I had 2 weeks break over the Summer Holiday - which was different for me.

In previous years I would have taken 3-to-4 weeks off - not only to recover from a strenuous year working at University, but to also physically and emotionally prepare myself for a gruelling year ahead.

I would typically also take 1 week off around July. I’d say to people that getting through an academic year was like swimming the breaststroke. You need to come up for air now and again.

In 2022 I worked 52 weeks straight - at least 5 days a week.

Yet after 2 weeks of Summer Holidays - I feel recharged and ready to take on 2023.

So as an aside - if you’re in a job that’s grinding you - especially a job at a University - start planning to leave. You won’t regret it!

Now - back to this awesome Summer Holiday …

How did I recharge after only 2 weeks off?

I put my mind to something different.

I spent a lot of time away from screens - with two notable exceptions …

By day, I’d watch a bunch of renovation videos on Youtube, which has inevitably ended in chaffed, darkened and bloodied hands (fortunately, no stitches).

By night, Mrs Amy Gradisar - our pug Rossi - and I, looked forward to watching a TV series. It was a nice reward at the end of a physical day.

And one standout TV series we watched was called ‘The Boys’.

OMFG!

It’s not for everyone - indeed, there is stuff in this show that I never thought would be played out on a screen (#SPOILERALERT)

Add to that, the typical suspense, cliffhangers at the end of an episode, and absolutely shocking scenes here and there.

It was so different and personally loved it.

And having funded my way through the early years at University with a night job at a Video Store - I get that there’s not one movie or TV for everyone (hmmm, maybe Shawshank Redemption is the enigma here).

But after hours of lying in bed, watching sh#t that was thrilling and shocking - I drifted off to sleep …

Yeah sure, there will be folks reading this who say “Well, you probably fell asleep because you worked physically hard during the day and tired yourself out.”
If so - you’re missing the point.

And it’s a pretty important point that you’re missing.

But don’t worry, because you’re in good company.

99.99% of people are with you.

Said differently, 9,999 in 10,000 people likely still believe you shouldn’t watch TV - let alone exciting TV - in the bedroom before you go to sleep.

Well, in the past month, sleep science - finally - says differently …

Cliffhangers!

”Hej - I sent you a new study that came out. I think you’ll really like it!”

I opened the link Dr Serena Bauducco sent me.

I read the title.

As I read the title, my brain was thinking it was strange.

The title used words that shouldn’t be in a title of a scientific study.

Then I finished reading the title.

My jaw dropped.

“Finally!” I exclaimed.

And what relief - as I didn’t have to go ahead and do the study myself.

Now there is another group of researchers in the world getting into a sleep laboratory and testing what is likely happening in the real world …

What Did They Find?

In short - people can watch TV - with or without cliffhangers - and:

• experience heightened physiological and cognitive arousal,

• but - regardless, they fall asleep just fine.

Now …

Are you going to be one of those 9,999 people that begins to think “Yes, but …”?

If so, I’d reeeeaaaallllllyyyy love to know why that’s your knee jerk reaction?

But wait - there’s more …

A Way To Cope?

Alexandra Daniels has had an interesting month.

She managed to finish her Masters of Clinical Psychology degree at the alphabetically-equally-ranked 22nd Australian university (out of 37) - plus, publish her Honours research thesis.

Alex’s thesis pushed the envelope back in 2019.

She and I wondered whether teenagers used technology to help distract themselves from the flurry of negative thoughts that can circle through our minds as the world becomes quieter and darker.

What Did Alex Find?

If we look at the teens who answered ‘Yes’ or ‘Sometimes’ to our question …

“Do you use any form of technology to help distract yourself from negative or distressing thoughts in the hour before bed?”

2 out of every 3 responded in the affirmative.

This is what we heard over countless years in our Child & Adolescent Sleep Clinic.

The teens we assessed and treated typically took a long time to fall asleep.

They self-taught themselves that there was no point in lying in the quiet darkness with their worries.

So they distracted themselves with technology until sleep came-a-knockin.

And what Alex also discovered is that despite teens using technology as a way to cope with their long sleep latency - they nonetheless were more likely to say that they have a sleep problem.

Conclusions?

People can arrive at their own conclusions at how the world works, primarily based on their own experiences - but not realising that their experiences can change - and their experience may be different to others.

This is the case of N=1 (ie, data from 1 person).

Another way to learn about how the world works is to hear of the experiences of many.

This can happen via ‘clinical experience’. Seeing a large group of people, one after another, who share a similar experience. In this case, difficulty falling asleep.

This is additional ‘data’ to one’s own experience. But it’s not systematic.

Systematic data is gathered via research. And when more and more research is conducted on the same topic - and the findings from the research begin to align, then we gain more confidence in how our world works.

In the case of using technology before bed - it’s not for 100% of the people who lie flat in the evening.

But my question to you is - will you continue to sound like the 99.99% of people in our world who yab, post and stream about watching TV before bed?

• Prof MG

WINK Member’s Spotlight

The Sleep Project -

Drs Caitlin Chasser and Eidn Mahmoudzadeh, and Polly Revaliente

Mix two GPs and one infant sleep consultant, simmer for a few months of website and business development, and you get The Sleep Project.

These 3 WINK Sleep Members have developed a passion for all things sleep, and have combined forces to provide sleep services across the lifespan.

They’re undertaken our Brief Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (BBT-I), Advanced Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia (CT-I) and Treating Teen Sleep Problems courses - so they’re Certified WINK Sleep Practitioners (Gold Badges).
Check out their Bios and Services (and fresh new website).