Episode 26: When sleep is a problem with Dr. Afolabe-Brown

Episode 26: When sleep is a problem  Dr. Afolabi-Brown is a board-certified sleep medicine physician and pediatric pulmonologist, founder of Restful sleep MD. She empowers busy moms prioritize their sleep.  The struggle is real – pain and lack of refreshing sleep go hand in hand. We talked all things sleep: “It feels like I was hit by a truck”. Where do you even start when a client/patient tells you that’s how they fell? Two main issues with sleep: 1. Quantity versus quality. Brown does not necessarily recommend using fitbit or “gadgets” to measure sleep (just another thing to worry about or stress about!) She explains why sleep diary may be a good option Three “buckets” that can affect the quality of the sleep and lead to non-refreshing sleep: Medical factors disrupting sleep: sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, pain Behavioral issues: habits such as caffeine consumption, napping during the day Mood factors: anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD  The approach is INDIVIDUAL – meaning NOT Every person needs a sleep study! I gave Dr. Brown a challenge presenting a scenario when someone has a little bit from EACH BUCKET  We do talk about some basic labs that should be ordered for medical issues evaluation. If you have an underlying mood disorder, you should not be left untreated. Dr. Brown strongly endorses partnering with a psychiatrist or psychotherapists to help control those issues. What does it mean actually to have INSOMNIA – when you have it, you will need more than just sleep hygiene (which is a great tool to promote sleep)  Insomnia means having difficulty falling and staying asleep or early morning awakenings. CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) is a recognized, tested therapeutical intervention for insomnia Sleep related issues are rarely just one cause/one solution situation (but sometimes they are) Brown answers my question on how to approach a situation when a client is not interested in pursuing medical evaluation for daytime sleepiness and fatigue. For physicians and providers = helpful suggestion on how to actually order a sleep study Including ordering a HOME sleep test! – she explains what does the home sleep study actually accomplishes. Summary of Dr. Brown’s wise words: Start with fundamentals: Healthy sleeping habits – wake up every day the same day!, meditation, mindfulness, journaling, many apps to help with sleep Having a wind-down routine before the bedtime Cool dark noise-free environment, reduce technology, use bed for sleep and intimacy only Of course we had to talk about THC gummies, valerian root and melatonin: THC gummies help to fall asleep but not necessarily stay asleep or quality of sleep At the end Dr. Brown shares her secret – CONSISTENCY – she treats her sleep as an appointment with a doctor – because SLEEP IS TREATMENT, and is FREE. She makes an appointment with her sleep because it gives her multiple benefits.   Dr. Brown can be found at: RestfulsleepMD.com, also on IG