Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

Latest Episodes:

#43 - In A Deep, Deep Sleep: Where Do You Go For Deeper Sleep? Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

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 Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

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 Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

"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 Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

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 Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

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 Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

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 Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

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 Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

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 Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

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 Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

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!

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