As the special guest on this week’s Tango Alpha Lima podcast, Dr. Tina Burke provides tips on how to improve sleep including meditation, breathing techniques and establishing a routine.
Don’t sleep on this episode, Alphas!
Dr. Tina M. Burke is the associate director of the Behavioral Biology Branch and a sleep research scientist at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. On this week’s episode of the American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast, Burke discusses how sleep impacts wellness and readiness.
Her fascination with sleep began in high school. “I liked this idea of consciousness, and I loved dreaming,” she recalled. “I loved what I saw in my dreams and the power of my dreams, and just the creativity of them.”
In 2011, she completed a dual Ph.D. in Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of Colorado-Boulder. Her graduate research aimed at developing our understanding of mechanisms by which photic and non-photic stimuli such as exogenous melatonin and caffeine can be used as countermeasures to improve sleep, alertness and performance, as well as how they can be integrated and influence sleep and entrain circadian rhythms.
With a passion for sleep research, Burke began her postdoctoral work in the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Colorado-Boulder under the mentorship of Dr. Kenneth P. Wright Jr. Her research focused on a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative grant studying the impact of sleep and circadian disruption on the human microbiome and related changes in human physiology and cognition.
She sought out a career change where she could apply her knowledge of sleep, circadian disruption and more to military veterans and servicemembers. That led Burke to Walter Reed in 2017.
“It’s been one of the best decisions of my life,” she said. “We’ve been able to bring tri-services efforts to the military.”
At Walter Reed, Burke has worked in the Sleep Research Center as well as led research projects in the field as part of the Operational Research Team.
She noted that Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are among the links between sleep problems and military personnel, football and soccer players, and others. TBIs, stress and other factors can impede quality sleep for veterans and others.
“If you look at our veterans and servicemembers who have had these experiences, it’s adding these factors or conditions that can contribute to what may be leading to sleep problems,” she said.
Help is available beyond common medications, she said, noting practicing meditation, doing breathing techniques and finding a routine are among them.
“When you are having sleep issues, we try to get you a ritualized routine to do the same thing,” Burke said. “If you can get a routine that can start serving for your body as a queue to start transitioning to bedtime, then you can help facilitate that physiological response.”
Also, co-hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley chat about:
• Why laughter is truly the best medicine.
• How once-controversial World War I monuments came to be.
• The history and importance of Debunking Day, which is March 11.
You can also check out the 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima