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#87 - Sleep Masks: I'll Wear a Mask for You

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

A simple piece of cloth over the eyes can have a powerful effect of the quality on an individual's sleep. The evolution of the sleep mask has been profound and the available literature of their effectiveness, particularly in the hospital setting has be extensively studied. In this episode we will:

Outline the effects of sleep masks on sleep
Review the large body of evidence supporting the use of sleep masks in hospitalized patients
List the specific medical populations that have been shown to benefit from eye masks
Explore the positive impact of eye masks of circadian sleep disorders
Examine a study linking eye masks and episodic learning/memory
Discuss the improvement of sleep in pregnant women who wear sleep masks
Differentiate the various types of masks that are available for individuals to choose from

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#86 - Sleep and Bedding: Lay Me Down In Sheets of Linen

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Picking the right mattress and pillow is important. Choosing the right material that goes over your mattress is equally essential. Bedding materials come in many forms and they can make a difference in your sleep experience. In this episode we will:

Look at the research about bedding and disease modification
Understand the temperature-regulating properties of various fabrics
Explore cotton as a bedding material and how the addition of performance fibers can enhance the cooling properties of the material
Evaluate linen as a bedding material and learn how newer forms can help is become a cooler fabric while retaining the properties that make if feel more upscale
Provide an overview of polyester, perhaps the fabric with the biggest quality range in the bedding space
Consider silk and how it might be the best fabric for sensitive skin or for people with certain dermatological conditions
Discuss the cooling nature of bamboo and its low impact on the environment
Largely ignore flannel as a bedding abomination
Touch upon Tencel and its unique textural properties

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#85 - Insomnia and Fear: So Scared to Sleep

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It's hard to find insomnia without a healthy dose of fear or anxiety. Few individuals make an appointment to see a sleep specialist only to let them know that the situation is no big deal and frankly enjoyable. Fear not only plays a huge role in the development and worsening of insomnia, it also offers an insight into a potential solution. In this episode we will:

Review the incidence of anxiety in this country and the percentage of individuals diagnosed with anxiety who also have insomnia
Define anxiety and how it works in insomnia
Look at the role fear plays both in insomnia and how it functions as a central target in CBTi
Consider how some aspects of CBTi can often create fear as well as alleviate it
Look at the insomnia cycle within social media and popular media and how it creates its own fear
Understand the role of fear and the fear response amplitude within our neural circuitry as a potential risk factor for developing insomnia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#84 - Sleep and Smart Phones: No One’s Answering

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The research on sleep and cell phone use is negative and there is an overwhelming amount of it. The negative impacts on sleep affect all age groups and demographics. While the impact on mood, memory, and attention is clearly sizable, the impact on sleep exists independently from these effects. In this episode we will:

Examine the effects of cell phone use in three populations: adults, college-age students, and adolescents/school-aged children
Determine the scope of cell phone use at bedtime and beyond
Measure the impact phone use has on sleep, including sleep onset, sleep quality, and sleep amount
List the features of phone use at night that may explain the detrimental effects
Review the impact curtailing cell phone use at night can have one sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#83 - Brain Fog and Sleep: There's Someone In My Head, But It's Not Me

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

While brain fog has been described in many contexts, its incidence has soared since Covid. While the existence of brain fog is clearly real, its lack of clear definition and delineation from similar disorders does inject diagnostic and therapeutic confusion into the clinical setting. In this episode we will:

Offer elements central to the definition of brain fog
Touch upon the demographics and incidence of the disorder, with particular attention to Covid
Review the history of the disorder
Look at theories related to the pathophysiology of brain fog
Evaluate the interplay of sleep and brain fog
Discuss the development of a brain fog assessment
List some potential brain fog interventions

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#82 - Exploding Head Syndrome: Exploding In The Night

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

If catathrenia (Episode 30) is the parasomnia that bothers everyone except the sleeper, exploding head syndrome (EHS) is the parasomnia the only bothers the sleeper, and very much so at that. Imaging being awakened by a sound so loud and dreadful that you awaken certain that you are about to die. In this episode we will:

Define exploding head syndrome
Review the key characteristics of the parasomnia
Explore the history and legend of EHS
Examine the demographics of the disorder
Understand the incidence and age range of the parasomnia
Mention theories that might explain its underlying cause
Discuss potential treatment options

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#81 - Insomnia and Social Isolation: We’re Afraid To Be Alone

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In 2023, the Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an 82-page advisory entitled, "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation" and it details the health consequences of social isolation and lack of social support. In the report, sleep was specifically highlighted as an aspect of health affected by social isolation. This highlights an important connection and potentially and avenue of insomnia treatment. In this episode we wilL

Define loneliness and social isolation
Examine the scope and trajectory of the problem
List contributors including Covid and personal electronics/social media
Understand the role of social isolation in insomnia and how data supports the link
Evaluate the role of work/workplace environment on sleep through the lens of social isolation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#80 - Weight Training and Sleep: Keep on Lifting

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Happy new year! It's 2024 and with a new year comes resolutions to join a gym and get into shape. The podcast has explored exercise and sleep relationships before, but is there a benefit to lifting weights? In this episode we will:

Touch on current gym use statistics
Revisit the impact sleep has on weight training, recovery, and athletic gains
Detail the impact on specific strength training exercises and sleep
Understand the impact of weight training on sleep quality and depression indices
Look at research showing sleep apnea improvement in individuals who weight train

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#79 - 2023 Sleep Unplugged Awards: I'm Winning And I Don't Intend On Losing Again

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Another year calendar year of the Sleep Unplugged podcast has come to a close. With the escalation in podcast popularity soaring, the 2023 Sleepy Awards seem all the more important and exciting. It's fun to sing the praises of these special sleep colleagues as 2023 comes to a close. Join me as we celebrate some of the brightest stars within the field of sleep.

The 2023 Sleepy Award winners are:

Social Media Warrior Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown (@restfulsleepmed)

Sleep Outsider Award Tommy Tucker (@ttuckerwwl)

Sleep Vanguard Organization MyFitnessPal

Sleep Sports Organization Oklahoma City Thunder

Sleep Podcast of The Year Talking Sleep (AASM/Dr. Seema Khosla)

Best Insomnia Advice Dr. Jade Wu (@dr_jade_wu)

Book of the Year Sleep To Heal: 7 Simple Steps to Better Health
Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante)
Charlotte Jensen (@author.char.jen)

Sleep Crusader Award Julie Flygare (@remrunner)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#78 - Central Sleep Apnea: Let Me Catch My Breath To Breathe

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Throughout the podcast, we have shone a light on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, but the lesser known (and less common central sleep apnea) has gotten little attention. In this episode, we will:

Define central sleep apnea
Differentiate central apnea from obstructive
Understand the mechanisms that create central apnea
Describe how obstructive and central apneas differ both physiologically as well as how they are differentiated diagnostically
Contrast the forms of central sleep apnea seen in adults and children
List the various types and causes of central sleep apnea
Review the treatments of central sleep apnea

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#77 - Sleep Trackers: Seemed Like The Real Thing

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Sleep trackers are everywhere and depending on the voice you are listening to, they are either the secret to hacking your sleep or worthless pieces of plastic on your wrist. The world of consumer sleep trackers is vast and confusing. In this episode we will:

Discuss the basics of monitoring sleep
Understand the role of surrogates in the measurement of sleep
Examine the history of research actigraphy devices and their evolution to become the first generation of sleep wearables
Follow the development of second generation devices and the expansion of the parameters they measured
Outline the uses for these devices
Dive into the strengths and limitations of these devices
Look at what current research has to say about these devices
List the problems with this technology in the marketplace

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#76 - Insomnia and Popular Media: I Love To Watch Things On TV

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Apple TV (not Max as stated in my episode) has a new show about two friends with Insomnia called Still Up. It is another example of the media portraying sleep disorders, but how accurate is the depiction, More to the point, is it a helpful perspective or does it simply perpetuate harmful ideas and stereotypes? In this episode we will:

Consider the role media plays in illustrating, explaining, and sensationalizing insomnia
Explore the use of sleep disorders like insomnia and narcolepsy for comedic effect
Examine the role media plays in terms of disseminating good diagnostic and treatment information for sleep disorders
Review research that evaluates trends in narcolepsy portrayal in the media
Discuss Still Up in terms of accuracy and helpfulness in terms of a insomnia portrayal

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#75 - Eating At Night: Bittersweet I Could Taste In My Mouth

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Within the world of sleep disorders, there is often confusion surrounding disorders that feature nocturnal food consumption. These disorders share many similarities, but their distinctions are worth understanding. In this episode we will:

Describe the disorders of nocturnal eating
Characterize the incidence of these conditions
List the comorbid diagnoses often seen with these disorders including eating disorders
Define nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NSRED) and night eating syndrome (NES)
Differentiate these disorders based upon consciousness/volitional eating and the characterizations of the eating
Review the diagnostic criteria for each
Touch upon theories behind these disorders
List treatment options

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#74 - The 2nd Annual Holiday Sleep Gift Guide Extravaganza: This Is What I Give To You

