You have reached the end of the season, but it just might be the begging for your sleep journey!
In this episode, I stress the importance of having a dark and quiet room beyond bedtime.
We also talk about one of the hardest steps in getting restorative sleep: setting up your mind to crave sleep without thinking about it! It involves changing what you think about in bed.
I highly recommend saving the guided meditation for bedtime.
But please do more than think about getting my book “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps”, available in ebook form on all major ebook platforms, and on Amazon if you prefer paperback.
Ge more than a sneak peek with two free chapters, weekly emails, and a bonus guide by signing up here.https://subscribepage.io/SleepHelp
Time Stamps
1:38 Sleeping in the dark. Your room may not be as dark as you think it is!
7:09 Reframing the mind to encourage sleep without thinking about sleep
8:30 Guided meditation: sleeping with positivity and self worth.
Steps 9 and 10 in “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps” teach you how to use stretching techniques to improve sleep circulation, and how cooler temperatures at bedtime help keep you asleep and stimulate regrowth and repair during deep sleep.
As always, you can listen to this episode and get sleep help. But you get more out of it with my book “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps”, available in E-book form on all major E-book platforms, and on Amazon if you prefer paperback.
Start head first with two free chapters, weekly emails, and a bonus guide by signing up here https://subscribepage.io/SleepHelp
Time Stamps
1:44 massage, and testing to see if nagging injuries you don’t feel during the day are impacting your sleep
6:15 the step I hated to do but learned to value- sleep in the cold
9:16 Guided meditation: finger touching to focus and wind down in bed
Reach out and touch for sleep,
Paul Bright, Certified Sleep Science Coach
Warning: Do NOT play this episode during the day!
This episode is about Steps 7 and 8 , where you learn what to avoid all day and how hydration improves your sleep.
I HIGHLY suggest you save this episode until close to your bedtime. You can start it while you brush your teeth, and I give you an opportunity to transition from the bathroom to the bed for this!
But you don’t have to avoid my book “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps”, available in ebook form on all major ebook platforms, and on Amazon if you prefer paperback.
Give yourself a head start with two free chapters, weekly emails, and a bonus guide by signing up here.https://subscribepage.io/SleepHelp
Time Stamps
2:45 The Bedroom, and why you need to part ways with it until bedtime
6:00 Spilling the tea on what teas help and hurt your sleep
8:55 Guided Meditation: drinking warm tea
I am your Valerian Root,
Paul Bright, Certified Sleep Science Coach
Welcome to Season 3, episode 3 of “The Why Behind Your Z’s”.
We’re at the halfway point in the steps of my book “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps”, available in E-book form on all major E-book platforms, and on Amazon if you prefer paperback.
Give yourself a head start with two free chapters, weekly emails, and a bonus guide by signing up here.https://subscribepage.io/SleepHelp
This episode will focus on two steps that seem like they have nothing to do with sleep, but can have EVERYTHING to do with sleep by helping focus on your mindset and your body, two of the four domains that I believe have the most impact on your sleep.
Time Stamps
2:30 changing clothes, and how my dirty Air Force uniforms impacted my family life
6:40 Exercise, anxiety, and Adele
9:15 Guided Meditation: swimming in a peaceful ocean
Walk to your wake up,
Paul Bright, Certified Sleep Science Coach
Welcome to this episode, where we will focus on how meditation and monitoring your stimulant intakes can help and harm your sleep.
Incorporate what you learn in this episode, and you could see drastic, positive changes to your sleep! Some of the best work I’ve done with clients has been from identifying one area of need and applying a strategy to address it.
This episode is based on steps 3 and 4 of my book, “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps”, available on all major ebook platforms for download, and Amazon if you want the paperback version.
Want two free chapters of “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps?” Subscribe here and you’ll get bonus materials plus weekly emails full of free sleep tips. https://subscribepage.io/SleepHelp
I suggest starting this episode 10 minutes before bedtime so that you’re nice and comfy by the time the guided meditation starts playing
Time Stamps
1:30 Meditation and its benefits
6:30 Surprising sources of stimulants
12:28 Guided Meditation: Body Scan
Sleep well on this!
Paul Bright, Certified Sleep Science Coach
Sleepyoudeserve.com
Want two free chapters of “Sleep Reset in 12 Steps?” Subscribe here and you’ll get bonus materials plus weekly emails full of free sleep tips. https://subscribepage.io/SleepHelp
Season 3 will be based on my book, Sleep Reset in 12 Steps, available on all major E-book platforms for download, and Amazon if you want the paperback version.
Every episode this season will be based on every step in the book. You don’t “need” the book to benefit from these episodes, for two reasons:
I have additional action steps I talk about for each chapter that are not in book, and
Every episode ends with something that’s not in the book: a guided meditation!
But if you DO buy “Sleep Reset”, everything makes even more sense. You can start building your own restorative sleep plan, and use these podcast episodes as extra armor in your battle against insomnia!
