The secret to getting better sleep tonight | James Leinhardt | TEDxManchester

Summary

In this engaging talk, the speaker emphasizes the importance of sleep posture for overall well-being. They humorously highlight our innate tendency to slouch and the impact of poor posture on health, using personal anecdotes and relatable examples. The speaker advocates for simple, cost-effective solutions like adjusting sleep positions with pillows to improve sleep quality and potentially alleviate pain, which can positively affect mood and mental health. The talk concludes with a call to action for better sleep practices, underscoring the universal need for quality rest.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker emphasizes the universality of having a spine, sleeping, and the childhood experience of being corrected for posture by an authoritative figure, like a grandmother.
• 🧍‍♂️ Posture is described as an 'eternal fight against gravity,' highlighting the difficulty of maintaining good posture, especially when sitting or slouching comfortably.
• 💤 The importance of sleep posture is underscored, as it is a significant factor in overall health and well-being, often overlooked in favor of focusing on the quantity of sleep.
• 🛌 The speaker points out that while we are conscious and can adjust our sitting posture, we have little control over our posture while asleep, which can lead to health issues.
• 👵 The anecdote about 'Grandma' serves as a metaphor for the subconscious need to maintain good posture, even when we think no one is watching.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The speaker introduces the concept of 'provocative posture' during sleep, which can lead to increased pain and discomfort upon waking.
• 🛏️ Two recommended sleep positions are introduced: 'The Soldier' and 'The Dreamer,' which are designed to maintain a neutral spine and reduce the risk of pain.
• 🤰 The speaker notes that even pregnant women are advised to change their sleep posture for the health of both mother and child, indicating the universal need for proper sleep positioning.
• 🏥 The talk touches on the serious implications of poor sleep posture, such as chronic pain and its connection to depression, emphasizing the broader impact on mental health.
• 🚴‍♀️ An example is given of an athlete whose poor sleep posture due to her cycling position led to pain, illustrating how even those with seemingly healthy lifestyles can suffer from poor sleep posture.
• 💡 The speaker concludes by encouraging the audience to take simple, cost-effective steps to improve their sleep posture, which can have a profound impact on their quality of life.

Q & A

What are the three common things mentioned that everyone in the room has?

The three common things mentioned are: having a spine, sleeping, and the shared childhood experience of being corrected for posture by a figure of authority like Grandma.

Why is maintaining good posture considered an 'eternal fight against gravity'?

Maintaining good posture is described as an 'eternal fight against gravity' because it requires constant effort to sit or stand upright against the force of gravity, which naturally pulls us into a slouched position.

How does the speaker relate the concept of posture to sleep?

The speaker relates posture to sleep by highlighting that while we are aware of the importance of good posture when awake, the same principles apply when we are asleep, as our body position can affect our comfort, health, and recovery.

What is the significance of the speaker's mention of the 'book on the head' exercise?

The 'book on the head' exercise is significant because it illustrates the contrast between being conscious of posture while awake and the unconscious postures we adopt during sleep, which can be detrimental to our health without our awareness.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of sleep posture for individuals with chronic pain or insomnia?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of sleep posture for individuals with chronic pain or insomnia because proper sleep posture can potentially reduce pain and discomfort upon waking, which in turn can improve mood and possibly lead to better sleep quality.

What is the relevance of the speaker's mention of Manchester being the 'worst sleep city in England'?

The mention of Manchester being the 'worst sleep city in England' is relevant as it provides a local context to the discussion about sleep quality and emphasizes the need for practical solutions to improve sleep posture, which can be applied to a population known to struggle with sleep.

What are the two recommended sleep positions according to the speaker?

The two recommended sleep positions are 'the soldier' and 'the dreamer'. These positions are chosen for their ability to maintain a neutral spine and support the body's natural alignment while sleeping.

How does the speaker use the example of an athlete to illustrate the impact of sleep posture?

The speaker uses the example of an athlete to illustrate the impact of sleep posture by showing how the athlete's cycling position, which is necessary for aerodynamics, can lead to discomfort and pain if the same posture is maintained during sleep without proper support.

What is the significance of the speaker mentioning the 'provocative posture' and its effects?

The 'provocative posture' is significant because it refers to a sleeping position where both knees touch the bed, which can lead to increased pain symptoms upon waking. The speaker uses this term to caution against sleeping in positions that may cause discomfort or pain.

Why does the speaker suggest placing a pillow between the knees or ankles while sleeping?

