We’ve all heard that sleep is important, but most people still underestimate just how much of a game-changer it is when it comes to learning new skills, getting smarter, and even healing from injuries. On today's episode, we are looking at the role sleep plays in helping us do better.By Jay McGuire

Ever had one of those nights where your body is exhausted, but your mind just won’t shut off? You’re not alone. Anxiety and an overactive nervous system are some of the biggest culprits behind sleepless nights. When your brain is stuck in fight-or-flight mode, getting restful sleep feels impossible. But here’s the good news—by understanding how you…

Are you tired of lying awake at night, feeling stressed and anxious? Do you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep due to racing thoughts and worries? On today's episode we're going to address some ways to alleviate those restless nights and say hello to restful sleep.By Jay McGuire

Is the heat getting you down and affecting your sleep? On todays episode we’re going to look at ways to help beat the heat and get a good nights sleep.By Jay McGuire

Today's episode involves a really interesting and complex sleep disorder: Sexsomnia. If you or your partner have ever experienced this disorder, you need to tune in!By Jay McGuire

Do you or someone you love suffer from a chronic illness? In todays episode, we will explore strategies to improve sleep quality in cases of chronic illness, addressing the multifactorial nature of sleep disturbances and the considerations specific to managing sleep in this population.By Jay McGuire

If you’ve ever suffered from migraines this episode is for you! Today we will look at the bidirectional influences and underlying mechanisms that intertwine sleep and migraines.By Jay McGuire

Sticking with our recent theme of dreams, today we’ll be talking about a particular type of dream we all experience: Anxiety dreams. Strap in while we try to gain a better understanding of a phenomenon some of us know all too well.

I love a good, interesting dream! Whether it’s full of puppies or spiders, or if I’m flying or sitting naked in a classroom while taking a pop quiz, I’ve always found dreams to be a fascinating field interest. On today’s episode, we’ll take a look at some of the things that are believed to affect the make-up of our dream landscape.…

The recent trend of using medical mouth tape while sleeping has increased in popularity. Let’s take a closer look at this controversial practice.By Jay McGuire

We're talking about brain stuff today! Specifically an older part of our brain that plays a huge role in eating and sleep regulation. Stick around!By jay mcguire

When was the last time you had your Iron checked? While it can be a very simple and common blood test, your iron level can impact your sleep in several different ways. Today we’re going to talk about the roll Iron plays in sleep.By Jay McGuire

In our fast-paced and demanding world, the importance of a good night's sleep cannot be overstated. Sleep is essential for physical health, mental well-being, and overall productivity. However, stress and anxiety often plague our minds, making it challenging to achieve a restful night. Today we’re going to explore the detrimental effects stress and…

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) and its profound impact on sleep quality. Join us as we uncover the science behind this mesmerizing sensation and explore the incredible benefits it offers for a restful night's sleep. ASMR, often characterized by a tingling sensation in the scalp an…

It's time to start the new year with some listener questions!

Do you find yourself having difficulty with memory and decision making? Do you have sleep apnea? New research suggests there may be a relationship between the two that we previously didn’t recognize.By Jay McGuire

This is officially my 2 year anniversary for Somnilopod! I’m so grateful for all of you who have stuck with me from the beginning and all of the newcomers that hunger for fun and interesting tidbits about sleep. And speaking of tasty tidbits, I’ve got a juicy one for you today.By Jay McGuire

It's time again to take some questions from you, the listener!!!By Jay McGuire

Revenge sleep procrastination is a growing trend in our hectic, stress filled lives. On today’s episode we’ll look at what it is and how we might overcome it to return to normal, restful nights.By Jay McGuire

Getting a good night’s sleep is sometimes a pain in the neck…literally! On todays episode we’ll have a look at some of the reasons we experience neck pain at night and ways to avoid it.By jay mcguire

Getting a good night’s sleep can impact us in ways we wouldn’t normally realize. On today’s episode we’ll talk about the interplay between sleep and the immune system.By jay mcguire

Recent studies are showing us that quality and quantity of sleep may differ between men and women. Certain sleep disorders also have a sex difference. On today's episode it’s men vs women in the quest for a good night sleep.By Jay McGuire

With Christmas just around the corner I wanted to take a look at a gift guide for the insomniac in your life. On today’s episode we’ll look at 5 gifts you can give your loved one to help them overcome their nighttime troubles.By jay mcguire

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) comes with a myriad of symptoms, not least of which is trouble sleeping. On today’s episode we will look at some of the symptoms of PTSD and how best to overcome themBy Jay McGuire

Helping ourselves sleep better as we age is always of interest. Researchers from Zurich are presenting fascinating work into facilitating deep sleep for our older populations. That’s what on deck for today’s episode.By jay mcguire

Walking for exercise can be a fun and relaxing pastime. But if you’re interested in deriving specific benefits from walking you often ask yourself: how much and how often should I walk? A recent study is helping to answer these questions and more.By jay mcguire