One thing I suggest for this season is to wait until nighttime to listen. The best time to start is right before bed, while you’re brushing your teeth, and be in bed for the guided meditation.
Time Stamps
3:42- Step Zero, the one you need before you do anything else
7:19- Step 1: Sun Exposure
11:37- Step 2: Sleep Supporting Breakfast
15:09- The guided meditation: watching a sunrise
Enjoy!
Paul Bright, Certified Sleep Science Coach
Season 3 of The Why Behind Your Z's debuts January 13th at 10pm Eastern!
This season will be a companion to my book "Sleep Reset in 12 Steps", currently available on all major Ebook selling platforms and as a paperback on Amazon. I present additional beneficial techniques and info for each step, plus end every episode with a sleep-inducing guided meditation!
You don't need to buy the book to learn something from this season, but it helps!
Season 2 of "The Why Behind Your Z's" will feature interviews with other experts in the field, and I thought it best to start with a medical doctor.
Dr. Arjun Iyer is an emergency medicine physician and a host on USMLE's medical podcast, the Audio Bricks Podcast.
In this episode, we do more than just talk about prescribed sleep medications and their efficacy. I ask Dr. Iyer about insomnia-related cases he's treated in the E.R., what he thinks about supplements and cannabis as sleep aids; and what he believes is the best way to fight insomnia. Here's a hint: we both agree that prescribed medications are not the ultimate answer!
This podcast is partly sponsored by the Creative Copes podcast. Listen to part 1 of my guest appearance here!
If you want more free sleep coaching help in your inbox and alerts about upcoming episodes, subscribe now.
Do you find yourself too busy in the holiday season to enjoy the simple things? It's no secret that daily stressors have a negative impact on sleep, and even the "simple things" that are normally relaxing become stressful!
On this final episode of Season 2, I provide a mindfulness meditation that helps you engage in your senses as you do something most people do in the cold months- sit down and have a warm drink.
Play this episode the next time you plan to sit at a table or comfortable spot with your warm drink- be it coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. It only takes 10 minutes, and I'll guide you along the way to do what you normally do, but with better, relaxing benefits.
As always, if you want more tips to improve sleep, you can sign up here.
Sleep disturbances and disorders can be comorbid with another diagnosis. On my journey to becoming a certified sleep science coach, I expected this to happen with disorders like chronic pain or bipolar disorder.
What I didn't expect was to find sleep disorders to be comorbid with eating disorders.
Upon this discovery, I reached out to someone who could help explain what it's like when you lose sleep due to eating disorders and how to recover. Her name is Whitney Walker, a licensed therapist, former colleague, friend, and host of the Women Waken Podcast.
Whitney takes us through her journey of overcoming an eating disorder and other addictions, how her sleep was then versus now, and what hope she can offer to those still in the battle.
Sign up for podcast updates , a free book, and free sleep coaching here.
For more free sleep help and podcast updates, subscribe to my biweekly newsletter. You also get a free book!
This knowledge nap episode discusses a frustrating thing that happens to people when they get better sleep: they still get sleepy!
So, what's happening when that happens? What does it mean when you've done all the right things to improve your sleep, you sleep through the night, yet you're still fatigued?
I cover two potential reasons why in this episode.
Thanks for listening!
Subscribe for free sleep coaching tips and a FREE sleep guide straight to your inbox here.
Most grad students with full time jobs and a social life find difficulty squeezing in sleep. They head to class or work like zombies.
I happen to know one who manages school, work, and weekend fun while getting eight hours of sleep every night and living in a college town.
She even went to Vegas!
Listen to my interview with her and you'll pick up some good ideas on how to set yourself up for sleep success.
You might even get some good skin care tips!
This episode was sponsored by "Your Zen Friend Podcast" and host Lauren Wolfe. She's a family therapist who can help you and your family with personal growth, like this episode on redefining beauty
Many doctors and sleep professionals find melatonin supplements generally safe. It's often a go-to when you find that you can't seem to get sleepy at night.
Melatonin supplements do work.
But what happens when they don't? Or when they used to work, but have stopped working?
I explain why that happens in this episode and offer solutions within the domains I use to coach my clients.
If you like the information you learned in this episode and want more free sleep coaching tips, subscribe to my e-mail list.
With this subscription you get a free guide, Sleep 101: How Sleep Is Supposed To Work, that helps you understand the sleep cycles and typical sleep detractors. And it was created by a Certified Sleep Science Coach- me!
Clean eating, especially a vegan diet, can really improve your sleep. And Touissant Stewart is here to explain it all.
Touissant is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to living a clean and relaxing lifestyle, but he didn't get there easy. Despite being raised in a food-conscious household, Touissant's early adult years were of the typical American diet. When he saw how it was draining his energy and fitness, he gradually made the switch to eating cleaner foods and has been living this life nearly 30 years.
