Claim OwnershipSleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter
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© 2025 Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter
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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.
171 Episodes
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When it comes to sleep, sometimes silence is golden—and sometimes it needs a little help. In this episode, we’ll explore the world of earplugs and earbuds designed to quiet the night and protect your rest, because sometimes the best way to protect your dreams is to put a little something in your ear. In this episode we will: Determine why reducing noise can make such a difference for falling asleep and staying asleepList the best earplugs made specifically for sleep—like BET SLUMBUR, Loop, Sw...
We’ve all seen it—or maybe we’ve been told we do it: twitching, jerking, or kicking in the night. But when does this common sleep quirk cross the line into a diagnosable condition? In this episode, we will: Define Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) and explain how it differs from simple nighttime movementsExplore its surprising prevalence in both adults and children—and its strong ties to Restless Legs SyndromeReview leading theories of cause, from dopamine to iron to spinal generatorsHig...
Did you know… Only 57% of Americans now say science has a mostly positive effect on society—down 16 points since before COVID?And yet, 83% of people still trust their doctor more than anyone else when it comes to vaccine advice?We’ve all lived through it—the pandemic reshaped our health, our trust, and our divisions, and those dividisions have been on full display recently as hearings have highlighted a growing distrust in the medical and scientific communities. In this episode, we will: Expl...
When it comes to insomnia, many people begin their journey staring at the clock after yet another middle-of-the-night bathroom trip and wondering: is it my bladder or my sleep that’s broken? In this episode, we will: Define what nocturia is—and what counts as normal versus abnormalExplore why most people wake up first and then feel the urge to urinateReveal how nocturia can be a surprising red flag for obstructive sleep apneaDistinguish between urinary problems that happen all day long versus...
We’ve all been there—different bed, strange noises, mystery thermostat settings—and suddenly your “dream” vacation or business trip comes with a side of sleeplessness. But hotel sleep doesn’t have to be a gamble. In this episode, we will: Explore why the “first night effect” sabotages rest in unfamiliar placesShare 10 science-backed strategies to optimize any hotel room for sleepLearn how to manage temperature, light, and noise—even when you can’t control the buildingDiscover how bringing sma...
Headaches don’t punch the clock at bedtime — in fact, for many, night is when they strike hardest. In this episode, we’ll: Explore how disrupted sleep can trigger and intensify migraines, cluster headaches, hypnic headaches, and chronic daily headacheExamine the role of sleep apnea in “morning headaches” and how CPAP therapy can make them disappearReview the latest research linking insomnia treatment to reduced headache burden — including new findings from a Seattle study on prazosin for post...
At every medical appointment, certain rituals unfold: height, weight, blood pressure, and—almost reflexively—temperature. But in asymptomatic patients, how often does that temperature reading actually matter? In this episode, we will: Examine the origins of routine temperature checks and their current clinical valueExplore data showing how infrequently temperature readings in well visits lead to meaningful outcomesIntroduce the idea of sleep as a more relevant and revealing “vital sign”Highli...
We all think we know what insomnia is: trouble sleeping, tossing and turning, maybe staring at the ceiling until sunrise. But does the public really have a clear picture of insomnia and does that impact the massive health impact it has? In this episode, we will: Explain how insomnia is not a single problem but a progressive condition, starting with a few rough nights and, in some, developing into a chronic disorderExplore why insomnia is often a disorder of perception, where patients signific...
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 fati...
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...
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 linge...
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....
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 Winter More Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchriwinter Threads: @drchriswinter Bluesky:...
Weight loss drugs are everywhere and recently Zepbound (tirzepitide) made big news when it became the first FDA-approved sleep apnea therapy for mild to moderate sleep apnea. In this episode, we will: Introduce and explain weight loss medicationsReview the studies that convinced the FDA to approve Zepbound for sleep apneaProvide an overview on this class of weight loss medicationsEvaluate the risks and determine who is a best match for this therapyTouch on the cost and difficulty in getting t...
You are looking live at the Seattle Conference Center where sleep researchers from around the world are converging to carry around tote bags and share the latest and greatest sleep research. I was there and saw it all. In this episode we will: Discuss AI and its emerging role in sleep researchLearn why napping continues to show positives in attention and performanceContinue the focus on chrononutrition and how sleep and circadian factors affect metabolismWitness the emergence of women's healt...
So far on the podcast we had talked about sleep apnea as well as the treatments CPAP and surgery. On this episode of the podcast, we discuss another popular treatment option: oral appliances. In this episode we will: Review the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apneaOutline the mechanism via which oral appliance workList the pros and cons of oral appliance for surgeryDiscuss how the oral appliance fits into the landscape of sleep apnea therapy Produced by: Maeve Winter More Twitter: @d...
One of the biggest obstacles in insomnia treatment is the perceived threat of physical harm related to the sleep difficulty. It's a major cog in the insomnia-fear-arousal cycle. In this episode we will: Utilize two case studies to illustrate the disruption that fear of harm causes with insomnia recovery Discuss insomnia is a disorder of distress, not dangerTalk about the lack of any evidence that acute sleep loss causes medical harmChallenge the catastrophizing that characterizes insomni...
When we did the snooze button episode of the podcast, it all started with a declaration that the snooze button was the worst thing for sleep. While it's fairly clear the snooze button is not, what is? In this episode, we list the top 10 worst things for sleep. In this episode we will: List what I believe the top ten worst things for sleep areProvide a nugget of research to back it upThis will be a dynamic list that we will update from time to timeProduced by: Maeve Winter More Twitter: @dr...
Sweating at night is a common complaint in the sleep clinic. While night sweats are often thought of as being the exclusive domain of post-menopausal women, their causes can be surprisingly varied. In this episode we will: Review the epidemiology of night sweatsList the cause both benign and more concerningDiscuss how night sweats specifically impact sleep quality and architectureReview interventions to help with the problemProduced by: Maeve Winter More Twitter: @drchriswinter IG: @drchr...
When it comes to symptoms that cause us to seek medical help, there are few that top pain. Pain occupies a unique space within the world of sleep, in particular back, neck, and shoulder pain. In this episode we will: Provide an overview of sleep-related painExplore the relationship between sleep disturbances and painLearn how sleep disturbances can be a strong predictor of the development of painExamine studies linking REM sleep loss and increased pain indicesReview specific sleep research on...
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