The speaker suggests placing a pillow between the knees or ankles while sleeping to maintain proper alignment and prevent the body from twisting into a 'pretzel' shape, which can lead to discomfort and pain. This simple adjustment can help support a more neutral spine position during sleep.

Outlines

00:00

🧍 Posture and Its Impact on Sleep

The speaker begins by highlighting the universal experiences of having a spine, sleeping, and the childhood memory of being corrected for posture by an authoritative figure like a grandmother. They emphasize the struggle against gravity and the comfort of slouching, which is a natural but detrimental posture, especially when sleeping. The talk delves into the importance of sleep posture, contrasting it with waking postures, and suggests that being uncomfortable in sleep positions can lead to better sleep quality as it prompts us to change positions, unlike when we are awake. The speaker also touches on the significant amount of time spent sleeping in our lives compared to other activities like eating and exercising, and the potential health benefits of proper sleep posture, such as reduced pain and improved energy levels.

05:00

💤 Addressing Sleep Posture for Better Quality

The speaker continues by focusing on the importance of sleep posture, particularly the position one adopts when falling asleep, which they refer to as 'software.' They discuss the prevalence of sleep deprivation, especially in Manchester, and the common advice to get a certain amount of sleep without addressing how to improve it. The talk introduces the concept of a 'neutral resting spine' and its relation to recovery from spinal injuries, suggesting that maintaining a neutral spine during sleep can improve recovery and overall well-being. The speaker also addresses the high percentage of people with chronic pain and the associated depression, emphasizing the need for practical solutions to improve sleep quality without the need for expensive equipment or drastic lifestyle changes.

10:01

🛌 The Soldier and the Dreamer: Recommended Sleep Positions

In the final paragraph, the speaker introduces two recommended sleep positions based on healthcare experience: 'the soldier' and 'the dreamer.' They explain that these positions help maintain a good body shape and support internal organs, which can lead to less pain and better sleep. The speaker contrasts these with poor sleep postures, like 'the tackler,' which can cause discomfort and pain. They also discuss the impact of sleep posture on athletes, using the example of a cyclist who experienced pain due to her sleeping position. The talk concludes with a call to action for the audience to improve their sleep posture to break the cycle of pain and poor sleep, and dedicates the talk to the memory of the speaker's uncle, highlighting the life-saving potential of proper sleep posture.

Keywords

💡Posture

Posture refers to the position or bearing of the body, especially when standing or sitting. In the video, posture is discussed as an 'eternal fight against gravity,' emphasizing its importance in maintaining spinal health. The speaker uses the anecdote of Grandma yelling 'posture' to illustrate how people instinctively correct their posture, highlighting the cultural awareness of its significance.

💡Slouching

Slouching is the act of sitting or standing with a drooping posture, often characterized by a rounded back and shoulders. The video mentions that even world-leading influencers and doctors are caught slouching, indicating that it's a common issue. The speaker contrasts the comfort of slouching with the proper posture, suggesting that maintaining good posture requires effort and awareness.

💡Sleep posture

Sleep posture is the position one assumes while sleeping. The video emphasizes that sleep posture is crucial for spinal health and recovery, as it can significantly affect how one feels upon waking. The speaker argues that unlike when awake, where discomfort prompts us to adjust, our bodies remain in potentially harmful positions during sleep, which can lead to various health issues.

💡Ergonomic workstation

An ergonomic workstation is a workspace designed to optimize comfort and efficiency, reducing the risk of injury and discomfort. The video touches on the legal provision for ergonomic workstations and annual screenings of the work surface, suggesting that proper workplace design can contribute to better posture and overall health.

💡Chronic pain

Chronic pain is persistent pain that lasts for extended periods, often affecting daily life and well-being. The video cites statistics on chronic pain and its link to depression, illustrating the profound impact it can have on individuals. The speaker connects poor sleep posture with the exacerbation of chronic pain, suggesting that addressing sleep posture could be a step towards breaking the cycle of pain and discomfort.

💡Provocative posture

A provocative posture, as mentioned in the video, is a sleeping position that can lead to increased pain symptoms upon waking. The speaker uses this term to describe positions where both knees touch the bed, which can cause the body to twist or contort, leading to discomfort and pain. The video suggests that avoiding such postures can improve sleep quality and reduce morning pain.

💡Spinal injury

Spinal injury refers to damage to the spinal cord or the bones that make up the spine. The video references research dating back to 1987 that discusses the relationship between a neutral resting spine and recovery speed from spinal injuries. This underscores the importance of maintaining a healthy spine, both for those with injuries and for general well-being.

