Aging is a certainty of life, and with it comes changes in sleep. Understanding these changes is central to life-long pursuit of healthy sleep. In this episode we will:

• Discuss whether or not older individuals sleep less than younger individuals
• Evaluate the role of schedules and schedule flexibility in the sleep of the elderly
• Learn why the circadian rhythm diminishes with age
• Spotlight the role of exercise in the sleep of seniors
• Look at various sleep disorders of the elderly
• List the consequences of poor sleep in older individuals

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

The menstrual cycle has long been associated with sleep. Emerging research is uncovering more of a bidirectional relationship with sleep. In this episode we will:

• Provide an overview of the menstrual cycle
• Evaluate the reciprocity of the relationship between sleep and the menstrual cycle
• Discuss the roles of estrogen and progesterone in the cycle and how their relationships might affect sleep
• Review the 4 stages of the menstrual cycle and how they often impact sleep
• Look at interventions related to personal knowledge of your own menstrual cycle

Episode Written by Maeve Winter

To participate in the study mentioned in the podcast, use the link below:
https://tccolumbia.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1M5sOpYMa1Ld0mG

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Like it or not, the concept of a sleep divorce seems like it is here to stay. Sleeping in separate beds or bedrooms is a popular option for solving sleep issues, but is it the right choice? Are there better options. In this episode we will:

• Look at historical research about partner sleep
• Define a sleep divorce
• Introduce the Scandinavian Sleep Method
• Understand how sleep timing/chronotype plays a role is sleep compatibility
• Learn how sleep-related movements change over time in a relationship
• Evaluate the role of relationship conflict in sleep health
• Focus on snoring as a common variable leading to a sleep divorce
• List interventions that may help avoid a sleep divorce
• Touch upon light as a source of sleep conflict

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

"You are getting sleepy" is what I think about when I think of hypnosis, and given that it has been looked at as a treatment for insomnia, it makes a lot of sense. While the research linking sleep and hypnosis is a both thin and evolving, there are studies to learn from. In this episode we will:

• Look at the history of hypnosis as a sleep/insomnia tool
• Define hypnosis and learn why a failure to agree on a definition of hypnosis hurts research
• List common signs of hypnosis
• Evaluate two literature review studies on hypnosis and insomnia
• Focus on insomnia in insomnia subgroups: mild cognitive impairment, post-menopausal women, and children
• Review techniques for hypnosis

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Lately, much seems to be made about the relationship between air quality and sleep. Air purification systems have jumped on the sleep bandwagon as have good old fashioned house plants. But is there any evidence supporting this connection? In this episode we will:

• Look at research connecting air quality and sleep quality among various populations
• Evaluate the research linking air quality measures and sleep metrics in different countries
• List the possible mechanisms through which air quality might affect sleep
• Discuss some prospective studies aiming to create different air quality sleeping environments and determine how they do or don't affect sleep and associated variables
• Touch upon the link between air quality and general performance
• Expand upon the role indoor plants play in relationship to an individual's sleep and mood
• Answer the questions as to whether or not plants can effectively filter indoor air quality in a meaningful way

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

While we have touched on sleep deprivation in other episodes, particularly as it relates to confusion with the concept of insomnia, in this episode, we devote the entire program to a discussion of the topic. In this episode we will:

• Define sleep deprivation
• Go through the symptoms of sleep deprivation and research into many of these signs
• Touch upon how we look for and measure sleep deprivation
• Contrast sleep deprivation with insomnia 
• List some common causes of sleep deprivation
• Discuss treatment options and relative validity of these interventions

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

The 2024 SLEEP meeting just concluded in Houston where the greatest sleep minds come together and share the amazing academic and scientific projects and research they have been working on. Each year, the Sleep Unplugged podcast brings you some of the more noteworthy research and practical data from the meeting. In this episode we will:

• Review studies demonstrating poor sleep leading to selecting more processed and higher sugar content foods.
• Examine how extroversion leads to higher caloric content at night
• Understand how circadian misalignment in adolescents negatively affects athletic performance
• Dispel the notion that vitamin supplementation can make up for inadequate sleep
• Ponder how menopause might affect heart rate variability at night and cardiac risk
• Evaluate the use of personalized light therapy to reduce insomnia in shift workers
• Find out how napping affects one night of sleep deprivation
• Look how alcohol negatively affects heart rate at night
• See how surprising data in veterans shows insomnia more related to risk than sleep apnea
• Revisit cannabidiol use for insomnia and what the data shows

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Insomnia requires a multidisciplinary approach to solve and what's right for one individual may not be for another. In this episode, I introduce eleven different products that I have been sent and talk about who might benefit from their use. In this episode, we will:

• Discuss Ryze mushroom beverage mix and learn how it might help promote relaxation and serve and a late-night coffee substitute
• Review the Python H2 Bionic Molecular Hydrogen Water Bottle and learn more about emerging research on hydrogenated water's potential benefits
• Test the Moonbird, a portable screen-free breathing and biofeedback device measuring HR and HRV
• Demo the Chill Pill, a small device that delivers a pulsating stimulus that could help relax some individuals at night
• Contrast the features of the Sleep.me mat with wearable sleep trackers and how the passive mat might benefit some sleepers
• Test out sleep earplugs by Swanwick and BET Slumbur as well as a new sleep mask my Swanwick
• List the different ways the Organic Human Bean Body Pillow could benefit a multitude of sleepers and their various sleep obstacles
• Revisit the GroundingWell mat
• Dive into the Aura Circle multisensory sleep mask
• Learn how the FireFly recovery system might be helpful for some RLS patients in terms of and "off label" way of disrupting the sensations they feel in their legs

*None of these products are designed to diagnose or treat medical problems. You should discuss all potential sleep interventions with your physician before trying them. 

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

The United States Military has a fascinating relationship with sleep. What organization needs it more, but often finds themselves neglecting it. In this episode we will:

• Explore the sleep challenges of military training schools
• Document the sleep deprivation of military officers
• Review the Air Force regulations related to sleep
• List the various obstacles that often prevent those serving in the military from getting adequate sleep
• Discuss the consequences of inadequate sleep in the armed forces
• Touch upon people/organizations in the military trying to improve sleeping conditions and education

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Sleep Unplugged podcast, here is a all-encompassing list of 100 habits and good practices healthy sleepers employ. How many are you currently following? In this episode we will:

• Highlight ways to improve your sleep
• Think about items that might indicate your sleep is not optimized
• Evaluate our habits, activities, food, and attitudes around sleep
• Use these 100 tips as a proactive guide for improving sleep and knowing which previous episodes of the podcast might be helpful to listen to (or review)

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!