Quotations by W. Chris Winter

One behavioral change you can implement right now that could reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is to simply sleep on your side. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

There is probably a very small percentage of the population that can get 6 hours of sleep or slightly less over a relatively prolonged period of time and can maintain their performance, but performance deterioration will occur. Scientific studies have established that if an adult sleeps well, usually 6-7 hours will suffice. For adults over the age of 65, as little as 5 hours could be appropriate. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

An individual will always become sleepier the longer she is awake. This drive can temporarily be trumped by increased vigilance or anxiety. This doesn't mean that the individual can't sleep. It may mean that other factors are at play keeping her awake in that moment. Getting into bed and smelling smoke might increase anxiety and keep her awake. Hearing something move under the bed might keep her awake. Feeling really worried that she won't be able to fall asleep may also be a factor. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Physical activity increases adenosine, so the harder you exert yourself, the more likely you are to be sleepy. Exercise is a vital part of any sleep program, with hard work often being a fantastic tool to combat occasional difficulty sleeping. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Fatigue refers to a lack of energy, rather than a desire to sleep. True sleepiness is caused by one the three things: medication, sleep deprivation, or sleep dysfunction. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

If you're a poor sleeper who views yourself as being a confident, good sleeper, you may function as well during the day as a person with far better sleep quality. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Sleep itself has 3 important phases. The foundation state is light sleep. Deep sleep is our most restorative sleep but you have to pass through light sleep to get there. The third kind of sleep is dream sleep (REM sleep). Dream sleep is when the vast majority of dreams occur. Light sleep is the doorway to both deep sleep and dream sleep. It's not common to go from wakefulness directly to dream sleep or from wakefulness directly to deep sleep. Furthermore, it's uncommon to transition directly from deep sleep to dream sleep. Doing so can be a clue to determining what's wrong with someone's sleep. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Dream sleep typically begins approximately 90 minutes after an individual falls asleep, commonly after a brief stay in light sleep and a cycle of deep sleep. Individuals usually spend about one quarter of their night in REM sleep. REM sleep comes in 20-40 minute cycles, usually about 4-5 times a night. The cycles typically become longer in duration as the night progresses to the longer cycles occur during the second half of the night. The longest cycle usually terminates around the time an individual awakens in the morning. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

The time between sleep onset and REM onset is termed REM latency. Measuring RREM latency during a sleep can be useful. A shortened REM latency can be seen in patients who are sleep deprived, suffer from clinical depression, or who have narcolepsy. A prolonged latency is often seen in individuals who consume alcohol or other REM-suppressing medications. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Light sleep represents the state between being fully conscious and either being in deep sleep or dreaming. In light sleep, we're usually unconscious, but some people can retain a sort of awareness during this state. Light sleep can be further subdivided into state N1 sleep and stage N2 sleep. N1 sleep represents the transition from wakefulness to sleep. In a normal night of adult sleep, only about 5% of the night is spent in this state. N2 sleep represents a deeper stage of light sleep. Almost half of an individual's night is spent in N2 sleep. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Typically, adults spend approximately 25% of their night in deep sleep with the majority of deep sleep activity occurring during the first half of the night. This sleep is restorative sleep and makes individuals feel rested (not sleepy) the following day. The amount of deep sleep declines as individuals age. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

We tend to sleep in cycles that last an average of 90 minutes. Keep in mind the 90-minute cycle is an average. Maybe I have 8-minute cycles. Maybe you have 100-minute cycles. That's a big difference. Also, we usually have 4-6 cycles through the night. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Paradoxical insomnia is the phenomenon in which an individual thinks she is either not sleeping or is sleeping a very reduced amount compared to her actual sleep, which often is fairly normal. In the past, it was referred to as sleep state misperception. Before that, it was called twilight sleep. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Memory foam pillows often provide excellent orthopedic support of the neck and spine, but like their mattress counterparts, they often trap heat so individuals sensitive to being hot at night may not like them. Feather and down pillows tend to be very light and soft. They're washable and breathable but may flatten overtime. Patients with allergies can struggle with these pillows. Even if you don't have allergies, you might be annoyed by being poked by the feather variety. Other options include wool, cotton, buckwheat, and synthetic materials like polyester. Take some time to find what works best for you. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

The National Sleep Foundation feels it best not to eat any of food within 2-3 hours of bedtime. High-glycemic-index foods produce sleepiness, so if food must be consumed at night, dried fruit, cereal, or bananas are good choices. Other foods that're good choices for sleep contain high amounts of melatonin. These foods include walnuts and tart cherries (dried or juice). Foods high in magnesium (almonds) and calcium (milk, kale) can help promote relaxation and sleep. Avoid proteins that can often promote the synthesis of dopamine, a wake-promoting neurotransmitter. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

If exercise is done consistently in the morning, particularly in bright light, it can create a positive effect on sleep when it's time to hit the sack. A hot bath about an hour before you hit your cool, comfy bed can be very helpful for difficult sleepers. Try incorporating some relaxing exercises or meditation before bed.  [2017] - W. Chris Winter

If you've been in bed for a while and you don't feel like sleep is going to happen anytime soon, you can get up and go do some quiet activity until you feel more sleepy. If you're not too bothered by the situation, I recommend simply lying there and resting. Plan out your dream vacation. Plan a surprise date with your partner or a thoughtful gift for a coworker. It's important to remember that resting even without sleeping is good for you too. You're not wasting your time if you're lying in bed and not sleeping. If this is happening frequently, listen to your body. You're going to bed too early. It's time to go to bed a little later. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

The true definition of insomnia consists of two components: 1. A person is not sleeping when she wants to sleep (Sleep-onset insomnia is when an individual struggles to fall asleep. In sleep-maintenance insomnia, sleep may initially come quickly, but prolonged awakenings punctuate the night. Anyone whose sleep is inefficient--meaning the time he sleeps divided by the time he is in bed is a low number, say less than 75-80%--has insomnia). 2. The person cares, and usually cares a lot, about not sleeping, whether or not she wants to admit it. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

Time and time again anxiety usually emerges as the number one cause of insomnia. Many people worry that if they "don't get to sleep sooner" their productivity will suffer at work or they'll feel exceedingly bad during the day. Their anxiety about the consequences of not sleeping ratchets up to fear, and before long, they're in such a state of vigilance that they're as far from sleep as it's possible to be. But bad sleep is much more dangerous in your mind than it's in real life. Just because you got little to no sleep the night before doesn't mean you can't handle the next day. I'm not saying your day will be chocolates and roses. I just don't think you'll end up being truly dysfunctional. [2017] - W. Chris Winter

If you have true primary insomnia, current sleep medicine may not be able to help you. You might be saddled with insomnia for the rest of your lift. My best advice to you is to work on cultivating an attitude of acceptance. The condition is not fatal. In fact, your attitude about the sleep problem may play a huge role in your ability to function at a high level. Look at it from a positive perspective: The condition frees more time for you to do things in the evening. Yes, you might feel a bit fatigued, but there are medications to treat that too if you like. [2017] - W. Chris Winter