Latest news with #ChrisWinter
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
New AI Rollouts Signal Shift From Hype to Healthcare Reality
VANCOUVER, BC, June 24, 2025 /CNW/ -- With populations again, and chronic diseases on the rise, global healthcare systems are facing enormous challenges ahead. However, there is hope on the horizon to alleviate some of these burdens, coming from the rise of AI in healthcare, as the new tech is proving it can improve diagnostic accuracies, drug discoveries, and administration work flow. Healthcare leaders are already reporting benefits, including reduced clinician workloads through voice-based AI tools and the use of AI agents to boost efficiency and support smarter care delivery. Behind the scenes, the tech is being developed by innovators who have been making serious progress for AI in healthcare, including updates from Avant Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI), Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE: PHG), and Waystar Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: WAY). According to private equity investors, this year could be even bigger than 2024 for health technology companies. Recent private raises include $101 million for Tennr, $45 million for Ellipsis Health and $28 million for Autonomize AI. In the public markets, there are several opportunities that involve actual rollouts of AI healthcare tech in practice. Avant Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI) just signaled its biggest move yet: the creation of a new company dedicated to developing a potential treatment for diabetes. According to their latest update, Avant is set to launch either a joint venture, partnership, or an acquisition to accomplish this intention as it expands its interests in diabetes, which impacts over 500 million people globally. Avant's flagship Vision AI tech is designed to detect the early markers of diseases like diabetic retinopathy, which is the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Vision AI is a cutting-edge, AI-driven platform that can detect diabetic retinopathy and other retinal diseases with high accuracy and speed using retinal scans, as well as diseases unrelated to the retina like cardiovascular disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver diseases, and chronic kidney disease. "It is the work we're doing with Ainnova to screen diabetes patients to identify the early signs of diabetic retinopathy that is driving Avant to contribute even more to the fast-growing disease—a potential treatment," said Chris Winter, CEO of Avant Technologies. "We are exploring several promising opportunities to get involved in the development of a treatment for diabetes globally, and if successful, we want to be ready to hit the ground running with the formation of a company to house that opportunity." Over 30% of those living with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy, a disease that can be prevented with an accurate diagnosis. More recently, Avant and joint-venture partner Ainnova Tech have begun offering free Vision AI scans inside Grupo Dökka's Fischel and La Bomba pharmacy chains. "As we begin similar initiatives in Mexico, our goal is to close the patient care loop with timely treatment, connecting every step of the journey," said Vinicio Vargas, CEO of Ainnova Tech and board member of Ai-nova Acquisition Corp. "We are integrating pharma, retail, ophthalmologists, and our technology into a unified experience, all driven by one incentive, the well-being of the diabetic patient." Back in late 2024, Avant entered into the joint venture with Ainnova Tech to form Ai-nova Acquisition Corp (AAC) to advance and commercialize Ainnova's technology portfolio, including the Vision AI platform, and its versatile retinal cameras. Avant now expects that a new relationship will allow it to expand its diabetes program to both identify the early markers of the disease and to treat diabetes. Recently, Avant signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire 100% of Ainnova Tech —bringing leadership, data, and intellectual property together ahead of a scheduled FDA pre-submission meeting in July. Folding the joint venture into a single public entity would remove the current holding-company structure, streamlining everything from regulatory filings to revenue recognition. Management sees the unified cap table as a potential draw for both investors and strategic partners. While the legal teams work through due diligence, engineers are finalizing a low-cost, automated retinal camera built to work seamlessly with the Vision AI platform. Legacy fundus cameras can run into the tens of thousands and typically require skilled operators. Avant's prototype is fully automated, cloud-connected, and designed for a fraction of the cost. If performance holds up to internal testing, the system could enable large-scale diabetic screenings in clinics and low-resource settings—without the need for additional specialist staff. Vision AI is also expanding beyond diabetic eye disease. A patented dementia-risk module —pairing a five-minute blood test with AI pattern recognition—is now in validation, while cardiovascular-risk analytics are advancing through pilot studies across Latin America. Because every new use case plugs into the same software backbone, Avant looks more like a scalable platform than a single-product company. