Sleep is My Waking Passion

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Beth Ann Malow — neurologist, sleep medicine specialist, and 2026 AASM Sleep Health Advocate Award recipient — to discuss her bold new book, Beyond the Politics of Contempt.

We explore how outrage-driven culture, social media algorithms, and the 24-hour news cycle are affecting our mental health, cardiovascular risk, and sleep quality. From "doomscrolling insomnia" to fractured family relationships, we dig into the real consequences of living in constant political tension — and the practical, evidence-informed strategies that help.

You'll learn how to break free from the outrage cycle, protect your sleep from stress and media overload, rebuild relationships even when you strongly disagree, and communicate with empathy without compromising your values.

We also tackle daylight saving time: why the science strongly supports permanent standard time, and why public buy-in is so hard — a masterclass in science communication and listening across differences.

If you've ever lost sleep after watching the news, avoided conversations because of politics, or felt stuck between speaking up and protecting your peace, this episode is for you.

About Dr. Beth Ann Malow: Neurologist, sleep medicine specialist, and former director of the Vanderbilt Sleep Division, Dr. Malow is a national leader in sleep health, autism research, and civil discourse. She co-authored Beyond the Politics of Contempt, a practical guide to bridging divides while standing firm in your beliefs.

Resources:
Book: Beyond the Politics of Contempt (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more)
Website: https://beyondthepoliticsofcontempt.com
Substack: https://togethernow.substack.com

If this episode resonates, share it with someone you care about — even someone you disagree with. And subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of sleep, health, and real life.

Registered dietitian Marissa Sharkey — aka the Gutsy Dietitian — returns to unpack the gut-sleep connection and why so many busy adults feel exhausted, bloated, and stuck. From simple meal-prep swaps to the daily habits quietly sabotaging your rest, this is a practical playbook for feeling better from the inside out.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How gut health and sleep quality feed each other — and where most people go wrong
• Realistic meal-prep strategies for busy schedules (no all-day Sunday cooking required)
• The everyday nutrition habits worth changing first if you want more energy and better rest

CTA:
Loved this one? Follow Sleep Is My Waking Passion so you never miss an episode, and share it with a friend who's tired of being tired. You can find Marissa on Instagram @thegutsy_dietitian, grab her free meal-prep guide via her bio link, or reach her at marissa-sharkeynutrition.com.

Most people think trauma is something you just have to live with. It isn't.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Courtney Worley — board-certified clinical psychologist and diplomate in behavioral sleep medicine — we break down the evidence-based therapies that actually treat PTSD and the sleep it steals. If you or someone you love struggles with nightmares, insomnia, or trauma, this one's for you.

What you will learn: 

It's never too early — and never too late.
PTSD is a problem in recovery, not a life sentence. Dr. Worley has treated trauma 65 years after the event. Older vets in their 80s and 90s get better. That capacity to heal never closes.

2. Five sessions can change everything.
Written Exposure Therapy treats trauma in as few as five sessions, with no between-session homework. Alongside Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure, 60–80% of people see real symptom reduction. Three paths, same mountain.

3. Don't wake someone from a nightmare.
Sleeping through a disturbing dream helps the brain process and store the trauma. Waking them interrupts the healing. And nightmares themselves? Treatable — most people just never knew to ask.


Sleep isn't a luxury. It's part of healing. 💙

Narcolepsy isn’t just about “falling asleep at the wrong time.” For many patients, the scariest part is what happens inside their sleep—long, vivid, emotionally intense nightmares that can blur into sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and even waking life.

In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with clinical psychologist and sleep researcher Dr. Jennifer Mundt (University of Utah) to unpack a symptom almost no one is talking about: nightmares in narcolepsy—and how cognitive behavioral therapy for nightmares (CBT-N) and imagery rehearsal techniques may help rewrite them.

You’ll learn:

• How narcolepsy nightmares differ from typical “bad dreams”
• Why dream-reality confusion and lucid dreaming can make these episodes feel dangerously real
• What current research suggests about nightmare burden in narcolepsy, type 1 and type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia
• How CBT-N and imagery rehearsal therapy work, step by step, and how they can be adapted for excessively sleepy patients
• How to learn more about Dr. Mundt’s DAWN Study and remote participation options

This episode is essential viewing for:

• Clinicians treating narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, or trauma-related sleep disorders
• Researchers interested in REM dysregulation, dream phenomenology, and behavioral sleep medicine
• Patients and families living with narcolepsy, sleep paralysis, and disturbing dreams

If you’re ready to look beyond medications and explore how behavioral treatment might change the dream landscape in narcolepsy, start here.

👉 If this topic fascinates you, hit Subscribe, so you don’t miss upcoming episodes!

Nightmares aren’t just “bad dreams”—and you don’t have to live with them.

In this episode, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with behavioral sleep medicine expert Dr. Courtney Worley to break down what actually defines a nightmare disorder, why nightmares happen (far beyond trauma), and—most importantly—how to treat them.

