How well does a sleep expert sleep?

How well does a sleep expert actually sleep? Dr. Alfred Wiater gives us a personal insight into his sleeping habits, reveals his most important sleep tip, and explains why even the best sleep experts sometimes have trouble sleeping.

Table of contents

1. Our expert: sleep medicine specialist Dr. Alfred Wiater
2. How well do you sleep as a sleep expert?
3. Tips & useful information about children's sleep

1. Our expert: sleep medicine specialist Dr. Alfred Wiater

Our sleep depends on many different factors, and even as an expert in the field, we are not immune to a bad night. Dr. Alfred Wiater is smartsleep-Expert for sleep medicine and health. As a pediatrician and former chairman of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM), he has more than 35 years of experience in the field of sleep and is also very familiar with sleep disorders. Nevertheless, even he is not immune to the occasional poor night's sleep. In our Podcast He told us what helped him find enough rest and what his most important tip for restful sleep is. We'll give you an overview of the most interesting answers here.

2. How well do you sleep as a sleep expert?

[An interview with Dr. Alfred Wiater]

You have over 35 years of experience in the fields of pediatric sleep, sleep medicine, and sleep research. How well do you and your children really sleep?

It's truly a misconception to think that if you know everything theoretically about sleep, you'll also put it into practice. Yes, our children all slept badly, and we were annoyed by it, too. But perhaps that also contributed to me subsequently realizing some important connections and recommendations, even though my own children didn't benefit from them.

And what about your own sleep?

My personal sleep patterns were very variable. In the 40 years I worked in the clinic, I slept quite poorly. I was awake more often because I was thinking about the problems I had brought home with me or what problems awaited me the next day. That was a significantly elevated stress level.

In the first few years after leaving the hospital, I repeatedly had nightmares about what I had experienced there. It really occupied my mind. After I started taking it easy, my sleep improved significantly. Apparently. Because then I kept experiencing external sleep disturbances, like my wife nudging me because I snore. My sleep wasn't as restful either.

Were you able to solve this problem?

My wife worked very hard and very persistently to convince me to get it checked out. This was done and it turned out that I had a severe Sleep apnea I had and still have – with over 30 breathing pauses lasting up to two minutes during the night and significant drops in oxygen levels. In retrospect, this explained why my blood pressure was so high and I was so sleep deprived during the day. So, there's a huge gap between what you know theoretically and what you actually do. I'm now receiving good therapeutic care and use a CPAP device to support my breathing while I sleep. Since then, my sleep has been very restful, and I feel fit.

So what has helped you get better sleep?

I'm very happy that, with my wife's support, I've found the right path to restful sleep. Snoring is such a taboo subject. Nobody likes to admit they snore. However, as we get older, just as many women snore as men. It's a very common phenomenon, and you just have to figure out whether it's harmless or something more serious.

How many hours do you sleep per night?

I have a set routine. I usually sleep from 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. and treat myself to a power nap of about 20 minutes every day at lunchtime. That's ideal for me.

Would you call the power nap a secret weapon?

Absolutely! But as an extra portion of sleep, not to compensate for a poor night's sleep. It's been proven that a short nap not only rejuvenates us physically, but also mentally, and that we're mentally much more refreshed in the afternoon.

How to achieve the perfect power nap, you can here read.

Which Chrono- or sleep type are you?

I'm a moderately early bloomer, more of an early bird.

Do you have a specific evening routine?

No, I'm in the fortunate position of being able to completely relax and don't need any aids like reading or chill-out music. I usually fall asleep within 15 minutes.

Do you have a favorite sleep tip you would like to share?

Yes, I did. Namely: Preparing for sleep at night begins with getting upIt is very important that we make use of the natural morning light early in the morning. Natural morning light has a very high proportion of blue light, and this blocks melatonin, our so-called sleep hormone. Serotonin, on the other hand, is released. This hormone is generally referred to as the happiness hormone and makes us fit and mentally alert and lifts our mood. We must make use of this. The crucial thing is that melatonin is formed from serotonin in the evening when it gets dark. This means that we have to think of being awake and sleeping, light and dark together. And that is why it is important to enjoy the daylight in the morning.

My tip: You need to spend half an hour outside every morning. You can incorporate this into your daily routine. Then you can simply cycle to work. Or if you take the train, get off one stop early and walk a bit. You can do all of these things, and it will make you feel fitter during the day and sleep better at night.

3. Tips & useful information about children's sleep

In our special podcast series on children's sleep, you can learn even more about Dr. Alfred Wiater and receive a wealth of knowledge, interesting facts, and great tips about sleep and sleep disorders in children. Want to listen? Click here for the podcast ➨

Best regards and see you next time!