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) has welcomed RyboDyn into its Lilly Gateway Labs program in San Diego as part of its Catalyze360™ model for accelerating biotech innovation. The move supports development of RyboDyn's AI-powered immunotherapies targeting the "dark proteome," a novel set of cancer-specific markers absent in healthy tissues. "We're thrilled to join the LGL community and collaborate with peers who share our urgency to translate high-impact science," said Imad Ajjawi, PhD, MBA, CEO and Co-founder of RyboDyn. " Lilly's support comes at a pivotal moment as we advance our first wave of programs toward therapeutic development." Backed by early results from Moffitt Cancer Center, the company is now advancing these targets toward first-in-human studies. Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) has entered a strategic partnership with TeleTracking to improve hospital operations using AI-driven insights. The collaboration integrates Palantir's Foundry and AIP platforms with TeleTracking's Operations IQ to optimize staffing, capacity, and patient flow across healthcare systems. "This partnership with TeleTracking represents the AI revolution in healthcare we are in the midst of-where we continue to move closer to a world where all hospitals and health systems are embracing, implementing and operating with an AI-powered approach, helping to streamline operations allowing for increased focus on providing the best level of care," said Alex Karp, CEO at Palantir. The joint solution delivers near real-time situational awareness to reduce caregiver burden and improve outcomes. Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE: PHG) has published new APAC data from its Future Health Index 2025, spotlighting the region's critical care delays and strained health systems. Two-thirds of patients are facing average wait times of 47 days for specialist access, with 33% reporting worsened health outcomes as a result. Meanwhile, 89% of healthcare professionals surveyed believe AI can save lives through faster interventions, while 76% report losing time due to incomplete patient data. "The need for AI has never been greater. Our survey shows that patients are anxiously waiting more than a month for specialist care, while some healthcare professionals are losing about four working weeks of clinical time a year due to incomplete patient data," said Jasper Westerink, Senior Vice President and Representative Director of Philips Japan and Acting Managing Director of Philips APAC. "There is a clear role for AI to help clinicians act faster, make better decisions, and anticipate patient needs earlier as we strive to deliver better care for more people." These findings underscore a growing consensus that AI adoption is no longer optional but essential for long-term care delivery improvements across Asia Pacific. Waystar Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: WAY) has published new research showing that artificial intelligence is now a mission-critical component of revenue cycle management for healthcare providers. "This research reinforces what we're seeing across the industry. AI is no longer theoretical and is fundamentally reshaping how providers operate," said Matt Hawkins, CEO of Waystar. "As healthcare organizations navigate growing complexity, the study shows they're relying on proven and trusted RCM software providers to deploy AI." According to the Forrester Consulting study, AI is delivering 13–37% gains in areas like claim accuracy, payment speed, and workforce efficiency. With 82% of healthcare leaders calling AI essential to their operations, the report marks a clear inflection point in healthcare's digital transformation. DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). MIQ has been paid a fee for Avant Technologies Inc. advertising and digital media from the company directly. There may be 3rd parties who may have shares Avant Technologies Inc., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ own shares of Avant Technologies Inc. which were purchased in the open market. MIQ reserves the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of Avant Technologies Inc. at any time thereafter without any further notice. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material disseminated by MIQ has been approved by the above mentioned company; this is a paid advertisement, and we own shares of the mentioned company that we will sell, and we also reserve the right to buy shares of the company in the open market, or through other investment vehicles. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Avant Technologies Creating New Company for Expansion of Diabetes Program
