Beyond Breathing

Lancette VanGuilder

Beyond Breathing: The podcast for everyone who breathes and sleeps! Get ready to breathe well, sleep well and live well!  In each episode, we'll be joined by expert medical professionals, sleep specialists, wellness coaches, and individuals who have conquered their sleep struggles (adults and kids). We'll dive into the science of sleep and breathing and its impact on our health, we will explore sleep technology and uncover practical tips and techniques to enhance your sleep quality, your mood and overall health and wellness.     We're on a mission to empower you with knowledge, inspire positive change, and ultimately help you embrace a healthier life.  Our first episode is just around the corner so stay tuned for more empowering conversations. Let's start this incredible voyage, one breath at a time. Thank you, Sierra Sleep, Airway and Wellness Center in Reno, Nevada for sponsoring this journey! 

  1. 4 days ago

    Dream On: What Sleep Is Telling You

    Send us Fan Mail Why do we dream? Why do some people remember vivid nighttime adventures while others swear they never dream at all? And could strange sleep behaviors like sleepwalking, nightmares, bedwetting, or frequent nighttime urination actually be signs of something more serious? In this episode of Beyond Breathing, Lancette VanGuilder explores the fascinating science behind dreams, REM sleep, nightmares, night terrors, and parasomnias while uncovering the surprising connection between sleep disorders and airway health. From emotional processing and brain restoration to hidden signs of untreated sleep apnea, this episode dives into what your nighttime experiences may be trying to tell you. Because sometimes dreams are just dreams. And sometimes your body is asking for help. In This Episode You'll Learn: ✨ Why humans dream and what science currently understands about dream function ✨ Common dream themes and what they may symbolize:  Teeth falling out  Falling  Being chased  Showing up somewhere completely unprepared ✨ Why some people think they "don't dream" ✨ The role REM sleep plays in:  Memory consolidation  Emotional processing  Brain recovery  Learning and creativity ✨ How sleep deprivation and untreated sleep apnea can disrupt REM sleep ✨ The difference between:  Nightmares  Night terrors  Sleep talking  Sleepwalking  Parasomnias ✨ Why children with sleep-disordered breathing may experience:  Night terrors  Bedwetting  Behavioral concerns  ADHD-like symptoms  Mouth breathing  Grinding teeth ✨ The surprising connection between sleep apnea and frequent nighttime urination (nocturia) ✨ How untreated sleep apnea impacts overall health:  Cardiovascular disease  Hypertension  Diabetes  Stroke risk  Cognitive decline  Mood disorders  Fatigue  Brain fog  Quality of life Key Takeaway Sleep is not passive. Sleep is active healthcare. Your brain restores itself. Hormones regulate. Immune systems recalibrate. Memories organize. Healing happens during sleep. And disrupted sleep deserves attention. Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore Consider a sleep evaluation if you experience: ✔ Snoring  ✔ Mouth breathing  ✔ Grinding teeth  ✔ Nightmares  ✔ Night terrors  ✔ Sleep talking  ✔ Sleepwalking  ✔ Frequent nighttime urination  ✔ Daytime fatigue  ✔ Brain fog  ✔ Morning headaches  ✔ Frequent awakenings  ✔ Behavioral concerns in children Call to Action Annual sleep evaluations matter. Airway health matters. Breathing matters. Sleep matters. Early identification can change lives. Lancette encourages annual sleep screening for everyone ages 2 and older and reminds listeners that small signs can point toward bigger health concerns worth evaluating. Sierra Sleep Airway and Wellness Center Sierra Sleep Airway and Wellness Center provides:  Comprehensive airway evaluations  FDA-cleared home sleep testing  Telehealth sleep support  Interdisciplinary collaboration  Root-cause, evidence-based airway care Helping patients breathe better, sleep better, and live better. Favorite Quote From This Episode "Sometimes your dreams are just dreams. But sometimes they're your body asking for help." Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    12 min

  2. 21 May

    Sleepcations

    Send us Fan Mail Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    10 min

  3. 14 May

    “They’ll Grow Out of It”… Until They Don’t: The Dangerous Delay in Treating Childhood Sleep Apnea

