Ep208 - What Sleep Taught Me This Year | Night Terrors, Nightmares, Sleep Apnea & Gratitude

🎙️ Deep Into Sleep — Year-End Reflection Episode

As 2025 comes to an end, this special episode of Deep Into Sleep is a reflection on what a year of conversations has taught me about sleep, the brain, and the people who trust us with their nights.

Rather than focusing on a single sleep disorder, this episode brings together four meaningful conversations that shaped how I now think about sleep across the lifespan—from childhood to adulthood, from behavior to biology.

In this episode, we explore:

🧠 Children’s Sleep Terrors

Sleep terrors are often misunderstood and deeply frightening for parents.
In this episode, I share key insights from a conversation with pediatric sleep expert Dr. Sarah Honaker, including:

• Why sleep terrors are not nightmares

• Why children appear awake but are actually still asleep

• The strong genetic component of sleep terrors and their link to sleepwalking

• Why sleep terrors have no known negative impact on emotional development

• Practical guidance for parents: safety, not intervention

🌙 Nightmares Are Treatable

Nightmares are common—but nightmare disorder is not something people have to live with forever.

From my conversation with Dr. Courtney Worley, we discuss:

• Why nightmares tend to occur during REM sleep

• How emotional processing and dream imagery are connected

• Why does avoiding sleep or using alcohol often worsen nightmares

• Evidence-based treatments such as Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT)

• Real clinical stories of recovery—even after decades of nightmares

One key takeaway: improving sleep often starts during the day, not at night.

😴 Snoring Is Never “Just Snoring”

Several conversations this year reinforced one critical message: snoring is not benign.

In my discussion with sleep physician Dr. Christopher Allen, we cover:

• Why does obstructive sleep apnea often worsen other sleep disorders

• Why can sleep apnea not be diagnosed by appearance alone

• How repeated oxygen drops during sleep affect memory centers like the hippocampus

• The long-term cognitive and cardiovascular risks of untreated sleep apnea

• Sleep apnea has been described as a “slow killer”—not dramatic, but silent

We also discuss treatment options, including CPAP, oral appliances, myofunctional therapy, nerve stimulation, and weight-loss medications, emphasizing the importance of individualized care.

🧬 Precision, Not Guesswork: The Future of Sleep Care

In an upcoming episode with Dr. Kendall Stewart, we explore sleep through the lens of genetics and neurochemistry.

Key ideas include:

• Why sleep problems are not just behavioral or psychological, but also biochemical

• The importance of neurotransmitter balance, timing, and clearance

• The roles of GABA, glutamate, melatonin sensitivity, and dopamine in sleep and dreaming

• Why behavioral sleep medicine and precision medicine work best together

When we stop guessing and start tailoring treatment to the individual, sleep care becomes more effective—and more humane.

🙏 Gratitude & Reflection

This year also brought an unexpected moment of gratitude: being named “Sleep Podcast of the Year” by Dr. Chris Winter on his podcast Sleep Unplugged.

I don’t take that recognition lightly. It belongs to every guest who shared their expertise, every listener who trusted this space, and every patient who reminds me why sleep education matters.

If this episode helps you understand your sleep—or your child’s sleep—just a little better, then it has done its job.

Thank you for going deep into sleep with me.

WHAT WILL WE LEARN

00:00 – Opening: Why a Year-End Reflection on Sleep

01:15 – Gratitude & “Sleep Podcast of the Year” Moment

02:20 – What Parents Misunderstand About Children’s Sleep Terrors

05:00 – Nightmares: Common, Treatable, and Not a Life Sentence

07:45 – Snoring Is Not Benign: Sleep Apnea and Brain Health

11:00 – Precision, Not Guesswork: Biology + Behavior in Sleep Care

13:20 – Final Reflections & Thank You

Are you so sleepy that you cannot focus? Are you tired of getting through the day drinking coffee? Are you worried how your poor sleep may impact your health? Checkout Dr. Yishan Xu’s Insomnia Treatment Course! 

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