LAS VEGAS, June 24, 2025 /CNW/ -- Avant Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI) ("Avant" or the "Company"), an emerging technology company developing healthcare solutions using both artificial intelligence (AI) and developments in biotechnology, today announced that it will create a new company to house either a joint venture, partnership, or acquisition as it further expands its interests in diabetes. Avant's Chief Executive Officer, Chris Winter, said, "It is the work we're doing with Ainnova to screen diabetes patients to identify the early signs of diabetic retinopathy that is driving Avant to contribute even more to the fast-growing disease - a potential treatment. We are exploring several promising opportunities to get involved in the development of a treatment for diabetes globally, and if successful, we want to be ready to hit the ground running with the formation of a company to house that opportunity." In late 2024, Avant entered into a joint venture and licensing agreement with Ainnova Tech, Inc., when the two companies formed Ai-nova Acquisition Corp (AAC) to advance and commercialize Ainnova's technology portfolio, including its Vision AI platform and its versatile retinal cameras. Vision AI is a cutting-edge, AI-driven platform that can detect diabetic retinopathy and other retinal diseases with high accuracy and speed using retinal scans, as well as diseases unrelated to the retina like cardiovascular disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver diseases, and chronic kidney disease. With over 500 million people living with diabetes globally, Vision AI is designed to detect the early markers of diseases like diabetic retinopathy, which is the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Over 30% of those living with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy, a disease that can be prevented with an accurate diagnosis. Avant expects that a new relationship will allow it to expand its diabetes program to both identify the early markers of the disease and to treat diabetes. About Avant Technologies Inc. Avant Technologies Inc. is an emerging technology company developing solutions in healthcare using artificial intelligence and biotechnologies. With a focus on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in AI and biotechnology, Avant serves a diverse range of industries, driving progress and efficiency through state-of-the-art technology. More information about Avant can be found at You can also follow us on social media at: Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements because of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website ( In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Company's ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Company's successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Company's products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date after the date of the press release. Contact: Avant Technologies Video - Logo - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Avant Technologies Inc. View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Avant Technologies Creating New Company for Expansion of Diabetes Program
LAS VEGAS, June 24, 2025 /CNW/ -- Avant Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI) ("Avant" or the "Company"), an emerging technology company developing healthcare solutions using both artificial intelligence (AI) and developments in biotechnology, today announced that it will create a new company to house either a joint venture, partnership, or acquisition as it further expands its interests in diabetes. Avant's Chief Executive Officer, Chris Winter, said, "It is the work we're doing with Ainnova to screen diabetes patients to identify the early signs of diabetic retinopathy that is driving Avant to contribute even more to the fast-growing disease - a potential treatment. We are exploring several promising opportunities to get involved in the development of a treatment for diabetes globally, and if successful, we want to be ready to hit the ground running with the formation of a company to house that opportunity." In late 2024, Avant entered into a joint venture and licensing agreement with Ainnova Tech, Inc., when the two companies formed Ai-nova Acquisition Corp (AAC) to advance and commercialize Ainnova's technology portfolio, including its Vision AI platform and its versatile retinal cameras. Vision AI is a cutting-edge, AI-driven platform that can detect diabetic retinopathy and other retinal diseases with high accuracy and speed using retinal scans, as well as diseases unrelated to the retina like cardiovascular disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver diseases, and chronic kidney disease. With over 500 million people living with diabetes globally, Vision AI is designed to detect the early markers of diseases like diabetic retinopathy, which is the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Over 30% of those living with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy, a disease that can be prevented with an accurate diagnosis. Avant expects that a new relationship will allow it to expand its diabetes program to both identify the early markers of the disease and to treat diabetes. About Avant Technologies Inc. Avant Technologies Inc. is an emerging technology company developing solutions in healthcare using artificial intelligence and biotechnologies. With a focus on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in AI and biotechnology, Avant serves a diverse range of industries, driving progress and efficiency through state-of-the-art technology. More information about Avant can be found at You can also follow us on social media at: Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements because of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website ( In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Company's ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Company's successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Company's products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date after the date of the press release.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