💡Dementia

Dementia is a syndrome characterized by a decline in cognitive function, often affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities. The video mentions a case of a man with dementia who became bedridden and developed a fixed body shape due to poor posture management. This example highlights the importance of considering posture in patient care, especially for those with limited mobility.

💡Quality of sleep

Quality of sleep refers to how restful and rejuvenating sleep is, as opposed to the quantity or duration of sleep. The video argues for a focus on sleep quality over quantity, given that many people do not achieve the recommended hours of sleep. The speaker suggests that improving sleep posture could tangibly enhance sleep quality, leading to better overall health.

💡Hardware and software

In the context of the video, 'hardware' refers to physical equipment or tools, while 'software' refers to the positions or practices one adopts. The speaker uses this analogy to differentiate between the physical aspects of sleep (like a bed or pillow) and the sleep posture itself. The video suggests that while hardware can be improved, it's the software—how one positions oneself to sleep—that can have a more immediate impact on sleep quality.

💡Mental health

Mental health is the state of an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The video connects poor sleep posture with chronic pain, which in turn can affect mental health. The speaker implies that by improving sleep posture and reducing pain, one might also improve their mood and mental state, highlighting the interplay between physical and mental well-being.

Highlights

The commonality of having a spine, sleeping, and childhood memories of posture correction.

The eternal fight against gravity and the comfort of slouching.

The importance of considering sleep posture due to the significant time spent sleeping.

The difference between being uncomfortable while awake and asleep, affecting posture.

The average human spends as much time sleeping as doing other daily activities combined.

The lack of ergonomic chairs and the prevalence of poor sitting postures.

A real-life case of a bedridden patient's transformation with simple postural management.

The potential benefits of good sleep posture for energy levels and reducing pain.

The impact of sleep posture on snoring and relationship dynamics.

The simplicity of improving sleep posture with no cost involved.

The prevalence of sleep deprivation and its effects on Manchester residents.

The focus on sleep quality over quantity and the importance of tangible improvements.

The relationship between a neutral resting spine and recovery speed from spinal injuries.

The global impact of chronic pain and its connection to depression.

The cycle of chronic pain, sleep, and mood, and how to potentially break it.

The practical advice on sleep posture for athletes and its application to everyday life.

The two recommended sleep positions based on healthcare experience.

The potential for improved sleep posture to positively affect mental health.

The broader implications of sleep posture on caregiving and personal well-being.

The dedication of the talk to the memory of the speaker's uncle, emphasizing the life-saving potential of sleep posture.

