Sleep4Performance Podcast

Season 7, Episode 11 with Hailey Meaklim on strange themes and death‐related dreams during the pandemic

Hailey is a psychologist and research scientist internationally certified in behavioural sleep medicine. She practices clinically at St Vincent’s Hospital Sleep Centre in Melbourne, predominantly working with clients experiencing insomnia. She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and is completing her research PhD at Monash University with Dr Melinda Jackson. Her PhD focuses on advancing healthcare providers' training in evidence-based insomnia treatments. For this project, she won the 2021 “Innovation in Behavioral Sleep Medicine Advocacy” award from the U.S. Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Hailey has worked in a range of research and clinical settings, including Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre with Dr David Cunnington and Dr Moira Junge, The Institute for Breathing and Sleep at Austin Health, and Monash University’s Project REST with Professor Sean Drummond.

Hailey is an active member of the Australasian Sleep Association. She co-chaired the Insomnia and Sleep Health Council for five years. She established the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Online Community of Practice for sleep clinicians to stay connected and up to date with behavioural sleep medicine treatments. She now serves on the Behavioural Management of Sleep Disorders Education Sub-Committee, working to enhance sleep education for psychologists. She is actively involved in the U.S. Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM), serving as a past student member of their Accreditation Committee and helping to organise an Australia/New Zealand special conference session in 2021.

In this episode, we discuss Hailey’s paper entitled “Strange themes in pandemic dreams: Insomnia was associated with more negative, anxious and death-related dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic” The full reference and access to the paper is here.

Meaklim H, Burge M, Le F, Bains SK, Saunders W, Ghosh S, Junge MF, Varma P, Rehm IC, Jackson ML. Strange themes in pandemic dreams: Insomnia was associated with more negative, anxious and death-related dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Sleep Res. 2022 Jun 14:e13655. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13655. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35699296; PMCID: PMC9350044.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350044/

 

Items we discuss

• #27 with Dr Rachel Menzies "Mortals: How the Fear of Death Shaped Human Society" https://learningtodie.com.au/podcasts/27-dr-rachel-menzies-mortals-how-the-fear-of-death-shaped-human-society/
• Ernest Becker’s work around the Denial of Death https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Den...
• Terror Management Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_...
• Dreams by Carl Jung https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/859806.Dreams

 

Contact or follow Hailey

Twitter @SleepPsych_Aus

https://www.haileymeaklimpsychology.com.au/

 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au  or www.sleep4performance.com.au  and check out the YouTube channel.

Audio Blog #3 Understanding the sleep of ultra-marathon swimmers: Guidance for coaches and swimmers.

This is a reading of a blog on our Melius Consulting website https://meliusconsulting.com.au/understanding-the-sleep-of-ultra-marathon-swimmers-guidance-for-coaches-swimmers/ 

and Sleep4performance https://sleep4performance.com/understanding-the-sleep-of-ultra-marathon-swimmers-guidance-for-coaches-swimmers/

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au, and check out the YouTube channel

Season 7, Episode 10 w Prof Jill Dorrian the Dean who is not Mean (Average) on sleep, shiftwork, alcohol and lots more

Dean of Research UniSA Justice & Society

Jill Dorrian is a Professor in Psychology with a PhD in sleep and chronobiology research and a Master of Biostatistics. From the beginning of her PhD, Jill conducted laboratory and field studies with a consistent focus on collaboration and translation. Her PhD and early post-doctoral work were supported by the Australian Shiftwork and Workload Consortium, a 10-year collaboration with Australian Rail Industry operators and safety regulators. This work informed fatigue risk management (the over-arching term to describe risks relating to sleep loss and performance impairment in the industry) in rail.

Following a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, she continued to conduct in-workplace studies for rail, emergency services, and health. More recently, having also worked with mining, construction, ports, and forestry, providing research and education to promote fatigue management.

