Over the past 20 years, my guest on today's show, Dr. Peter Martone, has been trying to recommend pillows for his patients that would put their head in the correct position so that they could get a great night's sleep and wake up rested. He could not find one, and he would have patients purchase soft down pillows and stuff them under their necks. He found that a conventional pillow would loose its shape and end up on the floor. The problem is that a pillow is for your head and you can not support your head to get a great night sleep.

But one day he was watching the movie “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” in 2000 and the two actors came out of the room after “cuddling” all night. The camera gave a quick glimpse of the room they came out of. It showed what the two actors slept on, and to his amazement it was just a thin pad for their body and a block of wood in lieu of a pillow for their head.

In that lightbulb moment, Dr. Martone invented the exact sleeping tool we discuss on today's podcast. He's one of the smartest guys I've ever talked to when it comes to sleep, so prepare to optimize your rest and recovery biomechanics like never before!

During our discussion, you'll discover:

-How Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon inspired Dr. Martone's invention...

• One of the props was a piece of wood, not as a pillow, but for their neck
• Peter had shoulder issues, couldn't identify the cause
• While camping, he used a shoe under his neck for sleeping; woke up well rested
• Used a shoe, and other odd objects for sleeping; shoulder and other health issues were resolved

-Surprising problems caused by sleeping on one's side...

• 90% of Peter's patients have some type of damage to their cervical curve in the neck
• We lose the curve doing day to day activities, and there's nothing to repair it at night
• 98% of patients who lose the curve in their neck develop an unnatural curve in their lower back
• This eventually leads to scoliosis in the lower back
• The vermis portion of the brain: main function is to control the body's proprioception
  • 80% of proprioception into the brain comes from the spinal cord
  • The vermis atrophies due to loss of proprioception
  • It affects the pre-frontal cortex (executive functioning)
• Decreasing the curve in the spine severely limits glymphatic drainage
• Why we toss and turn at night:
  • Pain centers and nerve centers are very close together
  • When you fall asleep on your side, you can only stay in that position for a short period of time
  • Body should be in a "neutral sleeping position"
  • Alcohol inhibits pain sensors. You stay in the same position longer, and wake up in pain
• OURA ring
• If you didn't get all that, get this: Loss of the cervical curve = degeneration of the spine. It also causes the vermis to atrophy, which negatively affects the pre-frontal cortex. Side sleeping causes pain and discomfort, which in turn affects the quality of our sleep.
• The advantages of sleeping on the back versus the side or stomach...
  • Use a pillow for the neck rather than the head
  • Restore the cervical curve and decrease lumbar tension

-How to train yourself to sleep on your back...

• Just start on your back
• 1-2 hours per night will be enough to help restore the cervical curve in your neck
• Sleep wedge pillow: 5-10 degree angle, should go to the base of your spine
• Gravity beds on Amazon
• The podcast that discusses Gravity beds
• The body will eventually be able to go through the night on your back
• Total 2-3 month transition
• 650 down pillow
• Sleeping on your back, you distribute your body weight over the greatest amount of space

-The little-known hack called "Remembering" that may help with sleep problems...

• Peter struggled to sleep due to numerous things he was thinking about
• Needed to be "in control" of something
• Visualized people sitting in a specific seat after giving a talk; he went right to sleep
• Focus on something, but don't think about it
• You can't think yourself to sleep; you have to remember yourself to sleep
• Dreams are how the mind categorizes the day's events
• The further back in time you can remember, the more efficacious this technique will be

-Ways to control your core temperature while sleeping...

• Allostatic load:
  • Hierarchy of needs in bodily functions (heart pumping vs. growing fingernails)
  • Your body cares more about your core temperature than even the immune system
  • We get sick because there's a finite amount of energy our body can distribute
• Maintaining the body's core temperature maintains the allostatic load in our entire body
• Keep your core as warm as possible; keep hands, feet and head exposed
• People like to sleep on their side so they can curl up, feel protected
  • Use a weighted blanket for a similar effect
• "Head garage" Place a pillow over your head, just above the nose

-More little-known sleep hacks...

• First 2 hours of the day are the most productive and alert
• The story of Edison's balls...
• Write things down, then go to sleep. You won't remember when you wake up
• The Pilot's Pen
• Think about "thinking about nothing"
• CBD Oil

-And Much More...

Resources from this episode:

-Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie

-The Neck Nest: use code GREENFIELD to get $20 off plus a FREE custom pillow case and Dr. Sleep Right's "30 Day Sleep Quest" program

-My Facebook Live with Peter Martone: How & Why To Sleep On Your Back

-Gravity beds on Amazon

-Sleep wedge pillow

-650 down pillow

-DREEM headband for monitoring sleep

-Weighted blanket

-Pilot's Pen (lit pen for nighttime writing)

-Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages.

-GetPocket app

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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Peter or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!