Every year during the second week of October, people come together to raise awareness and understanding of obsessive compulsive disorder. As part of our commitment to sleep health here at Sleepopolis, we're honored to take part in OCD Awareness Week this October by releasing this special episode, our second in a series on mental health, to better understand what life is like for people affected by OCD: how to recognize it, how to cope with it, and how to get the best sleep possible if you're affected by it.

Throughout October, which is known as ADHD Awareness Month, people come together to educate the public, reduce the stigma, and support those affected by ADHD. So, to uncover the challenges faced by people with ADHD and how to recognize it early on, we've invited not one, not two, but three very special guests for this special episode: Dr. Carrie Jackson, Nikki Kinzer, and Pete Wright.

Every year on September 22nd, scores of people come together to exchange stories, share research, and build awareness for narcolepsy during World Narcolepsy Day. As part of our commitment to sleep health here at Sleepopolis, we're honored to share this special episode this September in the hopes that more people will learn about and diagnose their own narcolepsy, the chronic sleep disorder experienced by one in every 2,000 Americans. It's not so rare. 

But what is narcolepsy? How can you recognize it? And most importantly, how can you prioritize your health if you have it? To unpack these questions, we've invited leading narcolepsy spokesperson and award winning author, Julie Flygare.

Ever stream something before bed, listeners? Ever fall asleep still listening to your speakers or headphones? Have you ever put on something new and just lost track of time? 

If so, it's possible you've been binge watching. And you're not alone. I do it too, sometimes. According to recent surveys, an estimated 70 to 90 percent of Americans routinely binge watch.

That's not entirely surprising. The advent of streaming and the ability to consume countless hours of nearly anything is still relatively new. And the associated health concerns are still being studied. So how does binging like this really affect our sleep? Is it that much worse to binge in bed?

As we all unfortunately know, cancer is a major disruption for everyone in its wake. But whether we're dealing with our own diagnosis or that of a loved one, there are tools and methods for improving our quality of sleep and our quality of life, from the initial diagnosis to the treatments we choose to pursue and beyond.

Whether you've slept with one or not, wearables and sleep tech have gained popularity over the last decade particularly, with a reported one in three Americans now using a ring, watch, wristband, or some other device to track their health data.

But how much can we really learn from these devices? How much can we really rely on them? And how much should we rely on them? And what should everyone know before adding a new piece of tech to their sleep routine? To learn more about the research behind this emerging technology, we've invited neurologist and sleep specialist, Dr. Cathy Goldstein to discuss what actually works.

Too often, sleep is marketed as something you need fancy gadgets and accessories to do well. Something you need an hour long wake up and wind down routine for. But most people don't have time or money to spare for so called sleep luxuries. In this episode, we're taking a closer look at the social determinants of sleep. The conditions in which people live, learn, work, and age, which affect their health.

To help, we've invited novelist and journalist Jessica Grose. An opinion writer at the New York Times, Jessica explores culture, politics, religion, health, and the American family through her twice weekly newsletter, and is the author of books like Home Economics, How Couples Manage Their Money, Sad Desk Salad, and most recently, Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood.

How does irregular eating become an eating disorder? And perhaps more crucially, how can we curb the unhealthy eating habits that disrupt our sleep, our well being, and our lives? To explore this link between eating disorders and sleep, we've invited Dr. Rene Zweig, founder and clinical director of Union Square Cognitive Therapy.

Toddlers jumping into your bed at 2 a.m.? Need to sleep train a 4-year-old? Or change a sensitive kid's wake-up time? In our third and final episode as part of our Kids and Sleep series, Dr. Shelby Harris, Dr. Allison Shale, and Dr. Andrea Roth answer questions from Sleepopolis readers about the most difficult sleep situations happening in houses across the world.

Welcome back to part two of our special three-part episode on kids and sleep, in recognition of Children's Awareness Month this June to reflect on how we can prioritize our children's health and well being.

In part one, Dr. Andrea Roth, Dr. Allison Shale, and I discussed common sleep behaviors and treatments for children. Today, in part two, we're diving even deeper. Next time, in part three, Dr. Andrea, Dr. Allison, and I will wrap things up by answering your questions!