As a champion for the importance of sleep for healthy development, she also works closely with colleagues in nursing and midwifery, investigating the relationship between sleep during pregnancy and maternal and fetal health. She has collaborated closely with Resilient Youth Australia, a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting health and learning for school students in Australasia.

Jill is heavily involved with research student supervision and training in publishing and other forms of research communication and was recognised by the Australian Graduate Research Council for excellence in graduate research supervision.

Much of her current work is focused on behavioural coping strategies for remaining healthy despite exposure to sleep loss. In particular, along with colleagues in psychology, nutrition, and activity, we study chronobehaviour – investigating the health impacts, not only of what we do but when we do it.

Contact Jill at Jill.Dorrian@unisa.edu.au 

Twitter: @JillDorrian 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au and check out the YouTube channel.

Season 7, Episode 9 w Ashely Montero on Sleep and Mental Health Issues in Current and Former Athletes

In this episode with Ashley Montero, we discuss his recent paper. Sleep and mental health are important aspects of human health that work concurrently. However, sleep and mental health disorders are often overlooked and undiagnosed in sports due to the negative stigma associated with them. Evidence suggests that athletes are disproportionately affected by mental health issues and sleep problems. Internal and external pressures contribute to psychological distress. Variable competition times, travel and stress are detrimental to sleep quality. Retirement from sport can deteriorate sleep and psychological wellbeing, particularly for those who retired involuntarily and identify strongly with their athletic role. When untreated, these issues can manifest into a range of clinical disorders. 

Read the full paper: Sleep and Mental Health Issues in Current and Former Athletes: A Mini-Review https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868614/full 

Follow Ashley on 

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-montero-9b9974182 

Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/ashmontero_ 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au and check out the YouTube channel

Season 7, Episode 8 w Dr Nicola Barclay on Sleep Quality, Phenotypes, Chronotypes and Diurnal Preferences

Nicola Barclay, PhD, is a Sleep Scientist and Psychologist, with extensive experience of sleep research, research design, big data and education.  She was a Lecturer in Sleep Medicine at the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, University of Oxford from 2016 to 2021, training clinicians in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of sleep and circadian disorders. Prior to this appointment, Nicola was Associate Director of the Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK from 2011 to 2016. In 2011, she completed her PhD at the University of London, focussing on Quantitative and Molecular Genetic Approaches to Understanding Sleep Quality and Diurnal Preference, where she was awarded the 'Rising Researcher' award, 2011. She received a first-class honours degree in Psychology from the University of Sussex. She has more recently worked as a Data Scientist in industry, exploring the use of big data to understand trajectories of health and disease. Nicola has published over 50 peer-reviewed publications on sleep, and has extensive experience of educating clinical professionals in sleep medicine and research, as well as expertise in statistical methodologies and research study design

 

In this episode, we discuss Phenotypes, chronotypes and diurnal preferences

 

Associations between diurnal preference, sleep quality and externalizing behaviours: a behavioural genetic analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20836908/

 

Quantitative genetic research on sleep: a review of normal sleep, sleep disturbances and associated emotional, behavioural, and health-related difficulties https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22560641/

 

Genetic and environmental influences on different components of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and their overlap

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20469808/

 

Diurnal preference and sleep quality: same genes? A study of young adult twins https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20370470/

 

Sustained wakefulness and visual attention: moderation by chronotype https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27624836/

 

Follow Nicola over at Sleep Universal https://www.sleep-universal.com/

 

Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-barclay-72930227/

 

Twitter@NicolaBarclay

 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au and check out the YouTube channel

Audio Blog #2 Rapid Eye Movement Behaviour Disorder in Combat and Contact Sport Athletes

This is a reading of a blog posted on our Melius Consulting website entitled " Rapid Eye Movement Behaviour Disorder in Combat and Contact Sport Athletes, Implications for Athletes" 

You can read the full article with references here https://sleep4performance.com/rapid-eye-movement-behaviour-disorder-in-combat-and-contact-sport-athletes-implications-for-athletes/ 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au, and check out the YouTube channel

Season 7, Episode 7 w Aaron Bezzina on Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry

In this episode, I meet with my new friend Aaron Bezzina. I found Aaron's latest research on LinkedIn and invited him on the podcast. Aaron is a PhD candidate at the University of Newcastle and an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD).  In 2020 Aaron commenced his PhD candidature at the University of Newcastle, researching workplace wellness initiatives' effects on health attitudes and behaviours within the Australian resource sector. Aaron’s research interests include workplace wellness and productivity, obesity, human factors, and occupational health and safety issues.

