Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

A Deakin University study claims one sleepless night cuts muscle protein synthesis by 18%, drops testosterone by 24%, and raises cortisol by 21%. It sounds alarming, until you learn that testosterone already falls about that much every afternoon and most of these changes reset after one good night. In this episode we look at five well-designed studies on what one bad night really does, and which effects actually matter. In this episode we will:
Put the Deakin study’s testosterone, cortisol and muscle numbers next to what the body does on a normal day
Look at a four-hour night and the one effect that doesn’t fully reset by morning: a primed immune system
Revisit the “one all-nighter builds Alzheimer’s amyloid” headline and why researchers pushed back
Dig into the effects you feel the next day, including a roughly 30% jump in anxiety
Land on the real danger: 17 to 19 hours awake can impair you about as much as a 0.05% blood alcohol level
Touch upon what you can do to offset these effects
To find out more about this week’s podcast sponsor SideSleeperZ, please use the following link: https://sidesleeperz.com/
Original intro music Vigilanteology by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Original outro music Vigilanteology (reprise) by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Produced by: Maeve Winter
Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved

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The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child
Thanks for listening and sleep well!

What if treating insomnia were less like fixing a medical problem and more like earning a black belt in karate? Welcome to the Insomnia Dojo, a six-belt journey from the frightened white belt who desperately wants to control sleep to the enlightened black belt who realizes that sleep never needed controlling in the first place. Along the way, we'll draw inspiration from Bruce Lee, Mr. Miyagi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and even Pai Mei from Kill Bill. Wax on, wax off, Grasshopper. Your insomnia training begins now. In this episode we will:
Explore the six belts of insomnia treatment, from white to black, and what each represents.
Define the fundamental lessons of sleep science that every insomnia student must master.
Examine how sleep hygiene, medications, audiobooks, and relaxation techniques can help patients while sometimes creating new dependencies.
Discuss why confidence, flexibility, and resilience are more important than achieving perfect sleep.
Review the role of CBT-I, acceptance, and cognitive strategies in progressing toward insomnia mastery.
Reveal the ultimate secret of the insomnia black belt: sometimes the greatest mastery comes from letting go of control entirely.
To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: http://thesleepreset.com/podcast 
Original intro music Vigilanteology by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Original outro music Vigilanteology (reprise) by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Produced by: Maeve Winter
Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved

More
Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child
Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Dr. Saema Tahir (@thenycsleepdoctor) joins me for another countdown of the Top 10 Sleep Threats. From social media sleep hacks and nightly Benadryl to the dangers of relying on sleep trackers and chatbots for medical advice, Dr. Tahir takes aim at some of the most common misconceptions in sleep medicine. In this episode we will:
Explore why AI and social media aren't substitutes for proper sleep evaluations.
Discuss the risks of nightly Benadryl and the myth of the relaxing nightcap.
Examine the consequences of weekend sleep-ins and irregular sleep schedules.
Explain why sleep hygiene alone isn't an effective treatment for chronic insomnia.
Investigate how insufficient sleep can mimic ADHD symptoms.
To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Halo by Screen Zen, please use the following link: https://screenzen.co/products/halo
Use the discount code DRWINTER for 20% off
Original intro music Vigilanteology by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Original outro music Vigilanteology (reprise) by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Produced by: Maeve Winter
Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved

More
Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child
Thanks for listening and sleep well!

“What do you think about peptides?” is one of the most common questions in the sleep clinic right now, and it’s about as answerable as “What do you think about sandwiches?” Insulin, Zepbound and a gray-market vial of BPC-157 are all peptides, but the word tells you nothing about what a molecule does or how well it’s been tested. In this episode we put the most popular “sleep peptides” to the test, including the one named after deep sleep that an FDA advisory panel rejected this summer while backing nearly everything else. In this episode we will:
Define what a peptide is, including the FDA’s somewhat arbitrary 40-amino-acid line, and why most have to be injected
Sort out supplements, FDA-approved drugs, compounded drugs and “research use only” vials, and walk through 2026’s regulatory saga
List the risks posed by unregulated peptides
Rank the sleep evidence, from tirzepatide’s sleep apnea trials to the stories behind DSIP, epitalon and the growth-hormone peptides
Leave you with five questions to ask anyone recommending “peptides"
Original intro music Vigilanteology by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Original outro music Vigilanteology (reprise) by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Produced by: Maeve Winter
Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved

More
Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child
Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Last November on Episode 178, we talked about three companies racing to bring orexin agonists to people with narcolepsy. In less than a year, one of those drugs has been approved, another company has been bought for billions, and the race now runs from the lab to the insurance company. In this episode we will:
Break down the latest data from the SLEEP 2026 meeting in Baltimore, where each drug stands and when the rest might reach patients.
Tackle the questions patients are already asking: will these be controlled substances, what will they cost, and will insurance cover them? 
Highlight Orzeyful (oveporexton), its FDA approval, and what to expect from the DEA
Revisit alixorexton and its phase 3 push into narcolepsy type 1, type 2 and idiopathic hypersomnia
Touch on cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) and why Eli Lilly paid $6.3 billion for its developer Centessa
Introduce the rest of the field: including products from Eisai and Harmony Bioscience
Original intro music Vigilanteology by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Original outro music Vigilanteology (reprise) by Abhinav Singh (copyright 2026)
Produced by: Maeve Winter
Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved

More
Twitter: @drchriswinter
IG: @drchriwinter
Threads: @drchriswinter
Bluesky: @drchriswinter
The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child
Thanks for listening and sleep well!