#162 -Sleep in the Gilded Age: If You Know Your History
In our modern world of blue light and burnout, it’s easy to forget that sleep has always been shaped by the forces of its time. In this episode, we travel back to the Gilded Age—a period of dazzling progress, deep inequality, and curious beliefs about sleep. In thenis episode, we will:Explore how medical professionals in the late 19th century understood sleep—and misunderstood insomniaLearn what physicians were prescribing to sleepless patients in an era of opium, electricity, and moral fatigueContrast the sleep practices of the working poor and the wealthy elite, and how each class shaped our modern assumptionsExamine the “rest cure,” neurasthenia, and other diagnoses born from a world grappling with industrial changeDiscover the surprising technologies and bedding innovations that started appearing in Gilded Age bedroomsReflect on how beliefs from this gilded era still echo in our bedrooms today—from sleep hygiene to the fear of lying awakeProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!
--------
29:46
--------
29:46
#161 - Sleep on Television: The Dream’s Dream on the Small Screen
We’ve talked extensively about sleep and its science, but what happens when sleep becomes the story itself—on screen? Television has portrayed sleep, sleeplessness, and dreaming across decades of iconic storytelling. In this episode we will:Highlight classic TV episodes where sleep or sleep disorders play a central roleExamine how sleep is portrayed in multiple genresReview how accurately sleep is represented in some of the most famous showsDiscuss why sleep deprivation and dreaming are such powerful storytelling devicesExplore pop culture portrayals of sleep studies, insomnia, and dream manipulationShare fun facts and behind-the-scenes trivia from episodes of The X-Files, Star Trek, The Simpsons, Schitt's Creek, and moreProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!
--------
26:39
--------
26:39
#160 - Still Sleepy After CPAP: I'm Not Dead, I'm Not Myself
We’ve explored sleep apnea in depth on the podcast—its causes, its severity, and the many ways it’s treated. But what happens when the sleepiness lingers, even after treatment? In this episode, we will:Define sleep apnea, what it is—and what it isn’tLearn how excessive daytime sleepiness is defined, both on its own and in the context of sleep apneaReview the most common and effective treatments for sleep apneaExplore how often treatment truly resolves sleepiness in patientsConsider why lingering sleepiness is frequently missed or dismissedList treatment options for residual EDS in individuals with sleep apneaProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!
--------
29:02
--------
29:02
#159 - Extreme Insomnia: You're Killing Yourself If You Don't Believe It
The Atlantic recently published a feature article entitled "Why Americans Can't Sleep." The article was written by Jennifer Senior, and fantastically accomplished writer (2022 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing, the 2022 National Magazine Award for Feature Writing, and the 2024 National Magazine Award for Columns & Essays) and details not only her own personal struggles with insomnia, but also attempts to dive deeper into sleep science and what she describes as a "public health emergency." In this episode, we will:Look at this article in a list of similar articles and books over the decades that detail harrowing personal accounts of insomniaUnderstand why the hook of these articles seems to mirror that of other news/extreme weather, where the thrust of the piece is centered around the insomnia being "the worst" and "the most severe"Discuss how failure to differentiate sleep deprivation and insomnia can lead to erroneous conclusionsExamine how these pieces almost uniformly fail to define insomnia, and in doing so fail to define what a successful outcome/solution would look like. In other words, what does "work" mean?Imagine what a truly revolutionary article about insomnia might look likeProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!
--------
34:30
--------
34:30
#158 - Bruxism: Put You Through the Grind
Bruxism or teeth grinding is a remarkably common occurrence and often happens during our nightly sleep period, disrupting sleep quality and continuity. In this episode we will:Define bruxismExplore the epidemiology of the conditionLook at some of the causes of teeth grindingTouch upon proposed mechanisms of bruxismReview recent bruxism researchList common treatments for the conditionProduced by: Maeve WinterMore Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky: @drchriswinter The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child Thanks for listening and sleep well!
No holds barred, unscripted discussion on a wide range of sleep topics - from sleep disorders to current research and controversies in the field. No topic is off limits! Dr. Chris Winter is a clinician, a board certified neurologist and double boarded sleep specialist with 30 years of clinical experience. He is the author of The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child, and is a popular consultant and speaker, working for many professional sports teams. He is well known for his unique perspective and ability to demystify sleep, all of which he brings to Sleep Unplugged.
Polska