This episode discusses Aaron's latest publication, a review on workplace wellness programs.

Bezzina A, Ashton L, Watson T, James CL. Workplace wellness programs targeting weight outcomes in men: A scoping review. Obes Rev. 2022 Apr;23(4):e13410. doi: 10.1111/obr.13410. Epub 2022 Jan 25. PMID: 35076133.

Then we go in-depth into one of Aaron's studies investigating health and wellness in mining. Aaron found that self-reported height and weight measures indicated that less than 20 percent (18.9%) of participants were in a healthy BMI range, while there were effectively equal numbers of overweight (40.9%) and obese (39.1%) participants. Only 3.5% of participants met the daily recommendation for vegetables (5 serves), and shift workers had a greater association with elevated BMI than non-shift workers. Poor nutrition is likely to be a key component in elevated levels of overweight and obesity within this industry, with workplace factors compounding challenges workers face in implementing health behaviour change. 

Bezzina A, Austin EK, Watson T, Ashton L, James CL. Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry: A cross sectional analysis of baseline findings from the RESHAPE workplace wellness program. PLoS One. 2021 Jun 4;16(6):e0252802. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252802. PMID: 34086829; PMCID: PMC8177661.

And finally, we discuss this study on alcohol in Australian mining that Aaron was involved in that found metalliferous mining employees engage in at-risk levels of alcohol consumption significantly higher than the national average despite workplace policies.

James CL, Tynan RJ, Bezzina AT, Rahman MM, Kelly BJ. Alcohol Consumption in the Australian Mining Industry: The Role of Workplace, Social, and Individual Factors. Workplace Health Saf. 2021 Sep;69(9):423-434. doi: 10.1177/21650799211005768. Epub 2021 Apr 24. PMID: 33896275.

Contact Aaron 

University of Newcastle https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/aaron-bezzina#contact

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bezzina-6396871b2/ 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au  or www.sleep4performance.com.au, and check out the YouTube channel for the video version of this podcast and more free things.

 

 

Audio Blog #1: Prolonged mask use in safety critical roles and its potential impact on fatigue

This is a reading of a blog posted on our Melius Consulting website entitled "Prolonged mask use in safety-critical roles and its potential impact on fatigue"

You can read the full article with references here 

https://meliusconsulting.com.au/prolonged-mask-use-in-safety-critical-roles-and-its-potential-impact-on-fatigue/

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au, and check out the YouTube channel

Season 7, Episode 6 Sleep loss and performance in female athletes with Liv Knowles

In this episode, I speak to Liv Knowles about her research. Specifically, we discuss the lack of research in female athletes and why that may be. We also discuss the impact of sleep loss on physical performance and why your legs may give way before anything else. Check out some of Liv’s papers and writing.

• Knowles OE, Drinkwater EJ, Urwin CS, Lamon S, Aisbett B. Inadequate sleep and muscle strength: Implications for resistance training. J Sci Med Sport. 2018 Sep;21(9):959-968. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2018.01.012. Epub 2018 Feb 2. PMID: 29422383.
• Knowles OE, Aisbett B, Main LC, Drinkwater EJ, Orellana L, Lamon S. Resistance Training and Skeletal Muscle Protein Metabolism in Eumenorrheic Females: Implications for Researchers and Practitioners. Sports Med. 2019 Nov;49(11):1637-1650. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01132-7. PMID: 31190324.
• Knowles OE. No time to sleep on it - start exercising! J Physiol. 2020 Jun;598(11):2059-2060. doi: 10.1113/JP279790. Epub 2020 Apr 30. PMID: 32240541.
• Why are males still the default subjects in medical research? By Severine Lamon and Olivia Knowles https://theconversation.com/why-are-males-still-the-default-subjects-in-medical-research-167545

Follow Liv on Twitter @LivKnowles1.

