Summary
Overview
In this Doctor's Notes bonus episode, identical twins Dr. Chris and Dr. Zand Van Tulleken continue their conversation with Dr. Sophie West, a leading sleep expert from Newcastle Regional Sleep Service. They explore practical sleep hygiene strategies, discuss the challenges faced by shift workers, examine the role of temperature and hydration in sleep quality, and delve into the fascinating world of dreams and nightmares, including techniques for managing recurring bad dreams.
Foundations of Good Sleep Hygiene
Dr. Sophie West outlines the fundamental structure of sleep hygiene that everyone should try to follow, though acknowledging that some people naturally sleep better than others. She emphasizes that good sleep actually begins during the day, with regular wake times and bedtimes serving as crucial bookends. The approach involves three distinct phases: daytime activity with exercise and daylight exposure, an evening wind-down period with non-stimulating activities, and maintaining consistent sleep schedules.
- Regular wake times and bedtimes are the most important bookends of the day
- Good sleep starts in the day with healthy activity, exercise, and daylight exposure to anchor the brain and body
- Evening wind-down period should involve non-stimulating activities like reading, not scrolling social media or playing computer games
- Caffeine has a half-life of about five hours and should be avoided from midday onwards for people with sleep issues
- Alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially but often causes wakefulness during the night
" Good sleep starts in the day. "
Sleep Tracking Technology and Orthosomnia
The discussion turns to the proliferation of wearable sleep tracking devices and their potential benefits and drawbacks. Dr. West introduces the concept of 'orthosomnia'—an unhealthy obsession with sleep that can be exacerbated by constant monitoring. While these devices can provide useful data, they can also create anxiety and competitive sleep patterns that ironically make sleep worse for some individuals.
- Sleep tracking wearables can be a source of stress for some people when poor sleep is confirmed by data
- Orthosomnia is an unhealthy obsession with sleep that wearables can enable
- People should be clear about what they want to get out of wearables as they might be more disruptive than helpful
" There's a phrase called orthosomnia that was devised a few years ago and it's about this perhaps slightly unhealthy obsession with sleep and the wearables allow that. "
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