On today’s Halloween episode I want to do something a little different. We will be talking about the death of a young woman in 1845 and the surprising legal defense used by her accused murderers’ team of lawyers that was the first of its kind in American legal history.By Jay McGuire

A recent study regarding the use of sleep medications sheds light on prescribing trends in the US. On today's episode, we’ll have a look at some of the interesting findings and talk about what’s pushing these trends.By jay mcguire

Our bedtime routine does a lot to set the stage for getting a good night’s sleep. On today’s episode we take a look at a recent survey that sheds light on some surprising nighttime trends.By jay mcguire

Do you find yourself having trouble getting to sleep on Sunday nights because you're worrying too much about Monday? On todays episode we will look at the Sunday night blues.By jay mcguire

Imagine having flu like symptoms one day and waking up 40 years later after having been in a sleep like state the entire time. On todays episode, we will talk about Encephalitis Lethargica aka Sleeping Sickness, one of the greatest medical mysteries of the 20th century.By Jay McGuire

Your first day of vacation was full of fun in the sun or maybe an excellent dinner and night out on the town. You lay down for bed feeling exhausted and 20 minutes later you are wide awake. On today's episode we will take a look at things that can affect your wonderful vacation sleep.By Jay McGuire

To sleep, perchance to dream…in living color. Are your dreams as vibrant as your waking memories? On todays episode, we look at research into the color of dreams.By Jay McGuire

Do you wish you could have a daily shot of extra energy without having to resort to energy drinks, caffeine, or a nap? On today’s episode we’ll look at the benefits of meditation and how it can help keep us perky during the day.By Jay McGuire

It has been quite some time since we did a listener question episode. So join me as I field some of your recent questions.By Jay McGuire

It’s 2pm, I’m at work and my eyes are drooping. Time for my afternoon cup of coffee…or is it? On today’s episode we will look at a new workplace trend that has years of solid research behind it: namely, power naps.By jay mcguire

On this week's episode, we begin and ongoing series that is all for the Ladies! Women can experience a variety of issues with sleep and sleep disorders that can have a significant impact on their health and well-being. We will begin to take a look at these issues and, hopefully, provide some suggestions for relief.…

Are you struggling with your cpap therapy? There is an FDA approved therapy that can replace your cpap unit with an implantable device for an entirely differ treatment experience. On today's episode we will discuss Inspire therapy for sleep apnea.By Jay McGuire

We all know that a solid night of quality sleep can do us a world of good. I ran across some recent research we will be talking about today that adds fuel to the fire for the importance of sleep quality and heart health.By Jay McGuire

Is 8 hours of sleep really best for everyone? On today’s episodes we will look as some recent and not so recent research that sheds some light on the question of how much sleep we really need.By jay mcguire

How often have you proclaimed you were sleepy only to lay down and find you were unable to fall asleep? Were you actually sleepy or were you experiencing fatigue instead? On today’s episode, we’ll talk about ways to tell the two apart and reason why it’s an important distinction.By Jay McGuire

Have you ever lain awake at night pondering the big questions of the universe? Why are we here? Is there a higher power? How do I know if my sleep is considered “quality” or not? On today’s episode, we’ll take a look at one of those questions so we can check it off our list of late night ruminations.…

Exercise has long been proven to be beneficial to sleep. But did you know that different types of exercise can have a better effect than others? We’ll be looking at some recent research into this on todays episode.By Jay McGuire

Insomnia can often rear its ugly head during times of stress and crazy life events (can you say PANDEMIC?). As a result, we often reach for a quick method to help overcome it in the form of a sleep aid. But is using a sleep aid really the best solution? We’ll be taking a look at this on today’s episode.…

Is your bedside lamp, or nightlight helping or hurting your sleep? On this week’s episode, we look at a recent study that will shed some LIGHT on the subject. We also have a product recommendation for www.mantasleep.comBy Jay McGuire

If you find yourself losing a little sleep here and there you may be incurring some sleep debt. On todays episode, we will be talking about what sleep debt is, what it does to us and if we can ever actually pay it back.By Jay McGuire

When was the last time you took a short nap and felt less alert when you woke up than you did when you laid down? Or when you got up and ready for work only to realize you had your uniform on inside out? These are examples of a phenomenon called sleep inertia and it’s our topic today.By Jay McGuire

Are you a light sleeper? Easily awakened by the sound of a dog barking next door, or cars driving past on the road? On today’s episode, we will be talking about the different types of noise used to drown out ambient sounds and help us sleep better.By Jay McGuire

On today's one year anniversary episode we will be talking about biphasic or polyphasic sleep and how it may or may not be for you.By Jay McGuire

On this weeks episode we look at some new research that gives us insight into how our brain prepares for sleep.By Jay McGuire