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au, and check out the YouTube channel for the video version of this podcast and more free things .https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLRQE4OVCvku0xUCOmIiuA 

Combat Sports Series: Episode 3 w Dean Amasinger Technical Director UFC Performance Institute

In this episode of the Combat Sports Series, I am joined by Dean Amasinger, Technical Director of the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai China. Dean joins us today via a lockdown in Shanghai where he has chosen to stay lockdown within the Performance Institute. Dean is a former MMA fighter https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/14113-dean-amasinger-renegade who competed in The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) with Team UK and returned as a coach in Team UK vs Team Australia. I had a lot of fun talking to Dean about his former training partners such as Michael Bisping, Dan Hardy, Paul Daley and many more. Dean also shared some insights from his time in the TUF house. Mainly Dean and I discussed the aspects of fighter development, skill acquisition, strength & conditioning, crossover from rugby to wrestling and to MMA and how to identify the archetype of a UFC competitor. This was a great conversation and a must listen to those interested in combat sports, however, there are some great crossover points here for anyone looking for self-development or improvement. Access our combat sports study here for your free sleep and nutrition report https://combatsportsscience.com/

Register for our free Sleep4Performance Seminar here in June

https://sleep4performance.com/seminar/

Follow Dean at Twitter: https://twitter.com/deanamasinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deanamasinger/?hl=en

Be sure to check us out for more information at www.sleep4performance.com.au

Season 7, Episode 5: Fatigue Risk Management System with Dr Madeline Sprajcer

In this episode I chat with Madeline Sprajcer about her recent paper on "How effective are Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS)?"

In this episode, Madeline and I tackle the subject of FRMS in industry settings. We go through Madeline's background, education and other interests. Her interest in history and her new work investigating fatigue risk in new parents.

 

Reference: Sprajcer M, Thomas MJW, Sargent C, Crowther ME, Boivin DB, Wong IS, Smiley A, Dawson D. How effective are Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS)? A review. Accid Anal Prev. 2022 Feb;165:106398. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2021.106398. Epub 2021 Oct 28. PMID: 34756484; PMCID: PMC8806333. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34756484/ 

Connect with Madeline on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-sprajcer-61b45356/

Researchgate 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Madeline-Sprajcer

Google Scholar 

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iBTbP9UAAAAJ&hl=en

Twitter @msprajcer

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au

 

 

Season 7, Episode 4: Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes with Dr Shane Creado

Dr Shane Creado is a double board-certified sleep medicine doctor and psychiatrist. He practices functional sleep medicine, integrative psychiatry, and sports psychiatry, putting all those skills together to uncover underlying factors that sabotage the patients, comprehensively treat them, and help them achieve their goals. He completed an undergraduate degree in physical therapy, went on to do an MD, graduating at the top of his class with Honours in every subject in medical school. He completed his psychiatric training at the University of Wisconsin where they awarded him the graduating resident award for academic achievement. He then went on to a fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the University of Wisconsin because of the huge overlap between sleep and psychiatric issues.

