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#225 - Orexin Agonist Update: The Big Reward is Here (Lifting Humanity Higher)12 oct. 202600:46:42

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#224 - Why Do All Insomnia Therapies “Work”?: Tryin So Hard To Make the Grade05 oct. 202600:42:53

Imagine a sleep study where picturing yourself diving in a submarine boosted deep sleep by 81%, yet nobody slept a minute longer. It's a real result, and it points to an uncomfortable idea: with the right design, almost anything can be shown to "improve sleep." From free habits to FDA-approved pills to neurotech headbands, every claim has a study behind it, and how that study was built often matters more than the product being sold. In this episode we will

  • Use that submarine study as a yardstick for judging every sleep claim that follows
  • Trace the research behind Ambien's 1992 FDA approval, from its 4-5 week trials to the 2013 dose cut for women
  • Look at suvorexant, where the doses that were tested and the doses that were approved weren't the same
  • Break down eight ways a sleep study gets steered toward a positive headline, each with a real insomnia example
  • Put devices and supplements like Somnee, Evolv28, Moonbird and magnesium through the same lens
  • Leave you with a checklist for reading past the webpage and finding out who paid, who was tested, and for how long

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#223 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Ain’t Nobody Worried28 sept. 202600:50:03

Dr. Valerie Cacho (@drvalsleepgal) joins me for another countdown of the Top 10 Sleep Threats, and her list asks a question we should all be asking more often: Have we actually figured out what is disrupting someone’s sleep? From peptides marketed as cures to the assumption that a woman’s fatigue is simply part of being a working mom, Valerie takes aim at the shortcuts that can delay an accurate diagnosis. In this episode we will:

  • Examine what the research does—and does not—say about peptides for insomnia and hypersomnia
  • Discuss why morning sunlight and sleep hygiene are not complete treatments for chronic insomnia
  • Explore how BMI, menopause, and the absence of daytime sleepiness can lead clinicians to overlook sleep apnea
  • Talk about why sleep health deserves attention now, rather than after retirement

Find out more about Dr. Val's free community for peri-menopause sleep education at http://www.skool.com/sleephoria

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#222 - How Much Is A Night of Sleep Worth: Break It On Down21 sept. 202600:36:29

A courtroom, an insurance formula, and a supermarket receipt don't usually belong in the same sentence — but together they answer the question this episode is built around: what does a bad night's sleep actually cost, in dollars, tonight? Not the economy. You. We take the number everyone quotes and can't act on — sleep deprivation costs the U.S. $411 billion a year — and rebuild it from the ground up using the data that was actually measured on individuals, not GDP models. In this episode we will:

  • Break down a landmark employer study of four U.S. companies that priced lost productivity per employee per year, showing the "insufficient sleep" bracket runs about $1,500 more than a well-rested peer, and the insomnia bracket nearly $1,900 more
  • Walk through a controlled supermarket experiment where one night of total sleep deprivation alone drove men to buy 9% more calories and 18% more food by weight the next morning, and tie it to a listener's own "revenge bedtime procrastination"
  • Lay out AAA's crash-risk data by hour of sleep lost, including the finding that a driver on under five hours of sleep carries a crash risk comparable to driving drunk, and drowsy driving factors into more than one in five fatal crashes nationally
  • Reconcile two independent methods with one built bottom-up from workplace data, and one built top-down from RAND's national economic modeling, and see they converge at roughly $10 to $20 for one ordinary short night
  • Get into the neuroscience of why the tired brain is the wrong tool to fight its own bad decisions, from impaired prefrontal-cortex judgment to a reward system that starts favoring one more episode over tomorrow's rested self

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor NOCTEM Health, please use the following link: https://noctemhealth.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

Bonus - The AI Interview Experiment...UNHINGED: Wish I Knew What You Were Looking For16 sept. 202600:32:07

A few days ago, we did an experiment to see how well AI could interview me about sleep. In this bonus episode, I reveal the original attempt which was a bit all over the place. The interview was much more personal and strange which we corrected by adjusting the prompt in the "official" episode, but I thought it might be funny to share the trial run. In this episode we will:

-Debate how much of my career success can reasonably be attributed to my looks
-Discuss my questionable resemblance to Tom Hiddleston
-Ask which voices in the sleep world I occasionally wish were a little quieter
-Revisit the strangest place I have ever slept
-Explore the difference between believing something works and believing it works very much
-Talk about the irrational fear that someday the phone simply stops ringing
-Consider who I am when sleep medicine, sports, speaking, and podcasting are stripped away
-Get unexpectedly personal about work, family, friendship, and the things we sacrifice while building a career
-Ask what I hope my children do—and don't—inherit from me

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#221 - The AI Interview Experiment: Wish I Knew What You Were Looking For14 sept. 202600:28:56

What happens when the interviewer knows nearly everything you have said publicly and has zero fear of challenging or offending you? In this unusual episode of Sleep Unplugged, I turn over all control of the podcast to AI and let it ask the questions and dictate the program. The result is a surprisingly candid conversation about certainty, contradiction, expertise, and what an algorithm might see when it examines a career devoted to sleep. In this episode I (or we?) will:

  • Turn the microphone around and let artificial intelligence interview the interviewer
  • Examine the tension between scientific authority and intellectual humility
  • Discuss why sleep medicine sometimes rewards certainty when the evidence demands nuance
  • Revisit ideas and opinions I have expressed publicly—and allow the AI to challenge them
  • Consider what patients, athletes, and listeners actually need from a sleep expert
  • Ask whether an algorithm can recognize contradictions, vulnerabilities, and blind spots