They dive into the gold-standard, evidence-based therapy you’ve probably never been offered (imagery rehearsal therapy), how your brain can be retrained to stop recurring nightmares, and when it’s time to seek professional help. If you—or your patients—are struggling with persistent nightmares, this episode is a must-listen.

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Nightmares are common. Nightmare disorder is not—and it’s highly treatable.

In this episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, I sat down with Dr. Courtney Worley, a clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine specialist, to unpack one of the most overlooked sleep conditions: nightmares.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

• Nightmares are a transdiagnostic symptom: They’re not just about trauma. Nightmares can show up in insomnia, narcolepsy, depression, anxiety, medication effects, and more—making proper evaluation essential.
• There is a first-line, evidence-based treatment: Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) helps patients “rewrite” their nightmares using neuroplasticity—and it works in as little as 4–6 sessions.
• Not all “nightmares” are the same: Distinguishing between REM nightmares, non-REM parasomnias, and conditions like obstructive sleep apnea can completely change management.

Most patients never report nightmares—and many clinicians don’t ask.

That needs to change.

Listen to the full episode to learn how to recognize, treat, and rethink nightmares in your patients (and yourself).

Live from London, Sleep Is My Waking Passion joins forces with multi‑award‑winning ENT and specialist sleep surgeon Dr. Ryan Chin Taw Cheong to break down how obstructive sleep apnea is managed in the UK versus the USA. From earlier ENT involvement and airway‑focused surgery in the NHS to faster access to sleep testing and PAP in many American settings, we highlight what each system gets right—and where patients still fall through the cracks.

We cover recognition gaps, long wait times (up to a year for some UK pathways), CPAP and BiPAP, oral appliances, nasal and upper‑airway surgery, and the latest wave of “mask‑free” and metabolic treatments that everyone is Googling right now. If you or your patients are navigating sleep apnea care in the US or UK—or looking for real‑world guidance on when to see an ENT sleep surgeon—this episode is your practical, evidence‑based starting point.

What if treating sleep apnea isn’t just about machines, mouthguards, or surgery—but actually changing the structure of your airway?

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with Stanford sleep expert and orthodontist Dr. Audrey Yoon to explore a rapidly emerging—and often overlooked—approach to sleep-disordered breathing: airway expansion.

You’ll hear how techniques like MARPE (miniscrew-assisted palatal expansion) are reshaping the future of sleep medicine.

From children with subtle red flags like mouth breathing and bedwetting… to adults struggling with CPAP intolerance… to complex cases like Down syndrome—this conversation uncovers how jaw development, facial structure, and airway anatomy are deeply connected.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Is there a way to treat sleep apnea without wearing a mask forever?
• Could airway structure be the missing piece in treatment-resistant patients?
• Are we overlooking critical signs in kids that could prevent lifelong sleep issues?

This episode challenges the current treatment algorithm and offers a glimpse into where sleep medicine is heading next.

Whether you’re a clinician or someone struggling with sleep apnea, this is the conversation that may completely change how you think about breathing at night.

What if a sleep doctor didn't recognize her own sleep apnea? Dr. Valerie Cacho shares her personal journey from diagnosing patients to becoming one—revealing how women's sleep apnea symptoms look nothing like the textbook.

In this episode, Dr. Cacho and Dr. Alison Kole dive into why women with "mild" sleep apnea may face serious cardiovascular risks, the unique phenomenon of REM-related sleep apnea in women, and why Asian populations are at higher risk despite normal BMI.

Skool community: https://www.skool.com/sleephoria
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleephoria

When does “crappy sleep” in women stop being a normal part of aging and start being a dangerous, underdiagnosed sleep apnea? In this episode, living legend Dr. Nancy Collop, MD—former AASM president and former director of the Emory Sleep Center in Atlanta—joins Dr. Alison Kole to unpack how menopause, hormones, and REM‑related apnea uniquely raise women’s cardiovascular risk. You’ll learn why “mild” sleep apnea numbers can be misleading, which red‑flag symptoms should trigger testing, and how new treatments and wearables are transforming the future of women’s sleep health.

What if the thing quietly stealing your energy, memory, and even your life was happening while you sleep? In this powerful episode of Sleep Is My Waking Passion, Dr. Alison Kole sits down with legendary documentary filmmaker George T. Nierenberg to explore his deeply personal sleep apnea journey and his new film, Out of Breath—the first feature documentary to put the human cost of sleep apnea front and center.

You’ll hear raw, intimate stories from patients and families who filmed their own lives over two years, from falling asleep at the wheel with loved ones in the car to marriages, parenting, careers, and mental health slowly unraveling—then rebuilding—with effective treatment.

We dig into why up to 80% of people with sleep apnea remain undiagnosed, the fear and stigma around CPAP, evolving options like oral appliances and airway-focused dentistry, and how reframing sleep as the foundation of health (not just a “pillar”) can literally save lives.

🎬 Watch the film: sleepapneafilm.com
👩‍⚕️ Learn more about Dr. Kole’s work: AskTheSleepMD.com

If this conversation sounds like you—or someone you love—share this episode, leave a review, and be the nudge that finally gets them diagnosed and treated.

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