    Send us Fan Mail Hello everyone, and welcome back to Beyond Breathing—the podcast for everyone who breathes and sleeps. I’m your host, Lancette VanGuilder, and today we are talking about something that is quietly affecting millions of children while many loving parents and healthcare providers are unintentionally missing the signs. Today’s episode is called: “They’ll Grow Out of It”… Until They Don’t. We are diving into the dangerous myth that children simply outgrow obstructive sleep apnea. That mouth tape alone will fix it. That traditional braces automatically solve it. That snoring is normal. That melatonin is harmless. That sleeping in on weekends can make up for poor sleep during the week. And that “watch and wait” is always the safest approach. This episode is not about blame. Most parents are doing the very best they can with the information they have been given. And many healthcare providers simply were not trained in pediatric airway health, sleep-disordered breathing, or the lifelong impact of disrupted sleep in children. But children are not miniature adults. And childhood is not a waiting room. A child’s brain, airway, nervous system, hormones, facial structure, metabolism, immune system, and emotional regulation are all developing while they sleep. Sleep is not passive. Sleep is biological construction. And when breathing is disrupted during sleep—even mildly—the ripple effects can impact nearly every system in the body. So today, we are going to talk about why delaying treatment matters, why “watch and wait” can become “wish we hadn’t waited,” and why annual sleep studies should become as routine as annual physicals and dental exams for children with symptoms or airway concerns. What Is Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea—or pediatric OSA—is a condition where a child’s airway repeatedly partially or fully collapses during sleep. That means the child may: snore, gasp, pause breathing, toss and turn, sweat excessively, mouth breathe, grind teeth, wake frequently, sleep in unusual positions, or wake up exhausted. And here’s something incredibly important: Children often do not present like adults. Adults with sleep apnea tend to become sleepy. Children often become dysregulated. Instead of appearing tired, they may appear: hyperactive, emotional, anxious, impulsive, distracted, aggressive, or unable to focus. Some children diagnosed with ADHD may actually have underlying sleep-disordered breathing contributing to symptoms. Not all. But enough that sleep should always be evaluated. Because a child who is struggling to breathe all night may spend the entire day trying to compensate neurologically and emotionally. “They’ll Grow Out of It” This phrase has delayed treatment for countless children. And yes—some children improve as they grow. But many do not. And the larger issue is this: What happens to the brain and body during the years they are struggling? Because childhood is one of the most critical developmental windows of human life. A child’s airway is developing.  Their face is developing.  Their brain is wiring itself.  Their hormones are calibrating.  Their nervous system is learning regulation. Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    16 min

  4. 6 May

    REM Surge: Vivid dreams are trying to tell you something

    Send us Fan Mail  What REM surge is really telling us about sleep apnea, stress, and your body’s attempt to heal Key Takeaways:  REM surge = compensatory response to disrupted sleep  Strong link between REM instability and sleep apnea  REM is often where apnea is most severe  Both high and low REM are clinically meaningful  Sleep studies are essential to identify patterns  Stabilizing sleep improves both REM and deep sleep Topics Covered:  What REM sleep does  REM rebound and REM surge  Sleep apnea and REM vulnerability  Sleep architecture instability  REM-related sleep disorders  ADHD and low REM  Strategies to improve deep sleep Call to Action:  Screen for airway and sleep disorders  Use validated questionnaires (STOP-BANG, Epworth)  Encourage annual sleep testing  Integrate medical-dental collaboration Close: If you’re tired, dreaming intensely, or waking up exhausted— it’s time to look deeper. Sleep isn’t just about hours.  It’s about quality. And testing matters. Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    12 min

  5. 22 Apr

    Sleep Tech is Exploding… But Are We Missing the Point?

