89. Conquering the Sleep Struggle with Roger Seheult, MD

Bendy Bodies with Dr. Linda Bluestein

In this episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein interviews Dr. Roger Seheult about the importance of sleep for people with chronic illness, chronic pain, and joint hypermobility. Dr Seheult, a quadruple board-certified physician with expertise in sleep medicine, discusses various topics related to sleep, including the circadian rhythm, the impact of light on sleep, the effect of blue light on sleep, ideal bedtime, the impact of electronics on sleep, the role of melatonin, and the timing of eating and its effect on sleep. Other topics include challenges of working from home, sleep schedules and chronic illness, shifting sleep patterns, sleep apnea and its relationship with chronic illness, sleep medications, sleep watches and monitoring devices, sleep positions and joint instability, and the importance of sleep education in medical training. Dr. Seheult provides valuable insights and recommendations for improving sleep quality and managing sleep-related issues.

YOUR host, as always, is Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD.

Takeaways:

Sleep is crucial for people with chronic illness, chronic pain, and joint hypermobility.

Understanding the circadian rhythm is important for optimizing sleep.

Light, especially blue light, can significantly impact sleep quality.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus plays a key role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle.

Morning light exposure is important for setting the body's internal clock.

The timing of eating can affect sleep quality.

Establishing a consistent sleep schedule and avoiding late-night eating can improve sleep quality.

Shifting sleep patterns can be challenging, especially for individuals with chronic illness.

Sleep apnea is common in individuals with chronic illness and connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes.

Home sleep studies can be effective in detecting sleep apnea, but in-lab studies may be necessary for individuals at higher risk of central apnea.

Sleep medications should be used cautiously due to potential side effects and dependency issues.

Sleep watches and monitoring devices can provide valuable insights into sleep patterns and quality.

Proper sleep positions, pillows, and mattresses can help alleviate joint instability and pain during sleep.

Education on sleep disorders and their relationship with chronic illness should be improved in medical training.

Patient advocacy and sharing information through podcasts can help raise awareness and improve access to sleep education.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction of Dr. Roger Seheult

03:22 Understanding the Circadian Rhythm

07:02 Impact of Light on Sleep

09:20 The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and its Role in Sleep

09:49 The Importance of Light for People with Chronic Illness

13:35 The Effect of Blue Light on Sleep

15:28 Ideal Bedtime for Optimal Sleep

17:25 The Impact of Electronics on Sleep

19:26 The Role of Melatonin in Sleep

20:05 The Importance of Morning Light

23:29 The Timing of Eating and its Effect on Sleep

24:00 Challenges of Working from Home and Small Meals

25:20 Sleep Schedule and Chronic Illness

28:57 Falling Asleep While Watching TV

31:49 Sleep Apnea and Chronic Illness

39:05 Sleep Apnea and Temporomandibular Dysfunction

44:09 EDS and Central Sleep Apnea

44:30 Elevating the Head of the Bed

45:23 Alignment Problems and Breathing

47:37 Sleep Medications and Side Effects

1:00:15 Supplements for Sleep

1:02:01 Sleep Watches and Monitoring Devices

1:03:01 Sleep Positions and Joint Instability

1:04:46 Paresthesias and Numbness in Sleep

1:05:11 Pillow Recommendations for Cervical Instability

1:07:35 Waking Up in Pain

1:09:58 Sympathetic Nervous System Activation

1:12:23 Safety of Melatonin

1:14:49 Improving Education on EDS and HSD

Connect with YOUR Bendy Specialist, Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD at https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.

Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.

Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/.

YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! 🧬🔬🦓

Resources:

www.medcram.com

https://www.youtube.com/@Medcram

https://www.optum.com/care/locations/california.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6175781/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7052958/

https://www.itamar-medical.com/professionals/watchpat-300/

https://youtu.be/OIwHYaDyswA?si=xSOW5miP4otLEKR6

#BendyBodiesPodcast

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