 

Shane and I discuss many things in this episode including

• Background and education from New York, Kenya, New Zealand any many more places.
• Culture, perspectives and celebration
• Sports psychiatry
• Mediation and Buddhism and the impact to sleep
• Theories on meditation and the impact to insomnia and other sleep related problems
• Carl Jung and the ability to day dream, integration of the shadow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung
• New research on sleep deprivation and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Microdosing, psychedelics, CBD and sleep
• Dr Chris Letheby on the Philosophy of Psychedelics http://chrisletheby.com/
• Aviation, Sleep and Medications
• Sleep, mental health, and physical health
• We go through the intent and specific components of his book "Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes"
• Individual approach versus general crap on the internet
• The prevalence of fake doctors and sleep coaches out there
• The lack of balance with athletes
• The overall approach to athletes
• Specific challenges to sleep with athletes
• The purpose of dreams

 

Books we mention

The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-gulag-archipelago-9781784871512

 

Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes: The Cutting-edge Sleep Science That Will Guarantee a Competitive Advantage

https://shanecreado.com/index.php/book-products/ 

 

Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

https://www.booktopia.com.au/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/book/9781846041242.html 

 

Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives by Brian L Weiss

https://www.booktopia.com.au/many-lives-many-masters-brian-l-weiss/book/9780671657864.html

 

Contact Shane at https://shanecreado.com/

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au

Season 7, Episode 3: Fatigue Research in Military Aviators with Dr John Caldwell

John Caldwell is an experimental psychologist with over 30 years of experience conducting and directing stress, sleep, fatigue, pharmacological, and performance/safety research. He has presented an array of sleep-and-fatigue-management and related courses for organizations to include the National Sleep Foundation, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Swiss Aviation Safety Office, the Colombian Aviation Authority, and both Rio Tinto and Newmont Mining.

John holds the US Air Force’s highest civilian award for research and development, he is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and a Fellow of the Aerospace Human Factors Society. He has worked with a variety of organizations to include the US Army’s Medical Research and Materiel Command, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. He provides education on research issues as well as strategies to optimize performance in real-world contexts.

Fatigue in Aviation: A Guide to Staying Awake at the Stick https://www.routledge.com/Fatigue-in-Aviation-A-Guide-to-Staying-Awake-at-the-Stick/Caldwell-Caldwell/p/book/9781472464590 

Connect with John

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-caldwell-b95290147/

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John-Caldwell-2 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance

 

 

Season 7, Episode 2 with Daniela Dudysova on the effects of daytime psilocybin administration on sleep

In this episode, I talk to Daniela Dudysova from the Czech Republic about her recent publication on "The Effects of Daytime Psilocybin Administration on Sleep: Implications for Antidepressant Action"

Read the full paper here for free https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.602590/full

Check out her TEDx Youth talk on Editing memories while you sleep https://youtu.be/0WOcf9TMBkQ 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au or www.sleep4performance.com.au

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance

S4P Knowledge mini-episode #1: Sleep Paralysis: Science, Mythology and Folklore

In this mini-episode (~20 mins), I explore and discuss the relationship between sleep paralysis, science, mythology and folklore.

References/Sources for this podcast

Adler SR. Sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome among Hmong immigrants: examining the role of the nightmare. J Am Folk 1991; 104: 54–71.

Adler SR. Refugee stress and folk belief: Hmong sudden deaths. Sco Sci Med 1995; 40: 1623–1629. Cox AM. Sleep paralysis and folklore. JRSM Open. 2015;6(7):2054270415598091. Published 2015 Jul 28. doi:10.1177/2054270415598091

de Sá JFR and Mota-Rolim SA. Sleep Paralysis in Brazilian Folklore and Other Cultures: A Brief Review. Frontiers in psychology 2016; 7. Review. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01294.

Young E, Xiong S, Finn L, et al. Unique sleep disorders profile of a population-based sample of 747 Hmong immigrants in Wisconsin. Soc Sci Med 2013; 79: 57–65.

Davies, Owen. “The Nightmare Experience, Sleep Paralysis, and Witchcraft Accusations.” Folklore, vol. 114, no. 2, [Folklore Enterprises, Ltd., Taylor & Francis, Ltd.], 2003, pp. 181–203, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30035099.

Denis D, French CC and Gregory AM. A systematic review of variables associated with sleep paralysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews 2018; 38: 141-157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2017.05.005.

