Sleep Well Clinic

11/01/2026

Sleeping Through the Heat: Strategies for Restful Nights
Elevated night-time temperatures are linked to difficulties initiating sleep, increased nocturnal awakenings, and reduced restorative rest.
A drop in core body temperature is essential for sleep initiation. The circadian rhythm triggers vasodilation to facilitate heat loss, melatonin release (sleep-promoting hormone), and reduces cortisol (stimulating hormone) levels.
When nighttime temperatures remain high, this cooling process is disrupted. Persistent vasodilation can lower blood pressure and raise heart rate, while sweating attempts to offset heat through evaporation. These physiological challenges can impair sleep onset, fragment sleep cycles, and reduce the quality of sleep.
Check out the flyer “How to Beat the Heat for a Restful Sleep?”, developed by the Sleep Lab team at the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience Salzburg (CCNS):

23/12/2025

Meri Kirihimete from the team at Sleep Well Clinic! We wish you and your whānau a joyful and peaceful Christmas filled with rest, recovery and sleep!

22/12/2025

Travelling this holiday season?
Here are some tips for sleeping better during your travels:
Adjust your sleep schedule before departure. Begin adjusting your sleep schedule three days ahead of your departure. Start moving your bedtime an hour earlier or later, as needed, each evening. It typically takes one day for your body to adjust to each time zone crossed.
Sync with the local schedule. Upon landing, try to sync with the local schedule. If you land when most people are awake, follow suit - getting rest on your flight is crucial.
Conversely, if you arrive at night, try to stay awake during the flight so you can sleep upon arrival.
Follow the two-day rule for short trips. If your trip is shorter than two days, it’s best to stick to your home schedule. As your body adapts, you may find it's almost time to return home. Wherever possible, schedule meetings and activities during your peak waking hours based on your home time to maintain productivity and energy levels.
Maximise sunlight exposure upon arrival to speed up adjustment to the local time zone (reset your internal body clock).
Incorporate physical activity when you arrive at your destination. Engaging in physical activity can signal to your circadian rhythm that it’s time to be alert.
Create a sleep-friendly environment. When it comes to quality sleep, blocking out light and noise is paramount. Use a sleep mask and earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to ensure a dark and quiet space. If you find yourself staying overnight in a hotel, request a quiet room to facilitate better rest.
Manage your well-being. Stay hydrated, especially during flights, to avoid dehydration that disrupts sleep. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and heavy meals close to bedtime, as these can adversely impact sleep.

21/12/2025

Studies reveal OSA and BMI have a positive correlation, as BMI increases, the severity of OSA also increases. Weight loss has been shown to decrease the severity of OSA as well as decrease the AHI. Carneiro-Barrera et al conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the relationship between weight loss and severity of OSA. The authors found that an 8-week interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention (with CPAP therapy) significantly improved OSA severity and other outcomes compared with usual care alone (CPAP therapy). At 8 weeks, 45% of participants in the intervention group no longer required CPAP therapy; at 6 months, 62% of participants in the intervention group no longer required CPAP therapy.
This study’s findings suggest that this weight loss and lifestyle intervention might be considered as a central strategy to address OSA and comorbidities.

This randomized clinical trial assesses the effect of an interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention on obstructive sleep apnea severity and comorbidities among Spanish men with obstructive sleep apnea and overweight or obesity who were receiving continuous positive airway pressure...

18/12/2025

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common yet often underrecognized condition among older adults, with prevalence increasing due to age and obesity. In the US last year, 41% of women and 59% of men met the criteria for OSA. Research indicates that 90% of men and 78% of women are diagnosed with the condition between the ages of 60 and 85.
Research shows that OSA plays a significant role in poor health outcomes, but proper treatment can reduce negative health outcomes and enhance quality of life.
During normal sleep, the dilating muscles of the upper oropharynx contract in response to inspiration to avoid a buildup of negative pressure. In OSA, however, the mechanism of the dilating muscles of the upper oropharynx is altered, or the oropharynx is narrowed, causing a buildup of negative pressure that causes the oropharynx to collapse. This action leads to an apnoeic episode, resulting in a decrease in partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) and an increase in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2). This stimulates brain arousal to alert the body to breathe. The recurring collapse of the upper oropharynx results in temporary oxygen desaturation, causing sleep interruptions and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Anatomical abnormalities seen in the upper airway play a crucial role in the development of OSA. Structural abnormalities, including soft tissue enlargement or narrowing of the oropharynx caused by fat deposition around the neck, can make the upper airway more prone to collapse.
https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/features/obstructive-sleep-apnea-in-older-adults/

