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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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! This episode was supported in part by Your Zen Friend podcast. Check out my guest appearance!If you like what you heard and want more free advice on how to improve your sleep, sign up for my email list here!I also offer one-on-one coaching and, time permitting, a free consult if you'd like more personalized help with your sleep. Inquire with me at sleepcoachpaul@sleepyoudeserve.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

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 Want more help with your sleep? Sign up on my e-mail list for free sleep tips and podcast episode alerts every other week! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

This episode helps answer a question I often get asked: why can’t I fall asleep at night? Why does my brain start to overthink? I explore two of the main reasons why this happens- your brain’s neurotransmitter speeds at bed time, and  emotional dysregulation after midnight. I will also give you two practical solutions to what you can do to help your brain go silent and stay silent when you go to bed: down shift, then distract. You’ll hear how I had this challenge after my military career and when I started working with the homeless as well as foster care cases. Shutting my brain down after work and before bed was so tough! Once I learned why it was happening and how I could down shift and distract, the work was still there, but the sleep was easier, and I was more prepared to deal with it the next day. This show is supported by our friends at the Creative Copes Podcast. Two awesome ladies that deal with their mental and physical struggles by finding humorous and practical coping mechanisms. Listen to best friends who will instantly become YOUR best friend.  Would you like more free sleep information straight to your inbox? Subscribe here and get a FREE GUIDE I made explaining how sleep is supposed to work.Interested in a free consult to personally help you get the sleep you deserve? Sign up now! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

My Air Force days taught me about how important good circulation is for the body. Jet engines, just like car engines, need good, clean oil to keep the parts in shape and free from damage. Our body needs good blood circulation for the same reasons. You'll know when your circulation is bad while you're awake, especially if you've ever had a leg go numb from sitting on it too long! But what about bad circulation in your sleep? Even if you're getting 8 hours, bad circulation can reduce the quality of sleep. You might not even realize it until you try to get out of bed in the morning! Learn more about what you can do to improve circulation in your sleep and how it benefits your body. If you'd like more sleep info, you can get it straight to your mailbox periodically. You'll also get a FREE guide on how sleep is supposed to work. Don't snooze on this. Sign up here! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

What do the experts mean when they say Vitamin D is good for your sleep? I explain the "why" behind Vitamin D for sleep there are 2 types of Vitamin D!), how much you need, and the best sources, no matter your dietary style. In fact, there are free resources in abundance! It just takes a few minutes of your day to get the Vitamin D you need for sleep. If you want even more help getting the sleep you deserve, subscribe to my e-mail list for periodic updates, sleep science news, podcast previews, and offers. Plus you get a FREE guide on how sleep is supposed to work. Start here! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

At first, trying to figure out what fixes your sleep is like trying to clean up after a destructive toddler- so many places to start and seemingly the clean up never ends! My sleep science coaching method involves looking at 4 areas in your life (and a 5th one that ties them together) where you will find the solution to your sleep problems. I'll go through each area in detail, offering a potential solution in each one, and tell you how every following episode will cover these areas. For more sleep solutions straight to your inbox, sign up here! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

This episode discusses two often overlooked fundamentals that, if you don't keep them in mind while you try to correct bad sleep, will have you tossing and turning through quick fixes that never work. When does sleep actually start? What triggers the sleep mechanisms inside my body? Where do I start to make the fix? Grasp the basics about sleep and you'll begin to figure out where things went wrong and how this podcast will help you get your sleep right. For more sleep solutions straight to your inbox, sign up here! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

This is “Episode Zero” of The Why Behind Your Z’s because I want you to know what to expect from my podcast. And the best way to do it is to explain how I came up with the name and tagline- “the show that helps you maximize your sleep, one night at a time”. It’s all important and foundational to how you’ll get help from me and other experts. For free sleep coaching resources and podcast updates, subscribe here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message

Want some free, practical, doable, organized advice on how to improve your sleep? This is the show for you. Here's my trailer explaining who I am and what to expect from The Why Behind Your Z's. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleepcoachpaul/message