Sleep Paralysis: Demon in the Bedroom https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-you-should-know-about-sleep-paralysis-and-sleep-demons/

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au www.sleep4performance.com.au

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance

Season 7, Episode 1 with Dr Jennifer Walsh on medical cannabis and the benefit to insomnia

In this episode of the Sleep4Peformance Podcast, I speak with Dr Jen Walsh. Jen and I have previously collaborated at the Centre for Sleep Science at the University of Western Australia. I sat down with Jen to discuss their recent publication on treating insomnia with medical cannabis. This was a great conversation and you can read the full paper before or after this episode via this link for free https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/44/11/zsab149/6296857 

Jennifer H Walsh, Kathleen J Maddison, Tim Rankin, Kevin Murray, Nigel McArdle, Melissa J Ree, David R Hillman, Peter R Eastwood, Treating insomnia symptoms with medicinal cannabis: a randomized, crossover trial of the efficacy of a cannabinoid medicine compared with placebo, Sleep, Volume 44, Issue 11, November 2021, zsab149, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab149

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au 

www.sleep4performance.com.au 

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance 

Season 6, Episode 12 with Dr Meeta Singh

In this episode, we welcome back Dr Meeta Singh (MD)

Meeta combines her deep scientific expertise with extensive real-world experience working with world-class performance organizations to produce Integrated Sleep Optimization Programs tailored to the unique needs and conditions of individual clients to help them optimize their personal and professional performance. Dr Singh has served as a consultant for multiple NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, Olympic and college sports teams, as well as large organizations, CEOs and C-suite executives, all seeking to optimize their competitive performance.

Head over to http://www.meetasinghmd.com/

or email Meeta at inquiries@meetasinghmd.com 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au 

www.sleep4performance.com.au 

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance 

Combat Sports Series: Episode 2 w Chris Kirk & Dr Carl Langham Evans, training load in MMA athletes

In this episode, I speak with Chris Kirk and Carl Langham Evans. We discuss their recent paper led by Chris titled “Quantification of training load distribution in mixed martial arts athletes: A lack of periodisation and load management.” Read all about it here for free https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251266

Chris is a PhD student at LJMU researching the training loads and effects of preparing for competition in mixed martial arts (MMA). Chris has published academic journal articles consistently since 2014, looking into the performance and anthropometrical characteristics of MMA participants at the regional, national and international levels. Alongside his PhD studies he is also actively involved in collaboration with researchers based in Sao Paulo (Brazil), focusing on the effects of training in a range of combat sports. He has over a decade of teaching and lecturing experience in FE and HE institutions, specialising in physiology, strength & conditioning and research methods.

He is currently responsible for lecturing on, leading and writing several modules at Sheffield Hallam University on levels 4-7, having previously worked at the University of Derby. Dr Carl Langan-Evans is currently a Post Doctoral Research Fellow and the former Head of Sport Science Support Services/ Strength & Conditioning at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). As a former elite athlete in the sport of Taekwondo, Carl was originally involved with the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences via the LJMU Sport Scholarship programme from 2004 until 2008. During this time, Carl received a number of support services in the areas of strength & conditioning, physiology, psychology and nutrition to aid his competitive goals and this ultimately led to him becoming interested in working within the discipline.

Continuing his affiliation with the School, Carl completed his PhD in applied sport physiology and nutrition with a mixed-method approach undertaking five qualitative and quantitative, laboratory and field-based investigations jointly examining and intervening in making weight strategies for combat sport athletes. Carl’s current post-doctoral research is funded by the sport nutrition company Science in Sport (SiS) and is specifically focused on examining the formulation and modulation of ergogenic nutritional aids for combat sport performance. Alongside his university role, Carl consults with a number of professional and Olympic combat sports athletes inclusive of those in the UFC, Bellator, Cage Warriors mixed martial arts promotions, boxing and taekwondo.