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Beyond Breathing—the podcast for everyone who breathes… and sleeps. Today we are stepping into the future. Sleep technology is evolving faster than ever.  And one of the biggest places this shows up each year is at CES. CES stands for the Consumer Electronics Show. It is one of the largest global technology conferences, where companies from around the world introduce innovations shaping how we live, work, and care for our health.¹ CES 2026 took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2026, bringing together global leaders in technology, healthcare, and innovation. And this year, sleep wasn’t just a category—it was a major focus. We are talking about:  AI-powered sleep systems  Contact-free monitoring  Nervous system stimulation  At-home medical-grade testing It’s exciting. It’s innovative. It’s everywhere. And it raises a critical question: 👉 Are we actually improving sleep…  or simply getting better at managing poor sleep? Let’s go deeper. 🧠 SEGMENT 1: Sleep Tech Has Entered a New Era Sleep is no longer a passive state we hope goes well. It has become:  👉 measurable  👉 trackable  👉 modifiable At CES 2026, the shift was clear. Technology is moving beyond simple tracking and into active intervention.² We are seeing:  Smart environments adjusting light, sound, and temperature in real time  Devices stimulating the nervous system to calm the body  AI platforms analyzing sleep patterns across nights  Contact-free sensors tracking sleep without wearables We are no longer asking, “How did I sleep?” We are now asking, “How can I engineer better sleep?” 🔬 SEGMENT 2: From Data to Intervention The sleep space is shifting from awareness to optimization. Devices are now influencing:  Circadian rhythm  Autonomic nervous system balance  Behavioral patterns Some technologies are even moving toward early identification of sleep apnea.² Access to sleep data has never been greater. And yet… There is still a critical gap. ⚠️ SEGMENT 3: The Missing Layer—Root Cause You can improve sleep metrics without improving sleep health. Technology can:  ✔️ increase duration  ✔️ improve perceived quality  ✔️ guide relaxation It cannot:  Open a restricted airway  Correct dysfunctional breathing  Address craniofacial structure  Resolve airway collapse Sleep-disordered breathing remains one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in healthcare.³ Many individuals experience disrupted sleep for years without recognition. 🌬️ SEGMENT 4: Airway First—Always Sleep begins with breathing. Airway function determines:  Oxygen delivery  Sleep continuity  Brain restoration Sleep-disordered breathing exists on a spectrum:  Snoring  Mouth breathing  Upper airway resistance  Obstructive sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea affects an estimated 1 billion people globally, with many undiagnosed.³ Untreated airway dysfunction has been associated with:  Cardiovascular disease  Cognitive decline  Metabolic dysfunction  Mood disorders⁴ This is not just about sleep. This is about whole-body health. 🧩 SEGMENT 5: Why Annual Sleep Testing Mat Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    11 min

  6. 8 Apr

    Sleep, Presence, and How You Show Up

    Send us Fan Mail We are living in a world where exhaustion has become normal. Late nights. Early mornings. Packed schedules. Constant stimulation. At the same time, sleep is trending—wearables, podcasts, and “sleep hygiene” tips are everywhere. Yet despite all of this awareness, most people are still not getting the restorative sleep their brain and body require. In this episode, we go beyond surface-level sleep advice and explore the deeper truth: 👉 You cannot be fully present in your life if you are not fully rested. This conversation connects the science of sleep with real-life impact—how disrupted sleep affects your ability to show up for your relationships, your work, and your overall health. 🧠 What You’ll Learn  Why fatigue is not just about being tired—but about brain function and emotional regulation  How poor sleep impacts patience, connection, and presence with loved ones  The critical role of airway anatomy in sleep quality  Why conditions like sleep apnea and insomnia are often overlooked or misunderstood  How tongue ties, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, sinus issues, and a deviated septum can silently disrupt sleep  The influence of hormones, stress, aging, diet, and lifestyle on sleep quality  Why wearables and sleep tracking are helpful—but not diagnostic  The importance of annual sleep testing and comprehensive airway assessments  Practical strategies to improve sleep, recovery, and overall well-being 🫁 The Airway–Sleep Connection Sleep is not just about time in bed—it is about how well your body can breathe and restore. Even subtle disruptions in airflow can fragment sleep and prevent the brain from reaching deep, restorative stages. Key contributors to poor sleep quality may include:  Restricted tongue mobility (tongue ties)  Enlarged tonsils and adenoids  Chronic nasal congestion or inflammation  Structural limitations like a deviated septum These factors can lead to disrupted breathing patterns and are commonly associated with conditions like obstructive sleep apnea. ⏳ Modern Life vs. Biological Sleep Our current lifestyle is fundamentally misaligned with how the body is designed to sleep. We have normalized:  Late-night screen exposure  Early wake times that cut off sleep cycles  Overbooked schedules with little recovery  High stress and constant stimulation Just because it is common does not mean it is healthy. 📊 Sleep Is Trending—But We Need to Go Deeper Wearables and sleep apps can provide helpful insights, but they cannot:  Diagnose breathing disturbances  Measure oxygen fluctuations accurately in all cases  Detect sleep fragmentation at a clinical level 👉 This is why objective sleep testing is essential. Annual sleep testing—especially when combined with a comprehensive airway assessment—can identify root causes that are often missed. 🌿 Practical Ways to Support Better Sleep Improving sleep requires a multi-layered approach that includes physiology, behavior, and environment. Nervous System Support  Mindfulness and meditation  Gratitude journaling before bed  Breathwork focused on nasal breathing and slow exhalation Sleep Hygiene  Consistent sleep and wake times  Reducing screen exposure in the evening  Creating a dark, cool, quiet sleep environment Lifestyle Foundations  BalaSupport the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    8 min

