A Better Sleep

03/31/2026

“Hit the hay” is one of those familiar old expressions that quietly reminds us how closely sleep was once tied to everyday life. The phrase appears to date from the late 19th or early 20th century and is commonly linked to the use of hay in early bedding, much like the explanation often given for “hit the sack.” Another possibility is that farm workers sometimes slept directly in haystacks, so “hay” simply became a stand in for bed. Since “hit the hay” seems to appear in print slightly earlier, it may even have come first. Sleep language has a history of its own.

03/31/2026

03/31/2026

WHAT IS HEALTHY SLEEP?
Practical tips, observations and advice toward
A BETTER SLEEP
Kelowna, BC. Canada

In our office we provide the best services toward A Better Sleep for those in the Okanagan, BC. If you feel that we may be able to help you in the area of suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Tooth Grinding (Bruxism) or Insomnia, please call us for an appointment (T) 250 766 1003 – we can also find others in your area or those providers better suited to your needs. If you think we can help, please give us a call.

_______________________________________

Everyone deserves better sleep - quality sleep is crucial, not just quantity. Yet, our 24-hour society rarely acknowledges the importance of sleep, and the effects often go unnoticed - you may find yourself running out of energy, becoming impatient, forgetful, or struggling with planning - subtle signs that can be easy to dismiss. But in some cases, poor sleep can have serious, even fatal consequences, by contributing to workplace and road accidents.

Good health - both mental and physical - depends on quality sleep, and research is routinely uncovering more associations between poor sleep and disease. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has finally recognized this as a global health priority. We all know sleep matters, but knowing it, isn’t enough. If we truly want to function at our best - physically, mentally, and in our daily lives - we need to take action. Athletes already understand this - why don’t the rest of us?

We provide care for those seeking better sleep in the Okanagan Valley and the Interior of BC, with an emphasis on CPAP alternatives, when applicable and the recognition of the importance of COMISA - working alongside Provincial healthcare providers, Politicians and administrators, including Interior Health, to advocate for healthy sleep practices. Through collaboration, we aim to support professionals in helping their own patients while also contributing to advocacy and a broader global effort to recognize and achieve better sleep.

info@abettersleep.ca

03/27/2026

https://thesleepsocietyevents.org/

Rooms blocked while available at $169.99 per room per night plus taxes. One or two people, one or 2 beds. Free Wireless Internet/ Free parking / Indoor Pool / Hot Tub / Fitness Center.Quote: 042426THE

03/26/2026

I'd say it "wasn't necessarily better". We have to keep our options (and our minds) open.

03/19/2026

While not a public event, there is one planned for later this year, I wanted to mention that Kelowna will be hosting the international “Sleep Kelowna 2026” at the Ramada on April 24 and 25.

This is a hybrid international meeting for healthcare professionals with an interest in sleep, bringing together speakers from Australia, Sweden, and our own UBC, together with other recognized contributors in the field.

Guest speakers include Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, PhD, MPH, Director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center, and Dr. Alex Sweetman from the University of Western Australia.

The meeting will also include the professional unveiling of our road safety initiative, Drowsy Driving Awareness Day, DDAD, which was selected and recognized by the World Sleep Society for World Sleep Day on the 13th of this month, just gone, a very positive BC safety step coming out of Kelowna. The Sleep Society is also hoping to involve partners such as ICBC, BCAA, and larger automotive makers and distributors.

I mention this for two reasons.

First, it helps put Kelowna on the map. We may not often think of our city in the same sentence as NASA, UBC, Umeå, or Western Australia, but there is certainly no harm in it being there. In fact, it says something very positive about where this city can sit in wider international professional and scientific conversations.

Second, we are already looking ahead to a public facing version in the fall. Although there has been interest from other cities, it would make good sense to bring that back to Kelowna too, with a small number of high value speakers and the formal public unveiling of DDAD as part of a wider push toward provincial recognition.

For registered healthcare providers interested in the benefits of sleep, quality, quantity, and continuity, feel free to drop us a line.