Combat Sports Series Episode 1 w Dr Israel Halperin augmented feedback to fighters

Dr Israel Halperin Completed his PhD in 2017 at the School of Medical and Health Sciences in Edith-Cowan University, Australia. His PhD thesis focused on augmented feedback as a tool to improve athletic performance, for which he was awarded the most outstanding PhD thesis in the School of Medical and Health Sciences. During his PhD period, Dr Halperin worked as a sports scientist in the Australian Institute of Sport. His role was to monitor, consult and assist the Olympic combat sports teams prepare for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Dr Halperin then joined Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, as a postdoctoral researcher for one year. He continued investigating the effects of feedback on physical performance. Dr Halperin published over 25 peer-reviewed articles and presented his work in over 15 international conferences. His studies have been cited over 350 times and are regularly covered on popular websites Recently, he was voted as one of the top ten sports scientists who strength coaches should know by Simplifaster.com. Dr Halperin has an extensive coaching background working with many national and international level athletes from a variety of sports. In addition, he works as a sports science consultant for the national Taekwondo and Muay-Thai coaches.

 

https://www.halperin-lab.com/

 

Twitter @Israel_Halperin

 

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au 

www.sleep4performance.com.au 

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance 

Special Series on Sleep Disorders and Problems: Episode 3 Remote Polysomnography Technology with Dr Amy Bender

In this episode, Amy and I discuss Remote Polysomnography Technology. Specifically, we discuss the technology available at Cerebra Health https://www.cerebra.health/ Amy is a past guest on S4P and I would highly recommend checking out her previous episode in relation to sleep and sports. 

Dr. Bender is Director of Clinical Sleep Science at Cerebra Medical and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. She received her PhD and Master of Science degrees in Experimental Psychology from Washington State University specializing in sleep EEG. She has helped develop the only validated sleep screening tool for athletes and has implemented sleep optimization strategies for numerous Canadian Olympic and professional teams. Her current interests focus on how to help people sleep better by improving sleep disorder treatments with more precise digital sleep metrics. She was a former college basketball athlete, did an Ironman in 2009, and currently chases her 3 young kids around.    

Follow Amy @sleep4sport on Twitter or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramymbender/ 

Check us out at www.sleep4performance.com 

Sleep4Performance Seminar, Session 4 Speaker line up and overview of talks

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Sleep4Performance Seminar, Session 3 Speaker line up and overview of talks

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Sleep4Performance Seminar, Session 1 Speaker line up and overview of talks

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Special Series on Sleep Disorders and Problems: Episode 2 wearables and technology with Dr Michael Grandner

Dr. Grandner is the Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at the Banner-University Medical Center, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the UA College of Medicine, with joint appointments in the Departments of Medicine, Psychology (UA College of Science), Nutritional Sciences (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences), and Clinical Translational Science. In addition, he is a faculty member of the Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs. He is certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine by the American Board of Sleep Medicine and is a Diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine by the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

His research focuses on how sleep and sleep-related behaviors are related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, neurocognitive functioning, mental health, and longevity. Current and recently-completed research projects were funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the American Heart Association (AHA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and other organizations. Read more about his research or see his publications.

Find out more about Michael here https://www.michaelgrandner.com/about.html 

Follow us for more information at www.sleep4performance.com.au 

 

 

Special Series on Sleep Disorders and Problem: Episode1 with Sleep Technologist and Educator Mr. Brendan Duffy

The legend of Long Island, Mr Brendan Duffy. With a special interest in the realm of sports and fatigue management. Brendan Duffy has over 20 years of experience in sleep medicine as both a sleep tech and a sleep centre manager. He speaks and authors articles nationally on the impact of sleep on athletic competition and preparation.

He is an RPSGT and NY State licensed sleep technologist and educator. In addition, he has spoken at several community and industry sleep meetings on several sleep topics and has a special interest in research and information with regard to sleep and athletic performance.

Season 6, Episode 11 with Ronan Doherty on sleep and nutrition interactions for athletes.

