Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

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 ou...

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 mispercepti...

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 f...

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 i...

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 evolut...

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 o...

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...

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 ...

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 t...

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 typ...

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 i...

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 bed...

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 stimulator...

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...

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
• Explor...

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 necessar...

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 o...

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 "Neet...

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 def...