Can low iron levels cause restless leg syndrome and poor sleep? In this episode of The Rest Report, we sit down with Dr. William Lu — a board-certified sleep medicine physician — to break down the connection between iron deficiency, dopamine production, and restless leg syndrome (RLS).
Dr. Lu explains why low ferritin disrupts your brain chemistry, triggers RLS symptoms at night, and what you can do to improve sleep quality naturally.

If you struggle with insomnia, nighttime leg discomfort, chronic fatigue, or poor sleep quality, this episode could change how you approach your health.

William is a physician leader and triple-boarded specialist in sleep, obesity, and family medicine. As the Medical Director at Dreem Health, he leads a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and sleep technologists that is looking to bring tech-enabled sleep care to patients across the country. Beyond the clinic, William is a prominent voice in the medical community, having contributed expert commentary to many outlets including CNN, Forbes, and Fox News on the future of sleep health and tech-enabled primary care.

More of Dr. William Lu's work:
🌐 Website: https://www.rls.org/
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Ever lie in bed, exhausted, while your mind won't stop replaying the day's "what ifs"? We've all been there. In this episode, we dive deep into sleep stress — exploring how stress and lack of sleep create a vicious cycle that's hard to break. Our guest, clinical psychologist and BetterSleep advisor, Dr. Aric Prather breaks down why stress and sleep deprivation go hand in hand, why rumination keeps you tossing and turning. He shares proven stress management techniques for sleep, including practical advice on how to sleep when stressed and anxious. If difficulty sleeping from stress is something you're struggling with, Dr. Prather also explains why prioritizing rest is one of the most powerful tools for managing stress and lack of sleep. Whether you're dealing with occasional stress or chronic sleep deprivation, this episode will change how you think about rest.

Aric A. Prather, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF, where he directs the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Research program and co-leads the UCSF Insomnia Clinic. Dr. Prather has published over 130 NIH-supported scientific papers, authored The Sleep Prescription and serves as a Scientific Advisor to BetterSleep.

More of Dr. Prather's work:
🌐 Website: https://www.aricprather.com/
📘 The Sleep Prescription: https://www.aricprather.com/the-sleep...
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Explore BetterSleep's vast library of sounds, stories, and meditations:
• App Store: https://bit.ly/2XNgrrg
• Google Play: https://bit.ly/3hQzub2

In honor of International Women's day, this episode dives into the science behind hormonal shifts on sleep and separate fact from fiction. Is it true that women need more sleep than men? Which hormones make you sleep? What are signs of low oestrogen? How do you fix hormonal insomnia? Dr. Shelby Harris shares evidence-based strategies to help women reclaim their sleep without relying on myths...or potato chips.

About this week's guest:
Shelby Harris PsyD, DBSM is a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist in private practice in NY. She is board certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and treats a wide variety of sleep, anxiety and depression issues using evidence-based, non-medication treatments. Her self-help book, The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia was published in 2019 by W.W. Norton Books. Dr. Harris holds an academic appointment as Clinical Associate Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Neurology and Psychiatry.

Dr. Shelby Harris is a trusted clinical advisor for BetterSleep, helping us scale our mission to provide the appropriate care for you.

More of Dr. Shelby's work:
🌐 Website: https://www.drshelbyharris.com/
📘 Her book: https://a.co/d/0j0Cmeay
📱IG: https://www.instagram.com/sleepdocshelby?igsh=MXV1M2t3amVnNXFwYQ==
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📰 Subscribe to The Rest Report Newsletter: https://www.bettersleep.com/?rest-report-welcome

Explore BetterSleep's vast library of sounds, stories, and meditations:
• App Store: https://bit.ly/2XNgrrg
• Google Play: https://bit.ly/3hQzub2

Middle-of-the-night wake-ups happen to almost everyone, but it’s not your fault. I chat with sleep advocate and writer, Lindsay Scola, about why nighttime wake-ups are actually normal, along with practical, guilt-free ways to fall back asleep.

📰 Subscribe to The Rest Report Newsletter: https://www.bettersleep.com/?rest-report-welcome

How to fall back asleep in middle of night? Explore BetterSleep's vast library of sounds, stories, and meditations:
• App Store: https://bit.ly/2XNgrrg
• Google Play: https://bit.ly/3hQzub2

Can you have sleep apnea without snoring? Does snoring mean I have sleep apnea? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jordan Stern about what sleep apnea really is, how it differs from ordinary snoring, and why untreated apnea can impact your health in ways you might not expect.

Dr. Jordan Stern is a New York Times Best Selling author, an award winning Head and Neck Surgeon, and Sleep specialist. He is also the Founder and CEO of BlueSleep, a digital healthcare company where he's turned snoring and sleep apnea into a solvable, data driven science.

BetterSleep has partnered with BlueSleep to help our users set up an easy telehealth visit with a clinician, to better understand if they’re at risk: https://www.bluesleep.com/bettersleep-bluesleep

📰 Subscribe to The Rest Report Newsletter: https://www.bettersleep.com/?rest-report-welcome

Track your snoring and nighttime sounds with the BetterSleep tracker and recorder:
• App Store: https://bit.ly/2XNgrrg
• Google Play: https://bit.ly/3hQzub2

Does alcohol affect your sleep? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Brooke Scheller, a clinical nutritionist, to uncover how alcohol can quietly disrupt our sleep. We break down why alcohol disrupts sleep including what happens when you’re sleeping with alcohol in your system. Dr. Brooke shares practical tips that can help you sleep better and build a healthier relationship with alcohol.

📰 Subscribe to The Rest Report Newsletter: https://www.bettersleep.com/?rest-report-welcome

Compare nights you drink vs nights you don’t and see how alcohol affects your body with the
📱BetterSleep tracker:
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• Google Play: https://bit.ly/3hQzub2


More of Dr. Brooke’s work
💻 www.brookescheller.com
📄 https://substack.com/@drbrookescheller
📙 How to Eat to Change How You Drink (https://a.co/d/h7H9EjA)
🍽️ Free Meal Plan: https://www.brookescheller.com/3dayplan

What starts as a few sleepless nights can turn into years of searching for answers. The Rest Report is a series born from that search. Hosted by BetterSleep's General Manager, Nathalie Walton, we uncover what actually shapes our sleep and share tips that work backed by experts.

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