Using Wireless Headphones Before Bed

In my book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health, I talk quite a bit about how to cope with a sleep partner who may have different habits than yours. One of the things I suggest, if you're the partner with the later bed time, is to listen to TV or music using headphones, so as not to disturb the person who's already turned in for the night.

Today on the blog Thimgamababy, the author talks about using wireless headphones to listen to the TV while his toddler is sleeping.

This is a great idea, particularly if you're in the first half of your power down hour before bed, and are doing routine but mobile chores like folding laundry while watching Leno.

If anyone out there has tried wireless headphones and has any comments about how well they work for this purpose, please drop me a comment and let me know. The one thing I'd be curious to know is if the headphones ever pickup sounds they shouldn't -- like that digital buzz a cell phone or Blackberry makes when you leave it too close to a computer or a stereo. Some noise-reduction headphones pick this sound up as well.

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Technorati Tags: wireless headphones, insomnia, thingamababy

Vanda's New Insomnia Drug

In the recent Washington Post Article, "Test of Insomnia Drug Bolsters Vanda's Plan", I saw news on a new insomnia drug sending a stock sky high.

In the wonderful world of sleep medicine, this is old news. We have seen these claims time and time again, only to never actually pan out in the final phases of clinical trials. A great example of this was the compound Indeplon, created by smaller house Neurocrine and goliath Pfizer. When the trials looked fantastic (which they did), the FDA didn't give it a go. And of course the stock plummeted.

The reasoning behind the FDA non-approval of a particular dosage (which was a needed marketing point) was that they did not have time to work their way through all of the data. Amazing. I have patients who could have benefited from this medication, but the FDA did not have the time or the inclination to figure it out.

Am I happy about the idea of a new medication coming on the market that could directly help with Circadian Rhythm disorders? Sure. My first question however would be "Can it be used in teenagers?"

"Why?", you ask?

Simple -- because most teenagers suffer from a mild form of phase delay -- a circadian rhythm disorder that makes kids want to stay up late and sleep in (although drinking Red Bull by the case will do this as well!).

Next, I would ask about its effects in the elderly. Again, why? Because we see a HUGE number of those age 65 and older going to bed at 6:30 and getting up at 3:30, and wondering what is wrong with them. I often prescribe what I call "The Jay Leno Treatment". I ask them to stay up and watch Jay's Monologue and then turn out the light. This usually pushes them through til morning.

As for shift workers, would this help? Absolutely. Assuming we see that the drug works, what I would want to understand is, if this makes you sleep 46 minutes longer and 28 minutes sooner, then why would someone think it affects the internal biological clock?

It seems to be stretching sleep at both ends -- more of an insomnia need. Traditional circadian rhythms are the correct total sleep time, just at the wrong time of night or morning.

Again, confusing. I like that there are more medications and companies that are working on insomnia because I personally do not think that there are enough options to help people -- so that part is great. But would I buy the stock? I'll wait to see the clinical trials.

-- Dr. Mike

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Technorati Tags: circadian rhythm disorder, insomnia