Claim OwnershipSleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter
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© 2026 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.
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Insomnia is often framed as a nighttime disorder—but what if, for many patients, it’s also a daytime problem of disconnection? As loneliness emerges as a major public health issue, a growing body of research suggests that social isolation and poor sleep may be deeply intertwined, each reinforcing the other in a self-sustaining cycle. Drawing on the work of Vivek Murthy and current sleep science, this episode explores how loneliness affects insomnia, how insomnia may worsen social disconnectio...
This week marks the 10th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Vanderbilt Professor of Neurology and Sleep Medicine Dr. Beth Malow. In addition to promoting her new book Beyond the Politics of Contempt—Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times, Dr. Malow has graciously provided us her list. In this episode we will: Find out what Dr. Malow thinks are the top threats to your sleepFocus on how Dr. Ma...
Red light therapy has moved well beyond the world of skincare and into something far more biologically intriguing. From mitochondrial function to retinal aging to chronic tendon pain, specific wavelengths of light, particularly in the 630 to 670 nm range, are being studied for their ability to influence how our cells produce energy, respond to stress, and recover from injury. While the science is promising, it is also uneven, with strong signals in some areas and much thinner evidence in othe...
It's NCAA Selection Sunday, and that means the Pillow Fight is back. This year we've assembled 16 new pillows, each full of hope that they will be the last pillow standing and hoist the SideSleeperZ Cup. In this episode, we will: Explain the second annual Sleep Unplugged Pillow Fight tournamentTouch upon how important choosing the right pillow is for sleepBreakdown the scoring system (25% Committee, 25% my blinded experience, 25% Sleep Specialist input, 10% Crowd/Social Media (Instagram) foll...
Waking up with a headache can feel ominous. Is it stress? Sinus pressure? Something neurological? In this episode of Sleep Unplugged, we break down nocturnal headaches in a practical, clinically grounded way. In this episode we will: Review the most common causes of headaches that wake you from sleep, including migraine, cluster headache, hypnic headache, and sleep apneaLearn how nocturnal headaches differ in children versus adults and what red flags parents should watch forDetermine when ima...
Success looks good in the daylight, but at night, it often looks very different. In this episode we explore why insomnia is so common in driven, high-achieving, Type-A personalities. Is it stress? Hyperarousal? The Zeigarnik effect? We unpack the science, the psychology, and the cultural narrative that may be quietly rewarding sleeplessness. In this episode, we will: Discover what the research says about achievement orientation, perfectionism, and insomniaOutlinehyperarousal model of insomnia...
This week marks the 10th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Margaret Park. In this episode we will: Find out what Dr. Park thinks are the top threats to your sleepFocus on how Dr. Park looks at practical patient and system failuresLearn why Margaret's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists before Original intro music Vigilanteology by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026) Original outro music Vigilan...
Creatine has been a staple in the gym bag for decades. But is it just for bodybuilders chasing one more rep, or does it have something to say about sleep, brain energy, and resilience in a sleep deprived world? In this episode we will: Break down what creatine actually is and how it works at the cellular level as a rapid energy buffer for muscle and brainExplore why athletes swear by it, what the data really shows about strength and performanceLearn why creatine monohydrate remains the gold s...
Restless legs syndrome used to feel simple. If the legs were jumping, we reached for a dopamine agonist, the safer alternative to older meds. Over time, we learned that the very medication calming symptoms could make the condition worse. But just as guidelines changed in favor of gabapentin and related medications, new research raised concerns about the medications link to cognitive decline and dementia. So where does that leave patients? In this episode, we will: Define restless legs syndrom...
This month’s insomnia episode explores a provocative idea: can certain electronics actually help insomnia rather than harm it? While screens and devices are often blamed for poor sleep, some technologies aim to calm the nervous system, teach self-regulation, or reduce the anxiety that keeps insomnia going. In this episode we will: • Revisit the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve, and why the “wandering nerve” has fascinated medicine for centuries • Review the data for non-i...
This week marks the 9th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Seem Khosla. In this episode we will: Find out what Seema thinks are the top threats to your sleepFocus on sleep priority failures...both of the patient and the clinicianLearn why Dr. Khosla's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists beforeProduced by: Maeve Winter Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved More T...
Recent headlines and viral clips have reignited conversation about Donald Trump appearing to fall asleep during public events. What’s actually going on? Trump has repeatedly said, in his own words and in interviews, that he doesn’t sleep much and doesn’t believe he needs much sleep. In this podcast we will: Provide a brief tour of presidential and political history that shows short sleep has been common among leaders, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill ClintonTalk about why sleep loss matters via ...
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are everywhere—from our phones to our Wi-Fi to the wiring in our homes. But do they actually disrupt sleep… or is this another modern sleep villain that gets more attention than it deserves? In this episode of Sleep Unplugged, we will: Define what EMF actually is (ELF vs RF, and why “non-ionizing” matters)Learn what research says—and doesn’t say—about EMF and the brain, including why subtle EEG changes don’t always translate into real-world sleep problemsReview wh...
This week on the Sleep Unplugged podcast, we are looking at sleep resolutions made for the new year and why they often fail. In this episode, we present six insomnia resolutions that don’t ask you to “try harder” — because insomnia isn’t a motivation problem, a discipline problem, or a character flaw. In this episode we will: Reframe why New Year’s sleep resolutions failThink about insomnia as a brain trained to stay alert and how that reshapes our insomnia therapy goalsDiscuss how CBT-I actu...
Once again we come to the end of another year and our 4th Annual Sleep Unplugged "Sleepy" Awards are upon us again. Join me in honoring the best and brightest in sleep in this podcast episode: The 2025 Sleepy Award winners are: Social Media Warrior Dr. Christopher J Allen (@sleepdrchris) Sleep Outsider Award The Nap Ministry/Tricia Her...
This week marks the 8th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Dr. Roxanne Prichard. In this episode we will: Find out what Roxanne thinks are the top threats to your sleepFocus on wealth inequalityLearn why Dr. Prichard's list does not contradict our previous lists, but may very well explain them.Produced by: Maeve Winter Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved More Twitter: @drchriswinterIG...
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 medicineUnderstand what actually happens during an overnight sleep study (yes...
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 wrongDetermine 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 riskFind out why some large studies do sho...
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 sleepFocus on mental health as a sleep detractorLearn 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 manyProduced by: Maeve Wi...
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 maskAuthenticity50 beddingBee Ulmo honeyBlueAir air purification systems (MiniRestful)Dagsmejan sleepwearHästens mattresses and sleep productsHoneydew Sleep pillowsLof...
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