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The Sleep Unplugged podcast is here to ease your holiday shopping stress with some of my favorite sleep product companies. In this episode, we will explore a host of sleep-themed gift ideas and product recommendations. many with unique discount codes for their purchases. In this episode, we will feature the following products:

Ayo circadian lighting
Beadgear pillows and linens
Bearaby weighted blankets
Eberjey pajamas
Hest travel pillow
Lumi cold water recovery tank
Manta sleep mask
QuietOn sleeping earbuds
SaunaBox home wet/steam sauna
Sleepys pillows and pillow inserts
Swanwick blue-blocking glasses and lighting solutions
The Sleep Solution/The Rested Child books
Withings ScanWatch Horizon sleep/fitness watch
zDen personal/pet sleep environment

*I have no financial relationship with the companies listed above but may have received products to trial/demo. I am a paid consultant for Mattress Firm which owns Sleepys.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#73 - Sleep Inertia: I Can’t Wake Up

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It can be hard to wake up. For some people, it is almost impossible. Sleep inertia is the medical term of an inability to awaken in the morning. In this episode we will:

Define sleep inertia
Describe how sleep inertia interacts with our homeostatic and circadian drives
Understand the occupational hazards of sleep inertia
Postulate what function sleep inertia might serve
Review the symptoms of sleep inertia
List the causes of sleep inertia
Touch upon the Sleep Inertia Questionnaire
Look at potential sleep inertia treatments

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#72 - Insomnia and the Gut Microbiome: Empty Stomach, Empty Head

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

A relatively new frontier of medicine is the exploration of the gut microbiome and its relationship to our body's functioning, health, and susceptibility to disease. The gut-brain axis represents a relatively strong relationship between the gut microbiome and our body's ability to function properly, and it has been proposed that this relationship influences sleep and risk for insomnia. In this episode we will:

Define the gut microbiome
Explore the beginnings of its suspected role in neurological functioning and sleep
List the three proposed pathways by which the gut microbiome interacts with the nervous system
Evaluate the role that the gut microbiome plays in terms of regulating our circadian rhythm via gene expression of the gut biome's own circadian patterns
Discuss metabolic linkages between the gut microbiome and why disruption can increase the chances of metabolic syndrome
Look ahead toward gut biome-based therapies for insomnia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#71 - Sleep and Extreme Temperatures: Hot Blooded/Cold As Ice

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Saunas and cold-water tanks are everywhere in their personal fitness and recover space. These modalities have also been linked to improving sleep parameters, but is there any science behind the claims? In this episode, we will:

Examine the use of sauna therapy and cold-water immersion (CWI) in elite athletics, and the relative adoption rate for both
Discuss the literature linking sauna/heat therapy with improved health and longevity, particularly in the cardiovascular space, but also emerging in the cognitive health space
Define hormesis and link it to these therapies
Explore the role of sauna therapy as an exercise mimetic, and how that can act to explain the health benefits as well as the sleep benefits of sauna therapy
Link sauna therapy to inflammatory and immune modulation
Touch upon other potential pathways that sauna therapy could benefit sleep
Clarify the confusion about cold water therapy timing and sleep
Review evidence from research showing CWI therapy earlier in the day improving slow wave sleep and reducing sleep latency

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#70 - Sleep and Injury: Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

One of the most common questions I am asked about sleep is, "What are the adverse health consequences of inadequate sleep?" While I am quick to answer something related to cardiovascular or cognitive health, physical injury is not one that comes to mind immediately, but new evidence suggests it should. In this episode, we will:

Discuss sleep mechanisms that might relate to increased injury
Investigate how inadequate sleep may influence the immune system and inflammatory processes of the body
Focus on cognitive changes, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, that might lend to an increased risk of injury
Touch upon concentration and focus impairments as supplemental aspects leading to increased injury risk
Review data within athlete, adult, high school, and juvenile populations that show increased injury risk in sleep deprived individuals
Outline steps that can be taken to address sleep and injury risk factors

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#69 - Somniloquy: Keep On Talking In My Sleep

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Perhaps the most common sleep disorder in the world is sleep talking. It most likely affects at least half of all individuals at some point in their life. With the condition being this common, there are still many misunderstandings about sleep talking. In this episode we will:

Define sleep talking as a parasomnia
Review the incidence of sleep talking, the hereditary nature, and how it changes over time
Differentiate it from taking during REM sleep
List the risk factors for somniloquy
Categorize disorders that may lead to sleep talking
Touch upon treatment for somniloquy

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#68 - Perinatal Sleep: Hey, Hey, Baby! (All Night Long)

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The perinatal sleep experience is often talked about in less than glowing terms. It's often a situation that is cannot be helped, it simply must be endured. In this episode, we will:

Look at the common changes that occur during the pregnancy period, trimester by trimester
Review the incidence of sleep disturbances in all pregnant individuals
Contrast the incidence of sleep disturbances in women with psychiatric diagnoses versus women without psychiatric disorders
Examine how increased sleep as well as decreased sleep during pregnancy can be predictive of depression and psychotic episodes respectively
Evaluate some common perinatal sleep myths

Episode Written by Maeve Winter

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#67 - 20 Insomnia Pretenders: Don't Get Me Wrong

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that we have discussed frequently on this podcast. It's also a disorder that can have its origins in other sleep and medical disorders. Many disorders can masquerade as simple insomnia, and knowing the true underlying cause can be the difference between solving a medical mystery and suffering needlessly. In this episode, we will:

Differentiate between primary and secondary insomnia
Review the medications that often disrupt sleep
Breakdown the reasons sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy can confound medical providers as it pertains to insomnia
Touch on paroxysmal disorders like epilepsy/seizures and migraine and how they can be mistaken for insomnia
Spotlight menopause and pregnancy as an insomnia pretender
Look at the sleep consequences of neurocognitive disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease
Showcase pain and itching as unusual causes of insomnia-like behavior
Talk about gastrointestinal disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowl syndrome
Sprinkle in several other medical problems that can behave like insomnia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#66 - Sleep and Longevity: You and I Are Gonna Live Forever

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The promise of youth eternal is ubiquitous, and is often related to some new sleep intervention. When it comes to dialing back the years, what is fact and what is fiction? In this episode we will:

List the sleep variables most commonly manipulated to improve health and longevity
Understand the relationship between the sleep, testosterone, and cortisol and its impact on insulin and endocrinological health
Revisit exercise and sleep as it pertains to longevity
Touch upon lighting and how it relates to sleep and longevity
Review digital technology's role in sleep and health
Finish with the relationship between deep sleep/slow wave sleep and longevity

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#65 - REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: Wild Night Is Calling

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

We have touched upon REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in many episodes of the podcast, but it's never been the star. An individual acting out their dreams can be distressing, and understanding the disorder has many layers. In this episode we will:

Describe the features of RBD and what it clinically looks like
List the characteristics of the disorder and how it fits into the parasomnia family
Review the incidence based upon age
Differentiate primary (idiopathic) from secondary RBD
Touch upon conditions that mimic RBD and why differentiating these is important
Review treatment options
Discuss the relationship between a diagnosis of idiopathic RBD and its predictive value related to neurodegenerative disorders
Outline how clinicians should handle the sensitive nature of this condition when speaking to patients

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#64 - Sleep and the Gridiron: Your Country Needs You To Play Football

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

It's that time of the year again...football season. With the excitement building as rivalries renew both at the collegiate and professional level, it seems an appropriate time to look at the sleep through the lens of the sport of American football. In this episode we will:

Preface the episode by considering the first athletic trainer in history, James Robinson of Harvard
Explore some of the early research looking as sleep and football player/team performance
Dissect the controversy regarding the actual risk of sleep disordered breathing in American football players
Differentiate the differences between professional football sleep and collegiate sleep both in and out of season
Touch upon the evidence for increased injury in underslept players
Look ahead to innovative programs designed to manage the sleep of football players both active and retired

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#63 - Sleep and Anxiety: Why Worry?

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

It's hard to have a full conversation about insomnia without bringing up the topic of anxiety, the most common psychiatric diagnosis in the world. Treating insomnia often means addressing anxiety. In this episode, we will:

Introduce the concept and history of anxiety and sleep
List the factors that along with anxiety, often influence sleep
Think about the underlying mechanisms that relate sleep to anxiety
Dissect the bidirectional relationship between sleep quality and anxiety
Review the initial sleep interventions
Explore the use of novel mechanisms for refractory anxiety/insomnia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#62 - Sleep and Memory: You'll Forget About Me After I've Been Gone

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The link between sleep and memory has been a compelling area of research for many years. New theories about the specific relationship between sleep and memory have recently emerged that reveal much about the roles that sleep plays in this process. In this episode we will:

Touch upon the history of sleep and memory studies
Review the discovery of the glymphatic system and how it is not only involved in cognitive health but also influenced by sleep
Learn how slow wave sleep/deep sleep primes our brains to learning
Differentiate the solidification/activation of memory by deep sleep versus the linkage and solidification of sleep by REM sleep
Contrast declarative hippocampal memory storage via slow wave sleep and implicit memory stored outside the hippocampus
Explore various rodent and human models for studying memory
Introduce the technique and science behind Targeted Sensory Reactivation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#61 - How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? Just Can't Get Enough

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Within the field of sleep science, there are few questions asked more frequently than, "How much sleep do we need?" While the answer eight hours seems to make the rounds in the media (and anything less would appear to be cause instant harm or even death), what is the answer? Is the question even answerable? In this episode we will:

Evaluate how age is constantly influencing sleep need
List other factors affecting sleep amount for an individual including sleep quality, activity level, previous sleep deprivation, pregnancy and illness
Explore the inherent difficulties in applying epidemiological sleep data to individual sleepers
Look at the data rejecting the idea that 8 hours is the ideal amount of sleep for adults
Define the "J curve" commonly seen in studies exploring optimal sleep amounts
Understand how sleep behaviors need can be easily mislead in terms of indicators of average sleep need
Touch upon how individuals who can get by better with inadequate sleep may misinterpret this as being a healthy practice

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#60 - Influencers, Experts, and Bad Sleep Advice: Would I Lie To You?

