Description

In this episode I interview Dr Sara Nowakowski, Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine who treats patients with insomnia and other sleep disorders at the Baylor Sleep Medicine Clinic.

I tap her experience and expertise about what causes insomnia, how it’s different for women, why Ambien isn’t the best solution to solve sleep and the life long method to remedy insomnia that even the College Of American Physicians recommends as the first line of treatment.

Questions we covered:

• General practitioners aren’t often versed on how to deal with insomnia, especially that related to menopause transition hormonal changes.  For example, mine prescribed Ambien. What are your thoughts and what does the research say about drugs like Ambien?
• It seems like there is a link between insomnia and likelihood of dementia.  Could you discuss?
• Why women are more likely to get insomnia
• As the American College of Physicians recommends CBTi as first line of defense, could you go into why and what research has shown?
• Where does one find a good CBTi practitioner?
• CBTi may not be financially available to some people, what are some books or recommended ways someone can try to do it for themselves. 
• What are some of the interesting research results you’ve found in your studies about sleep, sleep behavior?

Bio:

Sara Nowakowski, PhD, CBSM, DBSM is an Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine who treats patients

with insomnia and other sleep disorders at the Baylor Sleep Medicine Clinic. She is also a Research Health Scientist at the

Houston VA, where she conducts research on sleep, health, and aging. Dr. Nowakowski’s current NIH-funded research

aims to assess the efficacy of healthy sleep habits in patients undergoing hip or knee joint surgery in order to optimize

recovery and rehabilitation. She has over 50 peer-reviewed publications, is editor of a book for providers on adapting

cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, and is currently the President of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

https://www.bcm.edu/people/view/sara-nowakowski-phd-cbsm-dbsm/49857504-5f66-11e9-8698-005056a012ee

https://www.houston.hsrd.research.va.gov/bios/nowakowski.asp

Resources Dr Nowakowski cited in episode for insomnia / improving sleep:

1. VA Improve Your Sleep Workbook:  https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/insomnia/workbook.pdf
2. VA Path To Better Sleep:  https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/sleep/index.asp
3. Sleep EZ digital CBT-I course:  https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/apps/insomnia/index.html#introduction1
4. Sleep Without Medication pamphlet: https://www.deprescribingnetwork.ca/sleep https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5836f01fe6f2e1fa62c11f08/t/5c6587cbe79c702fc1385c50/1550157774396/Sleep+brochure_11Feb2019.pdf
5. Finding a Behavioral Sleep Medicine Provider:  https://www.behavioralsleep.org/index.php/united-states-sbsm-member

Find Dr Nowakowski on twitter: @Sara_Sleep

Find me:

Instagram: @ironstrongfit

Website: IronStrongFitness.net

New Episodes Drop every Wednesday 7am ET