The health benefits of yoga are widely espoused, but for many, the belief is that the benefits are derived mainly from the physical nature of the poses or asanas. The breathing exercises and techniques (pranayama) are often ignored. In this episode, we will:

-Explore the sleep-specific benefits of breathwork to not only bring oxygen to the brain, but to also influence the energy of the body (referred to as prana or chi).
-Review the various stages of breathing and why many individuals practice an incomplete/inefficient form of breathing
-Practice a three-part deep breathing diaphragmatic breathing technique called Deerga Sawasam ("Three-part breath")
-Link these breathing techniques to the engagement of the parasympathetic nervous system, instrumental in reducing anxiety and relaxing into sleep
-List various research studies looking at the positive effects of pranayama in terms of lowering anxiety/stress and improving sleep
-Add this to our sleep toolbox as an accessible method for calming our minds and preparing for restful sleep

Written by: Maeve Winter

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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Though widely regarded as pseudoscience for many years, there has been a recent resurgence in the practice of earthing/grounding. This practice aims to dissipate excess electrical charge and reestablish electrical homeostasis. While the act of grounding is common practice in high voltage appliances, is it really necessary of beneficial in the human body when currents are miniscule in comparison. In this episode, we will:

• Explain the concept of grounding in modern electrical wiring
• Discuss the electrical nature of the human body
• Review studies claiming physiological changes in grounded individuals such as increased ferritin and lower blood glucose levels
• Evaluate studies showing grounding effects on blood pressure
• Use stress as a sleep surrogate and review available literature of the effects of grounding on stress in both animal and human models
• Switch to pain as a potential sleep disruptor and discuss the studies showing reduced pain and faster recover via grounding
• Touch on the large limitations of this small body of research and the ways in which bias and poor study construction can influence results
• Dispel concerns about the "dangers" of grounding

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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There are no shortage of insomnia treatments and we have covered many on this podcast. In honor of April Fool's Day, we spotlight 10 unusual treatments and continue our yearly tradition of sharing the funniest listener comments about the show. In this episode we will:

• Discuss biofeedback as a potential insomnia therapy
• Evaluate the act of rocking or vibration as a sleep-inducing action
• Look at various mental tricks like pretending your alarm has just gone off
• Touch upon visualization techniques involving rising warmth or light passing through the body
• Review acupuncture as an insomnia therapy
• List the benefits of a clean room
• Find ways the direction of your bed might be influencing your sleep

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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When it comes to substances affecting sleep negatively, it seems alcohol and caffeine hog all of the spotlight. But what about nicotine? While the number of younger individuals who smoke is declining, the advent of vaping and oral nicotine pouches is rising, and the effects on the sleep of the users is not positive. In this episode we will:

• Examine the effects of nicotine on sleep
• Look at the effects of nicotine withdrawal on sleep metrics
• Understand the potential bidirectional relationship of effect
• Compare the effects with other stimulants and chemicals
• Evaluate the potential nicotine dose effect on sleep
• Touch upon the effect of nicotine on sleep spindle activity and how that might impact memory

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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In a 2017 study, approximately one-third of the respondents reported having fallen asleep driving within the last month. Sleepy driving is a massive public health problem leading to thousands of preventable accidents, deaths, and injuries every year. In this episode we will:

• Define drowsy driving
• Outline the scope of this public health problem
• Evaluate the causes of drowsy driving
• Look at factors making drowsy driving more likely or dangerous
• Characterize the level of impairment in terms of alcohol consumption
• Touch upon laws about drowsy driving accidents
• Identify drowsy driving risk factors
• List ways to mitigate the problem

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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One of the most interesting trends in sleep is the growing number of hotels and hospitality centers that are embracing sleep as a primary focus for their patrons. Equinox Hotel in New York City has fully embraced the topic in almost everything they offer their guests from spa experiences to a room that goes "Dark, Quiet, and Cool" with the touch of a button. In this episode, we will:

• Highlight some efforts by hotels in the past to fold sleep into their services
• Contrast the Equinox Hotel's massive exploration of ways to improve sleep with British Cycling's "Marginal Gains" philosophy
• Touch on hospitality research that supports their patrons wanting an enhanced physical environment, and better interactions/outcomes, and how focusing on sleep can achieve this goal
• Examine the physical space of the hotel room and understand how its appointments affect sleep
• Go beyond the hotel room to look at food menus, fitness club offerings, and spa treatments as means to improve sleep
• Think about the potential hotel/sleep industry partnerships with the hotel the ideal proving grounds for emerging sleep products and technology

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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Over the last two years, we have covered several circadian rhythm disorders...jet lag disorder and shift work disorder as well as covering the general concept of a circadian rhythm. For some individuals, they have an intrinsic desynchrony  with the times they are expected to be awake. In this episode we will:

• Review the role of the circadian rhythm in sleep
• Touch upon previously covered circadian disorders
• Define chronotype its relationship to quality sleep
• Examine the parallels with circadian disorders and the transition to daylight saving time
• Understand the causes of circadian rhythm disorder
• List some treatments for these disorders

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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Weighted blankets have soared in popularity over the past decade and they often promise better sleep. What exactly dose the evidence say and for what practical purposes can these products be useful? In this episode, we will:

• Review the nervous system pathways for perceiving touch and pressure
• Describe how pressure has a calming effect on the body via parasympathetic system activation
• Explore the origins of more widespread weighted blanket use in the autism and sensory integration communities
• Weigh the available research concerning weighted blankets and sleep/insomnia
• Discuss theories on why weighted blankets might exert their effects
• Touch upon other conditions that weighted blankets might help treat

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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A simple piece of cloth over the eyes can have a powerful effect of the quality on an individual's sleep. The evolution of the sleep mask has been profound and the available literature of their effectiveness, particularly in the hospital setting has be extensively studied. In this episode we will:

• Outline the effects of sleep masks on sleep
• Review the large body of evidence supporting the use of sleep masks in hospitalized patients
• List the specific medical populations that have been shown to benefit from eye masks
• Explore the positive impact of eye masks of circadian sleep disorders
• Examine a study linking eye masks and episodic learning/memory
• Discuss the improvement of sleep in pregnant women who wear sleep masks
• Differentiate the various types of masks that are available for individuals to choose from

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

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Picking the right mattress and pillow is important. Choosing the right material that goes over your mattress is equally essential. Bedding materials come in many forms and they can make a difference in your sleep experience. In this episode we will:

• Look at the research about bedding and disease modification
• Understand the temperature-regulating properties of various fabrics
• Explore cotton as a bedding material and how the addition of performance fibers can enhance the cooling properties of the material
• Evaluate linen as a bedding material and learn how newer forms can help is become a cooler fabric while retaining the properties that make if feel more upscale
• Provide an overview of polyester, perhaps the fabric with the biggest quality range in the bedding space
• Consider silk and how it might be the best fabric for sensitive skin or for people with certain dermatological conditions
• Discuss the cooling nature of bamboo and its low impact on the environment
• Largely ignore flannel as a bedding abomination
• Touch upon Tencel and its unique textural properties

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!