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!

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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.

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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!

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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!