Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

Latest Episodes:

#33 - The Scientific Results Are In: CBTi is the Cure for Insomnia Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

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 Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

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 Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

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 Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

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 Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

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 Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

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 Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

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 Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

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 Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

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 Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

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!

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