00:00:00 Dr. Audrey Wells, a triple board-certified physician and founder of Super Sleep MD, discusses her unique background in medicine. She attended the University of Michigan for medical school but completed her certifications from three different universities: University of Michigan for Pediatrics, University of New Mexico for sleep medicine, and University of Washington in St. Louis for pediatrics. Her pediatric training was initially appealing due to her ability to advocate for her patients' health and the absence of self-imposed conditions. However, her focus shifted to sleep medicine after her fellowship training in pediatric pulmonary medicine, which was heavily ICU-based and exposed her to the obstructive sleep apnea condition.

00:05:00 Dr. Audrey Wells shares her personal journey that led her to pursue a subspecialty in sleep medicine. While working as a Pediatrician, she noticed the frequent complaints about sleep among hospital patients, which she believed was hindering their healing process. This concern was further amplified when she fell asleep during a conference on sleep medicine, leading her to switch grooms and discover her passion for the field. She went on to complete a Fellowship in sleep medicine and later recognized the correlation between obesity and sleep issues. This realization prompted her to obtain additional certification in obesity medicine to better address the needs of her patients. Dr. Wells' career shift was a result of her desire to help patients improve their sleep habits and overall health, leading her to become an expert in sleep medicine and obesity medicine.

00:10:00 Dr. Audrey Wells discusses her motivation to help people improve their overall health by focusing on the three essential elements: eating, moving, and sleeping. Dr. Wells, a specialist in Obesity medicine, believes that addressing all three areas together is a powerful approach to coaching and guiding individuals in need. She emphasizes the importance of good sleep, stating that without it, motivation and drive are eroded, making it difficult to focus on other aspects of health. Dr. Wells also introduces Super Sleep MD, a venture aimed at providing education and support for patients dealing with sleep apnea and insomnia. She explains that these conditions often coexist, making it challenging for patients to receive adequate attention and treatment within the medical system. Super Sleep MD offers high-touch help to address both conditions, providing alternatives to CPAP treatment and tailoring solutions to individual lifestyles. The low adherence rates to CPAP treatment and the lack of awareness about alternatives inspired Dr. Wells to create this platform, which includes group coaching experiences and online courses to help people apply sleep-related information to their lives more effectively.

00:15:00 Dr. Wells explains the challenges patients face after being diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP machine as treatment. Dr. Wells explains that while the CPAP machine is considered the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment, there is a lack of education and support provided to patients on how to use and maintain the machine effectively. This gap in education results in low adherence rates and ultimately, unsatisfactory long-term treatment outcomes. In response, Dr. Wells founded Super Sleep MD to provide patients with accessible and relevant information to help them successfully use their CPAP machines and improve their overall sleep health. The program also addresses dietary changes and obesity medicine as part of the holistic approach to long-term health.

00:20:00 They discuss the misconception that obstructive sleep apnea is always caused by being overweight. Dr. Wells clarifies that while weight can contribute to sleep apnea, it's not the sole cause, and anatomical reasons and neuro-mechanics of breathing also play a role. They touch upon oral appliance therapy as an alternative treatment for sleep apnea, which involves using a custom-made device to bring the jaw forward and open airways, helping to pull the tongue muscle out of the way and create more volume for air to pass through. This treatment is effective for people with mild to severe sleep apnea and is the second most common nonsurgical treatment after CPAP. It's essential to have a sleep study with the device in place to confirm its effectiveness, as the absence of snoring does not necessarily mean the absence of sleep apnea.

00:25:00 Dr. Wells shares a story about a couple where the husband's snoring had stopped, but he was still causing discomfort to his wife through kicking. The couple assumed the husband no longer had sleep apnea due to the absence of snoring, but Dr. Wells discovered through a sleep study that the husband was experiencing prolonged apnea events, which caused his brain to wake him up and result in the kicking. The husband had severe sleep apnea, and the absence of snoring did not indicate the absence of the condition. For sleep testing, there are options such as home sleep apnea testing and in-lab sleep studies. While in-lab studies are more accurate due to brain wave monitoring, they are more expensive and less convenient. Home tests are less expensive and convenient but may give false negatives, especially for women, and may require further investigation with an in-lab study.

