Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

Latest Episodes:

#153 - The Ten Worst Things For Sleep: Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing May 26, 2025

Show notes

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 May 19, 2025

Show notes

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 May 12, 2025

Show notes

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 May 05, 2025

Show notes

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 Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

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 Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

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 Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

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 Apr 07, 2025

Show notes

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 Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

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 Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

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!

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