I've had a hard time sleeping. So I asked an expert who works with elite athletes for advice
The Athletic The other night, as I tried to fall asleep around midnight, I started to panic. I hadn't slept the previous night. Or the night before that. Or much at all in the last week. I was exhausted, I couldn't concentrate, and I felt like a zombie. Advertisement And yet I didn't feel close to dozing off. My mind wandered; my brain hopped from topic to topic. Before I knew it, another hour had passed. , I thought, and that made me nervous. The last thing I needed was another sleepless night. Many of our conversations here at Peak revolve around how athletes and coaches can improve their performance. By now, sleep is widely recognized as a crucial component of the equation. However, that doesn't mean it's easy. Former NBA player Andre Iguodala resorted to long naps since adrenaline from games made it hard to sleep. Golfers Jason Day and Bubba Watson have both discussed their struggles with sleep. And gold-medalist gymnast Aly Raisman attributed overthinking and anxiety to her sleep problems. My recent struggles have made me think: What do professional athletes do when they have trouble sleeping? Maybe the answers would help me (and you). Advertisement I called Dr. Chris Winter, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist for several professional sports teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team one win away from winning an NBA championship. When I told Winter that I, too, was struggling to sleep, he happily chirped, 'OK!' He didn't seem too concerned. However, I realized where that was coming from once he started talking. 'The more that organizations care and pay attention to sleep, it's kind of accidentally putting players under even more pressure,' he said. 'It's an interesting space to navigate. It's not managing sleep as much as it is managing your expectation of sleep.' What was happening to me, Winter said, is what happens to a lot of players he works with. Winter reminded me that when we understand something is important, we care when it begins to plummet and naturally grow a little worried. More experts are emphasizing the importance of sleep to high-performance athletes, which Winter views as a double-edged sword. Advertisement He grimaces when he sees specific self-help sleep articles. You know the ones: Winter doesn't deny that some of the advice is truthful — falling asleep in a colder, darker room, for example, or engaging in a relaxing activity like reading before bed. However, his bigger concern is that people overthink sleep and struggle with it. A while back, he was working with a San Francisco Giants player. This player walked into spring training one day and said, 'My twin babies were up vomiting all night, and I didn't get any sleep. I can't play like this.' Instead, the player hit two home runs in a game for the first time in his career. Advertisement Winter believes the problem isn't so much a lack of sleep. It's our expectation of what we think will happen if we don't get enough sleep that has the biggest impact. He gave me an analogy: 'Nobody ever skips one meal and calls the doctor to say, 'I have a problem. I went out to lunch with some people and I am not feeling hungry for some reason. I got a Diet Coke but didn't eat my sandwich. What should I do? What pills should I take?' ' I wanted to know from Winter if there was anything tangible that we could do to try and combat the spiral effect that comes with not falling asleep quickly. Simply not worrying about sleep is easier said than done. With several of the teams he has worked with, Winter has introduced a device called 'Muse.' It's a brain-sensing headband that monitors brain activity and spews out real-time feedback during meditation and sleep. One WNBA player tried the device, and her results revealed that she was significantly more relaxed when trying to fall asleep than anyone else on her team. Advertisement He asked her what she was thinking about before she fell into that peaceful state. She told him she imagined herself in an empty, dark gym. Someone would throw her a ball, she would shoot a free throw, watch it go in, over and over. Winter was intrigued. 'What made you think to do that?' he asked. 'I've done this all my life,' the player said. 'It felt comfortable.' Most of us might never use a brain-sensing headband, but Winter believes putting ourselves in a comfortable situation can help. Perhaps it's visualizing something nostalgic, such as walking through your favorite park or mentally engaging in a familiar activity you enjoy. Advertisement 'If you can get in bed and be awake but you're in that sort of deep, meditative state, you're recovering your brain about as well as you would if you were sleeping,' Winter said. 