16th July 2022 | Tags: Club Epanafero, Expert Interview
Talking about improving your sleep hygiene may sound like a foreign language. Or perhaps you regard this as a nonsensical concept. Or a fantasy that lies just beyond reach…
Like many in our community, you may only dream about getting enough restful sleep. Your slumber is too short, it’s fragmented, you wake up feeling short-changed by your night’s so-called “rest”. Then you drag yourself out of bed and through the following day, perhaps aided by a cup of coffee (or two). When it’s finally approaching time to go to bed, you feel exhausted but your mind is very much ‘on’…so you continue to work, or watch TV or YouTube hoping to relax and switch off. The next thing you know is that you’ve fallen asleep in front of your TV, again…and now you regret not heading to bed earlier. The morning arrives too quickly; and you feel tired before the day has even started. 🥱
What you might not know is that there is a lot that you can do to help improve your sleep. Whether you currently enjoy decent sleep or you long for better sleep, this is where sleep hygiene comes in…
Why focus on Sleep Hygiene?
Knowing how vital sleep is to heart health, we’d love to wave a magic wand and give everyone the gift of good sleep. In fact, we’d go further…and make it possible for everyone to look forward to going to sleep, confident that they will fall asleep fast and will remain asleep for the entire night. And that they’d wake up the next day feeling refreshed and with enthusiasm for the new day!
Unfortunately, we don’t have such magical powers. But we can do is show you how to improve your sleep through what you to do (and don’t do) during the day. This is why we’re focusing on Sleep Hygiene as our topic for July within Club Epanafero…and why we’re getting ready to welcome another expert guest to join us tomorrow in the Club!
Welcome to Dr. Simon Freilich!
Our expert guest is Dr. Simon Freilich, who is Consultant in Clinical Neurophysiology at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK. His clinical work involves studying people’s brainwaves using EEG (electroencephalography) technology. He says, “I am privileged to have a wonderful vantage point to observe the clinical and electrical changes our bodies and brains undergo during the beautiful enigma that is sleep.”
What excites us is that Dr. Freilich will share insights and practical tips which can help you improve your sleep hygiene. Remember, our desire is that you can enjoy truly restful sleep, night after night! 😴💚
Dr. Freilich trained at Imperial College London, UK, and graduated with Distinction in 2006. Over that period, he obtained a BSc in Cardiovascular Sciences, and commenced an academic association with Royal Brompton Hospital’s Sleep and Ventilation Unit. His research focused on the impact of arousal from sleep on the cardiovascular system, and this was published in 2010.
Outside of his clinical work, Dr. Freilich is an actively involved in medical education and health promotion through his YouTube channel: Clinical Neurophysiology. With 22.5K subscribers and more than 3.3 million views over 7 years, he clearly knows a thing or two about communication! In our eyes, this makes him a rare breed – he has considerable medical knowledge and expertise AND he is a masterful communicator!
Can everyone improve their sleep with good sleep hygiene?
Good question! And one that we will be asking Dr. Freilich tomorrow…
We know how important sleep is to your cardiovascular health; and how you impact your sleep by what you do from the moment you open your eyes in the morning through the moment you lie down at night. We’ve explored the most common disruptors to sleep – including your exposure to blue light, how much (and when) you drink coffee and/or alcohol, lack of exercise, stress, and having an irregular sleep schedule.
All of this points the fact that everyone can improve their sleep hygiene – and yes, this includes you! And when you do this, you will benefit from better sleep. You’ll be able to fall asleep faster, sleep in one continuous block through the night, sleep longer…and wake up feeling restored and with energy for a new day.
Welcome to the Club, Dr. Simon Freilich!
Tomorrow, we look forward to discussing all things sleep hygiene with Dr. Freilich! We know that he will be sharing insight & practical recommendations gained from his patient care as from his earlier research work.
If you’d like to join us for this interview with Dr. Freilich, come and join us in Club Epanafero! We invite you to choose your Membership Package here.
Dr. Edwin is a Consultant Cardiologist and Co-Founder of Epanafero. He has dedicated most of his 30+ years of medical practice to the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Focusing now on the prevention heart disease through lifestyle, Edwin sees very positive results in his patients’ heart health. Outside of Epanafero, Edwin shares his love of travel, language and culture with his wife Katrine and also dedicates time to his spirituality and being physically active.
