Ever wondered what really happens during a sleep study — and why we still rely on them more than 50 years after their invention? Take a behind-the-scenes look at the overnight sleep study, from its surprisingly quirky origins to its modern-day role in diagnosing sleep apnea, narcolepsy, parasomnias, and more. In this episode we will:

• Learn how the polysomnogram was born — and why it became the gold standard in sleep medicine
• Understand what actually happens during an overnight sleep study (yes, all those wires have a purpose)
• Cover the rise of home sleep testing — when it works well, and when it can miss important diagnoses
• Review special considerations for kids, athletes, and patients with complex sleep concerns
• Take a peek at where sleep testing is headed next, from wearable tech to at-home EEG

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

You probably saw the headlines out of California as they sent a jolt through the sleep world as well as social media: Do common sleep medications increase your risk of dementia? In this episode we will:

• Review what the UCSF study actually found — and what the headlines got wrong
• Determine which medications are most often implicated (benzodiazepines vs Z-drugs vs trazodone)
• Take a deep dive into the three best studies on sleeping pills and dementia risk
• Find out why some large studies do show a connection… and others don’t
• Learn the real risks you should take seriously — even if dementia isn’t one of them
• Think about how doctors should actually practice prescribing sleep meds in older adults

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

This week marks the 7th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, but it's the first time we have devoted an entire episode to the list. this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Jade Wu. In this episode we will:

• Find out what Jade thinks are the top threats to your sleep
• Focus on mental health as a sleep detractor
• Learn more about the concept of FOMO or "fear of missing out" and how research is indicating it is a real threat to the sleep of many

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Fear not, the Sleep Unplugged podcast is once again here to solve your holiday shopping dilemmas with some of my favorite sleep product companies. In this episode, we will explore a host of sleep-themed gift ideas and product recommendations. In this episode, we will feature the following products:

• SideSleeperZ slip-proof sleep mask
• Authenticity50 bedding
• Bee Ulmo honey
• BlueAir air purification systems (MiniRestful)
• Dagsmejan sleepwear
• Hästens mattresses and sleep products
• Honeydew Sleep pillows
• Loftie alarm clocks
• Moonbrew drink mix
• Natrol Sleep & Restore supplements
• Ozlo sleep earbuds
• Path water
• QuietOn noise cancelling sleep earbuds
• Sleeping Dove comforters
• Sleep Protein
• Truvaga vagal nerve stimulator
• WeLove Creations earplugs
• Zden

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• Twitter: @drchriswinter
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• Bluesky: @drchriswinter
• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

The orexin receptor agonists are coming. After years of managing narcolepsy with stimulants, sodium oxybate, and wake-promoting agents, we soon will have medications that target the root cause of the disorder: the loss of orexin signaling. These new drugs—developed by Takeda, Alkermes, and Centessa—aren’t just incremental improvements. They represent a genuine shift in how we understand and treat hypersomnolence disorders. In this episode, we will:

• Define what orexin is and why losing it destabilizes wakefulness, REM boundaries, muscle tone, and cognition
• Learn how orexin agonists work—not as stimulants, but as replacement therapy for a missing neurotransmitter
• Find out why OX2R is the key receptor, and how selective agonists restore stable wakefulness, reduce cataplexy, and normalize attention
• Review the available clinical data from the new wave of programs: oveporexton (Takeda), alixorexton (Alkermes), and ORX750 (Centessa)
• See what makes these drugs different from modafinil, amphetamines, solriamfetol, and oxybate therapies
• Learn why Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 trials matter—with quick insights on how these drugs reached such strong results
• Consider safety and side effects, including what Hy’s Law means and why regulators watch liver signals so closely
• Look ahead to what these medications may mean for NT1, NT2, IH, and other hypersomnolence disorders in the coming years
• Speculate why this class represents one of the most exciting moments in modern sleep medicine

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

At the root of many sleep disorders of sleep fragmentation. It's a big part of sleep medicine that many people don't know much about. In this episode we will:

• Define sleep fragmentation
• Contrast the differences between arousals from sleep and awakenings from sleep
• Understand why sleep fragmentation goes unnoticed by providers and patients alike
• List some common causes of sleep fragmentation
• Review how sleep fragmentation appears in sleep data
• Touch upon research about sleep fragmentation specifically and performance
• Provide strategies for reducing sleep fragmentation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• Bluesky: @drchriswinter
• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

The media can be a fantastic source of information about insomnia, or it can be a lens that distorts and confuses the issue. In this episode we will:

• Contrast to contemporary insomnia articles from popular media
• Understand the difference between causation and relationships
• Learn how the use to percentages can distort the scale of an effect
• Read how media frequently confuses "sleep deprivation" and "insomnia"
• Evaluate an example of how media can positively educate and help readers understand insomnia better

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

For the first time in my career, two team for who I work will meet for the championship, this time it's the Los Angeles Dodgers (my 10th year with the club) and the Toronto Blue Jays (my 3rd year with the club). In this episode we will:

• Discuss my work in MLB
• Talk about how these two teams came to sleep medicine as a performance tool
• Learn how anybody or any organization could benefit from sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• Twitter: @drchriswinter
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• Threads: @drchriswinter
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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

We talk endlessly about caffeine, alcohol, and sleep—but what about plain old water? In this episode, we will:

• Dive deep into the fascinating relationship between hydration and sleep quality
• Explore how dehydration disrupts sleep architecture—raising heart rate, cortisol, and even airway resistance
• Learn how hydration supports thermoregulation, helps maintain slow-wave sleep, and prevents the dry-mouth awakenings familiar to CPAP users and frequent flyers
• Break down the latest research, from studies showing that short sleepers have higher urine osmolality
• Find out strategies for timing and optimizing hydration for better nights

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• Twitter: @drchriswinter
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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Whether you’re skiing in Aspen, hiking Kilimanjaro, or just wondering why sleep feels so strange in the mountains, altitude messes with your rest in fascinating ways. In this episode we will:

• Explore the biology of what’s really happening in the brain and body when oxygen thins out
• Find out why your sleep becomes fragmented and restless, and what recent research reveals about the role of hypoxia, periodic breathing, and even oxidative stress in your slumber at altitude
• Share new data on how altitude amplifies both insomnia and sleep apnea
• Unpack the science behind those sleepless nights at high elevation
• Provide practical, evidence-based strategies to make them better 

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• Twitter: @drchriswinter
• IG: @drchriwinter
• Threads: @drchriswinter
• Bluesky: @drchriswinter
• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!