Episode 4
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Why do some people obsess about sleep and others seem to neglect it?
Sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, just like nutrition and exercise. But as sleep physician David Cunnington explains, we need to be flexible in our approach to sleep.
Whilst some people put too much pressure on themselves and end up with sleep disorders such as insomnia, others take the attitude of work hard, play hard and “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”.
David would like to see us adopt a middle-ground, where we give sleep the respect it deserves but also realise that it won’t always happen exactly when and where we want it to.
As dads, I’m sure we all have times where we struggle to get enough quality sleep. So this interview provides some great sleep advice that will help set you up for success.
David explains why we sleep, the risks of not getting enough and how our busy lifestyles can impact sleep. We also discuss power naps, jetlag and some of the sleep disorders he deals with at his clinic.
For anyone wanting to improve their sleep, this interview offers some practical advice.
Today’s Guest
Dr David Cunnington is a specialist sleep physician who treats clients with complex sleep disorders.
David undertook training in sleep medicine both in Australia and in Boston at Harvard Medical School and he has international qualifications in behavioural sleep medicine, using non-drug treatments to manage sleep.
He is the director of Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre and runs a website called Sleep Hub that provides information and resources on sleep. He also co-hosts a monthly podcast called Sleep Talk.
So if you need any advice about about sleep – David is your man.
- Website: drdavidcunnington.com.au
- Facebook: DrDavidCunnington
- Instagram: @drdavidcunnington
- Podcast: SleepTalk
What you’ll learn
- Why is sleep important?
- What are the risks of not getting enough sleep?
- Mental health (depression, anxiety)
- Poor relationships
- Poor performance at work
- Physical health (hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other health problems)
- How much sleep do we need?
- How to manage a sleep debt
- Why power naps are a good strategy to improve your performance
- How long should a power nap be?
- How human sleep patterns have changed over time
- Why the 8-hour work, play and sleep cycle is a social construct – it’s not biological
- Different chronotypes and understanding our natural biological clocks
- How smart businesses are managing staff with different chronotypes
- How to manage jetlag
- Why some people are better at travelling to the east and others to the west
- Common Sleep disorders that David deals with at his clinic
- Insomnia
- Narcolepsy
- Parasomnias – Strange things during the night – sleep talking, walking, eating etc.
- Body clock disorders
- Sleep breathing disorders (e.g. sleep apnea)
- Strategies for parents to be flexible with sleep when kids arrive
Quotes from Dr David Cunnington
“It’s important for us as parents to model good sleep behaviours to our children”
Dr David Cunnington
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