Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter
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.
Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter
#189 - Insomnia Electronics: Electricity So Fine
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-invasive vagus nerve stimulation and devices like Truvaga: what the research shows, what remains unclear, and whether stimulation truly reaches the vagus nerve
• Undwerstand how implantable vagus nerve stimulators for epilepsy differ from consumer wellness devices, and why that matters for insomnia
• Introduce the Muse Athena and the shift from passive neuromodulation to learning an active calming skill
• Unpack what we know so far about the data behind Muse devices and insomnia
• Consider Pavlok and behavioral technology: reducing anxiety around waking, oversleeping, and morning routines
• Learn how to think about sleep tech without falling into orthosomnia or gadget-driven sleep anxiety
Produced by: Maeve Winter
More
- Twitter: @drchriswinter
- IG: @drchriwinter
- Threads: @drchriswinter
- Bluesky: @drchriswinter
- The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child
Thanks for listening and sleep well!