Rónán lectures at Letterkenny Institute of Technology and is also a member of the Sport Ireland Institute, Performance Nutrition team.  He currently works predominantly with Irish Sailing having previously worked across a range of national teams including Hockey, Rowing, Boxing, and Paralympics sports. Rónán was the Performance Nutritionist to Irish Olympic medalists Annalise Murphy (Sailing) and Gary and Paul O'Donovan (Rowing). He was also the lead Performance Nutritionist for Donegal GAA from 2015-2019.

Rónán is in the final months of a PhD in sleep and athlete recovery at Northumbria University. The research team is made up of academics from Northumbria University (Professor Jason Ellis), the Sport Ireland Institute (Dr. Sharon Madigan) and the University of Limerick (Dr. Giles Warrington).  The research focuses on nutrition, sleep and athlete recovery.  

 

Related publications

Doherty, R., Madigan, S.M., Nevill, A., Warrington, G. and Ellis, J.G. (2021) The sleep and recovery practices of athletes. Nutrients, 13(4), p.1330. Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1330

Doherty, R., Madigan, S., Warrington, G. and Ellis, J. (2019) Sleep and nutrition interactions: Implications for athletes. Nutrients, 11(4), p.822.

Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520871/

Twitter: @theronandoherty

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ronan-Doherty-3

Contact me at iandunican@sleep4performance.com.au 

www.sleep4performance.com.au 

You can also watch the video version of this podcast over at YouTube Sleep4Performance 

 

Listener question 1 : How do I get sleep after working the night shift?

In this episode, I attempt to answer the question How do I get to sleep after working the night shift?"

Ian Dunican

Twitter and Instagram @sleep4perform 

www.sleep4performance.com

Season 6, Episode 10 with Dr Spencer Roberts; Sleep Extension and Performance in Athletes

Spencer is a Lecturer in Exercise and Sport Science at Deakin University. His research focuses on characterising the sleep of athletes and understanding the effects of sleep and circadian rhythms on performance and health. He has consulted with elite and professional sporting organisations on strategies for improving and monitoring athlete sleep.

Go to Sleep4Performance playlist Friends of S4P Lectures and Talks on YouTube to see Spencer's great lecture on his work (~15 mins) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLRQE4OVCvku0xUCOmIiuA/playlists 

Twitter @SSHRoberts

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-roberts-01841292/?originalSubdomain=au 

Deakin University link and his research outputs: https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/people/spencer-roberts#tab__1--2 

Follow me at www.sleep4performance.com

Season 6, Episode 9 with Kendal Yonomoto, Golf Coach, Athlete and Entrepreneur

Kendal Yonomoto is the author of "The Athletic Fundamentals of Golf" a golf instruction book based on my experience training with Olympic sprinters. The book describes a small number of universal terms (principles) for movement and technique, demonstrated with simple Med Ball exercises.
Kendal is a coach and consultant to PGA Tour Players: Ryan Moore, David Duval, Stephen Ames, Paul Casey, Vijay Singh, Fred Funk. The objective with all these players was the same, improve their performance by improving their understanding and feel for movement - without disrupting their natural feels. 

Contact Kendal or grab his book or enrol in his course at https://www.coachkendal.com 

Follow us over at www.sleep4performance.com 

Cheers Ian Dunican 

 

Season 6, Episode 8 with Pat Byrne "Inconvenient Sleep: Why Teams Win and Lose"

Patrick pioneered sleep and fatigue analysis and solutions in professional sports beginning in 2008. His systems have proven to increase performance for athletes, teams and workers, globally. Patrick has improved performance in teams in the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, AFL and Olympic and National Teams. His systems have also reduced accidents in the industry from the USA to Europe, Asia and Australia. With over 30 years of experience in health, safety and performance optimization, Patrick brings a unique and successful approach to fatigue management.

Check us out at www.sleep4performance.com 

Contact Pat at http://byrne-co.com/ Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter or better still, pick up a copy of his new book https://www.amazon.com.au/Inconvenient-Sleep-Why-Teams-Lose-ebook/dp/B08DMBJLDC