Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

Latest Episodes:

#113 - Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome: In The Dark, I Feel Your Resistance Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

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 Aug 12, 2024

Show notes

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 Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

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 Jul 28, 2024

Show notes

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 Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

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 Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

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 Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

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 Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

"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 Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

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! Jun 17, 2024

Show notes

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!

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