To learn more about Dr Bender’s research check out these links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dramymbender

Twitter: sleep4sport

IG: @sleep4sport

Happy Podcast Friday welcome to episode 128: Getting our latest sleep research with Dr. Amy Bender. I am so excited about this topic today because the topic of sleep surfaces almost daily within my membership, client call or regular conversation. I was talking to my aunt the other day and she brought up the interesting fact that there is stigmas around sleep… by the raise of hands how many of you have given someone a hard time for going to bed early OR on the flip side been given a hard time because you were ready to cash it in for the night?

Let’s just say I come from a family of “not even close to night owls” and going to bed early has always been my thing. Friends in college got used to me just disappearing at the end of the night because it was always easier to just ask for forgiveness in the morning vs asking for permission at night. I knew if I started to tell people that I was heading to bed there would be kick back like one more show or one more drink… so it was just easier to sneak off! Ha. The Peer pressure is real… you get comments like “You’re going to bed this early? The night is still young”. “Naps are for babies and sissies”. There are many of us who even feel a lot of pride for the amount of sleep we don’t require.. or do we?

Many people don’t get the recommended amount of sleep whether it is by choice, necessity, or the inability to sleep. Some of them feel just fine and don’t believe inadequate or poor sleep affects them while others know they need more sleep but just can’t get it. In either case the lack of quality sleep is taking a big toll on their health. Depression, anxiety, and weight problems are just a few of the many areas that can be affected.

Today, we pulled in Dr. Amy Bender, MS PhD who brings fifteen years of experience in the sleep field with both clinical and research laboratory experience to her job as Director of Clinical Sleep Science at Cerebra, a digital sleep analysis company. Dr Bender is an award-winning sleep researcher who has been featured in interviews in both Oprah and Parade magazines. As a consultant, she helps executives, professionals, Olympic athletes and everyday people optimize their sleep and I am thrilled that she is willing to share some of those insights with my Direction Not Perfection community.

Before we get started with the interview, I thought it would be beneficial to hear some bullet points of the content provided today. There is so much goodness in this interview today that you might feel a little overwhelmed trying to take it all in… so here are my suggestions. If you are truly seeking as much information as you can possibly gather about sleep, I recommend just listening through and allowing yourself to just take in the interview. Then I would recommend coming back to the interview with pen and paper and writing down the areas that seem to fit your life for your needs. Again, I’ll do some summarizing for you and this could be a good outline for the start of your notes! Here we go:

Highlights of Dr Bender’s talk:

-Sleep deprivation is directly related to increased calorie consumption.

-Both too much and too little sleep can increase depression and anxiety.

-Duration, quality, and timing are 3 factors that affect optimal sleep.

• Social jetlag is a term used to describe the sleep issues caused when there is a big difference in when people go to bed during the workweek versus the weekend.

-Waking up at a consistent time is important. If you get a poor night’s sleep it is better to get up at regular time and add in a nap than to sleep in.

• Wake up during the night routine. Don’t stay in your bed for more than 20 minutes or so if you are awake.

-Use a 4, 7, 8 breathing technique to help relax.

-use the cognitive shuffle technique. Think of a word such as bedtime. Think of all the objects that begin with B. When done do words that start with e then d, etc. It takes your mind off of being awake and occupies it gently.

-Take a bath or shower

-Read a book (non-digital)

-Rule of 3 for insomnia. If it takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, if you wake up 3 or more times a night, if it happens 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks, it is time to get help from a sleep professional.

• Light exposure for at least 20 minutes, especially in the morning, is important to set your circadian rhythm. Outside light, even through clouds, is much brighter than indoor light.

-Have a good pre-sleep routine. Put away electronics, add in relaxing activities.

-Exercise during the day helps with mood disturbances and improves sleep quality.

-Don’t be ashamed to schedule a nap

-Watch caffeine intake

-Don’t drink alcohol late in the evening.

Can you see why this might be important to outline?

Direction Not Perfection Resources:

www.healthaccountabilitycoach.com

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IG: @houselifestyles