Better in Bed with The Sleep Doctor

Everybody seems to be obsessed with sleep. Tracking it. Talking about it. Stressing over it. Losing (more) sleep over it. But what about actually getting better at it? Sleep Doctor Michael Breus combines science, storytelling, and practical advice to leave listeners with the tools they need to improve their sleep and their entire lives. Whether you’re entering menopause, trying to get your kid down for a nap, or overwhelmed by which sleep supplements are worth your money, Dr. Breus and his expert guests are here to help you sleep better. Better in Bed is a new series from Lemonada Media, created in partnership with Sleep Doctor.

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Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Know Your Chronotype, Own Your Day

    In this solo episode, Dr. Michael J. Breus dives deep into chronotypes — the individual biological patterns that determine when we naturally wake, sleep, and perform at our best. He explains the science behind sleep drive and circadian rhythm, then breaks down his four chronotype categories: Lions, Bears, Wolves, and Dolphins — the last being his own addition to the traditional three-category model, developed to account for people with chronic insomnia and heightened anxiety. Dr. Breus walks through optimal timing across each chronotype for sleep, naps, exercise, and work. Take the chronotype quiz here: https://sleepdoctor.com/pages/chronotypes/chronotype-quiz For more information about the episode, head here: https://sleepdoctor.com/pages/podcast. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com. Upgrade your sleep. Visit coopsleepgoods.com/BETTERINBED to get 20% off your first order. Chapters: 00:00 What are chronotypes? 02:11 How melatonin and cortisol create your chronotype 04:16 Taking the Chrono Quiz 05:26 Chronotype 1: Lions (early birds) 06:30 Chronotype 2: Bears (the middle 55%) 07:28 Chronotype 3: Wolves (night owls) 08:27 Chronotype 4: Dolphins (insomnia-linked type) 10:21 How menopause can shift your chronotype 11:34 Sponsor: Coop Sleep Goods pillows 12:53 Sleep cycles by chronotype 14:19 Ideal wake and bed times for each chronotype 16:24 Napping rules by chronotype 18:38 Best exercise timing: running, fat burning, strength training 22:00 Sponsor: Sleep Doctor 25:00 Adapting your day if you're a Lion 26:37 Adapting your day if you're a Bear 28:49 Adapting your day if you're a Wolf 30:37 Adapting your day if you're a Dolphin 33:05 Case study 1: The Lion who runs out of gas 35:00 Case study 2: The Wolf forced into an early schedule 37:59 Key takeaways for chronotype adaptation 39:02 Closing and credits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Know Your Chronotype, Own Your Day
  2. Aug 26

    The Sleep Anxiety Fix No One Talks About with Mollie Eastman

    Dr. Michael J. Breus sits down with Mollie Eastman, founder of Sleep Is a Skill, to explore the connection between anxiety and sleep. Mollie shares her personal journey from debilitating sleep anxiety and acute insomnia—rooted in a chaotic upbringing and years of benzodiazepine use—to discovering alternative paths to rest and healing like psychedelics and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Insomnia (ACT-I). The episode closes with practical safety guidelines for anyone considering recreational substances as a sleep aid, and Mollie's two core anchor habits: a consistent wake time and morning bright light exposure. Note: This episode discusses recreational drug use for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice—listeners should consult a healthcare professional before trying anything discussed. Learn more about Mollie Eastman at sleepisaskill.com and follow her on TikTok and Instagram. For more information about the episode, head here: https://sleepdoctor.com/pages/podcast. Upgrade your sleep. Visit coopsleepgoods.com/BETTERINBED to get 20% off your first order. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com. Chapters: 00:00 Medical disclaimer 01:31 How Mollie slept last night (and her psychedelic journey) 03:14 Defining sleep anxiety 03:22 How international travel triggered Mollie's insomnia 04:44 "Sleep is like love" — chasing sleep makes it worse 05:01 Doctors, benzos, and the fear of a pharmaceutical path 06:00 How Mollie pulled herself out of insomnia 06:48 Connecting psychedelics and sleep 07:16 Mollie's trauma background and psilocybin experimentation 08:19 Tracking HRV and sleep improvements with Oura data 10:12 Beckley Institute and legal psychedelic retreats 11:04 How to safely screen for and prepare for a retreat 13:10 Nervous system dysregulation and unresolved trauma 14:04 "Hardware vs. software" — why psychedelics target the root cause 15:27 Fear as the root of insomnia 16:36 Sponsor: Coop Sleep Goods pillows 18:06 Listener question: THC gummies for sleep 18:41 Dr. Breus on THC, CBN, and CBD dosing 20:33 Mollie on THC for sleep onset vs. optimization 22:09 Cannabis risks for seniors 24:40 ACT-I therapy, explained 25:15 CBT-I vs. ACT-I  28:28 Sponsor: Sleep Doctor 29:32 Insights from Dr. Satchin Panda (Salk Institute) 30:16 Eating timing, digestion, and melatonin 33:05 Living in Austin as a "healthy geography" 33:23 Latitude, sunlight strength, and mitochondrial health 35:05 Time spent indoors (EPA data) and vitamin D 36:23 Mollie's top two anchor habits for better sleep 37:03 Where to find Mollie Eastman (Sleep Is a Skill) 39:06 Recap: understanding sleep anxiety 40:25 Guidelines for safely exploring recreational drugs for sleep 41:56 Outro & credits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Sleep Anxiety Fix No One Talks About with Mollie Eastman

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Everybody seems to be obsessed with sleep. Tracking it. Talking about it. Stressing over it. Losing (more) sleep over it. But what about actually getting better at it? Sleep Doctor Michael Breus combines science, storytelling, and practical advice to leave listeners with the tools they need to improve their sleep and their entire lives. Whether you’re entering menopause, trying to get your kid down for a nap, or overwhelmed by which sleep supplements are worth your money, Dr. Breus and his expert guests are here to help you sleep better. Better in Bed is a new series from Lemonada Media, created in partnership with Sleep Doctor.

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