Most people sleep worse on the first night of a trip, and there is a real biological reason for it. Sleep researchers call it the first night effect. Various studies have shown that on a first night somewhere new, people took longer to fall asleep, woke up more during the night, slept less overall and… Continue reading
Author Archives → Waiz Wasey, MD
Double Board Certified Sleep Doctor | Top Doc AZ '25, '26 | Sleepfluencer - IG dr.snoozz | Alumni: SIU, Mayo Clinic
Why Does Menopause Cause Insomnia?
Menopause insomnia is trouble falling or staying asleep that starts or gets worse during the years around your final period. It is one of the most common symptoms of the change. Studies found that roughly 4 in 10 women after menopause, and about 1 in 4 women in perimenopause, report insomnia symptoms. The reason is… Continue reading
Why You Wake Up at 3 a.m.: The Real Reasons Behind Early Morning Awakenings
Waking up around 3 a.m. and staring at the ceiling is one of the most common sleep complaints. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Here is the key point. No study shows that 3 a.m. itself has special meaning. What research does show is that the second half of the night is when… Continue reading
Deep Sleep and Longevity: The Link
Deep sleep is the most physically restorative part of your night. It is also the stage you lose fastest as you age. A growing body of research now ties that loss to dementia risk, heart and metabolic health, and how long people live. This article covers what deep sleep is, what the latest evidence shows… Continue reading
Sleep and Longevity: How Your Sleep Shapes How Long and How Well You Live
Most people think about longevity in terms of diet, exercise, and not smoking. Sleep belongs on that list. In 2022, the American Heart Association added sleep as one of its “Life’s Essential 8,” the core habits that define heart health. That put sleep on the same level as blood pressure, cholesterol, and physical activity. The… Continue reading
Protein Before Bed: New Research Shows Milk Proteins Do Not Hurt Your Sleep
A protein shake 30 minutes before bed will not wreck your sleep. That is the clear message from a new 2026 randomized controlled trial in elite college athletes, and it lines up with several other recent trials. For years, people have been told not to eat anything close to bedtime. The worry is simple. Food… Continue reading
BPAP vs CPAP: Is BPAP Better, Isn’t EPR the Same Thing, and Why Would Your Doctor Choose It?
If your doctor prescribed BPAP instead of CPAP, or if you have read that BPAP is the “upgraded” machine, you may be wondering whether you are getting something better. You may also have noticed that your CPAP already has a setting called EPR that lowers the pressure when you breathe out, and wondered if that… Continue reading
Can CPAP Affect Your Lungs? What the Latest Research Shows
CPAP does not damage healthy lungs. For most people with sleep apnea, it protects the lungs and heart by keeping oxygen levels steady through the night. That said, CPAP is a medical device, and a few lung-related concerns deserve a clear answer. These include infections from dirty equipment, air going into the stomach, the Philips… Continue reading
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: What It Is and How to Make the Bedroom Safer
Most people lie perfectly still while they dream. People with REM sleep behavior disorder do not. They act out their dreams, sometimes with punches, kicks, shouts, or a leap out of bed. In one large clinic study, more than 8 in 10 patients had injured themselves or their bed partner at some point. The good… Continue reading
Circadian Rhythm and Process S: The Two Systems That Decide When You Sleep
Your sleep is not controlled by a single switch. Two separate systems in your brain decide when you feel sleepy and when you feel alert. Sleep scientists call them Process S and Process C. Process S is your sleep pressure. Process C is your circadian rhythm, your internal 24-hour clock. Together they form the two-process… Continue reading