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Information and advice about better sleep comes from more individuals and sources than can be counted. In our current era of "fake news," it can be difficult to determine is the sleep advice or science behind what you are seeing or reading is legitimate. In this episode we will:

Differentiate between misinformation, disinformation, and bullshit
Look at examples of each and work towards understanding their motivations and how they can be spotted and corrected
Explore the consequences of the spread of bad/harmful information, and how current media factors can accelerate the dissemination of false information
List the characteristics of information that spreads quickly
Apply epidemiological tools to social media and the spread of bad information
Evaluate the factors that lend themselves to the spread of bad medical information
Consider how intuition and deliberation affect our ability for comprehensive reasoning and detection of bad information
Review remedies to help improve the situation and reduce the spread of incorrect medical information

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#59 - Bedtime Rituals: Right On Time

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

One often overlooked strategy to improve sleep and manage insomnia is to employs bedtime rituals. While most think of these as activities designed to help kids go to sleep easier, their science is deeply rooted in our sleep health. In this episode we will:

Revisit the idea of circadian rhythms and why they are important for sleep health and sleep timing
Define the concept of a zeitgeber and how they work to strengthen the effectiveness of our circadian rhythm and its predictive ability
Understand the concept of weak and strong zeitgebers and how they relate to the actions that make up our bedtime routines
Examine common bedtime rituals and their relationship to known zeitgebers
Touch upon light as historically the strongest/most influential zeitgeber
Differentiate the health (and sleep) benefits of exercise from the circadian benefits and understand how evening exercise could capitalize on both in a bedtime ritual
Evaluate stress (and alleviating stress) as an unexpected zeitgeber
Revisit the concept of temperature as a zeitgeber and how its mechanism in humans is not entirely clear
Introduce the food entrainable-oscillator (FEO) and how it relates to food as a zeitgeber
End on more unusual potential zeitgebers like music, and the research supporting them

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#58 - Lucid Dreaming: You Make My Dreams

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The phenomenon of dreaming is an endless fascinating topic for many individuals, and the concept of lucid dreaming is a never-ending source of interest. What is lucid dreaming and what potential does it hold? In this episode we will:

Define the concept of lucid dreaming
Explore the history of the practice from its roots in ancient Hindu and Buddhist practices, to its first description by Aristotle
Follow the changing characteristics that define lucid dreaming from its first scientific description in 1931 (when the term lucid dreaming was coined) to the present
Touch upon seminal research exploring ways of communicating and studying the lucid dreamer and their world
List the various techniques for inducing lucid dreams including reality testing
Review research studying befits of lucid dreaming application

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#57 - Sleep and Yoga: Gotta Find A Way To Flow

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Over the last several decades, there has been a heightened interested in alternative therapies for sleep disorders, and the practice of yoga as a sleep solution has been frequently investigated. In this episode we will:

Define yoga and outline its fundamental philosophy
Explore why yoga might be uniquely situated to improve sleep parameters
Review research studies exploring yoga and enhanced sleep parameters
Subdivide sleep studies exploring yoga nidra or the practice of yogic sleep
Look at research exploring yoga in the /pregnant/prenatal population
Outline yoga practices within the elderly/institutionalized population
Evaluate yoga as a pain-mediating intervention and determine what that means in terms of sleep
Touch upon yoga as a technique for mitigating restless leg syndrome
Mention yoga as a therapy within the cancer treatment space

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#56 - Sexsomnia: Hard To Explain Last Night

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

An important subset of parasomnias is sexsomnias--sexual behaviors that arise at night with little or no memory reported from the person involved. In addition to being disruptive to sleep, these behaviors bring with them heightened physical, emotional, and in some cases legal consequences. In this episode we will:

Introduce and define sexsomnias
Explore the relative short history of this behavior in medical literature
Characterize was types of behaviors are seen in sexsomnias
List the groups of individuals who are at risk for these behaviors
Examine the unique features of sexsomnias
Describe the numerous medical risk factors for sexsomnias
Provide solutions and tips for individuals struggling with sexsomnias

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#55 - Are You Sleepy or Are You Fatigued?: I'm So Tired

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

One of the biggest misunderstandings in medicine is the differences between sleepiness and fatigue. Add to this poorly defined terms like "tired" and "exhausted," and you have the makings for not only utter confusion, but also the basis for misdiagnoses and treatments that miss the mark completely. In this episode we will:

Provide a research background examining the confusion between the terms sleepy and fatigued
Attempt to define sleepiness and fatigue and provide a physiological and behavioral foundation for their characterizations
Evaluate the misuse of the term fatigue in literature regarding excessive daytime sleepiness
Use research to characterize the unique intermediate positioning of the word "tired" in scientific explorations of sleepiness and fatigue
Learn how the lack of a "gold standard" for fatigue evaluation has contributed to the problem
Revisit the Epworth Sleepiness Scale as the de facto standard for quantification of sleepiness and its intrinsic shortcomings
Discuss ways in which failure to properly characterize sleepiness or fatigue can lead to diagnostic and treatment delays and error
Expand upon the multitude of fatigue causes and how primary medicine often stops far short of an exhaustive search for an underlying cause of an individual's fatigue
Link specific sleep and psychological factors to elements of sleepiness and fatigue

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#54 - Insomnia and the Five Senses: See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The five senses are our brain's main way of collecting information about our immediate environment. They have a powerful effect on our moods, cognition, and the way we experience the world. They are also integral to the way we sleep and deal with insomnia. I recently met Gretchen Rubin and read her latest book Life in Five Senses. In this episode, we will explore heightening and honing our five senses as a portal for improving our sleep and managing insomnia. In this episode we will:

Discuss visualization and rehearsal as a means to relax and combat insomnia
Explore the creation of an Auditory Hypnotic playlist and how curating music/songs that relax you can be a helpful tool to set the stage for improved sleep
Review the current data on white noise and its effects on sleep outcomes
Discuss smell and olfaction as a tool for sleep
Evaluate different novel smells and their relative effects on sleep and insomnia
Revisit tart cherry juice and other pre-bedtime drinks as a way to establish routine via taste
Introduce the concept of "sleep-touch" and review a recent study about how it effects the sleep of couples

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#53 - Sleep and Green Spaces: Lay Me Down In the Tall Grass

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

There has been an explosion of research looking at relationships between one's proximity to nature and sleep. During the Covid pandemic, this research seemed more pressing than ever and rates of disordered sleep and mental health problems soared. In this episode, we will:

Review the research linking improved sleep parameters and access to nature/green spaces
List the potential sleep related benefits being in or around nature may create
Evaluate the categories of benefit related to nature exposure proposed by Markevych: reducing harm, restoring capacities, and building capacities
Highlight CO2 reduction as a harm reduction method for improving sleep
Consider tress and canopy exposure as a separate harm reduction pathway
Explore the role of nature on mental health and its interplay with sleep
Touch upon the ways in which green spaces can facilitate physical activity and social cohesion
Look specifically at green space research as it relates to children and teens

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#52 - Finding the Perfect Mattress: The Bed's Too Big Without You

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Perhaps the biggest single influence on your sleep is the surface that you sleep on. Choosing a mattress is a process that combines personal preference, but also an emerging body of science. In this episode, we will talk to our first guest and producer of the show Maeve Winter about her quest to find the perfect mattress for her and her boyfriend. In this episode, we will:

Discuss how one uses their current sleep experience to inform how they choose their mattress
Identify what factors matter in terms of mattress selection
Review the research about firmness and temperature and how they can improve overall sleep quality
Touch upon other factors that may be important to individuals buying a mattress: construction, materials, size, and motion-suppression , and cost
Summarize the process of going to a Mattress Firm locally, and how the uniformity of working with a Sleep Expert allows two individuals in different locations to "shop" together.