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#220 - The Lindsay Clancy Tragedy: Insomnia, Overmedication, and the Psychiatric Safety Net07 sept. 202600:48:40

A Massachusetts courtroom just produced something that almost never survives into public record: a near-complete paper trail of one woman's psychiatric care in the three months before catastrophe. Her diary, her phone notes, and the testimony of every provider who tried to help her sleep all lead to a central question: what actually happens when insomnia and psychiatric illness feed each other, and how thin is the system supposed to catch it before it breaks? In this episode we will:

  • Walk through the documented timeline od initial depression, an SSRI, a reported 48 hours without sleep, and a rapid cascade through a benzodiazepine, an antihistamine, and eventually an antipsychotic, across three different providers in three months
  • Break down SSRI-induced activation syndrome and why it can look clinically identical to an antidepressant unmasking bipolar disorder
  • Bring in the hard data on sleep loss as a trigger, not just a symptom, including a study of 870 women with bipolar disorder showing one lost night of sleep around delivery raised postpartum psychosis odds roughly fivefold
  • Draw the same throughline through Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Brittany Murphy, three deaths where a real, unresolved insomnia complaint met multiple prescribers without a shared picture
  • Evaluate national data putting mental-health ED visits at over 35,000 a day, and a 2013 survey showing a third of psychiatry residencies don't even offer an elective in sleep medicine

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#219 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Trapped Inside Disillusion31 août 202600:43:02

Dr. Alison Kole is taking on sleepmaxxing, ChatGPT, and the sleep-industrial complex in her Top 10 Sleep Threat list. In this episode we will:

  • Explore why patients sometimes arrive at the sleep clinic with their story and diagnosis already written
  • Look at the fear of sleep studies, sleep apnea diagnoses, and outdated ideas about CPAP
  • Ask why CBT-I remains underused despite being the gold-standard first-line treatment for chronic insomnia
  • Consider why better sleep requires thinking beyond the bedroom to exercise, nutrition, mental health, and the entire 24-hour day

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Fitnexa and their SomniPods 3, please use the following link https://go.fitnexa.com/egVvZ9 and use the code DRCHRIS10 for $10 dollars off your order.

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#218 - Medication Deprescribing: Get Off This24 août 202600:43:47

Nobody blinks when a doctor says you'll be on blood pressure medication for the rest of your life. Say the same sentence about an antidepressant, or Zepbound, and responses are quite different. This episode digs into deprescribing, the fast-growing clinical movement around when and how to stop medications, and asks why some "forever drugs" get a cultural pass while others get moralized. In this episode we will:

  • Separate the real clinical debate around antidepressant tapering from the online discourse
  • Take on the GLP-1 stigma directly, with two 2024 JAMA Internal Medicine studies that found no elevated depression or suicidality risk, and ask why "you may need this forever" reads as scandal here but shrug everywhere else
  • Sit with the RLS story, where the science just ran the opposite direction: 2025 AASM guidelines downgraded dopamine agonists after mounting evidence of augmentation, a drug-induced worsening of symptoms, making deprescribing here the conservative, evidence-driven move, not the fringe one
  • Ask why hypersomnia drugs generate almost zero cultural friction at all, and what that quiet exception reveals about the other three
  • Land on what actually predicts whether a "forever medication" gets treated as a fact of chronic disease or a personal failing — and why RLS should make you distrust any tidy answer to that question, including this episode's

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Fitnexa and their SomniPods 3, please use the following link https://go.fitnexa.com/egVvZ9 and use the code DRCHRIS10 for $10 dollars off your order.

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#217 - Modern Night Shift and Circadian Adaptation: Up All Night17 août 202600:31:34

Our current gig economy did not just create new jobs, it expanded a whole new category of night worker, from rideshare drivers to online freelancers to overnight fulfillment teams. Today (or tonight rather), our bodies are struggling to make the switch. In this episode we dig into what that circadian resistance actually costs your heart and metabolism long-term, and the handful of interventions that can actually shift it. In this episode we will:

  • Break down why 22 of 30 permanent night nurses still had daytime-oriented melatonin rhythms and why that's not a willpower problem, it's a light-exposure problem
  • Get into the real stakes: a 2025 meta-analysis linking night shift work to 13% higher cardiovascular disease incidence and 27% higher CVD mortality
  • Take on the meal-timing question head-on and look at new data suggesting fasting at night preserves glucose tolerance better than eating, without pretending the evidence justifies one universal rule
  • Review how light and schedule consistency can help improve these situations

    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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#216 - Nasal Strips and Sleep: Leave Me Breathless10 août 202600:24:41

Nasal strips have been a fixture in pharmacy aisles and on athletes' faces for decades, sold on the promise of easier breathing, but the peer-reviewed evidence often tells a different story than the packaging does. We put nasal strips and internal dilators through the RCT wringer and sort out what these devices can and can't actually do, from your bedroom to the finish line. In this episode we will:

  • Break down what the highest-quality evidence — a 2026 meta-analysis of 17 studies and nearly 500 patients — actually found for AHI, oxygen saturation, and sleep architecture across all nasal dilator types
  • Sit with the placebo-strip finding out of the University of São Paulo, and what it reveals about the gap between subjective "I slept better" and objective, PSG-measured outcomes
  • Compare internal dilators like Mute against external strips, and call out where manufacturer-cited stats diverge from the independent literature
  • Head onto the field and track: two competing systematic reviews on whether strips help runners and athletes, and why "very low certainty" evidence still shapes what gets marketed to you

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor BreatheUp, please use the following link: https://breatheup.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#215 - Seqoquel and Insomnia: Same Thing From The Same Old Cause03 août 202600:41:16

Ten million prescriptions a year, and most of them aren't for what the drug was built to treat. Seroquel started life as an antipsychotic — engineered to quiet psychosis, not close your eyes. Somewhere along the way it became one of the most common "off the record" sleep aids in America, riding on a side effect nobody set out to sell. The evidence behind that shift is thinner than most people assume — and Seroquel isn't the only drug doing this. In this episode we will:

  • Trace quetiapine from its 1997 approval for schizophrenia through its quiet migration onto millions of nightstands, and unpack the receptor science that explains why a psychosis drug puts you to sleep at all
  • Spotlight the actual clinical trials behind quetiapine-for-insomnia — including the 13-patient study nearly the entire off-label practice rests on — and the newer data linking it to cardiovascular events, dementia, and falls
  • Break down what the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's guideline really says about quetiapine (it's not what most people assume), and why that gap in the data is its own kind of red flag
  • Draw the parallel to trazodone — a different drug, a different original disease, and somehow the exact same story

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: http://thesleepreset.com/podcast 

Audio Engineer: Bradley Bransly Barker

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#214 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: They Couldn’t See It27 juil. 202600:40:42

Most "top sleep threats" lists stick to one lane — pediatric or adult, clinical or cultural. Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown's list refuses to. It jumps from kids' airways to menopause to AI chatbots, and by the end a pattern emerges: the same symptom, in different bodies, keeps getting waved off as normal. In this episode we will:

  • Work through pediatric snoring dismissed as harmless and untreated mouth breathing, and why both are often lead to the same airway problem 
  • Get into exhaustion worn as a badge of honor
  • Look closer at supplement use and the underappreciated risk of leaning on antihistamine sleep aids night after night
  • Sit with three women's-health items back to back: 3 a.m. wake-ups blamed on "just hormones," menopause-related insomnia going undiagnosed, and the mechanisms actually behind both
  • Think about why women's sleep apnea symptoms are getting written off as stress or anxiety

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Flexispot, please use the following link: Flexispot Hako G1 Bed and use the discount code FLEXISPOTG1 for an extra 5% 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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#213 - Research from the 2026 SLEEP Scientific Conference: Something New20 juil. 202600:47:37

Every June, thousands of sleep researchers descend on one city and quietly rewrite what we think we know about a third of our lives. This year it was Baltimore's turn, for the 40th annual SLEEP meeting — and the data that came out of it hits closer to home than usual: blood pressure, diabetes, teenage phones, and why "night owl" might really mean "lonely." Here are my Top 10 studies from SLEEP 2026 most likely to actually change how you sleep. In this episode we will:

  • Break down why being sleepy and wired at night is a uniquely dangerous combination for blood pressure — and why either symptom alone barely moves the needle
  • Sit with a staggering number out of Yale: veterans with both insomnia and sleep apnea face six times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • Revisit the "regularity beats duration" thread from Episode 209 with two brand-new studies — one in preschoolers, one tracking teens all the way to age 22
  • Unpack why women's sleep apnea can look identical to men's on paper and feel completely different in the body, and why that's delaying diagnoses
  • Get into the psychology of sleep: why night owls' anxiety may really be about nighttime loneliness, and why expecting bad postpartum sleep can help create it

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Flexispot, please use the following link: Flexispot Hako G1 Bed and use the discount code FLEXISPOTG1 for an extra 5% 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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#212 - Deep Sleep and REM Sleep: A Deeper Understanding, Lost In A Dream13 juil. 202600:41:53

Deep sleep and REM sleep get lumped together as "good sleep," but they're almost opposite states — one is the quietest your brain gets all night, the other is nearly as active as being awake. In this episode we pull the two apart: how we stumbled onto each of them, what's happening chemically while they run, and why one of them quietly shrinks as we age while the other holds steadier. In this episode we will:

  • Break down what's actually happening in slow-wave sleep versus REM — brainwaves, muscle tone, and why one is a "quiet body, quiet brain" state and the other is "quiet body, active brain"
  • Trace the history back to 1953, when a University of Chicago graduate student stumbled onto REM sleep almost by accident
  • Get basic on the neurochemistry: the GABA-driven shutdown that produces deep sleep, and the acetylcholine surge that flips REM on
  • Bring in new data from SLEEP 2026 in Baltimore, including a 22-million-night wearable dataset showing how deep sleep changes across adulthood, and a mattress-temperature study that moved the needle on restful sleep by nearly 20 minutes a night
  • Cover what actually protects deep sleep — and what quietly wrecks it, from alcohol to late caffeine to a bedroom that's too warm

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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#211 - Insomnia and Sleep Apnea: Just Don’t Know06 juil. 202600:37:13

We tend to think of insomnia and sleep apnea as two completely different sleep disorders. One means you can't sleep. The other means you stop breathing. Simple, right? Not so fast. In reality, many people with sleep apnea don't complain about snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness. Instead, they complain that they wake up repeatedly throughout the night and can't stay asleep. In this episode we will:

  • Explain why sleep apnea often causes insomnia-like symptoms rather than daytime sleepiness 
  •  Explore the growing recognition of COMISA (comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea) 
  •  Discuss why women and non-traditional sleep apnea patients are especially likely to be misdiagnosed 
  •  Review the latest research on treating insomnia and sleep apnea together