00:30:00 Dr. Audrey Wells discusses the misconception that home sleep apnea tests measure sleep, when in fact they only measure breathing. She explains that historically, sleep apnea has been associated with middle-aged men with certain health conditions, but women also experience it, and their symptoms may differ, including difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with insomnia and anxiety or depression, and their sleep disruptions may not be accurately detected by home sleep apnea tests. Approximately one in five women are thought to have obstructive sleep apnea, and the risk evens out between men and women after menopause. Dr. Wells emphasizes the importance of recognizing the differences in how sleep apnea presents in women and men and ensuring appropriate testing and treatment.

00:35:00 Dr. Audrey Wells outlines various approaches to addressing insomnia beyond medication. She emphasizes the importance of identifying the root cause of insomnia, whether it's poor sleep habits, misalignment in chronotype, or stress. For those with a misaligned chronotype, adjusting work schedules or practicing better sleep hygiene might be more effective than relying on prescription drugs. Dr. Wells also highlights the long-term consequences of using certain insomnia medications, which act directly on the brain. She strongly recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as the most effective and durable treatment for insomnia. CBT-I focuses on changing thought patterns, attitudes, and beliefs about sleep to promote healthy sleep behaviors. Insomnia is common, and many people may benefit from improving their relationship with sleep rather than relying on sleep aids. The timing of sleep duration is also important, depending on an individual's biological programming. Night owls, for example, may require a later bedtime to optimize their sleep.

00:40:00 Dr. Audrey Wells discusses the importance of healthy sleep, focusing on the aspects of quantity, quality, and timing. Dr. Wells emphasizes that adults require 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day, with less than 7 hours leading to decreased productivity, mood swings, and potential health risks. She also highlights the significance of sleep quality, which includes the absence of sleep disorders, avoiding phone usage before bed, getting enough exercise, and creating a supportive sleep environment. Dr. Wells explains that healthy sleep requires a balance of quality, quantity, and timing to optimize rest and overall well-being. She also addresses a listener's question about sleep stages and how to improve the quality of deep and REM sleep.

00:45:00 In this section of the podcast episode "Tired of Nudging Your Sleeping Husband To Stop Snoring?" with Dr. Audrey Wells, the discussion revolves around the different sleep stages and the limitations of sleep tracking technology. Dr. Wells explains that a healthy person goes through four to five sleep cycles in a night, consisting of slow wave deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Both stages are essential for various functions, including growth hormone release, memory, and emotional regulation. She then discusses the current sleep tracking technology, such as wearable devices like the Aura ring, which can only provide an educated guess about sleep stages and awakenings. These devices are good at determining the start and end of sleep but have lower accuracy in determining sleep stages. Dr. Wells shares her personal experience of comparing the data from an EEG sleep study, a home sleep apnea test, and her Aura ring, revealing that the Aura ring painted a much less accurate picture of her sleep. Despite the limitations, sleep trackers are beneficial as they bring more awareness and dialogue about sleep and its impact on our health. As technology continues to evolve, sleep tracking is expected to improve significantly in the coming years.

00:50:00 Dr. Audrey Wells discusses her expertise in improving sleep quality, specifically for those with sleep apnea. She promotes her online platform, Super Sleep MD, where she offers courses, group coaching experiences, and a private Facebook group for sleep apnea patients. For individuals seeking one-on-one coaching, Dr. Wells can be found at awellsmd.com. She caters to high-performers and Type A personalities looking to optimize their daily lives. The conversation between Dr. Wells and the podcast host, Nate, was insightful, and listeners are encouraged to visit her websites for further information.