*Dr. Winter has a financial relationship with Sleep.com and Mattress Firm. The content, opinions, and views in this podcast reflect his own opinions and not those of Sleep.com or Mattress Firm.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#51 - Dispatches from the 2023 SLEEP Scientific Conference: A New Sensation

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The 2023 SLEEP meeting just concluded in Indianapolis where the greatest sleep minds come together and share the amazing academic and scientific projects and research they have been working on. I was on the ground in Indianapolis and wanted to share with you some of the more noteworthy research and data that is came out of the meeting. In this episode we will:

Look at research related to the subjective impression of sleep quality and how it relates to sleep stages
Examine how circadian misalignment in kids tends to predict more food consumption even when sleep time is held constant
Find out how lucid dreaming could be utilized as a potential treatment for nightmare disorder
Determine how factors related to male college students and sleep might be predictive of other problematic behaviors like alcohol use
Review associations between sedentary behavior and insomnia severity
Touch upon the role of sleep hygiene and couple dynamics
Explore equity and discrimination as a factor leading to poor sleep health and quality
Answer the questions as to whether or not it is better to athletically train in the afternoon or evening as a young athlete
Reflect upon what we have learned from the pandemic in terms of sleep, working from home, etc.
Look ahead toward hybrid models for clinical CBTi delivery and how they may hold the key to improving patient outcomes

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#50 - Is There A Case For Sleeping Pills?: I Wanted To Be Wrong

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

While we discussed sleeping pills on episode 11 of the podcast, there is a lot of unfinished business here. A recent conversation with a distinguished and highly educated colleague about sleeping pills made me question my practice and the practices of many providers. In this episode we will:

Examine the role of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia patients who do not have the resources, time, or interest in participating in the therapy
Explore the differences in sleep clinics in terms of the demand for these medications. Are these drugs mainly a tool for primary care doctors or do sleep medicine specialist rely on them as a part of their insomnia toolbox?
Review the data on the newest family of hypnotics, the orexin receptor antagonists, in particular their effects on sleep latency and decreasing wake time after sleep onset (WASO)
Discuss the absolute lack of evidence linking any changes seen in sleeping pill sleep use and improved health/performance in their users
Touch upon the proper/ethical ways in which hypnotic data should be shared with patients who are using these drugs. If a drug is helping someone who "cannot sleep" to sleep through the night, what does it mean to withhold this data?
Accepting that these medications may change sleep in very small but statistically meaningful ways, how are we as providers supposed to square these changes with the very different problems our patients bring to our clinic.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#49 - Sleeping Naked: Are Your Clothes Getting In The Way?

Mon, 29 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The media loves to talk about sleeping naked. The topic carries just enough taboo to make it irresistible to readers. Given that up to a third of adults sleep in the buff, is there any real science to supports its sleep and health benefits? In this episode we will:

Examine current research about the metabolic effects of sleeping in cooler temperatures and how being naked might support these theories
Postulate how sleeping naked/in a cooler environment could increase brown fat composition leading to increased metabolism, weight loss, and better glycemic control/lower diabetes risk
Revisit the sleep benefits of colder temperatures (from Episode 25)
Push back on the direct relationship between sleeping naked and healthier skin
Discuss the role of oxytocin on sleep, stress, and sleeping skin to skin
Touch on the role of sleeping naked on vaginal health
Dive into the idea that sleeping naked improved sperm counts and fertility
Explore the ways in which sleeping naked could lead to heightened self-esteem and body acceptance
Determine if there is in fact evidence that sleeping naked promotes intimacy
Briefly review potential cons of sleeping naked

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#48 - Sleep and Pain: When It Hurts So Bad

Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Chronic pain is a disabling problem that could affect as many as 1 out of every 5 adult Americans. It is a costly and tragic collection of disorders that often has limited and disappointing treatment options. Could sleep be a central mediator of chronic pain? Could it be a pathway for treatment? In this episode we will:

Contrast the relationship between pain causing disturbed sleep with the condition of disturbed sleep itself causing pain
Examine study numbers showing the high incidence of disturbed sleep in patients with chronic pain
Consider that while many patients with disturbed sleep have concurrent depression, a much higher cohort complains of disturbed sleep
Revisit a 2006 study I highlighted in my first book that shows increased pain indices following relatively trivial reductions in total sleep and REM sleep
Extend this concept as it relates to high incidence of chronic pain in military veterans with sleep disorders/disturbances
View the relationship through the lens of a 2022 Harvard study confirming a relationship but stopping short of endorsing causation
List ways in which sleep considerations could be utilized to improve pain conditions

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#47 - Sleep and Mouth Taping: Our Lips Are Sealed

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Now that lettuce water and melatonin spray has had their moments, mouth taping seems to be the latest sleep social media trend that everyone is talking about. What does the evidence say about the practice? Is it legitimately helpful? In this episode, we will:

Examine the functions of the nose in the respiration process (filtering, humidification, etc.)
Attempt to quantify the scope of nocturnal mouth breathing, both in the sleep apnea and non-sleep apnea population
Rank to incidence of mouth breathing based upon sleep stage
Contextualize the role in increased nitric oxide via nasal breathing
Evaluate the scope of sleep apnea and snoring improvement based upon mouth taping and how it relates to other treatments
Discuss the role of mouth taping and CPAP compliance
Touch upon the role of mouth taping and oral health
Break down the relationship between ADHD and mouth taping, and the influence of sleep-related breathing disturbances in this proposed relationship
Go through the list of considerations related to the practice of mouth taping

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#46 - Choosing the Right Pillow: Send Me The Pillow You Dream On

Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

It would be tough to argue that one of the most important factors that influence your sleep is right under your nose (literally, depending on what position in which you sleep). Our pillow plays a big role in our sleep comfort and quality. In this episode we will:

Touch upon when kids should begin using pillows for their sleep
Look at evidence suggesting that few people give deep consideration to their pillow and of those who do, the majority may still be making the wrong choice
List the various pillow fillings (feather, wool, latex, etc.) and their relative strengths and weaknesses
Determine which pillow types tend to create the most spinal support
Lay out the factors that go into pillow fitting
Understand the supportive and comfort goals of a well-fit pillow
Dive into the factors that tend to influence pillow purchases
Discuss other uses of pillows besides head support
Go through some disorders that can be improved with proper pillow selection.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#45 - Are You A Good Sleeper Or A Bad Sleeper?: It Was My Attitude

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Our identity as either a good sleeper or a bad sleeper plays an outsized role in the development and persistence of insomnia in individuals. In this episode, we will:

Explore the origins of our sleep identity
List the common ways individuals decide whether or not they are "good sleepers"
Introduce the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (DBAS) Scale, and how its components offer insight into the dysfunctional thinking that often characterizes insomnia
Contrast the use of the DBAS with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)
Consider how the ESS helps to identify drive to sleep and what that means to have a high, or a low drive.
Strategize how to use elements of the DBAS and the ESS to begin to construct a new foundation for sleep identity, an identity that is one of a good sleeper.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#44 - Shift Work: I Got No Time For Livin', I'm Workin' All The Time

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Maybe the Rush lyric should have been, "I've got no time for sleepin'" because a huge population of people in this world participate in some form of shift work, and it takes a heavy toll on sleep, health, and the bottom line of their employers. In this episode we will:

Examine the inherent sleep deficit that comes with shift work
Determine how much sleep the average shift worker is losing
Debunk the idea that staying on night shift actually creates a true biological adjustment
Explore the work-related consequences of shift work sleepiness
Highlight the unequal 'double burden' women engaged in shift work assume
List the medical consequences of shift work
Define the medical disorder Shift Work Disorder
Evaluate the countermeasures and interventions that can lessen the impact of shift work

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#43 - In A Deep, Deep Sleep: Where Do You Go For Deeper Sleep?

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Everyone wants slow wave sleep, commonly referred to as deep sleep. It's the sleep of youthfulness. It's the sleep of performance. It's the sleep of recovery. It's the sleep through which growth hormone flows. Lots of things promise a deeper sleep, but what really delivers? In this episode we will:

Revisit the reasons deep sleep is so important for optimal health
Examine the research behind exercise and deep sleep
Explore the links between mindfulness and meditation and sleep
Determine if hydration plays a role in slow wave sleep enhancement
Look at the surprising link between lavender and deep sleep
Understand the role temperature plays in this process and why exercise my actually be utilizing body temperature as a pathway for its enhancement of deep sleep
Untangle the complicated research looking at alcohol and its role as both an enhancement and degrader of deep sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#42 - Severe Sleep Apnea and Treatments: Quit Holdin' Out and Draw Another Breath

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In Episode 5 of the podcast, we explored the confusing entity of mild/borderline sleep apnea and the treatment confusion it causes. In this episode we look at the other end of the sleep apnea spectrum...severe sleep apnea where the only confusion is, "Why didn't your primary care doctor order a sleep study sooner?" In this episode we will:

Define sleep apnea and learn how the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) helps us classify an individual's sleep apnea severity
Briefly touch upon other metrics being considered to grade the severity of sleep apnea
Look at sleep apnea through the lens of a recent patient who averaged 155.8 significant breathing disturbances/hour and understand what that means in terms of health and medical risk factors
Examine the process by which one slowly develops sleep apnea and ask the question, "Why, in the midst of elevated weight, high blood pressure, and/or diabetes do more doctors not order home sleep studies to screen for sleep apnea when it is a modifiable risk factor with massive potential for health benefit?"
Understand how the concept of CPAP therapy "working" or "not working" needs to be clearly defined as different therapy modalities are considered.
Examine Inspire therapy, understand what it entails, who is eligible, and how there is much more to consider than their advertisements seem to indicate
Compare sleep apnea therapies and their strengths/drawbacks