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#210 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Stop Right Now, Thank You Very Much29 juin 202600:37:56

This week marks the 12th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Upneet Chawla, MD (@sleeping.beauty_md). Upneet is an internist and board-certified sleep specialist.  In this episode, she has graciously provided us her list. In this episode we will:

  • Find out what Dr. Chawla thinks are the top threats to your sleep
  • Incorporate abstracts from the 2026 Sleep meeting to illustrate her points

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#209 - Sleep Quantity or Consistency…which is Queen?: Your Future’s At Stake22 juin 202600:35:43

Sleep duration has always been the headline number in sleep science, but mounting research is pushing the conversation toward something less obvious: how consistent your timing is from night to night. In this episode we dig into a debate that's far from settled, and into a statistical trap that may be quietly distorting it. WIn this episode we will:

  • Break down the four separable pillars of sleep health: duration, consistency, continuity, and circadian alignment
  • Walk through the landmark UK Biobank study showing sleep regularity outpredicting duration for all-cause mortality
  • Bring in brand-new data from SLEEP 2026 in Baltimore linking sleep consistency to long-term cardiovascular trajectories
  • Expose the "range restriction trap," why duration looks less important in these studies largely because almost nobody in them was severely sleep-deprived for years on end
  • Stress-test the theory with five hypothetical sleepers, each excelling at one dimension and failing at another, to figure out which variable really wins when you push it to the extreme

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Welltory, please use the following link: https://welltory.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#208 - Menopause and Sleep Update: Outside This Woman's Work15 juin 202600:33:12

Menopause has always been linked to sleep disruption, but the story has changed dramatically since we last covered it in episode 3. Hot flashes and night sweats still matter, but newer research is pushing us to think more broadly about brain temperature regulation, insomnia, mood, sleep apnea, cardiometabolic risk, and a new generation of nonhormonal medications that directly target vasomotor biology. In this episode we will:

  •  Revisit why menopause so often produces sleep-maintenance insomnia 
  •  Explore the KNDy neuron/neurokinin pathway and why drugs like fezolinetant and elinzanetant matter 
  •  Separate hot-flash awakenings from true insomnia disorder 
  •  Discuss CBT-I, hormone therapy, and nonhormonal treatment options 
  •  Explain why sleep apnea and cardiometabolic risk should not be overlooked in midlife women

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Moonbird, please use the following link: https://www.moonbird.life

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#207 - Insomnia and Narcolepsy: Tired of the Same Old Story08 juin 202600:36:14

Narcolepsy is often described as a disorder of excessive daytime sleepiness, but that description only tells part of the story. Many people living with narcolepsy also struggle with fragmented, restless, and unrefreshing sleep at night; and these symptoms that can look a lot like insomnia. In recent years, researchers have increasingly viewed narcolepsy as a disorder of sleep-wake instability, where the boundaries between wakefulness, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep become less secure. Understanding narcolepsy through this lens helps explain why someone can be profoundly sleepy during the day and still feel like they "can't sleep" at night. In this episode we will:

  • Explore why disrupted nighttime sleep is considered a core symptom of narcolepsy, not merely a side effect
  •  Discuss the role of orexin (hypocretin) in stabilizing sleep and wake states and what happens when that system fails
  •  Examine the surprising overlap between narcolepsy and insomnia symptoms, including frequent awakenings, vivid dreaming, and nonrestorative sleep
  •  Review key research supporting the concept of sleep-state instability as a unifying explanation for many narcolepsy symptoms
  •  Consider how treatments aimed at improving nighttime sleep consolidation may help patients feel more alert and functional during the day

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#206 - Sleep Trackers in the Clinic--Help or Harm?: I Guess I Gotta Buy It01 juin 202600:41:47

Sleep trackers have become one of the fastest-growing trends in modern health culture. Rings, watches, apps, and mattress sensors now promise to measure everything about your sleep, but are these devices actually helping us sleep better…or simply giving us one more thing to worry about? In this episode, we will: 

  • Discuss whether sleep trackers improve sleep health or simply increase sleep-related anxiety
  • Explore whether sleep trackers are evolving from wellness gadgets into legitimate healthcare tools
  • Discuss the recent news surrounding Oura’s confidential IPO filing and what it says about the future of sleep technology
  • Explore the concept of “orthosomnia” and why the pursuit of perfect sleep scores may backfire
  • Review studies examining the accuracy of modern sleep trackers for total sleep time, REM sleep, and deep sleep
  • Talk about who may genuinely benefit from sleep tracking and who may actually be harmed by it.
  • Examine research suggesting that health data alone often fails to change behavior unless paired with education, coaching, or medical guidance

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor NOCTEM Health, please use the following link: https://noctemhealth.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#205 - Socks In Bed: Taking All The Heat On Your Feet25 mai 202600:28:12

People tend to have surprisingly strong opinions about wearing socks in bed. Some people swear by them, claiming they fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. Others find them uncomfortable, claustrophobic, or far too warm. But beneath this oddly polarizing sleep habit lies some genuinely fascinating science involving thermoregulation, circulation, and the body’s preparation for sleep. In this episode, we will:

  • Explore why warming your feet may actually help cool your core body temperature
  • Review the physiology of distal vasodilation and why warming the feet may help people fall asleep faster
  • Discuss the landmark research by Kräuchi, Raymann, Ko, and others examining foot temperature and sleep onset
  • Examine how socks may improve sleep continuity and reduce nighttime awakenings in cooler sleeping environments
  • Explain why warm feet and a cool bedroom may actually represent an ideal combination for sleep
  • Discuss the difference between healthy sleep-supportive habits and sleep rituals that can evolve into “sleep effort”
  • Review what types of socks may work best for sleep, including breathable and moisture-wicking fabrics

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#204 - Nidra for RLS: Voltage Running Through Your Skin18 mai 202600:25:26

Restless Legs Syndrome has long been treated as a medication problem. But what if one of the most important clues was hidden in the thing patients already know: movement helps. Nidra, a prescription neuromodulation device using tonic motor activation, attempts to borrow the benefit of movement without requiring patients to pace the bedroom at 2:00 AM. In this episode we will:

  • Review how Nidra stimulates the peroneal nerves to engage movement-related pathways
  • Explore the RESTFUL pivotal trial and the extension data that supported FDA authorization
  • Discuss what the studies showed for IRLS scores, global improvement, sleep quality, and safety
  • Examine why this therapy fits into the changing RLS treatment landscape
  • Identify which patients may be good candidates and who should avoid it
  • Share the practical keys to a successful Nidra experience, from placement to consistency

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#203 - What’s Next To Your Bed?: In The Dark, Try To Make It Work11 mai 202600:29:18

What’s on your bedside table? A lamp? A phone? A book? A bottle of melatonin gummies? A tangled charging cable? In this episode we explore what our bedside environments reveal about our relationship with sleep itself. Using real listener-submitted nightstands and bedside drawers — including my own — we introduce the Sleep Sanctuary Index (SSI™), a playful but evidence-informed scoring system designed to determine whether the things beside our bed are helping or hurting sleep. Along the way we discuss insomnia psychology, sensory regulation, sleep consumerism, clutter, nighttime rituals, and why some bedside tables feel like sanctuaries while others feel like tactical survival stations.

In this episode we will:

  • Introduce the “Sleep Sanctuary Index (SSI™)” — a 100-point grading system for bedside tables and bedside drawers
  • Explore how clocks, clutter, visible cords, and environmental overstimulation may contribute to cognitive arousal and insomnia
  • Discuss research surrounding conditioned arousal, hypervigilance, and why the bedroom environment matters psychologically
  • Examine how sound machines, eye masks, earplugs, nasal strips, and breathing devices may support sleep by improving sensory control and reducing physiologic arousal
  • Analyze real bedside setups ranging from “Reflective Sleep Specialist” to “Tactical Survivor”
  • Discuss the rise of “sleep consumerism” and whether too many sleep interventions can paradoxically make sleep feel like work
  • Explore how nighttime environments can become associated with either safety and ritual…or vigilance and performance
  • Invite listeners to submit photos of their own bedside tables and drawers to receive an official Sleep Sanctuary Index score and Nightstand Personality Type designation

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Moonbird, please use the following link: https://www.moonbird.life

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#202 - AI Sleep Therapists: Machines to Save Our Lives, Machines Dehumanize04 mai 202600:38:00

Artificial intelligence is quietly moving into one of the most human spaces we have: therapy. Chatbots now deliver cognitive behavioral strategies, respond with empathy, and are available 24/7 at a fraction of the cost of traditional care. But does that mean the therapist is on the verge of extinction? Or are we misunderstanding what therapy actually is? In this episode, we explore the science, the promise, and the limits of AI in mental health, and ask a deeper question about connection, loneliness, and what it really means to be “seen.” In this episode we will:

  • Review the current research on AI-based therapy, including randomized trials showing improvements in anxiety and depression• Examine where AI performs well, particularly in structured approaches like CBT and skills-based interventions
  •  Explore the concept of “perceived empathy” and why AI can feel supportive without forming a true therapeutic relationship
  •  Discuss the major limitations of AI, including safety concerns, crisis management, and lack of clinical judgment
  •  Analyze real-world examples of therapy chatbots and hybrid care models already being used in clinical settings
  •  Consider whether AI may actually worsen loneliness over time, despite reducing it in the moment
  •  Reframe the future of therapy as collaboration rather than replacement, with AI extending care but not replacing human connection

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#201 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: I Should Be Scared, But I Feel No Fear27 avr. 202600:28:29

This week marks the 11th month we have put out the Top 10 Sleep Threats Power Rankings, and this week, we have a special guest assessor, Ellen Wermter FNP-BC. Ellen is a nurse practitioner and board-certified behavioral sleep specialist.  In this episode, Ellen has graciously provided us her list. In this episode we will:

  • Find out what Ellen thinks are the top threats to your sleep
  • Focus on how nurse practitioners and physician assistats are playing a increasing large role in sleep medicine
  • Learn why Ellen's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists previously

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#200 - Sleep Reflections and Hopes: 200 More Before I Sleep20 avr. 202600:42:17

Sleep has never been more visible...or more complicated. In a world of sleep scores, optimization strategies, and endless advice, the pursuit of better sleep has quietly shifted into something more rigid, and for many, more stressful. At the same time, the science of sleep has never been stronger, and the opportunity to reshape how we think about insomnia and restoration has never been greater. Now, we step back and take stock. We examine the unintended consequences of modern sleep culture while looking ahead to what a healthier, more grounded sleep could look like by episode 400. In this episode we will:

  •  Examine the unintended consequences of modern sleep culture and the rise of sleep-related anxiety 
  •  Explore how optimization and sleep tracking can paradoxically worsen sleep quality 
  •  Review the concept of orthosomnia and its clinical implications 
  •  Discuss how fear-based messaging around sleep may contribute to insomnia 
  •  Reframe what “good sleep” means through a clinical and behavioral lens 
  •  Imagine how sleep science, treatment, and public discourse could evolve over the next 200 episodes 
  •  Identify what elements of current sleep culture are worth keeping—and what should be left behind

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Ayo, please use the following link: https://goayo.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#199 - Sleep Fixes With Fine Print: The Only Risk That You Would Take13 avr. 202600:35:26

Sleep fixes are everywhere—magnesium, melatonin, mouth taping, CPAP, turmeric, even that glass of wine before bed. And the truth is, most of them work. But what often gets left out is the fine print: the dosing, the timing, the patient selection, and the unintended consequences that can quietly turn a good idea into a bad outcome. In this episode we will:

  •  Examine how magnesium supplementation can drift into unsafe territory, especially in the setting of renal impairment 
  •  Review the risks of mouth taping, including aspiration, skin complications, and worsening undiagnosed sleep apnea 
  •  Explore the nuanced role of CPAP, including where it helps—and where it may not improve cardiovascular outcomes in milder cases 
  •  Break down turmeric and “golden milk” trends, including dose creep and emerging concerns around hepatotoxicity 
  •  Discuss the underappreciated risks of modafinil, including effects on contraception and potential teratogenicity 
  •  Provide a clear-eyed look at hypnotic medications and how they alter the perception of sleep more than sleep itself 
  •  Clarify why melatonin is best understood as a circadian signal—not a sedative—and how mistiming can backfire 
  •  Highlight additional “sleep fixes” like alcohol, naps, weighted blankets, and sleep trackers that come with their own caveats

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Pluto, please use the following link: https://plutopillow.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#198: The Loneliness Epidemic and Insomnia: Out by Myself06 avr. 202600:38:36

Insomnia is often framed as a nighttime disorder—but what if, for many patients, it’s also a daytime problem of disconnection? As loneliness emerges as a major public health issue, a growing body of research suggests that social isolation and poor sleep may be deeply intertwined, each reinforcing the other in a self-sustaining cycle. Drawing on the work of Vivek Murthy and current sleep science, this episode explores how loneliness affects insomnia, how insomnia may worsen social disconnection, and what interventions actually help. In this episode we will:

  • Review how loneliness and social isolation are defined and why they matter for long-term health 
  •  Explain the biological and psychological mechanisms linking loneliness to insomnia, including hyperarousal and rumination 
  •  Examine experimental and longitudinal research showing that poor sleep can increase next-day loneliness and social withdrawal 
  •  Distinguish between objective isolation, subjective loneliness, and relationship quality—and why that matters clinically 
  •  Discuss evidence-based interventions including CBT-I, behavioral activation, mindfulness, and structured social engagement 
  •  Offer a practical framework for identifying and treating insomnia when disconnection is part of the clinical picture

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Sleep Reset, please use the following link: https://www.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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#197 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: The Challenges We're Facing30 mars 202600:31:05

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 Beyond the Politics of Contempt—Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times, Dr. Malow has graciously provided us her list. In this episode we will:

  • Find out what Dr. Malow thinks are the top threats to your sleep
  • Focus on how Dr. Malow looks at our divided political and stressful times as core drivers of sleep problems
  • Learn why Beth's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists previously

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#196 - Red Light Therapy: All I See Is Red23 mars 202600:27:43

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 670 nm range, are being studied for their ability to influence how our cells produce energy, respond to stress, and recover from injury. While the science is promising, it is also uneven, with strong signals in some areas and much thinner evidence in others. In this episode we will:

  • Review the fundamentals of photobiomodulation and how red light interacts with mitochondria
  • Learn about the differences between common wavelengths like 630 nm and 670 nm and why they matter
  • Examine the strongest evidence for red light therapy in skin health and cosmetic applications
  • Explore the emerging research on 670 nm light and retinal function, including effects on color contrast sensitivity
  • Break down the mixed clinical data on age-related macular degeneration and what multiwavelength trials are showing
  • Discover the preclinical evidence suggesting protection of retinal ganglion cells and neuroretinal tissue
  • Evaluate the research behind red light therapy for musculoskeletal pain, including plantar fasciitis and tendinopathies
  • Understand the limitations of current studies, including dosing variability and small sample sizes
  • Identify where red light therapy may fit as an adjunct versus where it falls short as a primary treatment

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Ayo, please use the following link: https://goayo.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#195 - Pillow Fight 2026: Lay It On The Line16 mars 202600:34:51

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:

  • Explain the second annual Sleep Unplugged Pillow Fight tournament
  • Touch upon how important choosing the right pillow is for sleep
  • Breakdown the scoring system (25% Committee, 25% my blinded experience, 25% Sleep Specialist input, 10% Crowd/Social Media (Instagram) following, 10% 'Induced Fit', and 5% Packaging and Extras).
  • Introduce the 16 competitors: Authenticity50, Beckham Hotel, Bedgear, Brooklinen, Casaluna, Chamberlain Down, Coop, GeliSleep, Hästens, Hest, Lincove, Onyx, Pluto, Scrumptious, ViSpring, and Yogasleep

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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#194 - Nocturnal Headaches and Sleep: No More Pain While You Sleep 09 mars 202600:37:55

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:

  • Review the most common causes of headaches that wake you from sleep, including migraine, cluster headache, hypnic headache, and sleep apnea
  • Learn how nocturnal headaches differ in children versus adults and what red flags parents should watch for
  • Determine when imaging is necessary and when it is not
  • Explore the connection between sleep stages, circadian rhythms, and specific headache syndromes
  • Find out why untreated sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea are a frequently missed cause
  • Discuss practical treatment strategies and prevention tips you can start using right away

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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#193 - Insomnia and Success: Gonna Hit The Big Time02 mars 202600:39:58

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 the science, the psychology, and the cultural narrative that may be quietly rewarding sleeplessness. In this episode, we will:

  • Discover what the research says about achievement orientation, perfectionism, and insomnia
  • Outlinehyperarousal model of insomnia and why high performers may struggle to “turn it off”
  • Introduce the Zeigarnik effect and how unfinished goals hijack the sleeping brain
  • Learn why our culture romanticizes sleepless productivity and how that reinforces the problem
  • Contrast the difference between short sleepers, workaholism, and true chronic insomnia
  • Think about practical strategies for high achievers to protect sleep without sacrificing ambition

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor WikiSleep, please use the following link: https://www.wikisleep.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


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#192 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Can I Go To Bed & Sleep Tonight?23 févr. 202600:42:28

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 your sleep
  • Focus on how Dr. Park looks at practical patient and system failures
  • Learn why Margaret's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists before


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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#191 - Creatine and Sleep: When You Sleep, Your Muscles Would Bulge16 févr. 202600:36:15

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:

  • Break down what creatine actually is and how it works at the cellular level as a rapid energy buffer for muscle and brain
  • Explore why athletes swear by it, what the data really shows about strength and performance
  • Learn why creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard despite the marketing of newer forms
  • Review data about brain energy, sleep pressure, and whether creatine helps when the system is under stress
  • Tackle broader health claims of mood/depression, aging, cognition, and the often misunderstood relationship between creatine and kidney function
  • Touch upon creatine and hair loss
  • Review best creatine practices and warnings about its use


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

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#190 - Restless Legs Syndrome Shake-Up: Every Time a Problem Ends, Another One Begins09 févr. 202600:36:59

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 just as guidelines changed in favor of gabapentin and related medications, new research raised concerns about the medications link to cognitive decline and dementia. So where does that leave patients? In this episode, we will:

  • Define restless legs syndrome and review why dopamine agonists became the standard treatment in the first place
  • Explain augmentation and rebound in plain language, and why it led to guideline reconsideration
  • Walk through the AASM’s updated recommendations and why gabapentinoids are now considered first-line therapy
  • Examine the recent study linking gabapentin exposure to increased dementia and mild cognitive impairment risk
  • Discuss what observational research can and cannot tell us about causation
  • Compare the real-world risks of dopamine agonists versus the emerging safety signals around gabapentin
  • Explore how these recommendations may be interpreted differently by sleep specialists versus primary care providers
  • Highlight the “rock and hard place” many patients feel caught in when every option carries caveats
  • Review practical strategies: iron optimization, careful dosing, monitoring for augmentation, and individualized care
  • Offer a balanced framework for making thoughtful, evidence-based decisions without panic or oversimplification

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#189 - Insomnia Electronics: Electricity So Fine02 févr. 202600:37:04

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

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#188 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: I’m Tired but I’m Working26 janv. 202600:32:00

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 sleep
  • Focus on sleep priority failures...both of the patient and the clinician
  • Learn why Dr. Khosla's list marks a different view of sleep problems than lists before

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#187 - Why is Donald Trump So Sleepy? My Mind Is Fading19 janv. 202600:27:26

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 and doesn’t believe he needs much sleep. In this podcast we will:

  • Provide a brief tour of presidential and political history that shows short sleep has been common among leaders, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill Clinton
  • Talk about why sleep loss matters via a clear, science-based explanation of how chronic short sleep affects attention, decision-making, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance
  • Differentiate between “functioning” and functioning well, and discuss why people often overestimate how well they perform when sleep deprived
  • Pull in the cultural mythology of leaders who “never sleep” and why we tend to confuse exhaustion with strength, productivity, or toughness
  • Take a look at how sleep has become politicized, including nicknames, optics, and the public’s fixation on who looks tired and who doesn’t

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#186 - EMF and Sleep: Rays of Violet and Electric Blue12 janv. 202600:35:07

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 Unplugged, we will:

  • Define what EMF actually is (ELF vs RF, and why “non-ionizing” matters)
  • Learn what research says—and doesn’t say—about EMF and the brain, including why subtle EEG changes don’t always translate into real-world sleep problems
  • Review what studies show about EMF and sleep, from brain waves and spindles to subjective sleep quality
  • Focus on Chuck McGill (Better Call Saul) as a case study, and why his story mirrors what we see in insomnia, hyperarousal, and perceived sleep threats
  • Determine if EMF-blocking devices actually work and look at physics vs marketing—and why many products overpromise
  • List some reasonable precautions without fear, and why chasing the “perfect sleep environment” can sometimes make insomnia worse

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#185 - Insomnia Resolutions: Seeing My Past to Let It Go05 janv. 202600:30:13

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 motivation problem, a discipline problem, or a character flaw. In this episode we will:

  • Reframe why New Year’s sleep resolutions fail
  • Think about insomnia as a brain trained to stay alert and how that reshapes our insomnia therapy goals
  • Discuss how CBT-I actually retrains the brain (not willpower) and how it fits in with the way we view insomnia therapy
  • Learn why fixing insomnia requires better systems, better language, and better care, and not more effort
  • Understand why insomnia can be tough to fix alone

