Ep068: Sleep Discrepancy: Gateway to Insomnia - with Dr. Dawson

OVERVIEW

Some people say that sleeping is their only way to escape life’s reality. It is the only time of the day where they can keep aside all the stress and problems that they have. But what if sleeping becomes the main problem? Sleeping may sound very easy for most of us, but not for people suffering from sleep disorders. Have you ever have that feeling of being awake but in fact you’re asleep? Do you always feel like you have hardly slept while in reality, you were asleep for several hours? How can you measure sleep?

In this week’s episode, we will be joined by Dr. Spencer Dawson who specializes in Behavioral Sleep Medicine. He has over 12 years of professional experience with sleep including research to help people improve their sleep quality. Join us as we take a closer look at sleep discrepancy and other sleep disorders. Be a good sleeper and make sleep a privilege not something that you need to worry about every night.

WHAT WILL WE LEARN

02:00 Who is Dr. Spencer Dawson and what got him interested in the field of Behavioral Sleep Medicine
05:06 Why most people think that they don’t have enough sleep
07:48 What is sleep discrepancy
09:20 What is Positron Emission Tomography or (PET) imaging
11:49 How to know if you have a good sleep
12:48 How to convince people experiencing sleep discrepancy that they have a good sleep
15:06 Dr. Dawson’s current research about hypersomnia treatment
18:34 How an undiagnosed sleep disorder can affect a person’s life
21:04 Medication helps but it’s not always the answer
23:13 Join groups or organizations: You are not alone
25:18 What is Pomodoro technique
27:06 Let the people around you understand what your going through
28:35 How Dr. Dawson managed to help people with sleep disorders despite the pandemic

31:55 How Dr. Dawson treats people suffering from insomnia
34:07 Other alternatives that can help people suffering from different types of sleep disorders
35:54 Having a good relationship with your patient is important
39:01 First-line treatment can be expensive: Reading a book can be a great help