Note: I let an f-bomb slip in this episode…sorry to those offended by this.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#41 - How To Shut Off Your Racing Mind: It’s Late, You Can’t Turn Out the Lights

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

"I can't shut my mind off at night" is a very common refrain among insomnia patients. Is this a real phenomenon and if so, how does it relate to the disorder of insomnia. In this episode we will:

Review the cognitive role of mental hyperarousal in insomnia
Explore how mental de-arousal is an integral part of managing insomnia
Learn how insomnia patients raise their level of arousal as they approach bedtime and are often cued to do so by their sleep environment.
Differentiate poor sleepers who often view their racing thoughts or inner monologue as an impediment to their sleep versus normal sleepers who do not.
See mindfulness as the countermeasure to our culture's propensity to stress mental escalation while ignoring techniques for de-escalation
List some methods, including the use of biofeedback devices, for practicing how to manage a racing mind
Touch upon the idea that the "racing mind" is something to embrace, not fear

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#40 - Tired Sleep Advice: Got To Search For Something New

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Sleep tips are everywhere and the more 'surprising' the advice is, the better. While the majority of what is out there is helpful at its core, over time, these tips can distort the actual goal individuals have to develop not only healthy sleep practices, but a deeper understanding and sturdier relationship with sleep. To that end, it's important to dissect these ubiquitous instructions and figure out what they are really telling us. In this episode, we will:

dive into why we are constantly ordering people to never be in bed awake, and how it can erode the positive feelings and impact resting can have in our lives.
push back against techniques that promise faster sleep
dispel the myth of fluid restriction at night and why hydration restriction is not only unhealthy, but also largely ineffective
evaluate the idea that delaying caffeine intake scientifically reduces a mid-afternoon 'crash' and overlay his theories on the two-process model of sleep/wakefulness
learn how going to bed at the same time every night might be unhelpful over time
explore the idea of not watching television 2 hours prior to bed and why that is an impractical notion for most people
understand why sleep hygiene alone is not likely to fix a significant sleep problem
briefly touch upon the current fad of mouth taping, it's like of rigorous scientific backing, its academic opposition, and how medical trends (sometimes dangerous ones) are perpetuated

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#39 - Narcolepsy Treatments: I Want A New Drug

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In episode 26 of the podcast, we began a discussion about narcolepsy...what it looks like, how it's diagnosed, and why it's so often overlooked. Diagnosis is just the first hurdle as many patients are unaware of or simply not offered the best therapies for the disorder. In this episode, we will:

touch upon theories of treating narcolepsy include non-medication therapies
list the major pharmaceutical therapies
differentiate the mechanism of actions among these medications
outline the drug strategies for managing narcolepsy symptoms including excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy
learn why so many patients are denied optimal therapy because of doctor's ignorance or insurance company denials/red tape
briefly touch upon the obstacles involved specifically in narcolepsy care

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#38 - Coffee and Sleep: There's Too Much Caffeine In Your Bloodstream

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

There is no chemical on the plant more tied to sleep disruption and wakefulness promotion than caffeine. As every research paper on the plant points out in the first sentence of the manuscript, caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. The consumption of caffeine as spawned its own culture and massive business machine. In this episode we will:

discover the history of caffeine research in sleep
learn about caffeine and the related methylxanthine chemicals theophylline and paraxanthine
analyze the antagonistic effects that caffeine has on adenosine signaling
touch upon the differential effects of caffeine based upon age
explore the negative effects of caffeine on sleep including new research on its effects on REM sleep
detail the research looking at the timing of caffeine ingestion related to bedtime and how its effects may be more prolonged than most thought
uncover the reality about the wakefulness effects of caffeine and the facts that predict it.
break down the caffeine and performance findings of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#37 - Marijuana and Sleep: The Drugs Don't Work, They Just Make You Worse

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The explosion of both medicinal and recreational marijuana use (as well as its derivatives) has led to the obvious question: Does marijuana help an individual sleep better? If you pay attention to those who sell it, the answer seems to be a resounding yes...but is that true. In this episode we will:

learn about marijuana and the chemical cannabinoids that are often proclaimed to be sleep-promoting
understand that in many ways, using marijuana for insomnia is no different than other pills and its success leans heavily on how we measure sleep success...or how it "works"
touch upon older research about marijuana
learn the differences between transient sleep effects and the sleep effects of long-term use
explore cultural conversations and myths about marijuana use, in particular that it's helpful in pregnancy
discover the misperceptions surrounding marijuana use in college
uncover how the bottom line of some studies can be affected by pharmaceutical companies trying to develop novel sleep therapies
look ahead to potential therapies for conditions like REM behavior disorder and Restless Legs Syndrome

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#36 - Jet Lag: Take Your Chance on a Big Jet Plane

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Anyone who has traveled a significant distance has felt the effects of jet lag...the fatigue, the altered appetite, the sleep irregularities. The science of jet lag and sleep is topic of tremendous interest both scientifically and in popular culture. In this episode we will:

Define jet lag and how it relates to the circadian rhythm
Examine how jet lag can influence our general and cognitive health as well as cancer risk
Contrast the biological difference between eastward and westward travel and how they relate to circadian advances and delays
Explore the various ways jet lag can be mitigated
Understand the use of light exposure to lessen the impact of jet lag and how the timing of light relates to our body temperature curve
Learn about the use of melatonin as a toll for jet lag mitigation
Touch upon how caffeine and napping can be jet lag strategies
Characterize the merits of hypnotics for travel
Discover the surprising relationship between fasting and jet lag
Conclude with the folly of alcohol as a jet lag strategy

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#35 - Sleep and Cardiovascular Health: Stop Draggin' Your Heart Around

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The link between cardiovascular health and sleep is beyond compelling and is probably the most researched topic related to sleep health. This has taken on greater meaning as studies show the cardiovascular health of all age groups is declining. Recently, the American Heart Association added Sleep Health to its 'Essential 8'--a collection of the meaningful steps individuals can take to improve their cardiovascular health and outcomes. But what constitutes the relationship between sleep health and cardiovascular health? In this episode, we will:

Introduce the American Heart Association's Essential 8, and how sleep health not only factors into the list, but directly affects the other seven items.
Trace the long history of sleep being associated with coronary artery disease.
Explore the relationship between sleep and stroke risk
Understand the mechanisms of increased atherosclerotic plaque burden in people getting inadequate sleep
Learn about the relationship between inadequate sleep and elevated blood pressure/"non-dipping," and how sleep extension may improve those measurements
Characterize the increased risk or arrhythmias in patients with sleep=related breathing disorders and their underlying mechanisms
Probe the link between inadequate sleep and systemic inflammation and how these changes can be permanent
Touch upon the topic of poor sleep and impaired glucose homeostasis
Conclude with looking at the confusing relationship between insomnia and cardiovascular disease

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#34 - Next Position Please: The Science of Sleeping Positions

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Back sleeper, side sleeper, stomach sleeper...which is the best position for quality sleep? Body position is a popular topic in the media, but how much evidence is behind the recommendations? In this episode we will:

Explore sleeping positions and our ability to perceive and control them
Briefly touch upon considerations like facial wrinkling and glaucoma for which there is inconclusive evidence
Revisit how back sleeping in infants is thought about currently in the relationship to SIDS and infant sleeping safety (listen to episode 32 on co-sleeping for more information)
Explore body position options for pregnant women
Learn about body position and joint pain
Examine the role that body position plays in GERD and the mechanism behind the recommendations
Evaluate the evidence for improved cardiovascular functioning based upon sleep position
Critique the 2015 study linking Alzheimer's disease risk to sleeping position and its relevance to humans
Touch upon ways adults can improve sleep apnea, snoring, and GERD via sleeping position technology.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#33 - The Scientific Results Are In: CBTi is the Cure for Insomnia

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Clickbait title comments aside, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) is the scientific gold standard when it comes to insomnia therapy. It's effective and medical governing bodies and consensus statements lauding its benefits are too many to count...but what exactly is it? In this episode, we will:

Learn about the overwhelming support for the use of CBTi for the treatment of insomnia
List the various medical boards and governing bodies that support it and its overall efficacy rates
Understand why there is often reluctance to engage in the treatment and why the work involved often makes fad treatments seem appealing
Evaluate why sleep education is generally felt to be the foundation of CBTi
Define cognitive restructuring and how thinking about sleep can reinforce positive and negative thoughts
Layout the tenets of stimulus control therapy and how they affect individuals with insomnia
Contrast the various methods of relaxation techniques
Highlight physician and clinicians with special training in CBTi

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#32 - Co-Sleeping: Let's Spend The Night Together

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

There are many controversial topics in the world of sleep. Not many spark more conversation and controversy than various forms of co-sleeping. In this episode we will:

Define co-sleeping
Learn about the various forms of co-sleeping: babies/children, pets, siblings, and spouses
Examine the research about co-sleeping and SIDS as well as accidental death
Look at the various risk factors surrounding co-sleeping with babies
Weigh the pros and cons of co-sleeping with pets
Touch upon sibling co-sleeping
Conclude with the science behind couples co-sleeping and ways to mitigate the negative effects

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#31 - Polyphasic Sleep: Sleep The Clock Around

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Perhaps no topic in sleep is more filled with more wild claims and unsubstantiated research than polyphasic sleep. The division of sleep into several distinct periods is not new. The question is, does it hold the key to enhanced health and performance? In this episode, we will:

Define polyphasic and monophasic sleep
Learn about the sleep of other animals and contrast their typical polyphasic sleep to the monophasic sleep of most humans
Follow the history of polyphasic sleep through medieval times up through the Industrial Revolution.
Explore specific types of polyphasic sleep including the Uberman Sleep Schedule and that followed by Buckminster Fuller
Understand how sleep cycles work and how increasing fragmentation can interfere with the health benefits of sleep
Conclude with the scientific recommendation concerning the health risks of polyphasic sleep practices

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#30 - Catathrenia/Sleep-Related Moaning: Here She Comes Now Singing Moany Moany

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Individuals who moan or groan in their sleep are not uncommon...at least we think so. Catathrenia, the medical term for the disorder, is poorly studied and poorly understood. Despite the relative lack of public awareness, bedpartners everywhere are keenly aware of the disorder. In the episode we will:

characterize catathrenia as a breathing disturbance (or parasomnia) distinct from snoring and sleep talking (somniloquy)
revisit the initial description of the disorder
consider the consequences of nocturnal moaning
discuss the qualities of the nocturnal vocalizations that distinguish catathrenia
attempt to describe the characteristics of catathrenics
list the risk factors for and conditions associated with catathrenia
evaluate potential treatments for the condition

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#29 - Snoring: The Sound That Drives Us Out of Our Heads

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Snoring is a common sleep problem that affects many individuals either directly or indirectly. There is a significant amount of confusion around the topic of snoring as it is often mentioned in the same breath with sleep apnea. Snoring is it's own entity with its own unique pathophysiology, risk factors, and treatments. In this episode you will:

Glimpse at some historical perspectives of snoring
Learn about the scope and demographics of those who snore
List the causes of snoring and where they exist anatomically
Explore the risk factors for snoring
Evaluate the numerous consequences both inside and outside of health
Touch upon the means of diagnosing snoring
Compare the various treatments for snoring

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#28 - The 9 Ps of Insomnia

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1987, Arthur Spielman put forth a model for understanding insomnia that came to be known as the 3-P Model. It laid out the progression of the disorders in 3 steps: Predisposing factors, a precipitating event, and perpetuating influences. In this Insomnia Monday episode of the podcast, we expand the model to include 9 "Ps" and explore each. In this episode, you will:

Learn about the original 3-P model including predisposing factors for insomnia
Understand how caregivers can preindoctrinate (or parent) in a way that increases insomnia likelihood
List common insomnia precipitants
Explore the crucial role panic plays in insomnia origination
Briefly touch upon sleeping pills (for more information, listen to episode #11)
See how one's perception of their insomnia impacts severity and influences treatment
Touch upon factors of perpetuation as well as looking at how insomnia in youth may predict insomnia in adulthood
Revisit pain and trauma in insomnia (Episode #6 covers this more thoroughly)
Conclude with the consideration of pessimism and powerlessness as factors in insomnia

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#27 - The 2022 Sleep Unplugged Awards

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It has been a truly incredible year for the Sleep Unplugged podcast. In operation just over six months, the success of the podcast is both exciting and humbling. As we come to the end of the year, the podcast wants to shine a light on some of the brightest stars within the field of sleep and give their work some much earned praise.

This year's Sleepy Award winners are:

Social Media Warrior Dr. Anne Marie Morse (@DAMMGoodSleep)

Best Insomnia Advice Dr. Brandon Peters (@BrandonPetersMD)

Sleep Outsider Award Diane Macedo (@SleepFixMethod, @dianermacedo)

Sleep Vanguard Organization Philadelphia Phillies

Book of the Year The Power of the Downstate: Recharge Your Life Using
Your Body's Own Restorative Systems
Dr. Sara Mednick (@Sara_Mednick)

Sleep Crusader Award Dr. Karin Johnson (@drsleepykarin)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#26 - Narcolepsy: The Rare Sleep Disorder That Isn't

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Given that approximately 1 in 2000 people in the United States has narcolepsy, and their symptoms are so dramatic, there is a good chance you know someone with this disorder. Narcolepsy is fundamentally a debilitating, lifelong disorder of excessive sleepiness and sleep dysregulation. In this episode, we will:

define narcolepsy and learn how it presents in individuals
trace the pathophysiology of the chemical disorder related to orexin/hypocretin dysfunction
list the 5 main diagnostic characteristics of the disorder
differentiate the causes (hereditary, autoimmune) of narcolepsy
outline the diagnostic pathway and the pitfalls of narcolepsy testing
learn how diagnostic momentum applies to the diagnosis of narcolepsy
briefly touch upon treatments (but will largely leave this for a future episode)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#25 - Temperature and Sleep: In the Cold Cold Night

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We have been dancing around this topic since pretty much the beginning of Sleep Unplugged. Sleep and Menopause...Circadian Rhythms...Insomnia...even some of the products in the holiday gift guide referred to temperature, but why? What is the relationship between temperature and sleep? In this episode we will:

Learn why humans and many animals display nesting behaviors designed to warm up prior to bed
Understand the classic sleep research protocols exploring the "warm bath effect"
Follow the process of sleep initiation and falling core temperature, and how this affects sleep quality, depth, and continuity
Contrast the core temperature changes with peripheral vasodilation during sleep initiation and how warming the distal extremities can hasten and improve sleep
Define the concept of a temperature gradient, and how that can be applied to distal and core temperatures, and how this influences sleep at various points in the process
Touch upon theories about sleep and temperature regulation and how melatonin plays a role in both circadian light and circadian temperature regulation
Explore the differences seen in body temperatures upon awakening
Use this information to better inform how we can manipulate temperature in our own environment to sleep better

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#24 - Alcohol and Sleep: Raise a Glass to Terrible Rest

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

There may be no topic in sleep that is more studied yet often misunderstood than alcohol. Even a casual overview of popular media is full of references relating alcohol and peaceful relaxation and easy sleep. Is there truth to this depiction? Can alcohol share a space with healthy sleep? In this episode we will:

Examine the numbers of people using alcohol to help with sleep and insomnia
Explore the neurotransmitters affected by alcohol intoxication and how they relate to the chemistry of sleep
Detail the ways in which alcohol affects sleep architecture
Compare the differences between the first and second halves of the night, and how they differ in relation to alcohol effects
Contrast the differences between acute and chronic alcohol use on sleep
Finds ways that alcohol can be enjoyed and its effects on sleep minimized

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#23 - Light and Sleep: The Legend of Blue Light

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

When it comes to healthy sleep, plays a huge role. The discussion often vilifies light, in particular blue light, but is it always bad? In this episode we will:

Discuss light's role in the regulation of our circadian rhythm and by proxy, sleep.
Understand the anatomy of how light interacts with the eye/retina, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the pineal body, and eventually creates melatonin suppression
Understand how blue light came to be acknowledged as the fundamental light color of this process
Differentiate light quality and light intensity and further differentiate light intensity at the source (lumen) and destination (lux)
Find out that even small amount of light or sustained light at night (LAN) can disrupt sleep and diminish health
Explore how lighting that capitalizes on these characteristics can promote sleep and also support wakefulness.
Learn about products meant to diminish light and enhance light
Touch upon the practical/research implications of light pollution and light manipulation in novel environments (submarines)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#22 - Holiday Sleep Gift Guide Extravaganza

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

With the holidays around the corner, I have reached out to my favorite sleep product companies as well as my favorite sleep experts to get product recommendations, discount codes, and all kinds of weighted blankets, ear plugs, cooling units, and sleep hoodies to try out. Buying gifts for people this time of year can be difficult, so I'm making it easy for you. Who wouldn't want a gift that encourages better sleep. In this podcast we will look at the following:

Ayo circadian lighting
Bearaby weighted blankets
Chilipad/DockPro bed cooling unit
Dēp Slēpwear cooling bed clothing
Dodow sleep/breathing device
Hatch sound machine
Muse meditation device (Interaxon)
Oura Ring sleep monitoring device
Ostrichpillow travel pillow
Pavlok shock alarm
QuietOn sleeping earbuds
Sleepys with Reactex cooling pillow
Somnox sleep robot
Swanwick blue-blocking glasses
ThisWorks sleep spray
Umay digital eye relaxation tech
Withings ScanWatch Horizon sleep/fitness watch

*I have no financial relationship with the companies listed above but may have received products to trial/demo.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#21 - Sleep and Food: You Sleep What You Eat

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Nutrition and food are big topics within sleep circles. What can I eat to support great sleep? In this episode we will:

Learn about the amnio acid tryptophan and what food contain high levels.
Debunk the myth that turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, and thus is the reason why you fall asleep after eating turkey on Thanksgiving
Outline the steps in melatonin synthesis, beginning with tryptophan being facilitated by calcium and insulin levels in the body
List the various enzymes and chemicals that catalyze the steps of melatonin synthesis, and the nutrients that support them
Highlight foods that are sources of intrinsic melatonin, such as tart cherries, black walnuts, and almonds
Investigate GABA, potassium, and apigenin as chemicals outside of the melatonin synthesis pathway than can influence sleep.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#20 - Paradoxical Insomnia: The Insomnia You've Never Heard Of

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 23:00:00 -0500

There is nothing in the realm of sleep medicine that creates more confusion (both among patients and providers) than paradoxical insomnia. Known by many terms over the years, paradoxical insomnia (or sleep state misperception) is at once common and rare, This is unfortunate because more awareness could improve the overall recognition and diagnosis or insomnia as well as improve treatment outcomes. In this episode we will:

Review the definition and incidence of insomnia disorder
Explore the inherent problems that result from patient sleep reporting (sleep latency, sleep duration, etc.)
Describe the origins of sleep state misperception and how it was a natural outgrowth of the more widespread use and formalization of the polysomnogram
Define paradoxical insomnia and detail the shortcomings of the definition
Differentiate between a formal diagnosis of paradoxical insomnia and a patient who underestimated their sleep amount/overestimates sleep latency
Look at historical studies that first quantified the number of insomnia patients that underestimated their sleep amount and to what degree
Define the Misperception Index (MI) and how it can be used to create a spectrum and diagnostic structure for paradoxical insomnia.
List the risk factors and causes of paradoxical insomnia
Briefly touch upon potential treatments

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#19 - Nightmares and Night Terrors: Whatever You Do, Don't Fall Asleep

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 20:00:00 -0400

On this special Halloween edition, we will wander into the dark and terrifying forest of nightmares and night terrors. In this episode, we will:

Explore the origin of the term nightmare
Differentiate nightmares from bad dreams and learn what constitutes the diagnosis of nightmare disorder
List other REM-related parasomnias besides nightmare disorder (like isolated sleep paralysis (Episode 16), REM Behavior Disorder, and catathrenia
Characterize the prevalence of nightmares and nightmare disorder as well as its risk factors
Look in depth at treatments in particular Image Rehearsal Therapy and the newer Targeted Memory Reactivation technique
Name medications sometimes employed in nightmare disorder therapy
Define night terrors and other non-REM-related parasomnias like sleep talking (somniloquy), sleepwalking (somnambulism), sleep-related eating disorder (SRED), and various sexsomnias
Characterize the prevalence of night terrors as well as their risk factors
Review treatments and best practices for these disorders

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#18 - Daylight Saving Time: What Exactly Are We Saving?

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Twice a year, daylight saving time takes center stage as we talk about it, worry about it, plan for it, and either rejoice or renounce its very existence. Now, as the United States government debates whether or not to legislate an end to the practice, let's take some time to explore the topic. In this episode we will:

explore the origins of daylight saving time and its particularly unique history in the United States
understand the reasons for not only implementing the practice of daylight saving time as well as the reasons why it has persisted
differentiate the various aspects of daylight saving time and standard time
touch on the actual energy savings created (or not) by daylight saving time
probe the public's sentiment for keeping DST or adopting permanent standard time
evaluate the health risks (and sleep risks) of the biannual changes (as well as a potential intrinsic risk of DST itself) and why we should adopt permanent standard time
list some possible strategies for lessening the impact of the transition

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#17 - The Truth About Napping

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 21:00:00 -0400

Has there ever been a topic more fraught with misunderstanding and misinterpretation than napping. Should we nap? Should we not nap? What if I can't nap? This episode will cover it all. In this episode we will:

Understand how napping can benefit our health and performance
Evaluate how in some populations, excessive napping can be a marker of poor health
Learn how napping can be employed to supplement nocturnal sleep and repay sleep debt
Find out the ideal way to structure the environment and timing of naps
Recognize when napping may be a sign of poor health.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#16 - Sleep Paralysis: There's a Demon In My Bed

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Almost half of all people will experience the terrifying feeling of awakening from sleep unable to move. Sleep paralysis has its roots deep in history and separating fact from lore is not always easy. this this episode we will:

explore the history and mythology surrounding sleep paralysis, the night hag, incubus/succubus, and the origin of the term nightmare
contrast different cultural interpretations of sleep paralysis as well as the various treatments believed to ward off the condition
explore the incidence of the disorder both as an isolated phenomenon as well as a chronic state
describe the various ways in which it manifests in individuals
list the risk factors and predisposing conditions for sleep paralysis
detail the neural pathways and highlight the neuroanatomy of the process and how it links to causes and risk factors
discuss treatment options and for whom they may be appropriate

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#15 - Insomnia: Waking Up At Night

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

When it comes to sleep, I'm not sure there a topic that frustrates more than waking up at night (sometimes referred to as sleep maintenance insomnia). The struggle to make it from bedtime to wake can be a long and tortuous journey for some. In this episode we will:

explore the history of sleep and nocturnal awakenings
define the prevalence of nocturnal awakenings in the adult population
understand both the definition of arousal and its relationship to awakenings
investigate the concept of sleep efficiency, how it relates to sleep expectation versus sleep need, and how this itself can lead to increased awakenings at night
determine how the presence or absence of excessive sleepiness can help to understand the cause and seriousness of nocturnal awakenings
learn the risk factors and predictors that often lead to nocturnal awakenings
find out that an individual's determination of the cause of their awakenings can be unreliable
discuss the role of sleep studies in determining if there are pathological causes for nocturnal awakenings
explore the role of anxiety and worry in nocturnal awakenings
summarize the numerous studies that have shown the role of exercise in reducing both frequency and duration of nocturnal awakenings

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#14 - Circadian Rhythms: Time May Change Me

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Even though circadian rhythms seem initially to be exclusively linked to our sleep, these primitive timing mechanisms reach back to virtually the dawn of life as we know it. Understanding circadian pathways lays the groundwork for not only understanding circadian disorders like jet lag and shift work, but also for understanding how to optimize our own health. In this episode we will:

define circadian rhythms
understand the mechanisms in the nervous system that govern circadian rhythms and biological timing
find out about some of the early pioneers of circadian science and how their experiments helped to shed light on intrinsic rhythms
learn why human circadian rhythms are slightly longer than 24 hours
list the multiple systems within our bodies that depend on these rhythms
examine research that indicates how harmful biological timing is to our health and the diseases/conditions they influence
determine ways to optimize our own health through improved circadian scheduling

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#13 - Restless Legs Syndrome: You Gotta Move

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a unique and relatively common sleep disorder that quietly affects the sleep of 15% of individuals (by some generous accounts). Despite its initial description dating back to 1672, it still remains somewhat of a mystery--suffered miserably by many but often missed as a sleep diagnosis. In this episode, we will:

learn the unusual history of the multiple 'discoveries' of RLS
give an overview of the symptoms of RLS and the varied ways in which they are described and experienced
dissect the diagnostic criteria of RLS
differentiate primary RLS from secondary RLS
list the risk factors for RLS including low iron, pregnancy, and certain medications
discuss the treatments (both medicinal and non) of RLS including weighted blankets

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#12 - Sleep and Athletic Performance: Major League Sleep

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

The intersection of sleep and athletic performance, relatively speaking, is a new frontier. In the last two decades, the interest in how sleep optimization can improve achievement within sports has exploded. In this episode I will discuss:

the history of how sleep has been looked at in sports and the earliest observations on the subject
how I became interested and eventually involved with research in sleep and sport
the story behind my initial studies with Major League Baseball and travel
the topic of circadian advantage and how we measured it over ten years of Major League Baseball games
how chronotype seems to impact the performance timing of elite athletes
the influence of sleepiness on athletic performance, success in a sport, and potentially longevity as an athlete
other influential research and researchers in the field
what it all means for not only professional sports organizations, but also the average athlete

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#11 - Sleeping Pills: Sleeping With The Enemy

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

As a sleep physician, I am constantly confronted with sleeping pills and the misunderstanding that seems to be inherent to their existence. While I do feel like there are specific instances where sleeping pills are helpful, I think the vast majority of sleep experts and behavioral sleep therapists would generally frown upon their use. In this episode, we will cover:

why I feel sleeping pills are largely unnecessary, particularly given the fact that everyone sleeps (Episode 2)
to whom these pills are marketed and how ad prey upon fear of sleeplessness as a means to create a market for their product
the surprisingly modest sleep improvement results (sleep latency, sleep efficiency) these medications produce and how these stand in direct opposition to what the average user thinks is happening
the risk of sleeping pills
how the relevance of these promoted benefits is of unclear significance
failure of sleeping pill research to prove health or performance benefits
the repetitive history of the sleeping pill cycle and how history has judged the fate of many that have come before

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Bonus: Behind the Scenes of Sleeping Around

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In January of 2015, I spent the night in a haunted hotel in Oklahoma City and wrote about the experience in The Huffington Post. That would begin a series of articles I called "Sleeping Around" where I explored unusual sleeping situations and what they could teach us about our own sleep.