When I learned of his story, I felt he could be the ideal person to help insomniacs and troubled sleepers turn to a less-expensive, longer lasting and faster acting nutritional regimen that can lead to better sleep than any pill or ordinary supplement.
In this interview, you will learn about how your digestive system phases impact sleep; gut health improvement, and how I didn't go vegan but my dietary changes out of medical necessity improved my own sleep.
Here is a link to all that Touissant has to offer, to include his book, Plant-Based 101: Whole Food, Whole You. You can also follow Touissant on Instagram. (You can follow me, too!)
For more free sleep coaching tips straight to your inbox AND a free guide on sleep, sign up here.
WARNING: DO NOT PLAY THIS EPISODE WHILE DRIVING.
You just might pass out at the wheel!
Save this episode for just before bedtime!
Mindspace is a life domain where our sleep is impacted. Sometimes going to bed with a busy mind makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
A guided meditation can help by slowing down your neurons, which generate heat and energy in the brain and impede relaxation.
It's not practical for the brain to go from 100 miles per hour and into a sudden stop and expect restorative sleep.
Instead, we need to slow down the neuron speeds by inducing first Alpha waves (which keep the brain occupied but idle) and then Theta waves, which indicate pre-sleep.
I made this beach-themed meditation to help clients take their brain speeds down while also relaxing the body through progressive muscle relaxation, an exercise where you tense up muscles for a few seconds and then release them.
By the way, the wave sounds you hear were recorded by me at Muir Beach in California!
You'll hear an introduction of this meditation, and then a small break to where you can get yourself in position just before bed.
If you want more tips on helping yourself sleep better, sign up here and they'll go straight to your inbox. Plus, you get a free book!
Stress is a huge factor in preventing restorative sleep. While there are many ways to de-stress, sometimes you need something that can happen in as little a 5 minutes with lasting effects.
As I searched for such a technique, I remembered learning a little about "tapping" in my previous job, and performing it on myself. I was surprised at how quickly I felt relief, but I couldn't remember the "why" or "how it worked!
I wanted to bring on an expert to talk about it because sometimes you don't have 30 minutes in the day to relieve stress, or your bedtime comes sooner than you expected and you need a quick but effective fix.
Fortunately we have Lauren Wolfe, Host of the Your Zen Friend podcast, to help.
Lauren is honored to work as a Licensed Professional Counselor, EFT Practitioner and Trainer and Podcaster. She has been offering support to children, adolescents and families for over 20 years. Lauren is passionate about helping individuals to decrease symptoms of anxiety and access their inner calm. And tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique, is a way she helps.
Listen to this episode of The Why Behind Your Z's to find out how to tap for stress relief and sleep. And if you want the tapping protocol Lauren mentions, you can email her here.
Would you like more free sleep coaching and podcast updates straight to your inbox? Subscribe!
This season will feature "Knowledge Naps". These are shorter episodes that directly answer your questions about sleep. In this episode, I explain why you get sicker when you've got insomnia or your sleep has been broken for a while. It has to do with production and strengthening of your white blood cells. Without deep sleep, it doesn't happen!
I'll also talk about how you can improve your white blood cell count and sleep via the four domains I highlight in my book, "Sleep 101: How Sleep Is Supposed To Work".
Don't have the book? Subscribe for email updates and you'll get the book for FREE.
This is the final episode of season 1! And I wanted to bring you some of my life lessons about sleep. I didn't realize it at the time, but my work at Millstone 4 H Camp back in the 90s planted me seeds about restorative sleep that came into full fruition 30 years later!
Those of you dealing with ADHD may want to listen because summer camp was my first experience working with ADHD kids. It was a riot! But they also taught me a lot about sleep.
You'll also hear about mind walks, mating frogs, free sources of vitamin D, and Jason Vorhees. Yes, THAT Jason!
It all has to do with nature. No matter where you're at, nature can find it's way into your life and get your mind, body and spirit right!
If you want more free sleep help, you can get it straight to your inbox. Sign up here!
Can you die from insomnia?
Yes.
But what are the odds?
Very slim. And I explain why, even though chronic insomnia feels like death, scientifically you likely won't die directly from insomnia symptoms. There IS an insomnia-related, death-causing disease that affects a very small population. Learn about the Fatal Familial Insomnia symptoms (you can get a head start here) in this episode!
In this episode, I explain the science behind why we sleep best in the dark. Your eyes do have photosensitive neurotransmitters that are involved in this. The amount of light exposure- natural or artificial- also factors into your sleepiness after sunset.
But what if you want to sleep in the dark, but can't because of your surroundings? I provide two tips that absolutely will make your room darker than your school's permanent record. One tip I learned while deployed to European countries; another I shunned until three years ago, yet now use twice a week!
This episode is supported by another podcast friend, Lauren Wolfe, who hosts the Your Zen Friend podcast. If you need mental health and parenting tips to help your family live a better home life, this is your show!
Link to the study I mentioned in the episode: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002482
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