  7. 1 Apr

    GUT health and SLEEP health

    Send us Fan Mail Inspired by Mel Robbins’ Episode 382 with Dr. Trisha Pasricha, this episode expands the gut health conversation into the mouth-gut-brain-sleep axis. We unpack why the gut starts in the mouth, how oral health and the microbiome affect the rest of the GI tract, why reflux and sleep disturb each other, how sleep-disordered breathing may connect to oral and gut inflammation, and why the same habits that support brain health often support sleep, oral health, metabolic health, and mental well-being too. Mel Robbins Podcast: The Poop Episode: Harvard Doctor Reveals What’s Normal (and What’s Not) In our episode:  Why “gut health” is bigger than the intestines  The oral-gut axis and why the mouth is the front door of the gut  How the microbiome influences sleep through serotonin, melatonin, tryptophan, SCFAs, and GABA  The two-way link between GERD and sleep disturbance  The growing evidence tying sleep apnea to periodontal disease and systemic inflammation  Why oral, metabolic, mental, and brain health share common pathways Stats you can use on air Oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people globally.  About 42.2% of U.S. adults age 30 and older have periodontitis.  About one-third of U.S. adults report short sleep duration, defined as less than 7 hours.  GERD is thought to affect up to 20% of the U.S. population.  The 2024 Lancet Commission estimates that addressing 14 modifiable risk factors could prevent or delay about 45% of dementia cases. Reference list Mel Robbins. Episode 382: The Gut Health Episode: What a Harvard Doctor Wants You to Know. Official episode page and transcript.  Sejbuk M, et al. The Role of Gut Microbiome in Sleep Quality and Health: Dietary Strategies for Microbiota Support. 2024 review.  Rajasekaran JJ, et al. Oral Microbiome: A Review of Its Impact on Oral and Systemic Health. 2024 review.  Tan X, et al. Bidirectional correlation between gastroesophageal reflux disease and sleep problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2024.  Livingston G, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission.  CDC. Sleep in Adults: Facts and Stats.  NIDCR. Periodontal Disease in Adults (Age 30 or Older).  WHO. Oral health fact sheet / Global oral health status data.  Mi Z, et al. Genetically predicted obstructive sleep apnea is causally associated with an increased risk for periodontitis. 2023.  NHLBI, NIH. Sleep apnea symptoms and overview.  ACG. Acid Reflux/GERD.  Borrego-Ruiz A, et al. Human oral microbiome and its influence on mental health. 2025 review; evidence promising but still emerging.  Dibello V, et al. Impact of periodontal disease on cognitive disorders. 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis. A careful note on the evidence: the links among oral microbiome, mental health, and dementia are biologically plausible and increasingly supported, but many findings remain observational or early-stage. The strongest evidence in this set is for common risk-factor overlap, oral disease burden, sleep insufficiency prevalence, GERD-sleep bidirectionality, and the role of the gut microbiome in sleep-related pathways. Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    30 min