In 2020, I began working with Sleep.com to create content for their new website completely devoted to sleep and topics surrounding it. One day, Sam Bennett, their senior vice president of marketing asked me what my dream sleep project would be.

Easy. I want to make a film version of Sleeping Around.

A few weeks later we were filming three episodes: a few days on the road with musical artist Shakey Graves, 24 hours with the Fort Worth Fire Department, and a night sleeping on a portaledge with professional Red Bull climber Sasha Digiulian.

To mark the milestone of recording our tenth episode, I wanted to record this bonus episode for listeners to take them behind the scenes of this project, and hopefully share why it is so important to me.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#10 - Alarm Clocks: Starting Your Day Right

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Alarms clocks may be responsible for the most dreaded sound in our lives. Despite their constant presence, how do you choose the right alarm for your circumstances and maybe more importantly, how does that alarm fit into a healthy morning routine?

In this episode we will cover:

the definition of sleep inertia and why some people struggle to wake up in the morning
the science behind the different types of sounds alarm clocks utilize and which tend to awaken individuals more effectively
the circadian influence of alarm clocks that utilize lights
the ‘Snooze Button’ and should you use it
strategies for utilizing escalating alarms
the variety of more extreme alarms (shaking a bed, shocking a sleeper) for helping people awaken on time.
the importance of a scheduled awakening and how it fits with other activities in the morning

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#9 - The Controversy Surrounding School Start Times

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Students everywhere are beginning to head back to school soon, so in this Back-To-School episode, I examine the ongoing school start time debate in this country. In the United States, the vast majority of middle and high school students start school early and thus do not have access to adequate sleep. In this episode, we will:

identify the healthy range of sleep school-aged and high school students require
target the biggest threats to the sleep opportunity of school students
explore the nature of the school start time debate and the organizations/studies supporting the change
explain the factors that tend to derail schools from delaying school start times
dive into the emerging research that came out of the COVID lockdown that overwhelmingly shows that delayed start times and virtual learning tends to increase total sleep time and the percentage of kids sleeping adequately.
dissect the negative psychological outcomes of virtual learning that confound the benefits of some studies
learn what can be done at a local level and beyond

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#8 - Trendy Sleep Topics: Orthosomnia, Sleep Divorce, and Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In the late 1990's, Dr. James Maas coined the phrase "power nap" and since that time, there have been many trendy sleep terms. In this episode, we discuss three popular sleep concepts and the stories/science behind them. In this episode we will:

define the term orthosomnia and learn more about the concept's origins
understand how orthosomnia applies to the greater concept of sleep monitoring
explore what a sleep divorce entails and the difficulties with the term
dissect the reasons why couples may choose to sleep apart, and how this can ultimately fail to address serious underlying medical conditions
touch upon relationship power imbalances that make sleep apart not an option for some individuals
understand the origins of revenge bedtime procrastination
differentiate "in-bed" procrastination from "going to bed" procrastination
work towards ways to minimize the factors that exacerbate bedtime procrastination

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#7 - Why No One Cares Your Child Is Sleepy

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

After sleep apnea, narcolepsy is the most common cause of excessive sleepiness in sleep clinics across the country. A large portion of the nearly 200,000 people who have narcolepsy in this country alone are children and teenagers. As these individuals struggle with disabling sleepiness, why is their plight (a treatable plight) largely ignored? In this episode, we will:

define narcolepsy and look briefly at its origins
recast the image of a narcolepsy patient from something cartoonish and unhelpful to a real person with an unfathomable degree of sleepiness
contrast the disability of sleepiness with other "seen" disabilities
explore why disorders of excessive sleepiness are largely ignored by the media while conditions like insomnia are embraced and reinforced at all levels
understand why narcolepsy and disorders of hypersomnolence are routinely mistaken for other disorders or dismissed by clinicians entirely (even many sleep specialists)
learn that these conditions are not rare and their sufferers are often unseen--they are in fact people we know and work with on a daily basis--and they need our support.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#6 - The Trauma of Insomnia

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In episode 2, I talked about what insomnia was not--namely sleep deprivation. In this episode, we begin to explore what insomnia is and who is most at risk. I also explore the unique role of trauma both as a precipitant, but also a perpetuator of insomnia. In this episode we will:

revisit how insomnia differs from sleep deprivation and why confusion between the two creates therapeutic problems
examine risk factors for developing insomnia
review studies that demonstrate insomnia patients are generally sleeping relatively normal amounts
uncover studies that reveal that insomnia patients generally do not share identifiable sleep study deficiencies
understand why insomnia patients often develop negative views of their sleep and how this factor alone, irrespective of sleep quality and amount, predicts disbility
explore how trauma can create or precipitate insomnia, but more importantly how insomnia itself, over time, can become its own form of trauma, helping to perpetuate the condition.
appreciate that when a sleep specialist tells a patient that he does not have sleep deprivation when he has insomnia, she is not saying the patient does not have a problem.

While insomnia is often not the problem the patient thinks they have, it can be a tremendous burden in and of itself, and trauma is often playing a central role.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#5 - Mild Sleep Apnea: Death By CPAP

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 23:00:00 -0400

Sleep apnea constitutes the lion's share of the diagnoses sleep clinicians see in their clinics. One of the most misunderstood and poorly managed conditions I see is mild sleep apnea, or individuals who generally have 5-15 breathing problems/hour. In this episode we will:

start with the basics of sleep apnea: What is it?
understand the difference between obstructive and central apnea
define what constitutes and apnea (or hypopnea) and how those tallies are utilized to arrive at not only a diagnosis, but a severity designation for the condition
look at the literature and why some experts advocate treating mild sleep apnea and while other do not
understand how patients can sometimes get caught in a situation where they are aggressively treating a mild condition in which the benefits may be few or nonexistent.
begin a much larger dialogue aimed at understanding the nuances of sleep apnea, a very common sleep disorder.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#4 - White Noise and Sleep

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 12:00:00 -0400

White noise is everywhere, and it's association with sleep has been discussed for decades. But what exactly is white noise, and does it play a role in optimizing sleep?

In this episode we will cover:

the science of white noise and what it represents
how the history of white noise machines has evolved
relationships and research looking at white noise, sleep, memory, and cognition
the recent research linking white noise to brain damage
the emergence of pink noise and how it differs from white noise
differences between other "colors of noise" specifically purple/violet, grey, brown, and blue.
binaural beats, what they are, and the science linking them with better sleep

NOTE: Your AirPods are working fine. The recording software used to record this episode completely suppressed all of the noise samples played during the episode. To hear examples of the noise colors mentioned in this podcast, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colors_of_noise

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#3 - Sleep and Menopause: Why Don't We Talk About This More?

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 01:00:00 -0400

When I wrote my first book The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How To Fix It, I made the decision to cut the chapter on menopause because of length. I have regretted that decision ever since. It is by far and away the most common question I get asked about the contents. "Is there a chapter about menopause?"

No, but there is a podcast episode entirely devoted to the topic. In this episode we will cover:

the basics of menopause and how it affects sleep
some data that tries to understand the impact menopause has on women's sleep architecture
the consequences of hot flashes and how predictive they are regarding sleep issues
how menopause can lead to a higher incidence of sleep disordered breathing
the role of hormone replacement therapy
how other factors could influence sleep in the menopausal population
strategies for minimizing the impact of menopause on sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#2 - Insomnia: It's Not What You Think It Is

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Insomnia treatment in this country is hindered by one simple fact - very few people really understand what insomnia is and how it is defined, including many physicians who treat adults and kids with insomnia. In this first (of many) episodes about insomnia, we will:

start with the basics of insomnia definitions: What is insomnia?
understand that insomnia is not and individual who "can't sleep"
touch upon the academic definitions of insomnia and how they can often take away from the patient problems by arbitrarily relying on useless timeframe parameters
learn (via a story that admittedly goes on way too long) that anything, even a Fantasy Football game, can precipitate a night of transient insomnia
understand that a patient's perceived disability is at the core of the insomnia definition, and only the patient gets to define that disability
begin to uncover that an individual's perception of what happen when they sleep is not always an accurate representation of what actually happens, creating problems both diagnostically and therapeutically for many clinicians and patients

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#1 - Welcome/Introduction to Sleep Unplugged

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0400

There are few things more universal and fun to talk about than sleep. We all do it, and it impacts everyone's health and sense of wellness. For the last 30 years, I have been involved in some way or another with sleep. I began studying sleep as a researcher in the early 1990s and am now a neurologist who specializes in treating sleep disorders in adults and kids. In this episode, I share a bit about my background in sleep science and how I have come to spend three decades in the field. Future episodes will include:

practical sleep information, tips, and strategies for resting better and understanding sleep
interesting and illustrative patient stories
experiences with the many professional sports organizations for whom I work
excerpts from my books
debunking sleep myths and misinformation
explanations and responses to current research and popular topics
items that go beyond traditional biomedical sources like music and art that involve sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!