Lizzie Benge, MD

5/ 🌙 Anxiety tends to cling to our quiet moments—especially the time before bed.

But you don’t have to feed it with endless scrolling; you are not powerless

With small shifts, you can reclaim calm and create space for real rest 💙 #sleepmedicine

4/ ⏰ A digital curfew can be powerful!

Cut off screens 1–2 hours before bed. Avoid news, social media, and email

Substitute with calming alternatives:
📖 Light reading
🎧 Soft music
🧘 Gentle breathing

3/ 🔄 This leads to a cycle:
Anxiety → screen use → disrupted sleep → heightened anxiety

It’s self-reinforcing, and many people don’t realize it’s happening

2/ 🌀 It’s more than light. The content we consume matters. Doomscrolling activates the brain’s threat system, increasing stress hormones like cortisol and keeping the mind alert

1/ 🔦 Screens are not a neutral piece of stimuli. Nighttime exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin production, delaying sleep onset by confusing the body’s internal clock

In my clinic, I’m seeing a rise in new insomnia cases—and worsening sleep in those with chronic insomnia

It’s not just poor habits. Doomscrolling has become a silent disruptor, fueled by economic stress and job insecurity

Let’s break down the science behind setting a digital curfew 🧠💤

🧵👇 #MedSky

Thanks for mentioning a resource I hadn’t considered—or even heard of—before now! Really appreciate you sharing it 🙏🌙

When stress rises, sleep often suffers

Meditation can help quiet the mind and invite rest.

💤 Rest isn’t something you earn—it’s something you need

Rest is medicine 🌙💙

#SleepMedicine #MedSky

(7/8) Mindfulness Beyond the Mat

Not into seated meditation? That’s okay!

Try mindful walking 🚶, eating 🍽️, or deep breathing between tasks

Mindfulness isn’t one-size-fits-all—make it fit into your real life

(6/8) Start Small ⏱️

No need to commit to 30 mins right away

Even 5–10 minutes daily can create real change

Like with sleep hygiene, consistency matters more than intensity

(5/8) Tailor the Approach 💡

Not every app works for everyone, and not every approach fits everyone either

Insight Timer (app) is a great place to start and allows for exploration of different voices, styles, and durations (from 2 mins to an hour)

Finding the right guide makes a big difference!

(4/8) But What If You’re Skeptical? 🤔

Some—especially older adults & men—may see meditation as hype

Reframe it as science-backed stress relief

Studies show it helps regulate emotions, improve focus, and enhance sleep

(3/8) Why Guided Helps

Meditation isn’t about “emptying your mind.”
It’s about learning where attention goes

Guided sessions add routine and clarity—especially helpful for those feeling overwhelmed or new to mindfulness

(2/8) Guided Meditation for Beginners 🧘‍♀️

-Starting can feel overwhelming. Apps like Headspace & Calm offer structured, beginner-friendly sessions focused on stress & sleep

📲 YouTube also has great free options (search: "10-min meditation for sleep")

🧵Mind-Body Practices for Sleep During Economic Stress (1/8)

Tough economic times don’t just hit wallets—they hit sleep, too.

Patients lose rest. Physicians burn out.

But there's hope. Mind-body strategies can restore rest and improve well-being. Here's how👇

✔️ Blackout curtains = your springtime sleep hack
✔️ Unplug from screens in the evening 📵

Good sleep = brighter days ahead 💫

#MedSky #Sleepmedicine

Spring is here! 🌸 And with longer days + later sunsets, your sleep might be feeling the shift 🌞😴

To help you make the most of the season and protect your rest:

✔️ Dim lights ~2 hrs before bed
✔️ Keep a consistent wake-up time

If you or your patients are dealing with restless legs syndrome (RLS), don’t forget the metabolic work-up! Iron studies (including ferritin) are key, but don’t stop there—vitamin D, TSH, folate, and B12 all deserve a look.
Sometimes the fix starts with a lab draw 💙 #Medsky #sleepmedicine #RLS

You call the #pharmacist who puts every single order you have entered for the patient on hold, and sends you new ones. You immediately sign them all. The relieved RN calls and thanks you for orders that “finally make sense.” You wonder why people find this hard

(Lol!)

#InternYear #MedSky

It’s Sept 2020. Your attending is rounding on ICU overflow patients… at the tennis courts. Your senior is explaining convalescent plasma via a Haitian Creole interpreter. The ICU rejects your DKA admit because ‘the bicarb isn’t that bad.’ Your EMR searches for “Atlantis insulin” are futile

REM sleep dominates early morning hours = worse sleep apnea

Missing an OSA diagnosis? You might be treating the wrong issue

🩺 #SleepMedicine #MedSky

Sonata (zaleplon) for early AM awakenings? ⏳💤

Its rapid onset & short half-life make it a potential option for middle-of-the-night insomnia. But before prescribing—screen for OSA!

Amazing! Thank you for sharing!

Cover of 'Daughter of the Empire' by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. The title appears in bold red-orange letters against a dark, ornate background. The artwork features a regal-looking woman in an elegant white robe with an intricate headdress, kneeling beside a golden incense burner with tendrils of smoke rising. She has dark hair, intense eyes, and is holding her hands in a poised, almost mystical gesture. Behind her stands a warrior clad in elaborate green armor with a feathered headdress, holding a weapon. The scene is bathed in rich colors, evoking an air of political intrigue and epic fantasy

Published in 1987, I sought out older/lesser-known books to dodge Libby audiobook wait times—this one did NOT disappoint. A sprawling, epic fantasy packed with political intrigue, it's the first in a trilogy & perfect for GoT fans. Reads like Dany’s origin story! 🔥👑 #FantasyReads #BookSky

One positive thing about this year? I've had an exceptionally good reading streak! 📚✨ To celebrate hitting 20 books in 2025, my favorite discovery so far is Daughter of the Empire by Janny Wurts & Raymond E. Feist

This Sunday, we lose an hour of sleep as clocks spring forward!

Stick to your sleep schedule, limit evening screens, & get morning light to adjust faster 🌞😴 #Medsky

A morning filled with heartbreaking stories 💔

🔹 Patients losing jobs
🔹 Medication costs forcing impossible choices
🔹 An 83-year-old back to work just to afford rent

These tragedies are unfolding daily. Patients left choosing between survival and dignity with no end in sight #MedSky

Science did that.

Vaccines did that.

And because of them, we get more moments, more memories, more time.

The future is brighter when we choose to protect ourselves and each other.

Let’s keep moving forward 💙

#VaccinesWork #MedSky

This is what vaccines do.

They don’t just protect.

They transform nightmares into manageable illness.

They take inevitability and rewrite the ending.

They save lives.

We witnessed a miracle in real time.

A virus that had devastated patients—especially the immunocompromised—was now something they could walk away from.