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.
Episodes
198 episodes
#197 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: The Challenges We're Facing
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 ...
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31:05
#196 - Red Light Therapy: All I See Is Red
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 67...
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27:43
#195 - Pillow Fight 2026: Lay It On The Line
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:Exp...
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34:51
#194 - Nocturnal Headaches and Sleep: No More Pain While You Sleep
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:
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37:55
#193 - Insomnia and Success: Gonna Hit The Big Time
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 t...
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39:58
#192 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Can I Go To Bed & Sleep Tonight?
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...
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42:28
#191 - Creatine and Sleep: When You Sleep, Your Muscles Would Bulge
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:<...
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36:15
#190 - Restless Legs Syndrome Shake-Up: Every Time a Problem Ends, Another One Begins
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 ju...
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36:59
#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 se...
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37:04
#188 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: I’m Tired but I’m Working
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 ...
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32:00
#187 - Why is Donald Trump So Sleepy? My Mind Is Fading
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 a...
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27:26
#186 - EMF and Sleep: Rays of Violet and Electric Blue
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...
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35:07
#185 - Insomnia Resolutions: Seeing My Past to Let It Go
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 moti...
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30:13
#184 - 2025 Sleep Unplugged Awards: I Will Be King
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:So...
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27:37
#183 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: You Can't Live Like This
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 t...
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42:08
#182 - So You're Having A Sleep Study: Lying In Bed
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 ...
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38:16
#181 - Sleep Aids and Dementia: All Manner of Pills
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 ...
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40:57
#180 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Sleeping Eyes, You’re Missing (Out)
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:...
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35:32
#179 - The 4th Annual Holiday Sleep Gift Guide Extravaganza: The Perfect Gift
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. I...
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34:47
#178 - Orexin Agonists Are Here: This Is The New Stuff
The orexin receptor agonists are coming. After years of managing narcolepsy with stimulants, sodium oxybate, and wake-promoting agents, we soon will have medications that target the root cause of the disorder: the loss of orexin signal...
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39:13
#177 - Sleep Fragmentation - Picking Up the Pieces
At the root of many sleep disorders of sleep fragmentation. It's a big part of sleep medicine that many people don't know much about. In this episode we will:Define sleep fragmentationContrast the differences between <...
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38:20
#176 - Media and Insomnia: It’s So Hard To Tell From Just A Magazine
The media can be a fantastic source of information about insomnia, or it can be a lens that distorts and confuses the issue. In this episode we will:Contrast to contemporary insomnia articles from popular mediaUnderstand th...
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37:24
#175 - World Series, Performance, and Sleep: Out of the Blue
For the first time in my career, two team for who I work will meet for the championship, this time it's the Los Angeles Dodgers (my 10th year with the club) and the Toronto Blue Jays (my 3rd year with the club). In this episode we will:...
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39:08