'People think it's about falling asleep fast. That's a terrible metric. We don't say, 'Here's how to eat your dinner faster.' Resting is very restorative. If before bed you like to meditate, brainstorm ideas for new things, think about a screenplay, go on imaginary dates with your celebrity crush, I think that's awesome.' Since the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the NBA Finals, I asked Winter what tips he has shared with Thunder players. He said he wants players to accept that they can't just shut their minds off, so instead he wants them to remember that it won't make or break everything if they don't get the perfect amount of sleep. That thought process, he said, can relieve the pressure of having to fall asleep immediately. Winter also encourages people to spend less time in bed outside of sleeping and to avoid using blue light screens before bedtime. And for those who still struggle, he'll suggest creating a schedule. Document the time you tried to fall asleep, the time you fell asleep, if you woke up at any point during the night and any naps you took. Advertisement You can collect a few weeks' worth of data before adding up all those hours of sleep and dividing them by the number of days. That will give you your sleep average. Noticing patterns and making adjustments from there can really help, he said, but there's one part that should never change: The time you wake up each morning. In a way, a fixed wake-up time trains your brain. You can fall asleep early or stay up as late as you want, but by waking up at the designated time each day, your personal sleep drive becomes stronger. Sleeping in here and there, Winter said, will shorten your sleep drive. 'When you have a schedule, your brain starts to understand the opportunity of sleep,' he said. 'So your brain gets really, really excited and driven to make use of the time that you are given. You just want to kind of create a little bit of that in your own life.' I admit, some of this seems a little self-explanatory, but Winter explained that simple reminders go a long way for the athletes he works with, too. Advertisement Since I've spoken with Winter, I've slept a little better. It's not a dramatic difference, but I do feel more comfortable than before. One night, I visualized a nostalgic scene and mentally engaged in an activity there. I pictured my sisters and I picking berries from my great-grandmother's berry bushes in eastern Pennsylvania when we were little, then eating lunch at her kitchen table afterward. To my surprise, I fell asleep after that. More than anything, though, hearing Winter explain why there isn't that much to worry about has lessened my spiraling at night. As he reminded me, there's no need to overthink it. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Oklahoma City Thunder, San Francisco Giants, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Peak, Sports Leadership 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
7 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
I've had a hard time sleeping. So I asked an expert who works with elite athletes for advice
Editor's note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic's desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here. The other night, as I tried to fall asleep around midnight, I started to panic. I hadn't slept the previous night. Or the night before that. Or much at all in the last week. I was exhausted, I couldn't concentrate, and I felt like a zombie. And yet I didn't feel close to dozing off. My mind wandered; my brain hopped from topic to topic. Before I knew it, another hour had passed. I'm supposed to wake up in five hours, I thought, and that made me nervous. The last thing I needed was another sleepless night. Advertisement Many of our conversations here at Peak revolve around how athletes and coaches can improve their performance. By now, sleep is widely recognized as a crucial component of the equation. However, that doesn't mean it's easy. Former NBA player Andre Iguodala resorted to long naps since adrenaline from games made it hard to sleep. Golfers Jason Day and Bubba Watson have both discussed their struggles with sleep. And gold-medalist gymnast Aly Raisman attributed overthinking and anxiety to her sleep problems. My recent struggles have made me think: What do professional athletes do when they have trouble sleeping? Maybe the answers would help me (and you). I called Dr. Chris Winter, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist for several professional sports teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team one win away from winning an NBA championship. When I told Winter that I, too, was struggling to sleep, he happily chirped, 'OK!' He didn't seem too concerned. However, I realized where that was coming from once he started talking. 'The more that organizations care and pay attention to sleep, it's kind of accidentally putting players under even more pressure,' he said. 