Wide Awake: Sleep Disorders Treatment with Phyllis C. Zee

Phyllis Zee has studied circadian rhythm sleep disorders and symptoms for decades and shares key findings in this podcast. Listen and learn your way to better circadian habits.

She explains

• How circadian rhythms set the timing for all other physiological processes in your day,
• What are some circadian rhythm disorder causes and diagnoses, and
• What are essential habits you can follow to help your sleep-wake internal clock do its best.

Phyllis C. Zee is the Chief of Sleep Medicine in the Department of Neurology in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

This podcast offers listeners an enlightening conversation about how our circadian clocks work and what happens when they don't. She is able to combine years of research with practical advice for listeners to address sleep issues. She explains that our circadian rhythms and sleep-wake schedules set the stage for all our other timing; therefore, disorders like sleep apnea or restless legs at night might fall under these larger issues.

She hits at the heart of sleep issues for many listeners: whether you are a night owl or morning lark, as long as you are able to keep to your ideal cycle, you might be ok; but problems arise when work and society dictate different hours. Therefore, your internal clock timing needs to be aligned with your social, physical, and work activities. She also addresses disorders outside of this tension such as the non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder. These patients have an intrinsic rhythm that is 26 or 27 hours, so they will drift an hour every day and have no predictability for their sleep habits.

She gives advice on how we can align our rhythm, from making sure we are exposed to daylight first thing in the morning to not eating within a few hours of bedtime. For similar suggestions and other glimpses into the mystery of sleep, listen in and enjoy.

For more about her work, see the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine website. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9C