Transcripts

we have three things in common all of us

here we all have a spine we all sleep

and when we were about 5 years old and

we were playing as

children Grandma used to scream

posture and all of us would sit up

straight and that fear of Grandma

screaming that word even to World

leading influencers doctors who are sat

on front row slouching right now where

is he Dr C we've seen you even though

you're amazing so why do we because

everyone in the room has been slouching

Liam at the backstage doing the sound

all day has literally been like this

doing his sound because it's

comfy posture is the Eternal fight

against

gravity and sitting up like this

although Grandma's watching she's very

disappointed in some of you

this is really hard where is this oh

yeah get me back here this is the good

spot the thing that Grandma maybe missed

was that if posture is eternal Fight

Against Gravity then really we need to

consider our

sleep it's great and it's comfy and the

beauty and the difference between

sitting and sleeping or standing and

sleeping we remember wearing a book on

our heads and doing this very nicely is

that you're already asleep that's the

best

bit when you're uncomfortable in these

positions and this is really my go-to

for TV watching the second you become

uncomfortable you move cuz you're

awake the difference with sleep is

significant I'm going to share and prove

it to you now you will have all at some

point in your lives either sat on the

back of a car and gone like this or come

to a Ted and heard someone like me talk

and done that and within 10 minutes you

wake up and your neck feels like it's

going to burn off why didn't you wake up

then is this a completely different

thing because you're

asleep so I think it's important to

really address the average human because

we spend so much time in facts I met

younger last night he's so awesome uh

and younger was talking to me about some

research that he' found about using

Whole Foods to reduce the chance of

Alzheimer's you eat for four and a half

years of your life the lady that came on

before who I'm definitely not going to

mess with nor am I going to mess with

her that guy was really big um but you

exercise on average for one and a half

years of your life in fact if you add

all of these things up it's the same

amount of time that you sleep now the

first or the second talk by James which

was phenomenal I really know that if I

fail in this Mission I know where I'm

going for a

job

um by law we can sue James if he doesn't

provide us with an ergonomic workstation

provision and an annual screening of our

L work

surface but none of you have spent any

time in your egonomic chair because

you've all been doing

this this gentleman here is not the

average human and this is a chap I met

just near Al Trafford the right side of

Manchester

and he's a

gent dad that was for you um he's so

annoyed with me that it's a do he's gone

mad um okay this is a gentleman that

walks into hospital now he had dementia

but he had a gastro trouble walks into

hospital was bedridden for two weeks in

hospital and that two weeks becomes

seven years that position you see him in

there is fixed this is a fixed fixed

body shape so think about his personal

care when you can't separate his legs

think about him trying to swallow his

internal organs his digestive system his

comfort his pain who even cares about

that he can't speak he can't move he

can't be seated he can't shower

and he spends 23 to 24 hours a day in

bed and with very very simple postural

management equipment we bring the bed to

him and look at what happens 3 months

later and that's not rocket science

that's really really simple if you

always do this you never do this and

that feels really tight and

awful and I've discussed the benefits

for somebody like that gentleman but the

benefits for you guys are the that it

may well increase your energy levels I

met a lady last night at the Ted dinner

who said she was a great sleeper and

then she told me that she felt exhausted

every time she woke

up it can lessen tension his shoulders

neck if you're waking up with really

awful tension headaches or your

shoulders burning through it could have

something to do with your sleep

posture this happens to the majority of

men ladies you'll be very grateful for

this bit if you want to get back into

your bedroom and you want to stop

snoring

sleep posture May well be that

thing and the best bit is it's the most

simplest of equations you need to

consider the position you go to sleep in

and some of you say well I don't stay in

one position and of course you don't we

don't want you to you've moved a

thousand times just in the four I've got

to figure this out four minutes and

something so the position you go to

sleep in that's the software and that's

what you guys are going to address

tonight so we are legitimately going to

find a tangent way to improve your

quality of sleep tonight the second bit

is the hardware we'll worry about that

next

time

now if you are somebody suffering with

sleep which is in Manchester by the way

we are the worst sleep city in England

congratulations as

all um that deserve a round of applause

because we're all still smiling that's

the best bit in Westminster in December

um the university discussed our sleep

deprivation so in this room 74% of you

get less than 7 hours 6 uh one in two I

think gets less than uh six in the

Manchester right now definitely not

enough and every day we read a paper and

we read an article that goes if you

don't get your 7 and a half hours your

nose will fall off you're going to get

dementia die an early miserable death

great so anyone who's struggling with

sleep tonight is definitely not look

looking forward to it but there's

nothing to tell us how to make it better

so we see all these articles all these

phenomenal scientists on Ted online

telling us what happens with the sleep

and why we need it and what happens if

we don't get it so this fight between

quantity and quality who cares about

quantity no one in the room's getting

any so let's start focusing on something

that we tangibly can because we can't

focus on I saw James linw today at Ted

and he said get eight hours and that's

what I'm going to do

because you might hate your partner you

might hate your boss you might hate your

kids you might have a bill you weren't

expecting there's a million reasons why

you won't sleep tonight that sleep is

definitely not going to help last night

I slept for about an hour thanks to Herb

um and we all know the significance of

sleep in fact you could argue that sleep

is the foundation of all good well-being

because you wake up tired you're doing

nothing about your

well-being we know it recovers us we

know stores us it heals