  8. 25 Mar

    Your DNA is your Blueprint to Better Sleep, Energy and Health

    Send us Fan Mail  What if one simple cheek swab could help explain your sleep struggles, low energy, your stress response, your nutrition needs and even how your body is built to recover? And what if functional genetic testing and coaching Think of genetic testing like the owner's manual to your car. You want to keep your car running at its optimal and best performance, and so it lasts you lots of years, right? You don't want to put a bunch of money into it. You want it to just work at its best level. Well, think of genetic testing like the owner's manual to your body. This is the thing that we're trying to maintain and take care of for 100 years. So knowing the results can help you know what diet might be best for you. The Living Light Metabolic Reset Program is really just a guided wellness program that focuses on improving metabolic health through personalized nutrition, some lifestyle changes, some supplements, and coaching support, which was really helpful. And the goals are just to have more energy, sleep better, eye loss weight, cortisol detox, and really developing some great long-term habits. I did my metabolic reset program through Sierra Sleep Airway and Wellness Center in Reno, Nevada. They're sponsoring today's episode. You can do this reset program wherever you live. The kit can be mailed to you or picked up at their office. And the metabolic reset kit includes things like an aura ring, a red light, a metabolic spray, a food scale, and some other really cool things and additional services that can be added on for health or things like saliva testing for oral health. food sensitivity testing and genetic testing. So that brings me to today's episode. I chose to add on the genetic testing to give me some more insight about how my body works and really to continue my personalized health journey really for the rest of my life. I want to live out the last half of my life with vitality and longevity and energy. So this next step is personalized genetic testing and coaching. And this isn't ancestry testing. This is not entertainment based DNA data. This is functional, clinically meaningful information designed to help you better understand how your body works. So you can make more personalized decisions about your own health. The DNA test is through the DNA company and it looks at a functional set of about a hundred different genes across some of the most important systems in the body, including cardiovascular health,immune function, hormones, fitness, diet and nutrition, sleep, longevity and mood and behavior. This testing is designed to help people better understand how their body responds to food, stress, sleep, exercise, and how these patterns can be translated into real world strategies to help improve health, energy and resilience. So what are we exactly testing for today in today's genetic test? Well, we're looking at how your body handles energy production and cellular health. That includes how you respond to stress, how you respond under pressure, how efficiently your cells create and recycle energy, how well your body produces antioxidants, and even markers related to DNA repair and adaptation. Also looking at metabolism, nutrition, and weight-related patterns. This includes how your body breaks down fats and carbohydrates, how your genes influence blood sugar balance, heart health and weight loss, and whether you may have predispositions related to food sensitivities or nutrient activation. The report can provide insight into vitamin absorption and activation, including nutrients like B12, vitamin D, folate, iron, and more. Another ma Support the show Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/the-anthem License code: SSRYVZTXKZ9U33WQ

    17 min
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About

Beyond Breathing: The podcast for everyone who breathes and sleeps! Get ready to breathe well, sleep well and live well!  In each episode, we'll be joined by expert medical professionals, sleep specialists, wellness coaches, and individuals who have conquered their sleep struggles (adults and kids). We'll dive into the science of sleep and breathing and its impact on our health, we will explore sleep technology and uncover practical tips and techniques to enhance your sleep quality, your mood and overall health and wellness.     We're on a mission to empower you with knowledge, inspire positive change, and ultimately help you embrace a healthier life.  Our first episode is just around the corner so stay tuned for more empowering conversations. Let's start this incredible voyage, one breath at a time. Thank you, Sierra Sleep, Airway and Wellness Center in Reno, Nevada for sponsoring this journey! 

Information

  • Creator
    Lancette VanGuilder
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Beyond Breathing
  • Show Website
    Beyond Breathing

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