'It's an interesting space to navigate. It's not managing sleep as much as it is managing your expectation of sleep.' What was happening to me, Winter said, is what happens to a lot of players he works with. Winter reminded me that when we understand something is important, we care when it begins to plummet and naturally grow a little worried. More experts are emphasizing the importance of sleep to high-performance athletes, which Winter views as a double-edged sword. He grimaces when he sees specific self-help sleep articles. You know the ones: Five ways to fall asleep faster. Sleep hacks that actually work! Winter doesn't deny that some of the advice is truthful — falling asleep in a colder, darker room, for example, or engaging in a relaxing activity like reading before bed. However, his bigger concern is that people overthink sleep and struggle with it. Advertisement A while back, he was working with a San Francisco Giants player. This player walked into spring training one day and said, 'My twin babies were up vomiting all night, and I didn't get any sleep. I can't play like this.' Instead, the player hit two home runs in a game for the first time in his career. Winter believes the problem isn't so much a lack of sleep. It's our expectation of what we think will happen if we don't get enough sleep that has the biggest impact. He gave me an analogy: 'Nobody ever skips one meal and calls the doctor to say, 'I have a problem. I went out to lunch with some people and I am not feeling hungry for some reason. I got a Diet Coke but didn't eat my sandwich. What should I do? What pills should I take?' ' I wanted to know from Winter if there was anything tangible that we could do to try and combat the spiral effect that comes with not falling asleep quickly. Simply not worrying about sleep is easier said than done. With several of the teams he has worked with, Winter has introduced a device called 'Muse.' It's a brain-sensing headband that monitors brain activity and spews out real-time feedback during meditation and sleep. One WNBA player tried the device, and her results revealed that she was significantly more relaxed when trying to fall asleep than anyone else on her team. He asked her what she was thinking about before she fell into that peaceful state. She told him she imagined herself in an empty, dark gym. Someone would throw her a ball, she would shoot a free throw, watch it go in, over and over. Winter was intrigued. 'What made you think to do that?' he asked. 'I've done this all my life,' the player said. 'It felt comfortable.' Most of us might never use a brain-sensing headband, but Winter believes putting ourselves in a comfortable situation can help. Perhaps it's visualizing something nostalgic, such as walking through your favorite park or mentally engaging in a familiar activity you enjoy. Advertisement 'If you can get in bed and be awake but you're in that sort of deep, meditative state, you're recovering your brain about as well as you would if you were sleeping,' Winter said. 'People think it's about falling asleep fast. That's a terrible metric. We don't say, 'Here's how to eat your dinner faster.' Resting is very restorative. If before bed you like to meditate, brainstorm ideas for new things, think about a screenplay, go on imaginary dates with your celebrity crush, I think that's awesome.' Since the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the NBA Finals, I asked Winter what tips he has shared with Thunder players. He said he wants players to accept that they can't just shut their minds off, so instead he wants them to remember that it won't make or break everything if they don't get the perfect amount of sleep. That thought process, he said, can relieve the pressure of having to fall asleep immediately. Winter also encourages people to spend less time in bed outside of sleeping and to avoid using blue light screens before bedtime. And for those who still struggle, he'll suggest creating a schedule. Document the time you tried to fall asleep, the time you fell asleep, if you woke up at any point during the night and any naps you took. You can collect a few weeks' worth of data before adding up all those hours of sleep and dividing them by the number of days. That will give you your sleep average. Noticing patterns and making adjustments from there can really help, he said, but there's one part that should never change: The time you wake up each morning. In a way, a fixed wake-up time trains your brain. You can fall asleep early or stay up as late as you want, but by waking up at the designated time each day, your personal sleep drive becomes stronger. Sleeping in here and there, Winter said, will shorten your sleep drive. 'When you have a schedule, your brain starts to understand the opportunity of sleep,' he said. 'So your brain gets really, really excited and driven to make use of the time that you are given. You just want to kind of create a little bit of that in your own life.' Advertisement I admit, some of this seems a little self-explanatory, but Winter explained that simple reminders go a long way for the athletes he works with, too. Since I've spoken with Winter, I've slept a little better. It's not a dramatic difference, but I do feel more comfortable than before. One night, I visualized a nostalgic scene and mentally engaged in an activity there. I pictured my sisters and I picking berries from my great-grandmother's berry bushes in eastern Pennsylvania when we were little, then eating lunch at her kitchen table afterward. To my surprise, I fell asleep after that. More than anything, though, hearing Winter explain why there isn't that much to worry about has lessened my spiraling at night. As he reminded me, there's no need to overthink it.