17/12/2025

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) surveyed U.S. adults and found that 72% say sleepiness sometimes, often or always gets in the way of their everyday activities. Furthermore, 32% feeling sleepy five to seven days a week and 20% reporting that they have fallen asleep while driving.
Many people reported that being tired affects their mood (60%), stress or anxiety levels (53%), and work productivity (42%).
The survey also showed differences across age and gender. Women were more likely than men — 36% versus 25% — to say sleepiness affects how they manage their household. Adults ages 25 to 34 (30%) and 35 to 44 (31%) were the most likely to say sleepiness affects their relationships.
A recent AASM statement warns that sleepiness can also harm overall health and safety. Experts say health care providers should take daytime sleepiness seriously because it may signal sleep disorders, medical issues, mental health conditions or side effects of medications or drugs.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a warning sign that demands clinical attention.
The AASM notes several signs that it may be time to talk to a doctor or sleep specialist, including:
Trouble staying awake during normal activities.
Loud snoring or gasping during sleep.
Difficulty with memory or concentration.
Problems falling or staying asleep.
Waking up feeling unrefreshed.
https://aasm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/sleep-prioritization-survey-2025-areas-of-life-affected-by-sleepiness.pdf

16/12/2025

Sleepmaxxing is the latest wellness trend that promises to maximise and optimise sleep.
Sleepmaxxing appears to promote strategies like keeping one's mouth closed while sleeping, not drinking anything for a few hours before bed, showering at bedtime, eating a kiwi shortly before bed, setting a cold room temperature, ensuring a dark and quiet environment, using a white noise machine, and taking supplements.
Let's break down what the evidence shows:
Breathing through your nose is beneficial in terms of activating the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest and digest system). However, mouth taping can be problematic for those with sleep apnoea as it may exacerbate drops in oxygen levels.
There is a small amount of evidence to suggest that eating kiwifruit before bed may help to improve sleep efficiency, it is however very limited.
A shower before bed can aid a drop in core body temperature- however the timing is quite specific- it needs to be 1 hour before bedtime.
There are no over the counter supplements which have shown to be effective at supporting the sleep systems (homeostatic and circadian).
Certainly a quiet, cool, dark bedroom supports healthier sleep. It is also advisable to avoid a lot of fluids before bed as this will lead to sleep disruption when needing to use the bathroom during the night.

15/12/2025

Sleep and optimising your training:
Sleep is essential for all aspects of athletic performance, including optimal reaction times, accuracy, optimal motor function, focus, motivation, glucose metabolism, memory and learning, as well as stress regulation – all of which are integral for athletic performance.
Sleep allows for psychological, physiological and physical recovery. Recent research has found evidence relating chronic suboptimal sleep (< 7hrs a night for 2 weeks) with an almost double the risk of a musculoskeletal injury.
There is research that supports how adding 30 minutes of sleep is beneficial. The researchers adjusted the sleep schedule of professional baseball players to ensure they got an extra 30 minutes of sleep each night for five consecutive nights (from an average of 6.3 hours each night to 6.9 a night). It turns out, the added sleep dramatically improved the players’ response time.

14/12/2025

Effects of various exercise interventions in insomnia patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis:
Researchers considered findings from over 1,300 people with insomnia, exploring how seven different types of exercise impacted sleep. People who practised yoga slept almost two hours longer per night compared to the control group. The yoga also helped people fall asleep more quickly and reduce how often they woke.
How does yoga help?
Yoga practice soothes your sympathetic nervous system, lowers your blood pressure, slows down your heart rate and it calms the body’s physiological state – the perfect state for sleep.
What about other types of exercise:
Strength training can add up to 40 minutes more sleep each night – aerobic exercise can add up to 23 minutes.

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11/12/2025

Among veterans with spinal cord injury, insomnia severity and poor sleep quality were linked to worse functioning, while sleep-disordered breathing was not. Insomnia and poor sleep quality are modifiable contributors to poor daytime function.
https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.11804

10/12/2025

Role of Circadian Health in Cardiometabolic Health and Disease Risk: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001388

09/12/2025

Circadian rhythm plays a fundamental role in cardiometabolic health, but we often do things to undermine our body’s natural cycles. We have accumulated compelling research showing that our body’s 24-hour biological clock fundamentally regulates heart health, blood pressure, metabolism, and more.
Artificial light at night, late-night eating, and irregular schedules lead to circadian disruption, which has become a modern epidemic.
Key take home messages:
The timing of behaviours matter. It’s not just about eating healthy or exercising. Eating the same meal at night vs in the morning has different effects on your metabolism because your body clock changes how you process food throughout the day.
Keep consistent sleep-wake times.
Get morning sunlight.
Eat earlier in the day.
Maintain regular mealtimes.
Physical activity timing to increase circadian alignment (rhythmicity) may enhance circadian health.
Avoid bright light at night, such as from electronic devices, which could adversely affect the central circadian clock while making it more difficult to fall asleep.
Also, individual differences matter. Some people are natural ‘morning larks,’ others are ‘night owls.’ Forcing someone’s schedule too far from their natural rhythm can have negative consequences and create circadian disruption.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001388