03/14/2026

Are We Entering a “Golden Age” of Sleep Treatments?

Sleep disorders affect tens of millions of people and are linked to heart disease, memory problems, metabolic disorders, and a higher risk of accidents. Yet many current treatments still have limitations.

That may now be changing.

Sleep researchers say the last few years have brought a wave of new treatments that better match how the brain actually regulates sleep. These include new medications that target the orexin system (a key wakefulness signal in the brain), wearable nerve stimulation devices, and digital therapies for insomnia.

For example, newer insomnia drugs called DORAs work by gently blocking wake signals rather than forcing sedation. They appear less habit forming than older sleep medications.

There are also promising developments for restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea, including nerve stimulation devices and new oral medications.

Experts say the most important step, however, is still accurate diagnosis. More than a dozen different sleep disorders exist, and many overlap.

Sleep medicine may finally be catching up with sleep biology.

Sleep. There is no substitute.

03/14/2026

Sleep Coaching May Help Teens Sleep Longer — But Not Earlier

Many teenagers naturally drift toward later bedtimes, a pattern often called delayed sleep phase. A new study from researchers in Finland looked at whether targeted sleep interventions could help shift teens toward earlier sleep schedules.

The researchers followed 176 teenagers, all of whom reported going to bed at 1 a.m. or later several nights a week. The teens were divided into four groups for six weeks. One group received general sleep information, another used morning bright light therapy, a third group received personalized sleep coaching from trained nurses, and the fourth group received both coaching and bright light therapy.

The results were interesting.

Teens who received sleep coaching slept longer. On average, they gained about 23 minutes of sleep shortly after the program ended, and about 33 minutes more sleep one year later compared with where they started.

However, their bedtimes did not move earlier. In other words, coaching helped them sleep longer, but it did not change their natural tendency to go to bed late.

Bright light therapy, either alone or combined with coaching, did not significantly change sleep timing, sleep duration, or other sleep measures.

The coaching program did briefly improve sleep habits such as bedtime routines and sleep hygiene, but these improvements did not last a full year.

What does this mean for parents and teens?

Teen sleep patterns are strongly influenced by biology. During adolescence the circadian clock naturally shifts later, making it difficult for many teens to fall asleep early even when they try. Programs that support better sleep habits may help teens get more total sleep, but shifting their body clock earlier is often much harder.

The researchers concluded that future approaches may need to be more personalized and take into account the natural sleep biology of teenagers.

Sleep matters — especially during the teenage years when the brain and body are still developing.

Source
Kuula L, Pesonen A-K et al. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2026

03/14/2026

Sleep, Exercise, and Better Health

A new study published in JAMA Network Open looked at whether exercise could help improve sleep. The results suggest that it can, especially when exercise is combined with guidance on healthy sleep habits.

Researchers studied more than 100 young women who were sedentary and had poor sleep health. The participants were divided into four groups for eight weeks. One group followed a program of high intensity circuit training. Another received sleep health counseling and used a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program. A third group received both the exercise program and sleep support, while a fourth group continued their usual lifestyle.

The exercise involved three body weight training sessions per week. The sleep health program included weekly counseling and use of a CBT-I sleep app.

The results were encouraging. All of the groups that received an intervention improved their sleep compared with the control group. People fell asleep faster, slept longer, and spent less time awake during the night.

However, the biggest improvements occurred when exercise and sleep support were combined. Participants in that group showed better sleep efficiency and less time awake during the night than those receiving only one intervention.

The exercise groups also showed improvements in several markers of cardiometabolic health, including cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and waist circumference.

What does this mean in practical terms?

Sleep rarely improves from a single change alone. Exercise helps. Good sleep habits help. Structured treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia helps. When these approaches are combined, the benefits appear to be greater.

This study focused on young women, so the findings may not apply equally to everyone. But it reinforces something sleep medicine has long suggested: physical activity and sleep health support each other.

Sleep. There is no substitute.

Source
Zhang B et al. JAMA Network Open, February 2026