Ep 82 Sleep Solutions: Unlocking the Secrets to Healthy Sleep Habits

"Sleep is the third pillar of your health, actually. So it's really important for us to start to pay attention to it."

This is one of my favorite episodes on  Thym 4 Tea with Mikita. In this episode, Dr. Funke Brown shares her expertise on the topic of creating sleep routines for teenagers and the benefits of self-care. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing sleep and self-care for optimal physical and mental health and provides valuable resources such as her Instagram and YouTube channels to access her sleep tips and learn ways to radiate your inner brilliance. With sleep being the third pillar of health, along with diet and exercise, we must educate our community about the importance of getting enough rest. Don't miss out on this insightful episode and learn how to establish calming and consistent bedtime routines that will leave you feeling refreshed and energized. Tune in now to Thym 4 Tea with Mikita and start prioritizing your sleep and self-care routine today! Want to listen to the entire episode then click here

- Sleep is important for physical and mental health
- Lack of sleep can lead to health problems and impaired driving
- Consistent sleep routine is essential for teenagers

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

even if it's just like 20 minutes or any amount of time to just be and really invest in yourself. I think it's really important to then show up in the best way you can for everyone else, you know, so definitely something that I try to prioritize as much as possible.

Speaker 2: 0:20

Hey there, i'm Makita, a small town girl with dreams who started a podcast with an old headset and a laptop at my kitchen table and made my dreams come true. On my podcast, time for Tea with Makita, we chat about living life unapologetically, on your terms, from career advice, entrepreneurship, relationships and everything in between. This is your one-stop-shop for real conversations and inspiration. If you're looking for connection, then you found it here. Join me every Tuesday as we dive into those sometimes hard to have conversations.

Speaker 1: 0:56

So grab a cup of tea or coffee and get comfy, because this is time for Tea with Makita and the tea is definitely hot You know we talk about, you know, self-care and how we should eat healthy and exercise, and I will just say, okay and try to get sleep, but not really honing into the fact that actually I feel like you know, when you talk about sleep, when you talk about diet and exercise, sleep is the third pillar of your health, actually you know. So it's really important for us to start to pay attention to it and just not really now start to perceive it where it now becomes an anxiety-provoking issue or just paying attention to, okay, how am I feeling during the day and what impact is my sleep or lack thereof having on my, on how I'm feeling? I am a pediatric sleep physician but I so I focus more on, you know, taking care of children with different sleep disorders, and I've had people ask oh really, do kids have sleep problems? Most people just feel like, okay, you know, during that in that first year of life, they have, you know, attachments and difficulty falling asleep on their own, and then they just figure it out as they get older. But really, if you think about it, are school-y children, are teenagers, are just not getting enough sleep, and one of the things that is just really part of my interview when I'm seeing this kid they may be coming in for. Oh yes, i have snoring, for instance, because children cannot sleep at night, things like that and I'm asking how many hours of sleep are you getting? you know, and you hear all kinds of concerning numbers. So you know really taking time to help our children understand how important sleep is. Of course, when children don't sleep well, then most times their parents don't sleep well as well. So for me, that's one of the things I've been so passionate about empowering families to prioritize sleeping their children, because when their children sleep better, then they will sleep better as well. So it all benefits everyone.

Speaker 1: 3:02

A lot of studies have shown an association between increased risk of diabetes. Insulin is not well regulated when you don't sleep well. So this actually has not just the impact on our mood and things like that, but actually on our physical well-being, and so when you think about that, think about the cost of that, what that will cost the healthcare system even. You know even the complications from things like that. If we can at least focus on that one thing that's really achievable getting off sleep you know, make sure you prioritize it at least.

Speaker 1: 3:39

I think that really is something that I feel like educating the community is really important to do, and even studies have shown that just if you're short, even if you, one night of inadequate sleep already has significant consequences. So we may not feel like we see it overtly, but of course over time it builds up, but even just one night actually, there were some studies where they looked at, you know, almost like compared blood alcohol levels of people who were like drunk pretty much as well as those who had been sleep deprived for 24 hours, and they were just about the same. So driving is also something that, especially my teenagers and things like that, i'm like if you haven't gotten enough sleep, you should not be on the road. I do not want you on the road, you know, because it's you can imagine it's about the same as having a drunk driver. So these are pretty significant too, and it's just one night of, you know, miss skipping adequately.

Speaker 1: 4:40

So really something that we should try to aim for. But I hear you, it's a struggle. We have all this awesome, amazing things we want to accomplish. Yes, we're like oh, please, you know, you think about it. Okay, there's snow and so what? It's actually one area of sleep medicine that has been studied extensively, and it's that sleep apnea causes a lot of daytime, a lot of consequences, even in children. They may be at risk for, you know, high blood pressure, learning difficulties, mood, memory problems. They also can be at risk for especially the older, like the teenagers, at risk of developing diabetes and hypertension and things like that. So these are all problems we want to address, especially if it's potentially caused by a disorder that's treatable. So I think that's really important to key in the pediatrician and get that treatment as soon as possible.

Speaker 2: 5:39

Yes, definitely, especially when we're talking about our kids. We want them to be healthy and thriving, you know, as a teenager and then go into adulthood the best that they can, the best health and understand health. You know and how it affects everything.