us but really you still can't get the

hours it doesn't matter what I tell you

how many wonderful nuggets of

information that say if you get eight

hours tonight the world will be a

fabulous place and United will win 60

anyway back to

this what we do know to be true is from

a piece of conceptual evidence based in

dating back to 1987 I think it was that

talked about the relationship between a

neutral resting spine and the speed of

Rec recovery when you've had a spinal

injury now if you look at this board

it's pretty depressing 1.78 billion

people have some sort of chronic

pain

60% who have chronic pain suffer with

depression imagine waking up in chronic

pain you're going to be in an absolute

stinky mood and you definitely not get

any sleep because everything hurts so

then you don't get any sleep and

everything hurts and you're in a bad

mood and this is a cycle that we're all

in and I can't just tell you to get your

hours that's not good

enough so when you leave tonight don't

worry you'd have to go and buy a bed

that costs 10 grand that flies you to

the moon and Spins and whatever lavender

spray or a smartwatch that doesn't

really tell you that you've had a great

night's sleep because if you drink a

bottle of whiskey tonight you'll have a

great night's sleep according to your

Smartwatch the best bit about sleep

posture is it will cost you absolutely

nothing tonight and I'm going to show

you how to do

it as you know are working um with

complex neurological patient groups but

when we realized that those people have

no voice and no one really cares about

the people in beds that have no voice we

went to meet with a load of athletes and

just before Tokyo this is one such

athlete I met KY Marchant who is a

bronze medal Olympic um champion and she

sadly crashed out of Tokyo but she came

to me

because she was at the vrum Down the

Road 7 hours a day and she complained of

knee pain right stiff right SI J uh hip

I think she said and her shoulders were

hurting but she said it was all down to

the bike because of course if you are a

cyclist you need to spend your days like

this for aerodynamic ISM which you can't

do much for your back back or neck I

assume it had absolutely nothing to do

with her bike whatsoever if you look at

that position which I'm going to show

you sorry front

row the second you bring one leg over

the other you've now put yourself in

what we call a provocative

posture

so a research from a very intelligent

chap called Doug Cary out of Australia

talks about the fact that if you go to

sleep in a provocative posture you are

more likely to wake up with increased

symptoms of pain but let's not even go

with references or worry about any silly

clinical words that none of us including

me really understand when you bring one

leg over the other this hips is now

diagonal ases my knee when I fallen

asleep and this feels by the way

comfortable my shoulder's going to drop

forward and now I'm FL planting so if

you actually look at the picture you'll

see that Katie had right knee pain

because she was squeezing it into the

bed a stiff sij came because she was

twisted like a pretzel and I think you

can see what's gone on with the neck and

all she needed to do was remember that

if she worked with James she would have

been given an ergonomic

chair and if she only stuck a pillow

between her right knees or ankles and

want to fill that space she would have

looked just like that

picture so this isn't really an

experiment because an ail failed what

position do you go to sleep

in because I suspect you sleep in a

provocative posture the provocative

posture by the way is one where both

knees touch the bed so if you are a

tackler and it's the only way you can go

to sleep cuz it's comfy don't forget

that every pregnant woman that went to

the doctor and found out that they were

a pregnant and a tackler the doctor said

it's time to move on to your left hand

side and they all did it so you can't

not

only there's only two positions I'd

recommend and I'm recommending this

based on our experience in health

care because these are the two positions

we put our patients in for two to four

hours at a time there's one significant

difference between our two patients here

one as you can see is supported and we

maintain good body shape and they've

preserved somebody's body internal

organs are working lung capacity is nice

and

lovely and that's just horrendous to

watch

um these guys can't speak so you guys

have moved probably a 100 times in the

12 minutes I've spoken these people are

put for two to four hours and can't tell

you that they're uncomfortable and none

of us how have a clue how to do this

none of you in the room have a clue how

to sleep

properly so we call them the soldier and

the dreamer very simple just remember

Grandma she's screaming at you right

now standing nice standing up straight

shoulders hips knees and ankles and

seated posture I think we've been there

lovely oh yeah that's better actually

anyway these positions are the only two

that you can control the anything you

can control when you go to sleep what

happens thereafter is anyone's guess and

I'm not here to maintain a singular

posture in fact if you sat like this

throughout my talk which some of you

have done and you didn't have to you

still get a

point this is really hard actually this

is W yeah just

there so perhaps there is a way of

reversing this cycle because if you have

chronic pain or if you are struggling

with insomnia then you will definitely

be struggling with your mental health so

if you wake up in less pain tomorrow

just because you stuck a pillow between

your knees and ankles and didn't look

like a twisted pretzel you might wake up

in less pain and if you wake up in less

pain you'll be in a better mood and if

you're in a better mood who knows you

might even sleep a little bit

better in this room you are either

looking after somebody that you love

like cely of the lady that's been taking

pictures who after this will be going

straight to see her mom she's not seen

her in two days or dad over there Dad

how many times have you been to the GP

this week with

Grandma five there you go because at

some point in your life you are going to

be looking after somebody that you love

or like my wife you will be looking

after someone like me for their whole

lives but the point

is this is going to affect all of us

it's not about when we get older because

if Dad's had a bad night's sleep he's

going to be in a bad mood when he going

to see his grandma I'd like to dedicate

this talk in memory of my uncle who fell

asleep with Co and never woke up and

whilst we know that sleep posture can

save lives we actually are more

concerned today with you guys going and

saving your spines thank you very

[Applause]

[Applause]

much