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#184 - 2025 Sleep Unplugged Awards: I Will Be King29 déc. 202500:27:37

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:

Social Media Warrior                    Dr. Christopher J Allen (@sleepdrchris)      

Sleep Outsider Award                  The Nap Ministry/Tricia Hershey (@thenapministry)

Sleep Vanguard Organization     Natrol (@natrolofficial)

Sleep Sports Organization          Toronoto Blue Jays

Sleep Podcast of The Year           Deep Into Sleep/Dr. Yishan Xu (@dr.yishan)

Best Insomnia Advice                   Nada El Kouz (@wellpower.me)

Book of the Year                            Sleep Groove: Why Your Biological Clock Is So                                                                 Messed Up And What To Do About It
                                                         Dr. Olivia Walch (@olivia.walch)

Sleep Trend Farewell                   Nighttime baby carrots
                  
Sleep Crusader Award                Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, MD (@fabsleepdoc)

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#183 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: You Can't Live Like This22 déc. 202500:42:08

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 to your sleep
  • Focus on wealth inequality
  • Learn why Dr. Prichard's list does not contradict our previous lists, but may very well explain them.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


More

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

#182 - So You're Having A Sleep Study: Lying In Bed15 déc. 202500:38:16

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 role in diagnosing sleep apnea, narcolepsy, parasomnias, and more. In this episode we will:

  • Learn how the polysomnogram was born — and why it became the gold standard in sleep medicine
  • Understand what actually happens during an overnight sleep study (yes, all those wires have a purpose)
  • Cover the rise of home sleep testing — when it works well, and when it can miss important diagnoses
  • Review special considerations for kids, athletes, and patients with complex sleep concerns
  • Take a peek at where sleep testing is headed next, from wearable tech to at-home EEG

To find out more about this week's podcast sponsor Pluto, please use the following link: https://plutopillow.com

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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#181 - Sleep Aids and Dementia: All Manner of Pills08 déc. 202500:40:57

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 UCSF study actually found — and what the headlines got wrong
  • Determine which medications are most often implicated (benzodiazepines vs Z-drugs vs trazodone)
  • Take a deep dive into the three best studies on sleeping pills and dementia risk
  • Find out why some large studies do show a connection… and others don’t
  • Learn the real risks you should take seriously — even if dementia isn’t one of them
  • Think about how doctors should actually practice prescribing sleep meds in older adults

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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#180 - Top 10 Sleep Threat Power Rankings: Sleeping Eyes, You’re Missing (Out)01 déc. 202500:35:32

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:

  • Find out what Jade thinks are the top threats to your sleep
  • Focus on mental health as a sleep detractor
  • Learn more about the concept of FOMO or "fear of missing out" and how research is indicating it is a real threat to the sleep of many

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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#179 - The 4th Annual Holiday Sleep Gift Guide Extravaganza: The Perfect Gift24 nov. 202500:34:47

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. In this episode, we will feature the following products:

  • SideSleeperZ slip-proof sleep mask
  • Authenticity50 bedding
  • Bee Ulmo honey
  • BlueAir air purification systems (MiniRestful)
  • Dagsmejan sleepwear
  • Hästens mattresses and sleep products
  • Honeydew Sleep pillows
  • Loftie alarm clocks
  • Moonbrew drink mix
  • Natrol Sleep & Restore supplements
  • Ozlo sleep earbuds
  • Path water
  • QuietOn noise cancelling sleep earbuds
  • Sleeping Dove comforters
  • Sleep Protein
  • Truvaga vagal nerve stimulator
  • WeLove Creations earplugs
  • Zden

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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#178 - Orexin Agonists Are Here: This Is The New Stuff17 nov. 202500:39:13

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 signaling. These new drugs—developed by Takeda, Alkermes, and Centessa—aren’t just incremental improvements. They represent a genuine shift in how we understand and treat hypersomnolence disorders. In this episode, we will:

  • Define what orexin is and why losing it destabilizes wakefulness, REM boundaries, muscle tone, and cognition
  • Learn how orexin agonists work—not as stimulants, but as replacement therapy for a missing neurotransmitter
  • Find out why OX2R is the key receptor, and how selective agonists restore stable wakefulness, reduce cataplexy, and normalize attention
  • Review the available clinical data from the new wave of programs: oveporexton (Takeda), alixorexton (Alkermes), and ORX750 (Centessa)
  • See what makes these drugs different from modafinil, amphetamines, solriamfetol, and oxybate therapies
  • Learn why Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 trials matter—with quick insights on how these drugs reached such strong results
  • Consider safety and side effects, including what Hy’s Law means and why regulators watch liver signals so closely
  • Look ahead to what these medications may mean for NT1, NT2, IH, and other hypersomnolence disorders in the coming years
  • Speculate why this class represents one of the most exciting moments in modern sleep medicine

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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#177 - Sleep Fragmentation - Picking Up the Pieces10 nov. 202500:38:20

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 fragmentation
  • Contrast the differences between arousals from sleep and awakenings from sleep
  • Understand why sleep fragmentation goes unnoticed by providers and patients alike
  • List some common causes of sleep fragmentation
  • Review how sleep fragmentation appears in sleep data
  • Touch upon research about sleep fragmentation specifically and performance
  • Provide strategies for reducing sleep fragmentation

Produced by: Maeve Winter

Music by: Dr. Abhinav Singh (@sleep_vigilante), all rights reserved


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Thanks for listening and sleep well!

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