Speaker 1: 5:56

So, important.

Speaker 2: 5:58

Yes, now, just real quick, when we're talking about sleep and you know, is there any a lot of people like to do, do you recommend that people develop something like a routine or any kind or ritual?

Speaker 1: 6:11

Absolutely, and you know, that's something that I definitely love to educate people about, you know. But we're creatures of habit, so our brains, our bodies like to be able to anticipate something. So so, as well, sleep. So if you have either something as consistent as possible, it makes you, it helps you with falling asleep, and also a routine is really important. I feel like our newborns and our you know, our infants, our younger children tend to have that nice routine where they either take a shower, read a book, do some you know bonding time and going to bed, and you know, and they sleep and all, and then, as they get older, you know, the teenagers don't want to bond anymore, or The routines are so important It's really nothing complicated.

Speaker 1: 7:04

Usually, i would recommend two to three calming, relaxing activities heading in the direction of the bedroom. So not like take a bath, come downstairs, play some basketball, then go back upstairs and read a book and then come back. No, just something calming. Usually, your back is always a nice part, part of our routine, you know, either reading a book or doing some meditation, keeping the room nice and dark and cool and really getting your brain in the mood for sleep. So that's something I definitely recommend, even just by switching from their day clothes into their PJs. It's let's take that, you know what I mean Like something to mark and say listen, it's now time for bed, you know, and get the devices out of the room and things like that. And for those that don't necessarily want to chat they're not too chatty at times offering them things like journaling, i think, is a good, calm and relaxing activity that a teenager can incorporate as part of their routine. So, like two or three calming activities, whatever works for the family is always very, very helpful for sleep.

Speaker 2: 8:14

I like the journaling. I think that is soothing because you get to like pour out like anything that was going on that day and it kind of releases it, you know, off your mind, because it's hard to go to sleep when your mind is going and thinking about the next thing. So I love that.

Speaker 1: 8:31

That is even I do that because you know it's almost as if once your head hits the pillow, it's like oh my goodness, how could I have been better today? and they all, you stop planning the next day. So it's all. it's nice to have that, like you know, a journal or notebook or something next to the bedside where you can say, okay, listen, i'm going to put this down so I don't forget it, so my mind doesn't have to hold on to it, i'm going to deal with, i'm going to call that person tomorrow, I'm going to make that grocery list, you know, kind of try to get that done. Put that down on paper so that you can focus on sleep. Yes, it's a great habit, i think.

Speaker 2: 9:08

I do, i believe. So. Now, how do you practice self care daily? I know you know, as a doctor, you're busy, you have a family, so how do you take time out to practice self care daily for yourself?

Speaker 1: 9:23

I'm a morning person, Okay, so I think that's really where I try to focus myself here, and usually I start with, you know, some meditation. I also I really started journaling a lot more over the last you know year, pretty much with you know the pandemic, And so I do some of that. You know, do some reading, And then I might take like a do a power walk, you know, maybe like 30 minutes or so, and then come back, you know, take, and by then my family starts to wake up and then we kind of get our day started. So typically that's what I, that's what I do to practice some self care.

Speaker 2: 10:07

I love that just being by yourself, like taking time just for you before you know you start pouring into your family and everyone else That's. I love that, yeah yeah, i agree.

Speaker 1: 10:18

I mean, I feel like there's something that always just resounds with with me and it's like you cannot go out of an empty cup. You just can't right. So it's it's always important, even if it's just like 20 minutes or any amount of time, to just be and and really investing in yourself. I think is really important to then show up in the best way you can for everyone else. You know. So definitely something that I try to prioritize as much as possible.

Speaker 2: 10:49

I think you do Well. Tell everyone where they can go, how they can follow you. I know you got these great newsletters on. You know if you go to your website, so tell everyone about that and how they can get in contact with you.

Speaker 1: 11:04

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So I am on Instagram. That's where I would say I'm quite active at restful sleep MD, and I also have a Facebook page that's responsible for the MD, and also I have a YouTube channel now where I release weekly just sleep tips or something that I've. You know that I'm seeing that's coming up a lot in people's lives. I just tried to do a short video on that And that's, and then I also have a website If you go to drpunquebrauncom. In addition to teaching people about sleep, i also teach people to radiate their inner brilliant. So I'm just passionate about encouraging people and things like that, so that's somewhere that you'll find me as well either, you know right in a blog or something like that, just to inspire people pretty much.

Speaker 2: 11:57

I'll tell you I love your blog. I started reading them and I was like, oh my gosh, like she's talking to me. I could really relate to them. You guys you've got to definitely have to check Dr Dr Funke Brown out on her YouTube channel. It's a lot of great tips. I think sleep is so, so important. That is one of the. For me, the number one self care is getting enough sleep that you can function and show up every day at your best, optimal self.

Speaker 1: 12:27

So I love that, i love that, i love sleep advocate.

Speaker 2: 12:30

so yes, Well, thank you so much. It has been a pleasure to have you on spilling delicious tea.

Speaker 1: 12:37

Thank you so much for having me. This has been, this has been great.