080 Dr. Anita Shelgikar: Insomnia

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Anita Shelgikar discuss all things sleep - what sleep medicine is, how sleep needs change throughout our lives, what happens when we can’t sleep, and how to treat those cases of insomnia. Even in the current pandemic, we are still able to continue advancing the research in various areas of sleep medicine due to the technological advances in things such as telemedicine and consumer wearable products. It is an exciting time in sleep medicine, especially as sleep affects all aspects of our lives. 

 Key Takeaways:

• The invention of the lightbulb has caused behavior change that affects how long people sleep. 
• A zeitgeber is an environmental cue that helps us to train to a 24-hour cycle - such as sunlight, alarm clocks, and even social interactions. 
• Sleep is a critical part of growth and development for our children and youth. It can impair scholastic and athletic performance, mood, and other behaviors. 

"The exposure to light at night suppresses the brain's natural production of melatonin, which is a hormone that's released in response to darkness and actually helps to facilitate sleep." —  Dr. Anita Shelgikar

Connect with Dr. Anita Shelgikar:

Professional Bio: medicine.umich.edu/dept/neurology/anita-v-shelgikar-md-mhpe  

Find an Accredited Sleep Center: SleepEducation.org

Find a Certified Behavioral Medicine Provider: BehavioralSleep.org

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

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